We talked a while. It wasn’t a radio. He had a little tape player, the kind you usually have headphones for, but his had a tiny speaker so the music sounded far away and soft. He liked music, knew all the country western singers. By ten he was yawning. We lived on different time zones. I was waking up and he was falling asleep. He finally gave it up, took a shower and came out in a short white robe, like a karate guy. He took a final cigarette with him and I heard the creak when he lay down on my bed. I wondered if he found the clean sheets? Did I have any clean sheets? I switched on the TV and surfed through the late movies... nothing held my attention. I kept thinking about Wallace holding my foot, rubbing it, squeezing it, making me shoot off. It didn’t seem so embarrassing any more; he wasn’t trying to shame me. It just happened. I wondered if it would happen again. TV seemed more boring than ever. I wished Wallace wouldn’t go to bed so early. Why didn’t we talk about it? It was the most important thing between us. Maybe it was just me. He probably had lots of wild experiences in the navy. Always heard stories about sailors. Guess my little weirdness was no big deal to him. I wondered just how much he had done?.. And with whom? Shit. I didn’t want to sleep all day next day. I didn’t want to miss breakfast! I cut off the TV and rolled over. Sleep was still in me, and the beer helped. I dozed back off. I woke in the early hours of dawn. When I lay real still I could hear him breath. Not a snore but a rumble...like his breath echoed in his huge chest. The beer from last night was ready to come out! I’d made it to the bathroom on my own before he came. I could still do it. The crutch hit a sore spot under my arm, but I made it up on my feet, hobbled a few steps... grabbed onto the back of the rocking chair. “Maurice”, I read the name of his book. Looked like a dumb book, judging by the cover. I wondered what he found in there to enjoy? A few more steps brought me to the bedroom door and I leaned there, on the jamb, door wide open. Wallace was lying on his back, one arm thrown across his face and the other sprawled wide. His legs lay a couple of feet apart and his cock was sticking up his belly. It was big as mine. He talked like mine was impressive, shit. His was a big tool! I grinned, because it would be funny if he had a wet dream, messed up the clean sheets! I’d like to see that! I kept grinning at the thought as I made my way inside the bathroom. I tried to stay propped up on the crutch, wanted to piss standing up. When the crutch went clattering to the tile floor it made a hell of a racket! Wallace was there in a flash, his eyes bleary and wide. I’d managed to sit down. He stopped at the door. “You okay? Thought you fell down or something...” “Nawh, I’m fine. Dropped the crutch, sorry I woke you”, guess I stared at his bobbing cock. He reached down and covered it with his hand, pressed it to his belly. “Time I was up, anyway. How about some coffee?” He relaxed, let his hand slide off and hang loose at his side. His cock jocked for a forty five degree angle and came to a halt. I watched. “Sure. Coffee would be great.” “I’ll put it on”, he backed out and went in the kitchen. The lights flooded on bright. I pissed. It took a while. Had to wait for my boner to go down all the way. Can’t bend down a boner when you’re sitting down and still piss. Won’t work. When I got to the kitchen he had the coffee going, his cock swinging low and soft. He helped me into my chair and put my foot up. “Be right back, get my robe... kind of cool”, he moved away but I grabbed his arm. “Wait. Just noticed your tattoos! Let me see!” He turned back and leaned his shoulders down at me in turn. “These were my first .. This was my first ship”, I couldn’t read the fancy lettering inscribed around an anchor but it was neat, “and this was my favorite port of call”, I could make out the one on his left shoulder, Bangkok was pretty clear, even with the palm tree going behind it. “This one, well, I just liked the design...”, he pointed out a small red heart with a blue lightening bolt through it right over his real heart. “Oh, yeah! I really like that one! It’s cool!” I reached out to touch it, as if it had a texture I could feel. I felt warm skin. “And this one, down here...”, my fingers trailed down to a wide Chinese dragon below his navel, just inside his hair line. It looked fierce and beautiful. I touched it and ran my finger down its spine. His cock jerked in a twitch. “I just got one more”, he turned and looked over his shoulder... “I can’t hardly see it without a mirror...” There was a pale pink rose on his lower left ass