The Reluctant Mentor
By: Morris Henderson
(© 2009-2010 by the author)
 

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

Chapter 14
 

Todd and Stu, who knew nothing of Jacob’s night in jail and still assumed that the Police Officer had simply driven off, were especially wary as Rick drove them to school the next day. During school, each of them would occasionally see one of Jacob’s gang in class or in the hall but there were no words passed between them. The goons would only glare at them, which maintained their sense of anxiety.


On Saturday, Rick drove Stu to school to serve his detention. Todd rode along, fulfilling his commitment to stay by Stu’s side in case of trouble. Todd insisted on picking up Stu at noon, arguing, “Jacob and his gang would not expect us to be at school on a Saturday. Besides, we have to go to the mall this afternoon. We’ll be safe.”

Rick objected strenuously. “Can’t be too safe,” he said. “I have nothing to do this afternoon and I’d feel better if I were with you. I’m not much of a body guard but it’s something I really want to do.”

“Thanks,” Todd said. “But we’ll be all right.”

Stu effectively ended the argument by saying, “You told me to keep saying what’s on my mind. Right? Well, we like you and you’re a great guy. But we don’t want an old man ... sorry, an adult ... chaperoning us. We’ll be in a crowd and totally safe.”

‘Okay,” Rick said reluctantly. “I get it. But keep your eyes open. Don’t take any chances.” A few moments later, he said, “So. Are you getting anything at the mall or just hanging out?” The boys looked at each other and giggled. “What’s so funny? I was just curious, that’s all.”

Todd said, “Well ... since you’ve been so good to both of us, I guess you deserve to be the first to know. We’re buying commitment rings for each other. We’ve decided to be a couple and not just boyfriends.”

“Marvelous!” Rick exclaimed. “I wish you enough.”

The boys looked at each other and exchanged puzzled looks. Stu said, “Enough? What the hell does that mean?”

Rick laughed and said, “It’s from something I read a long time ago. I don’t remember all of it but the essence is: I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright even on gray days but enough rain to appreciate the sun ... enough pain to make even small pleasures joyful ... enough gain to satisfy your wanting and enough loss to make you appreciate what you have ... and most of all enough happiness to keep your love alive and everlasting.”

“That’s sweet,” Todd said and Stu enthusiastically agreed, adding, “And we wish the same for you and Stan.”


The teens went first to the jewelry store in the mall where a middle-aged man asked if he could help them. “We’d like to see your selection of commitment rings,” Todd replied.

“Commitment rings?” the officious salesman asked. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Plain gold bands,” Todd replied, regretting that he had not asked for that in the first place.

“Oh,” the salesman said. “You mean wedding bands. For your girlfriends? Are you getting married?”

Stu, outspoken as usual, said, “No! For each other! One for him and one for me.”

“I don’t understand,” the flustered salesman stammered.

Stu ignored the poke in his ribs from Todd and said assertively, “It’s simple enough. We’re committing to each other. We’re gay. We’re going to be life partners. Do you have a problem with that?”

The salesman sputtered, “Oh ... Well ... Ahh ... That is ... I’m sorry, but all we have is fine jewelry for normal couples.”

“Are you calling us abnormal?” Stu said loudly enough that the store manager and two other customers heard him and turned their heads to stare.

The manager quickly walked over and asked, “Is there a problem, gentlemen?”

“There definitely is,” Stu replied in a calmer voice. “This bigot here refused to help us because we’re gay. I would think that you would have instructed your help to keep their prudish beliefs to themselves. Come on, Todd, we’ll take our business elsewhere.”

As they turned to walk out, the manager said, “Wait! I’ll be pleased to help you.”

“Too little, too late,” Stu called back over his shoulder as the boys walked out of the store. Once outside, he turned to Todd and asked, “Are you ashamed of me? Embarrassed? Angry?”

“No,” Todd grinned. “You said what I was thinking. I just hope the ass hole is fired or punished so that the next gay couple will be treated decently. I’m just glad you didn’t kick him in the nuts like you did to Jacob.” They both laughed and continued on their way.

In the next jewelry store, the experience was much more pleasant. The saleslady even understood what a commitment ring was and offered her congratulations. After making their selection the saleslady asked if they would like an engraving inside the ring. The boys had not thought about that. After a short discussion, they agreed on something simple but meaningful: SB TP enough.

“Enough?” the puzzled saleslady asked.

“It’s a long story.” Todd replied with amusement at her confusion.

“Very well,” she smiled. “They should be ready for you by Wednesday. Thank you, gentlemen. May happiness be your companion.”

“Thank you!” both teens said and giggled because they had said it in unison.

“For your help, of course,” Stu said. “But mostly for your understanding and kind wishes.”

They browsed around several stores at the mall until their stomachs reminded them that they had had no lunch. In the food court, they were enjoying their pizza and soda when Todd said, “Don’t turn around and look but Jacob and two of his buddies are heading this way.”

“Have they seen us?” Stu asked.

“They just did. They’re just standing talking to each other now.”

Stu said, “We could go out the door behind you and then run like hell for your car.”

“No,” Todd replied. “We’re safer in here around all these people. We’ll have to think of something else.”

They had no time to think because Jacob and his friends were walking directly toward their table. “Shit!” Todd whispered. “There coming straight this way.”

“Ignore ‘em,” Stu suggested.

“Hi, guys,” Jacob said brightly as he stopped right next to their table. “Care if we join you?”

