It was well past noon when Will and Billy left the Naval Base and, because both were hungry, they decided to grab a bite to eat before seeking an inexpensive hotel where they could satisfy their more important need: constant lovemaking.  They avoided a few elegant and certainly pricey restaurants but found a small café that was quaint but clean and affordable.  Whatever lunch crowd it had served was all back to work and they had their choice of tables.  Settling into a corner booth, they scanned the menu and were pleased to find several items that were appealing but made their decision more difficult.  Before they could decide what to order, a waiter brought silverware, napkins, and a friendly “Welcome, guys.  What can I get for you?”

Both young men glanced at the waiter, ready to say, “We haven’t decided yet.  Can we have a few minutes?”  But before they could speak, their glance became a stare.  The waiter was strikingly handsome: just over six feet tall, an engaging smile, moderately long but well groomed jet-black hair, prominent biceps, sparkling eyes crowned by gracefully arched brows, and an impressive chest that tapered down to a flat abdomen under a tight tee shirt.  Equally tight jeans accentuated an impressive package but the diners wisely limited inspection of that area to a momentary glance.

Will was the first to regain his senses and asked, “What do you recommend?”

“Anything we have is sure to please you,” the waiter said, possibly unaware of the double entendre.  “The steak is good if you like sizzling hot meat.  Or if you don’t want a full meal, our hot dogs are to die for — not your ball park variety — these have a fat, juicy sausage on a toasted bun.  Comes with ... oops ... served with French fries.”

The waiter’s description, emphasized by his grin and lip-licking, strengthened his patrons’ suspicion that it was a carefully coded message.  Indeed it was.  He had used similar language as bait for more than a few patrons whom he thought might be interested in more than a meal.  The subtle reactions of his two current targets — slight, self-conscious grins and widening of the eyes — confirmed his initial, tentative judgment.  But, he acknowledged to himself, there would be no chance of bedding either or both because they were most likely partners.  Still, he clung to the hope that he might engineer a threesome.

Both Will and Billy opted for the hot dog because it was less expensive but also influenced by the suggestive description.

“Good choice,” the waiter replied.  “By the way, my name is Rod Peters.  No jokes about the name; I’ve heard them all.”  He grinned and left to place the order.

Will and Billy looked at each other and grinned.  Both recognized the increasingly obvious signals that Rod was sending.  Both were attracted to his personality and, of course, his remarkable good looks.  “Am I wrong or is he one of us?” Billy asked quietly.

“Very little doubt about it,” Will replied in a whisper.  “But he can’t hold a candle to you.  He’s personable but more than a little bold in the way he seemed to come on to us.  That took courage.  Or perhaps foolhardiness because he used no caution.”

A few minutes later, Rod brought the orders and said, “Here you are guys.  I think you’ll find they’re much better than the little wienies you get at other places.”

“Yeah,” said Billy. “Can’t wait to get my mouth around ‘it.”

Will was shocked at his lover’s uncharacteristic impishness but Rod laughed and said, “I’ve got one more if that one isn’t enough to satisfy your appetite.”

Billy noticed Will’s scowl, regretted his comment, and said contritely, “No thanks.  This’ll be plenty.”

After Rod left to attend to an elderly woman who had come in and sat at the counter, Billy said, “Sorry, Will.  I didn’t mean nothin’.  I was jus’ joshin’ with ‘im.  Yur not mad are ya?”

“No.  I’m surprised ... at your audacity and his obvious attempt to come on to us.  More than that, however, I’m worried.”

“’Bout what?  Ya don’t think I’d do anythin’ with him, do ya?  Or anybody else!”

“No.  What worries me is that he seemed to have sized us up as gay right from the start.  Why else would he say what he did?  And in the way he said it.  I’m afraid that he saw something that others might see ... something that would arouse suspicion, investigation, and persecution.”

“Drat!  Never thought o’ that!” Billy exclaimed, suddenly fearful.  “I reckon my comment ‘bout getting’ my mouth around the sausage didn’t help none.”

“Probably not,” Will mused.  “But it’s something we’ll have to keep in mind when we get back on board ship.  A slip of the tongue there might trip us up.”

They ate wordlessly for a short while before Billy said, “Would that be so bad?  They’d kick us out of the Navy.  But then we’d be together and not pinin’ for each other without no chance t’love each other.”