cheek--a long stem bristled with thorns and small leaves branched out. I laid my palm over it. Slid my hand down to expose it again. Goose bumps flashed over his back and he laughed. “It’s to keep my ass smelling sweet!” He shivered. “Gotta get dressed. I’m cold!” I watched him make the turn at the door. His cock was back at the high mark, slapping his belly. I reached down to calm mine a little--tell it to wait. It wanted to come out and play! Wallace ran the washer and dryer all morning, to catch up the laundry. He scrubbed at the bathroom in between loads. The pleasant smell of disinfectant spread through to the living room. Just picking up my old socks and shirts, my several pairs of shoes and the dirty dishes, the living room was looking better. My whole house was a cleaner, less depressing place! During one of his breaks, when he came to sit with me a few minutes, Wallace brought a deck of cards, asked me if I played solitaire. He arranged the coffee table where I could reach it and spread out a beginning set. I hadn’t played in a long time. Took me a few games to get the hang of it again. Then I was doing okay! “Hey! I won again!” I called. “Let me get a cup of coffee, I’ll play you a game of doubles... You want anything?” “No, hurry up, I’m dealing. Get here quick or I’ll look at your cards! I’m a terrible cheat!” I heard him laugh from the kitchen. “I figured that when you won five games straight. Not fucking likely!” “Come on, I’ll teach you how!” I liked having him around. Not just his cooking and shit, but because he was fun and he was a nice guy. Sexy, too, yeah. I hadn’t got the hots for another guy since I was fourteen and Jimbo Martin was nothing compared to Wallace. Hell, he never made me cum, either! He’d tickle my feet for me, sure, but we didn’t do nothing about the results. He sure as hell didn’t strip down and let me see his boner! We only saw each other with tents sticking out in our jeans. Damn, hadn’t thought of old Jimbo in years. Wonder where he got to? But the cooking and clean clothes, the fresher house... it was all good, don’t get me wrong. I liked that part of it, too. When Angela called I couldn’t stop talking about him, couldn’t stop thanking her for sending him over. “Well, I’m just glad you two get along! How’s he doing? Is he still moping about Sally?” “Not that I can tell. He seems happy, stays busy and I think he really likes cleaning. All that time in the navy, you know, spit shines everything!” “Great, I’m glad it worked out. Remember, I’m paying him! I hired him so don’t argue! I’ll bring him a check on Friday and again every Friday as long as it takes to get you going.” “I can’t argue, Angie. You got more money than I’ll ever have! God knows I couldn’t afford his pay! What you paying him, anyway?” “None of your business! He works for me. I know I should be there taking care of you so I hired him to do my family duty. You know I can’t take off work, not with the sales going through the roof like they are! I can afford him, okay? You just get well, take care of each other. He needs you, too, you know? Damn, the other line always rings when I’m talking to you ..” “Wait, what do you mean?...he needs..” “Gotta run, love... later.” click. Shit. Any other time she’d talk my ears off, when I want to know details she ain’t got time! Women! Late afternoon. The house was quiet except for the really good sounds of Wallace dinging around in the kitchen. All the laundry was finished, the vacuum put away, the TV was sitting dark and silent... I was feeling fine and relaxed, getting that nappy mood, ready to drift off. He came out wiping off his hands, “Got a roast in the oven! We’ll feast tonight!” “Hey, man! I’m gonna get fat before I ever walk again! A beef roast? With potatoes?” “Hell yeah! I’ve been hungry for beef roast a month. I’ll put in some burgundy and mushrooms, got lima beans ready to go ... and a tomato aspic with sour cream! We’ll both get fat, who cares?” We laughed. “I sure don’t care. I could eat your cooking as my final meal and die happy!” “You could die happy and leave a beautiful corpse, too. Let me cut your hair, please! It’s driving me crazy the way it sticks out all over! You can let it grow out again when you’re back at work.” “Hell, I don’t care. Have at it! I’d forgot you made the offer. When? Now?” He ducked into the bathroom, called back, “Yeah, right now while you’re in the mood!” Came back with clippers, scissors, mirror and towel. He brought a kitchen chair into the living room, placed it on the tiled area in front of the door. In one breathless moment he scooped me up and swung me around to sit in the chair. My cast banged against the