Free Rainbow Road by Alex Sanchez Page B

Nelson the pancakes and juice. While Nelson sat beneath a tree to eat, Kyle roled up their sleeping bags. Jason folded up the tent and disassembled the poles.
    Then Nelson cleaned up at the bathhouse and they carried their stuff to the car. Jason asked him, “You sure this time you have your cel?” Nelson quickly checked his pockets before grumbling, “Yeah.”

    As they finished loading the car, Horn-Boy walked up, hornless now. He looked almost normal in jeans and a tank top—except for the daisy behind his ear.
    “Hey, good morning.” He gently handed the daisy to Nelson. “How far are you guys going today?”
    “Memphis,” Kyle replied. “Can you tel us where’s the nearest gas station?”
    Horn-Boy gave them directions and explained how to get back to the interstate.
    “Okay. Thanks, man,” Jason shook Horn-Boy’s hand.
    “Yeah, thanks,” Kyle shook hands too and folowed Jason into the car, leaving Nelson to say good-bye privately. Yet Kyle and Jason couldn’t help watching in the rearview as Horn-Boy rested his hand on Nelson’s chest.
    “What’s he doing that for?” Jason asked.
    “I don’t know. He’s saying something.”
    They both watched, curious, as Horn-Boy left his hand on Nelson’s chest a moment before removing it. Then Nelson grinned and wrapped his arms around Horn-Boy, and they kissed … and kissed … til Jason punched the horn and shouted out the window, “We don’t have al day!” Nelson held up his middle finger at Jason, kissed Horn-Boy one last time, and climbed into the backseat of the car.
    As they waved good-bye and began bouncing down the dirt entrance road, Kyle asked, “What was he doing with his hand?”
    “He was praying for my heart.” Nelson gave a wistful smile. “He wished me peace, joy, love, and lots of hot, groovy sex!” Bringing the daisy to his nose, Nelson gazed out the rear window. “That place was so freaking amazing!”
    “Weird,” Jason corrected.
    “No!” Nelson countered. “It’s the rest of the world that’s weird. Why shouldn’t you be able to dress how you want, act how you want, and love who you want? If you’re so straight-acting, then why don’t you have the guts to just let yourself go and be who you are?” Jason was quiet after that and Kyle said, “The place was definitely interesting.” At the gas station Jason filed up the tank and Kyle went inside to pay. Behind the register sat a woman with a long, thin face, puled-back hair, and a gray T-shirt.
    Though she smiled a little, she seemed so plain compared with the people at the sanctuary. Kyle recaled Nelson’s comment from the night before about The Wizard of Oz and Technicolor. It now felt like they’d stepped back into black-and-white.
    An hour later they arrived in Nashvile to see the sights. As they drove through downtown, Nelson stuck his head out the window, pink hair waving in the wind, shouting “Woo-hoo! Nashvile!” as people on the sidewalk stared.
    Kyle squirmed, but he knew there was no stopping Nelson.
    “I want to go to the Grand Ole Opry first,” Nelson announced as they parked the car. He’d been on a country music kick ever since Jeremy had taught him to two-step.
    “You guys go,” Jason said, grabbing his basketbal. “I want to find a court.”
    Kyle suddenly got a holow feeling in his stomach. “Don’t you want to see the Opry and stuff? Isn’t that the whole point of this trip? To experience things together?”
    “I’ve got to keep up my practice,” Jason said, looking away. “I promised Coach.”
    “I know, but …” Kyle struggled for words, wanting to be supportive but also eager for Jason to see the sights with them.
    Nevertheless, Jason insisted on finding a court. A parking lot attendant pointed him toward a school down the street. The boys agreed to meet back at the car in two hours. And Kyle watched in frustration as Jason dribbled his bal down the sidewalk.
    Nelson chattered excitedly while he and Kyle toured the big red