“We’ll be together one day, Billy.  For a very long time.  But think of this.  How would we get a decent job after the Navy with a Dishonorable Discharge on our record?”

Abandoning his normal aversion to profanity, Billy said, “SHIT!  Ain’t it plain awful that two fellas who love the Navy would be flushed down the crapper jus’ ‘cause we love each other?  It ain’t right!  We’s no harm or danger to the Navy.  It’s their twisted bigotry that’s the problem.”

“I’ve got to agree with you, Billy.  But it’s the way it is.  We’ll have to be patient until our hitch is up.”

Rod returned with the check and asked, “How was it, guys?”

“Delicious,” Will said but Billy said nothing for fear of making another mistake.

“How about yours?” Rod asked Billy.

“Great food.  Thanks,” Billy mumbled.  It was almost curt but he hoped it was innocent.

Rod smiled weakly and asked as he laid his hand on his thigh close to his crotch, “Anything else you’d like, guys?”

“Yes.  There’s one thing,” Will said.  Rod’s hopes soared.  Billy was confused.  “We’re on a three-day leave from the Naval Base until our ship returns to port.  That’s not enough time to go anywhere ... certainly not to the other side of the country to visit family.  So we’d like to find an inexpensive hotel here in San Diego.  Can you recommend one?”

“I’ll do you one better,” Rod said.  “I’ve got a big, empty house not far from here.  Inherited it from my parents.  You’re more than welcome to stay in the guest room ... it used to be my bedroom before my parents passed away about four years ago.”

“That’s very kind of you,” Will said.  “But we wouldn’t want to impose on you.  We’d be happy to find an affordable hotel.”

“No imposition,” Rod was quick to reply.  “Fact of the matter is ... I’ve had several guests over the years ... all sailors between duty assignments.  I’m a former Navy man myself so I understand the predicament of finding temporary lodging.  I couldn’t serve my country as long as I wanted to so this is my way of helping the military.  Do me a favor and accept my hospitality.”

“You’re very kind,” Will said.  “Can you give me a few minutes to discuss your offer with my friend?”

“Sure,” Rod answered.  “But I can tell you now that there are no inexpensive hotels in San Diego.  Not even if you travel thirty miles away from downtown.  And be assured that I would be honored to have you as guests.”

Rod left and Will said, “He’s hoping for sex, you know.”

“Prob’ly right,” Billy replied.  “But we can say ‘no’ can’t we?”

“We can,” Will agreed.  “But I think we ought to make that clear before we accept his offer.”

Rod returned and asked, “Well, guys, have you decided to accept my offer and enjoy my ... ah ... hospitality?”

“Before we accept,” Will said, “we need to clear up some details.  Have you got a few minutes to talk?”

Rod looked around the café, sat down at the table, and said, “Sure.  As you can see, there’s not much to do with only you and Mrs. Flannery in the place.”

“First of all,” Will began, “What do you expect from us in exchange for three nights lodging?”

“Not a thing.  As I said, it’s my way of supporting our troops.  And having company.  It gets pretty lonely in a big house by myself, you know.”

Will hesitated to think of the best phrasing for what he wanted to say.  “Let me be very honest, Rod.  Solely on the basis of what you’ve said to us ... and the manner in which you said it ... I suspect that you’re gay and are looking for a bit of bedroom recreation.  If I’m wrong, I apologize.  If I’m right, you should know in advance that there’s no way either of us will consent to any sexual activity with you.”

Rod glanced around the café once more and said almost in a whisper.  “Okay.  I guess I came on to you too strongly.  If I offended you, it’s me that owes an apology.  The fact is, I AM gay.  And horny.  And both of you turn me on.  Yes, I was hoping to score with you guys.  But if you’re not into gay sex ... or if you’re gay but committed to each other ... I understand.  I’m disappointed but I understand.  So here’s the deal.  You’re welcome to stay at my place for a few days.  I promise not to make any demands ... or requests for that matter.”

“Thanks for the honesty,” Will said.  “We’d be grateful for your hospitality.  But there’s one more question.  You said you weren’t in the Navy as long as you would have liked.  Is it because they caught you with another guy?”