floor. I yelled, “Ouch, sonofabitch!”, then laughed at his blanched white face. “It’s okay. It didn’t hurt as much as I thought it would. Just scared me.” “Scared YOU? You damn near gave me a heart attack!” He punched my shoulder, not lightly! “You sissy! Scared of a little pain? Wait till you get your tattoo! Can’t wait to hear you squalling!” “Does it really hurt?” He spread the towel around my shoulders, combed through my tangled hair. “Sure it hurts. Stings and burns, mostly. Makes it cool, you know? Like you pay for the honor of wearing one!” “...or five? That’s a lot of paying!” “Gets easier, after the first one. You know what to expect. Just the first one takes guts.” “What should I get? I like your dragon... maybe one like that?” “You should start small. This dragon took hours to do. Pick out a small one they can do in one sitting. Then you can decide if it’s worth it.” He was clipping at my hair, long streamers began to fall around me. “Damn! I don’t want to see this! I’ve had long hair since I was a kid! I won’t even recognize me!” “Yeah? You get confused, I’ll tell you your name, Gordy.” “No. I gotta change that. I hate Gordy! I’ll change my name to Spike or maybe Sting or Chase. yeah, how you like, Chase, that sounds cool!” “Sounds phony as hell. Gordy sounds real. I like it.” “Well, I like Wally, too Reminds me of Leave It To Beaver, the good old days.” “That’s what I was afraid of. I hated that guy, always whining about something.I liked the little brother, Beaver. He was cool.” “So? You want me to call you Beaver?”, I laughed. “I will if you want!” “No thanks. Wally starts to sound okay.” “Did your family call you Frances?” “Naw. They always called me Buddy.” “Where are they, where you from, Wally?” “Up Pennsylvania, the corner of Ohio... we moved around a little. Came down here when I entered high school. Folks moved back up to farm country. I like the city. D.C. ain’t so bad, not like people say. Stay out of the high crime areas, you know. I never liked the country, too cut off, not many options. I ain’t no farmer!” “No. I can’t picture you as a farmer, small town guy. After you been all over the world? Wouldn’t fit in, would you?” “Not exactly. I never fit in anywhere ...” I would have questioned that but he plugged in the clippers, started buzzing my head and I got a little nervous, wondering if I’d look like a skinhead. I couldn’t reach the mirror. Maybe I didn’t want to. Wallace came around to the side; he steadied himself by leaning against my shoulder. His hip radiated heat. Hard bone and then the soft muscle. He shifted, his cock brushed my arm. Intense heat down there! I stared at the spot where his dragon would be waiting, right behind his brass belt buckle... and thought of the pink rose... his wide white ass. Damn these pajamas. They didn’t hide shit! Wallace moved around to the other side. He worked the back and sides fast but slowed on the top... braced himself. It was firm against me. I couldn’t even cross my legs. I held it down with a hand. My palm itched to feel it full and hot. Mine or his? I couldn’t say. either one. both. The buzz stopped suddenly. “Okay! Looks terrific, Gordy. You just got drafted!” he handed me the mirror. “Damn! That’s pretty good!” I turned and preened. I really liked it! It did change my face. My cheekbones looked stronger, my face thinner. Different, but good. “You don’t hate it?” “You kidding? I love it! Can’t wait for Angela to see it! She’ll go bug eyes for sure! It changes me, makes me look harder”. I pulled a stern expression for the mirror. It looked more convincing than ever before. “Hell, I look like a badass!” “Don’t look pink?” “Burn all my pink underwear! I’m buying black from now on!” “Or camouflage?” “Yeah! or leather.. or none at all!” Wallace laughed, “None at all! That’s me. I hate drawers!” He carefully lifted the towel, brushed at my back and neck. Hair was everywhere. I was still staring at the mirror when he brushed at my chest, my belly... my lap. He brushed lightly over my boner. I linched... tried to stand up. “Hair all over the PJs, ought to take them off, let me wash ‘em. They gonna itch. You had a pair of baggy denim shorts in the last wash. Think they’ll go over the cast?” “Uh, no, I tried them already. The boxers, the ones I had on... did you wash them?” “Yeah. Thought you might want more coverage or something, more privacy?” “Why? Nobody here but us--I got nothing to hide from you ... right?” I glanced at his face. Couldn’t meet his eyes, slipped my glance down again. He steadied me with a hand on my shoulder. “Nothing you have to hide from me, not unless you want to, you know?” Damn, his voice could go so fucking