Both Todd and Stu were astonished at the friendly greeting but very suspicious.

“It’s a free country,” Todd said perhaps too sarcastically.

“But you’ll have to watch your mouth,” Stu added forcefully.

The three jocks went to get their burgers, fries, and drinks while Todd and Stu discussed possible ways of getting the hell out of there. Nothing occurred to them.

When the newcomers sat down with their food, the two young lovers dreaded what they knew would befall them as soon as they left the Mall. There was a stony silence for several minutes while the jocks dug into their meal. Stu recognized that his might be their best chance to escape while the three bullies were eating. “I’m suddenly not hungry,” Stu said to Todd. “Shall we go?”

Jacob immediately said, “Wait a minute. I’d like to tell you something.”

“Another threat?” Stu asked icily.

“Not at all,” Jacob said. “Look, I was pissed when you kicked me the other day. It hurt like hell. But I’ve had time to think about it. I decided that if I were in your position, I’d probably do the same thing. Course I’d have done it harder ‘cause I’m bigger. Fact is, I don’t blame you. No hard feelings?”

Stu stared at Jacob, trying to comprehend the very surprising change of attitude. Jacob broke the silence. “Come on, let’s forget about it. Let’s be friends.”

This was too much for either Stu or Todd to believe. They wanted to but couldn’t. Stu said, “Look. We’re gay and you’re a bigot. We could never be friends. Whether we’re enemies is entirely your choice. Let’s go, Todd. I need some fresh air.”

Stu got up to leave; Todd followed suit. They disappeared into the crowd outside the food court and ducked into a department store. They cautiously made their way to Todd’s car. As they got in, Todd said, “Can you believe it? Jacob was actually friendly.”

“I don’t believe it for a minute, Todd. He’s just playing mind games with us. He’s out for blood. He fed us a line of shit back there just to win our confidence and get us to drop our guard. Then he could trap us and get his revenge.”


Back in the food court, one of Jacob’s goons said to him, “I don’t get it. You said be nice and we were. Why?”

Jacob glared back and said, “I have my reasons, shit head, and I don’t have to explain them to you.”

The questioning teen was accustomed to Jacob’s chiding and knew that he’d better not raise the subject again if he wanted to remain in the clique. What he didn’t know and Jacob was unwilling to explain was what happened in the jail cell and the transforming effect it had on the macho jock’s attitude.

How could Jacob admit that he had willingly accepted a blow job from a fag and that he thoroughly enjoyed it? They wouldn’t understand even if he explained how the experience had affected him. He had agonized over the experience throughout a virtually sleepless night in the jail cell. Getting a blow job from a fag was distressing but it pained him to admit that he enjoyed it more than any sexual conquest with a girl. That troubled him deeply because it was contrary to everything he had been taught about homosexuality. His stress level rose as he tried to answer two questions. If gay sex was enjoyable, how could it be disgusting? Since he enjoyed it, did that make him filthy?

After extensive reflection on the reality of his gay experience, he came to two conclusions. First, gay sex was, as he had been taught, unnatural and immoral. The second conclusion, astonishingly, was that he no longer thought it was disgusting.. That was extremely difficult for Jacob, a fervent homophobe, to accept. (Although he didn’t consciously recognize it, re-evaluating gay sex was a way to alleviate his tormented conscience -- if it was that good, he could excuse himself for enjoying it.)

After prolonged struggling, he resolved the dilemma. He would conform to the dictates of his religion and would continue to disapprove of gay relationships. His conscience would be clear by living straight. However, he would not persecute gays. Instead, he would let them suffer their damnation in Hell. None of that could he tell his friends. They would ridicule him for his religious faith and his tolerance of perverts. Most likely, they would reconsider their loyalty to him and possibly abandon him. The thought of losing his friends caused Jacob to think even more deeply. Was his cadre of loyalists really friends? Or were they just hangers-on, feeding his insatiable ego and contributing to his conceit? Had he become addicted to their adulation? Yes, he decided, his “friends” were no more than status-seekers, relishing the ‘prestige’ of associating with a star athlete. But he would not give up his role as leader of the pack; it felt good -- as good as leading the football team on the field. There would be time, after finishing his senior year of high school, to find real friends.


The school year ended without Jacob having a chance to assure Stu and Todd that he would neither seek revenge nor persecute them for being gay. In fact, they never saw each other again since Todd and Stu graduated before the end of Jacob’s suspension from school. That’s just as well; they wouldn’t have believed Jacob anyway.

EPILOG
(aka, the “happy-ever-after” end of the story)

Stu became more comfortable living with his new family although he would periodically bemoan the severed relationship with his father. He and Todd worked through the summer months for a landscaping company by day and were rarely apart evenings and weekends. They expressed their love for each other every night in bed. More often than not, their expression of love involved sexual intimacy. Their parents (since the Petersons regarded Stu as a second son and he eventually accepted the role) were delighted that the boys had formed a loving bond.

Although Stu initially objected, he ultimately agreed to the Peterson’s urging to attend UCLA with Todd and yielded to their insistence on paying college expenses for both of their “sons.” Throughout their college years and beyond, they were successful and very devoted to each other.

Before the summer was over, Rick moved in with Stan and put his own condominium up for sale. Rick was initially a reluctant mentor but he and Stan evolved into devoted “uncles” and would frequently take their “nephews” on camping trips and other outings ... except of course, when Rick and Stan took one of their increasingly frequent globe-trotting excursions.


The end.
 

Posted:02/26/10