Scott shows Brendan what cruising is about, on Westheimer. A mile-long line of cars going 5 mph each direction, honking, laughing and just being. It makes no sense to Brendan. They park on a side street and go to a house that's been made over into a bar. Lots of men around and a few women. Brendan is able to get inside without trouble but Scott is stopped and has to pay a cover charge.
There's a drag show, that night. Brendan doesn't realize the performers are lip-syncing to records. He's nervous, realizing it was a huge mistake to come because if the place is raided, he's underage and doesn't have identification. A man next to him is kind enough to help him grow calm -- Everett Casterson, who's in the closet at his advertising job. They talk a bit about the oppression against gays in the US and Everett waves off a few men who make passes at Brendan.
When the show is over, Brendan finds Scott is drunk. He was being fed boilermakers by a guy next to him. Everett helps get Scott to their car, but Brendan is nervous about driving the GTO. Everett takes them to his home, close by, and they talk about general things, then Everette drives them home in Scott's car. When Scott wakes with a nasty hangover, Brendan snarls they should not go drinking, again.
Consistency
Brendan has settled into the pool house, and the bar area is his workspace. The B-Girls still harass him but with less rancor. He compares them to his sisters and concludes his mother would dislike them but Maeve would have no problem and might even wind up running them like they run others.
He also gets along well with Todd, Rocky, and Lorraine at The Colonel's. Todd's quick, quiet and professional. Lorraine likes him but Todd's attitude is, you don't shit where you eat. Rocky reads all sorts of books, and even lends A Wrinkle in Time to Brendan. He likes it and reads more. He also reads the papers and keeps up a bit on what's happening in Derry, but he's growing more and more distant from it and wants to just forget it all. Part of him feels like he's abandoning his friends, over there, but the growing chaos is seeming more and more normal to them all, and he wants no part of it.
Everett brings over a typewriter for Brendan to work on. Aunt Mari is quietly wary of him, but the B-Girls like him, especially once he asks them if they're twins, and pester him with questions. Everett reveals he's an artist and wants to paint a portrait of Brendan, aiming to capture the old man wariness in his eyes. He takes several rolls of photos before leaving. Once he's gone, Aunt Mari slips up as if to check on Brendan in a way he finds tender, and he wishes to himself she had been his mother.
Holidays
Brendan has his first real American Christmas, decorating the house and tree. He also finds he loves ice skating because it's chilly and fast and not part of his past. He's becoming very good. He's cheap when it comes to buying things, so won't shop at the Galleria for Christmas presents, but still puts thought into it. And the B-Girls continue to force their help on him.
The whole family goes to Jeremy's house, for Hannukah. Jeremy is visiting from Israel with a couple of army buddies, but they are quiet and vaguely traumatized. Gifts are exchanged then Brendan has a cigarette by the pool, fighting away thoughts of Derry. Jeremy joins him, comments he'd love a joint but his buddies couldn't bring any back with them, so Brendan slips him one -- a Marlboro cigarette repacked with weed so it looks normal. Jeremy is overjoyed, and he and his army buddies stay in the back yard to use it.
Everett brings Brendan's portrait over, soon after his birthday, and it's beautiful. It even has some of the wariness Everett was trying to capture. Aunt Mari invites him to stay for dinner, and he shows he knows how to handle the B-Girls. Before he leaves, he quietly reveals to Brendan he was disowned because he's gay, and points out how lucky Brendan is to have family who love him. Brendan thinks Everett has been accepted but he quickly sees Aunt Mari is still wary and cautions him against the man. Feeling a bit betrayed, Brendan pushes back against her comments and returns to the pool house.
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