low it vibrated. “I, uh, I mean... the boxers are fine. Save the cut off jeans for Angela.” I brushed at my belly. Still hairs all over me. He put an arm around me. “Bathroom. We’ll wipe you down, change your pants.” I grabbed his neck, “... and piss.” “Okay, and piss. Then you can have another beer, okay?” The bath was done with quick efficiency. No fooling around, careful avoidance. Wallace kept his eyes off my exposed parts while he deftly changed my pajamas for the boxers. He clipped the outside leg to make them slide over my cast easier. Guess my hopes were fake. He didn’t really get a charge out of my body, not like I did, seeing him, touching him. Forget it. The thing with my feet was just a curiosity. He didn’t even think about shit like that. I could handle it. I always did. Still disappointed, though, a little hurt. He probably scared himself. Bet he never meant to go as far as it did. Bet he never thought I’d like it, either. Fuck it. Think women, think pussy, think tits. Think loser! I kept checking out my face and hair in the bathroom mirror. He caught me. “You really like it, don’t you?” He grinned at me. “Yeah. I’m surprised. Didn’t know how much difference it’d make.” I ran my hand over the top of my head, felt the hard dome of my skull under the thin layer of hair. “It feels different, don’t feel like my head.” “No? Who’s does it feel like?” he laughed. “Yours I guess”, I reached up and he ducked his head, let me run my hand over his stiff flattop. “Nope. Don’t feel like that! It feels soft, though, I thought it would feel like bristle. It stands up but it’s soft... How’d you train it?” “I donno, it’s always been short.” He left his head down and let me rub it a long time. I finally felt silly and stopped. He raised his face slow. He didn’t laugh. His eyes connected with mine in the mirror. I looked too long, pulled away when I got that nervous tension. “Come on. You need some exercise. Been thinking about it.” “You have? What you got in mind, a ten mile hike?” “You’ll see, come on.” When I got out the bathroom door he picked me up. “Easier this way, and faster.” “I don’t get any exercise, thought”, I laughed and held on. I didn’t mind. “Let’s see. I’ll put you on the couch first ... wait a sec..” He bounded off for the bed room, came back with a blanket and spread it on the floor, shoved the coffee table away. “Right here”, he tapped the blanket and walked on his knees to the couch. “I’m just going to let you down easy..... now lay on your back, yeah.. wait.. some books. You have some books, somewhere? Or bricks?” “What the hell? Yeah, there’s some bricks by the back porch and books in the spare room...” “Bricks! Yes!” “They’re cold!” “So? Stop whining! ...All the way out, that’s it!” He had my arms spread out like I’m getting crucified and a brick in each palm. “Now curl them up slow... Keep your wrists stiff, yeah, pause at the top and bring them back down slow... there you go!” “That’s pretty easy.” I thought he would give me something harder. “Just do twenty reps, see how easy it is then! Come on, one... two.. slower...”, and so it went. The first set was still easy but he told me to do it again. Another set. I broke a sweat on the forth set. The bricks felt like a ton. Muscles in my arms began to tremble and it was almost impossible to get them up after a drop to the floor. I had to strain my stomach and chest. When he said, “That’s enough!” I thought I might kiss him! Shit! “You did great, didn’t complain one time! I’m proud of you. Now, reach over your head, all the way back, that’s it... take the bricks. Now lift them over your face.” Sound easy? Try it! I damn near screamed to get them off the floor, then I wanted to jerk them up right. He blocked my arms with his wrist. “Slowly!” Tears squeezed out of my clenched eyes.. And I took a great sobbing gulp of air when I reached the top. My thumbs were numb. I was afraid I’d drop the bricks on my face! “...and back down, slow, slow... There!” I lay still and breathed. Felt like I’d just completed the fifth challenge of Hercules or something. Wallace rubbed my biceps. “Good solid muscle in there, under the layer of fat! You’re gonna bulk up in no time! We gotta get some weights, though. So we can increase the load as needed.” “Fuck, Increase the load? I’m dying already, Wally! The damn bricks increase by themselves! My arms are burning like crazy!” “Aw, now the whining, huh? Saved your strength, I’m glad to see!” But he was grinning. “Can you do a sit up? Let’s try crunches. I’ll hold your hips down, you cross your arms over your chest, lift your head and chest, curl forward...don’t jerk it. Start again, slow, slow” I made about