Spammer by Anel Viz

“Spammer”

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(Author’s note: In keeping with the theme of Internet spam, I have not given the main character of this story a name.)

11. Joel

Norm had been living in Winona and coming back to Austin for the weekend for a little over a month. He missed his company during the week, but had enough sex on the weekends to last from Monday to Friday. But he hadn’t expected how much trouble he’d have adjusting to living by himself again.

Then Joel sent another email, his first in years, this one signed.

I know you’re gay and your boyfriend’s not there anymore. So how about it? I won’t send any more emails, there’s no reason not to be open with each other. Just wanted to let you know what I’ll be saying next time we talk. Alone.

– Joel

He didn’t give Joel a chance to approach him. He cornered him the next morning at work and said, “Nothing’s changed. So forget about it. That’s all I have to say.”

“I thought you’d at least have a question for me.”

“No questions. I’m not giving you an opening.”

“Like how I knew you were gay and that Norm was your partner.”

That he wanted to know.

“I didn’t have an inkling; nobody here does. It dawned on me when he showed up at the bar, the time I thought I’d be meeting you, and told me to fuck off. Those were his very words, by the way, “Fuck off.”

“He meant it to.”

“Oh, I could tell he meant it. But I also saw that there was a lot more to it than some kid who was afraid of being labeled a queer because some guy was after his roommate. There was something in his voice. Jealousy, maybe. Yeah, jealousy, and protectiveness too.”

“So you knew about us.”

“I was sure of it. I didn’t tell anyone. You have to give me credit for that.”

“You knew about us, but you backed off.”

“What else could I do but back off? What chance did I have when you had a piece of ass like Norm all for yourself?”

“Norm’s not a piece of ass.”

“He is. He’s a lot more than that, but he’s still one fabulous piece of ass. How did you get so lucky?”

“That’s none of your damn business.”

“I know. I didn’t expect an answer.”

“Well, you asked me something else, and the answer is no.”

“Maybe when you’re feeling so damn horny you can’t stand it any longer we could...”

“No.”

“Not hook up at your place. I was going to say meet up for coffee somewhere and you could tell me what it’s like having sex with him. It would relieve your frustrations a little and...”

“No.”

“It would make my life a little easier and give me something to fantasize about.”

“I’m sure you fantasize enough as is.”

“What’s the harm in it? You won’t be...”

“No, no, and no.”

“I’m not giving up.”

“I know you won’t. I remember the emails.”

“So you know how some sex talk, gay sex talk, with another guy once in a while would...”

“No.”

Joel didn’t let up. Not a constant barrage like the emails, but every couple of months he’d bring it up again and get the same “No”.

Yet if he didn’t have Norm, he’d have gone to bed with Joel and been glad for it. He didn’t tell Norm that the old emails had been resurrected in another form. It would only have upset him for nothing.

Joel quite bugging him when Norm came back for the summer, only to start up again fall semester. He had no lack of arguments for not feeling bad about cheating on Norm.

“Yeah, I’d feel bad about it, but that’s not what’s keeping me from doing it.”

“You think he’s faithful to you? The kid isn’t gay – anyone can see that. I’ll bet he’s the big man on campus, fucking a different girl every night.”

“I’m not worried about girls... and before you say anything, I’m less worried about boys. I know he’s basically straight. He slept with women sometimes when we were living together. He still has the hormones of a teenager. I wouldn’t surprise me if they take over during the week. That doesn’t bother me.”

“It should. He doesn’t bother coming home every weekend any more. You say he used to sleep with women sometimes. Well, now he’s sleeping with them all the time. It won’t be long before he falls in love with one them and asks her to marry him.”

He knew Joel was right about Norm’s having lots of women. As for the part about falling in love and getting married, well, it could happen, and he wouldn’t be able to do a thing about it.

When Norm called to say he wouldn’t be home for a second weekend in a row, he asked, “Do you have to? Can’t you get around it somehow?”

“’Fraid not.”

“Look, I know you have girls there, and I told you I wouldn’t stand in your way. But you have the whole to sleep around. I thought the weekends were for me. For us.”

“I’m not sleeping around. College is a lot of work, more than you think. Exams, papers, presentations, and when I can’t concentrate on them when I’m home. All I can think of is you. Besides, I have to use the library.”

“Honest?”

“Honest.”

“No steady girlfriend?”

“No girlfriends, period.”

He didn’t believe him. Then Norm called again Monday and said he wouldn’t be able to make it again. That would make three in a row. The next day at work he made a date with Joel for Thursday evening.

Wouldn’t you know it? Norm walked in on them. His professor had had to cancel Friday’s class, and he decided to make a long weekend of it, paper or no paper.

They hadn’t done anything yet beyond making out on the sofa and taking their clothes off. And yes, they were hard, too. But they got no further than some preliminary cock squeezing and grinding up against each other.

Of course Norm didn’t believe that for a second. Nor did he believe that this was the first time he’d been cheated on, not even when Joel said it: “I’ve been trying to wear him down for a year and a half! You have no idea how fucking faithful he is.”

“Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn!” Norm banged his fist into the wall and then turned to face them. Joel was still hard, but his had shriveled to the size of a caterpillar.

If Norm’s staring had looked less angry, he’d have thought he was checking Joel out. He was shaking, his fists clenched, his arms stiff at his sides. “Get dressed and get your shitfaced ass the hell outta here,” he said, as if ready to explode any minute, “and be quick about. The two of us have a lot to talk about, none of it any business of yours. You’re in the way, asshole.”

Browbeaten, not daring to look at them, Joel got quietly into his clothes and tiptoed out of the apartment like a whipped dog.

Posted: 11/07/08