Rod dropped his eyes as if in shame.  Or regret.  “Yeah.  I had a once-in-a-while affair with an officer.”  He looked at Will and Billy, saw the questions in their eyes, and elaborated.  “The officer got caught propositioning somebody else who reported it up the chain of command.  The Navy came down on him hard.  During the investigation, he must have told them about me because the next thing I knew I was being investigated also.  When it was all over, me and six other men were booted out of the service with an Undesirable Discharge.  That’s what they call it.  Damned shame if you ask me.  The officer and all the enlisted men — all good men — were discarded like spoiled meat.”

“So they gave you a Dishonorable Discharge?” Billy asked.

“No,” Rod replied.  “A Dishonorable Discharge is given only after you’re convicted in a court martial for criminal behavior like rape or murder — what civilians would call a felony.  Another kind is an Administrative Discharge.  The one I got was an ‘Undesirable Discharge Under Other Than Honorable Conditions’.  But the effect is similar.  I’ve got no veteran benefits and a smudge on my record that employers don’t like.  So now I’m working as a waiter in a café, about the only job I could get.  I’m not asking for sympathy.  It’s not my fault for being gay.  But it was my mistake to violate the military’s idiotic code of conduct.

“Seems t’ me they punished ya for no good reason,” Billy said.

“I knew the rules,” Rod replied.  “I don’t like some of the rules but they have to be followed.  I broke a rule.  One careless mistake!  And I was toast.  But that was not my only mistake.  During the interrogation I denied being homosexual and denied having any ‘immoral contact’ with the officer.  I found out later that another seaman — a guy I had also had sex with — didn’t lie about being gay.  He was truthful and cooperative from the git-go.  As a consequence, he was discharged but ‘under honorable conditions’.  Had I been truthful, I might have gotten off as easy as he did.  I can’t say for sure but I think he also told the investigators about my affair with the officer since we swapped stories about having sex with him.  So it was either him or the officer who outed me and that’s what labeled me as ‘dishonorable’.”

“That’s sad,” Will said.

“Yeah!  But in spite of what the Navy did to me, I still try to help out sailors from the Base.  How about it?  Will you accept my offer?”

Will looked at Billy who nodded his agreement.  “Yes.  And we thank you.”

Rod’s face burst into a smile.  “GREAT!  I get off work in...” (He checked his watch.) “...twenty minutes.  Hang around until then and I’ll take you to your home away from home.”

<><><><><> 

After a pizza and Pepsi for an early supper that night, the three young men sat in the spacious living room swapping stories about their experiences in the Navy.  Rod was particularly interested in the accident and rescue on the way to Nam.  Rod had been amused at Billy’s Southern accent but became totally charmed by it.

After a long conversation, Rod’s curiosity surfaced.  “I’ve been completely up front with you guys.  I hope you will be with me.  Are you gay?  Was my impression of you when you came into the cafe correct?”

Will didn’t lie but evaded the question out of caution and redirected the conversation.  “We’re friends.  We met in basic training and got assigned to the same ship.  Funny, isn’t it?  I was a privileged, spoiled brat from the East Coast and Billy grew up poor in rural Mississippi.  My mom and dad are arrogant snobs but Billy’s are loving parents.  I guess sometimes opposites do attract.”

“There’s a ‘nother difference,” Billy interjected.  “Yur smart and I ain’t”

“Not so!” Will exclaimed.  There’s a big difference between formal schooling and wise common sense.  I had the schooling but you’ve got wisdom.”

“You didn’t answer my question,” Rod said.  “But I’ll let it go.  I know from experience that a guy has to be careful about his sexual orientation while he’s in the military.  Now, if you’ll excuse me, I really should get to bed.  I have to get up at five to be at work at six.  I’ll be quiet so you can sleep in.  Feel free to come and go as you please.  Lock up if you leave.  I’ll give you a spare key to get back in if necessary before I get home at three tomorrow.”

“You’re very trusting,” Will said.  “Aren’t you afraid we’ll steal something?”

Rod laughed.  “First of all, guys, I DO trust you because you’re Navy.  Secondly, I’ve got nothing worth stealing.  And finally, all I’d have to do is file a complaint with the Navy.  You know what that would mean.  Make yourself at home, guys.”

Rod climbed the stairs, leaving Billy and Will in the living room.  Along with amazement at Rod’s hospitality, they both anticipated spending their second night together in bed.