three good ones then got sloppy for two more and he stopped me with a hand on my sweaty chest. “Enough. You’re tired. Lay still...” He moved down to my feet. “Work on your good leg. I’ll be the weight, hold your foot. You lift your leg and I’ll try and hold it down... press slow, no jerking!” He clamped a hand around my ankle. Made me a little nervous, he was close to my foot but he didn’t touch it. I tried to concentrate. He didn’t press down hard. I lifted my leg up to about a forty-five degree angle and he told me to push it back down. He held it up. That felt good, all the tendons in back of my leg felt the pressure and the stretch. I pressed down hard and he let me down slowly. “..Again.” We did it about ten times and he let up on the pressure so I didn’t have to struggle too hard, still, it felt good. My thigh tingled with fresh blood and the circulation warmed the muscle. I relaxed. He squeezed my ankle and smiled at me. Then he lifted my foot suddenly and kissed my big toe! “You did great, kid! Proud of you!” My reaction was immediate and powerful. My shorts jumped to attention as my boner curled up and made a strike like a rattler. If it’d been a snake, Wallace would be dead! I slapped at it, pressed it down. Wally laughed. “Quick on the trigger, aren’t you! Go on, roll over and hide it. We need a bench to really work out your back, but I can massage it, get the kinks out... we’ve got a few minutes until the roast is ready, see if I can build your appetite!” I couldn’t respond to his banter. Didn’t trust my voice. Knew it would come out tight and breathless. He kissed my toe! I couldn’t believe it. I was dreaming, right? His hands on my back were business like and tough. He pounded and shoved rather than stroked and rubbed. I guess he didn’t want to stimulate me any more! Did it surprise him? Did he expect it? Did he know shit about my dreams? Then he straddled my ass and leaned down on his arms. His hands pressed and released, pressed and released. The back of my neck turned to rubber. My shoulders melted. He moved to the small of my back and treated my kidneys with care but the light pain was good. My ass grew warmer. I focused. I tried to feel his cock through his pants, my shorts. Something, maybe his balls sliding back and forth with his movement. Maybe just my ass getting massaged with his weight and the rhythm...but it was nice. I ground my hard cock into the blanket, the carpet... I groaned. He jumped up suddenly and clapped his hands sharply! “Okay, Gordy! You can relax! Session over for tonight! You want back on the couch? I’m going to get supper ready!” “Leave me here. I’m liquid. I melted.” “Okay! Be like that!”, he laughed. “You want the afghan?” “Hell no. I’m hot as... I’m sweating, man.” “Here. It’s right here by you. Don’t get chilled when you cool off.” I listened to his footsteps move around the house. My ear next to the floor was strange. Everything sounded different. He kissed my fucking toe! A man who would kiss your foot would do anything for your, right? He really cares about me, the real me, Gordy Moron! That’s some shit, man. He kissed my toe! Long after a wonderful supper we sat and played gin. He beat me easily. All my muscles felt tingly and loose. My belly was full and the house smelled like good beef. I smiled. No reason, just happy and content. He kissed my toe and I loved him. Two days and I loved this guy more than anybody I ever knew in thirty years of living. It don’t work like that, right? He was a cool guy but when he put his lips to my toe I fell in love. That’s stupid. He was acting silly! He was teasing me. He was proud of me and it was a little sign of affection. It was baby talk, play, pretend. It was nothing to him. you just don’t fall in love because somebody kisses your big fucking toe, okay? that’s crazy... and I was crazy in love. He’d puke if he knew it. He liked me fine. I could see that much! He was happy with my company, never seemed distracted or bored. Never seemed to be thinking about going out, never called Sally or anybody. He was content. It wouldn’t last, of course. This was all new to him like it was to me. He had just gotten tossed out by a woman who didn’t want him, so he’s healing. Getting over the rejection. She must be an idiot. Blond, no doubt. Air head. Who could possible be better than Wallace, what could she want he couldn’t give her? An idiot. I stared at him, tried to read past his dark eyelashes and deep eyes. He grinned. “You gonna play or fall asleep? Your turn.” “Huh? Oh, I just... I uh...”, I looked at my hand. I didn’t remember any of these cards! He closed his hand, tossed it to the table with a grin. “You’re beat! You’ll never catch my score, anyway. I worked you too hard, right? I’ll lift your cast. You lay back ... It’s late. Sleep if you want. You didn’t nap all day.” “I’m not sleepy”, I mumbled. “Rest your eyes, then, okay? I’m hitting the showers. You want the TV on?” “Naw... the tape player. Put on some music... the bluegrass album.” “Okay, sure. I didn’t think you liked it.” “Love it”, I yawned, “Go, shower, I’m fine.” Like I’d fall asleep when he was in there naked? Miss him passing through in his little short robe? I’d check on him later. I loved the sight of him naked on my bed. That might be the best image I’ll ever have of him, when he’s back with her. I yawned again. I was drifting off when he came out. The slight rattle of the bathroom door jerked me awake. I rose up, slid back so I could sit up against the arm rest, see him right side up. “You still awake?”, he didn’t even tie up the robe. It was just hanging open, gapped about eight inches wide. He didn’t even hold it closed. Soft, dammit. “Yeah.. Come have one last smoke with me. Unless you was gonna read or something.” He tossed his clothes in the bedroom, on the floor. “You’re a bad influence on me. Sally had me quitting, now I’m smoking four or five a day!” He grinned. “Who’s counting? Sally won’t know. I never tell secrets.” His quick glance was curious. Maybe startled. He sat on the end of the couch and leaned over to hand me a smoke, handed me the lighter. His hip pressed against my foot. He steadied himself with a hand next to my thigh. His skin was hot as usual. Then he sat up and his hand came down on my shin. Stroked the hard bony ridge and fine hairs. “Are you sore?” He squeezed my calf. “Not yet. I bet I’ll feel it tomorrow!” I slid down lower and propped my foot on his thigh. His robe was hanging off the sides of his legs but from my low angle I couldn’t see his dragon. My foot lay on naked skin, anyway... only inches away from his cock. He leaned forward to tip ashes into the ashtray. My heel slipped down and touched soft flesh, soft and hot. Hairs tickled my skin. His legs opened wider as he lay back. My foot rested with his cock under my arch, just in that sensitive curve, in the delicate and vulnerable flex of my foot. He looked down into his lap and smoked silently. His cock came up slowly to press back, dance lightly and throb against me. The feeling was exquisite. Too much. My balls clenched, my prostate throbbed and I pulled my foot back to the safe scratchy nub of upholstery fabric. Wally’s hand came out to catch my foot, tug it back. He didn’t look at me, just watched his lap, glanced at my foot. He pulled it back to his lap and my lungs burned, throat tightened. He lay his head back, face towards the ceiling and pressed my foot on his cock, massaged my toes, worked his fingers into that tender spot. I closed my eyes, saw with the sole of my foot. Saw his rearing dragon stand up and snarl, felt the flutter of dragon wings. Wally’s hand slid up to my knee, down the smooth incline to my inside thigh, the hairs became electric, flashing sparks as they burst from his path. His hand slipped inside the leg of my shorts and I closed my eyes, couldn’t watch, could only feel his touch, a probe, a finger, a hand... my foot pressed into his cock and rubbed up and down the whole length of it. He grasped a fist full of my shaft and that did it. He held it as I shot out pulse after pulse of cum, spreading and sliding over his hand, my belly, dripping into my busy hairs. My breath tickled in my chest. I coughed a short bark and he stood, let my foot drop to the couch. He stayed standing there a minute. I didn’t open my eyes until he walked away, toward the bedroom. Then I looked at the space where he had been, empty now. Vacant. I shook inside. I held my hands flat against my knotted belly and felt the coils of springs all twisted together and painful. I pressed them in. I sobbed quietly. Even back when I was thinking it was him didn’t want to do anything, I knew it was me. I couldn’t stand it. Too much, too powerful to let it out, set it free. Dangerous. It would devour me, destroy me. I lay still, slowly stopped shaking. I must have drifted off because when I opened my eyes again the lamp was off. The kitchen was dark. Only the bathroom light peeked through a narrow crack. I could hear Wally breathing his sleep growl, the little rumble, the slight echo. My shorts were sticky, almost dry. It must have been a while. I climbed up out of my well of fear. Did I mean to go piss? I donno. I just needed to be up and moving, too long drowning in my thoughts. The blanket was gone, folded and put away as he would do. My crutch was in place at the end of the couch. Not so sore, now, as I hadn’t been using it so much. It was easier to pull myself up. I reached up and smoothed a palm over my short hair... took a deep lungful of air and moved with a soft shuffle, dragging the cast along. He might go suddenly. I couldn’t wait. What if she phoned tomorrow, asked him to come back? I had no time for cowardice, no time for slow growth. The shell was too tight. I had to break out or die of suffocation. I made it to the bedroom door. Near pitch black inside. No moon. I eased closer to the bed until his breathing sounded like the rush of tide, the gush of breakers. I found the bed with my extended hand, knew every inch of the surface... hooked the crutch over the footboard without a thump ... swiveled on my plaster foot knob and sat on the bed, just about at hip level. His breathing broke the rhythm, caught a couple of gulps and resumed a slow tidal flow. My palm found warm skin... the crisp hairs and hard muscles of thigh... slipped higher to feel increased heat, moisture. The dark receded. My eyes adjusted to the palest of shadows and shades of black. Light fingertips stroked the dragon’s spines and brushed his nest... and rested on the firm shaft laying over to point at me in accusation. I slipped my grasp around that scepter and fondled it to hardness as I leaned over, closer and closer to that delicate smell of masculinity, that long and distant call of soul. When the spasms stopped and he lay still and melting on my tongue, Wally touched me on the shoulder with an exploratory hand. I didn’t run away as impulse would have me do... I waited. His soft touch became a caress and he sat up, reached for me with both his strong arms and pulled me into an embrace that dissolved thirty years of shame. If she phoned tomorrow, I would still have this night, this joy. The rest of my life I’d have this joy, the flavor of him in me, part of me and his lips against my cheek. “Gordy? Baby?” His hands searched down my body to my legs, my cast. “Let me help you, lay down beside me.” He squirmed from under me, around me and lifted the cast, laid me on the bed that smelled of him and pink roses. He climbed back beside me and wrapped his arms around me. “I’m proud of you, Gordy. I knew you’d find the courage sometime, didn’t know how quickly you would ...”, then his lips found mine and words were only an afterthought to deeds. We did it again and again, each of us bursting with joy and jism and creamy delight in our pleasure of body and shared heat. The cast was an obstacle, not a barrier. We found many ways to couple our parts around it, found all the ways. Silver light brightened near dawn, with no color and no warmth. An image of dawn as symbol of hope flashed through me. But a colorless and gray dawn. “Wally? What if she calls? Do you still love her? Does any of this matter if she wants you back?” “Who, Sally? I’m sorry, I just never liked that much, calling guys ‘she’, and it’s confusing. Sally has a new boyfriend and, no, I’d never go back if he called! That’s over, history. I’d go back to work for him, sure. I love that cafe, but not to his apartment, no way!...” “Wait, Sally is a man?”, I stuttered? “Sure! Salvatore Ferigny couldn’t pass for a woman in the dark! You never saw his beard?” “I’ve never seen him at all, I thought.. Angie said.. I mean, I understood ...” “You thought I was with a woman? Thought I was straight? Hell, that’s why I got out of the Navy! Everybody knew. You didn’t even know I was gay? Jesus! That explains a lot!” He laughed and laughed. “Don’t make fun of me, shit..”, I beat his chest with my fist! “Stop! I’m not making fun of you! But it’s funny, don’t you see? I knew you were gay but you thought I was straight, no wonder the signals got all crossed up!” “How did you know I was gay? I didn’t know until yesterday, not for sure...” “Angie, of course. She said you were always gay but didn’t want to talk about it, tried to hide it but she knew you were gay since you were ten years old. She was hoping I could help you come out of your shell, if not your closet, learn to accept yourself ... “ “That busybody! How dare she say...” “It’s in her job description, right? She’s a busybody!” He hugged me. “Do you wish she’d never put us together?” “Don’t talk crazy! She’s the best sister I got and I love her to death. Today, anyway!” I snuggled up closer, as close as the plaster wrapped leg would let me. It was growing lighter, warmer. “Look, Wally... the dawn is fading to pink! That’s a sign, right?” “Muupz”, he mumbled from the edge of sleep, “Dawn’s always pink.” “Not like this one, Wally. Not like this one!” ................Jackertoo@AOL.com
