“Winging It”

By: Pee Jay
(© 2010-2011 by the author)

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

Chapter 1
Something Different, Something New

John spent five years earning a four year degree from State. He was more than happy to graduate and move on. Occasionally he dreamt he would never finish school. The mornings following those dreams were more nightmarish than dreamlike. He had spent so many years of his life getting an education; he didn’t want to think about it. He was a certified accountant and considered his formal training over, done, fini, c'est tout, he was happy to move on. There was no way he was going to consider graduate school, no way.

While he was elated to have school behind him, there was a different drummer to march to. It was an obligation that consumed the hours of the day between nine and five, that's right, a job. He was okay with that, though it made the eighteen year ordeal seem anti-climactic. He found himself with too much spare time and a lack of interests to keep him occupied. John had morphed into a boring person with a mundane life. He wasn't quite sure which was worse, school or the life of a working stiff.

The money was beginning to accumulate in his checking account and there was nothing he required. He had an apartment, a new pickup truck, and furniture, everything he needed. Worst of all, he was still bored. He wasn't interested in girls like most of the other guys. He was gay and hated going to clubs. He was too self-conscious and reserved for that. He craved excitement, a spark, some kind of thrill that would stimulate a functional mind and beating heart.

John’s thoughts went back to childhood. When he was a kid, his father bought him a multi-band radio. He would tune it to air traffic control and listen to it for hours on end. He envisioned himself as captain of a commercial jet with a cabin full of passengers, communicating with air traffic control. A kid's imagination can be strikingly vivid.

"Hello Chicago approach, this is United twelve-sixty-five heavy,” he would say. ‘Yeah, that was cool,’ he thought. He was captain of a jumbo jet! Young John conjured an image of himself in the cockpit, reading the instrument panel, wearing a headset and captain’s uniform. He was important. He had responsibility and stature. He was pilot in command. He liked the idea a lot.

On school nights, his mother would turn the radio off, tuck him in then kiss him goodnight. When she left the room, John would plug-in the earphones and turn the radio on again. Often times, he would fall asleep only to awaken in the middle of the night with the radio blaring air traffic directives in his ears.

When he grew older, John would ride his bike to the airport with his radio. He would watch the airplanes land and depart as he monitored the control tower. All the while wishing and hoping that one day he could fly.

With those recollections in mind, it came to John that he should take flying lessons. And why not? It was a dream he had nurtured since childhood. He could afford it and there was a certain allure beyond a simple fascination, it was his dream. It would be stimulating and venturesome. At the very least, it would be different. It was Saturday so he decided to go to the airport.

Capitol City Airport was a controlled field that didn’t require instrument flight rules (IFR). In other words, it wasn't a terminal control area (TCA) where pilots were required to be instrument rated to enter the airspace. It facilitated learning since visual flight rules (VFR) were allowed.

He drove up to one of the fixed-base-operators (FBO) at the airport. It was an enterprise where you could learn to fly, charter or rent an airplane, or send something via airfreight if need be. It was Hughes Aviation. It was smaller than the other FBO's and, John hoped, more personal. It also spoke to him in part because of the name.

It was reminiscent of Howard Hughes and the mystique that surrounded his legacy. John had a mental image of Hughes with a scarf around his neck, a leather helmet and jacket with goggles sitting in an open-air cockpit, barnstorming. He wasn’t sure if he over romanticized it but he was gay, after all, and entitled to some degree of embellishment or so he thought.

John parked his pickup, locked it then went inside to explore his future in aviation.

Behind the counter was a desk with someone seated hiding behind a newspaper, feet resting on the desk. John dinged the bell on the counter as loud as he could thereby announcing his presence.

The newspaper shook before it was lowered. He startled the person reading the paper. It made him smile and fed his fiendish side. The guy folded the paper, placed it on the desk and smiled back as he looked at John.

He was nice looking with sandy brown hair, warm brown eyes, an average build and nicely tanned skin. He had a handsome, boyish look about him. As he rose, he asked John if he could help him. John couldn’t help himself, he was smitten.

Although John was attracted to him, he thought it best to play it safe. He said he wanted to learn to fly. That drew a grin from the guy behind the counter and a nice smile at that. John couldn't resist a grin too; the guy’s smile was attractive and infectious. There was something about him.

He introduced himself as Adam and offered his hand to John. John shook it and introduced himself though he couldn’t help smiling. He was infatuated with Adam.

"Well," Adam said, "Have you ever been in an airplane before?"

"Only as a passenger." 

"When do you want to start?"

"I can start now. I have my checkbook with me."

Then an elderly man walked through the front door and made his way around the counter. Adam introduced him as Mr. Hughes telling him they had a new student.

John didn't like the sound of that much. He had just spent five years getting a four year degree and the thought of more schooling was downright ugly. But if Adam were instructing, he would most definitely get into it.

"Let's get started now," Adam said.

John was enamored. ‘Awesome,’ he thought. Adam was going to be his instructor! He couldn't help but check him out, making little effort to conceal his roving eyes. When his attention returned to Adam’s face, Adam smiled and said, "Let's get going."

Adam didn't bother to phone the tower for notices to airmen (NOTAMS) announcing closed runways, construction and the like since he'd already been flying that day and knew the airport inside and out.

They exited the FBO and walked out on the tarmac. There were four planes parked in a row; two Cessna 152's and two Cessna 172's. There was a Piper Aztec parked a short distance away. That's what John wanted to fly. It was a twin engine, low wing, turbo-charged plane with variable pitch props. John thought it was hot and imagined himself flying it.

Adam explained that the ninety-dollar rate was based on the 152, the smaller of the two models, and the first hour was free. He said standard procedure began with a pre-flight check of the aircraft. John followed him around the plane as Adam explained what he was doing. He watched Adam check the ailerons, flaps, prop, tires and tail of the airplane.

John was conducting his own pre-flight check. He scrutinized Adam and missed a few comments in the process, John was fixated on him. When they finished, Adam announced that everything was fine. John couldn’t help thinking the instructor was damn fine, too. The term hot crossed his mind.

There were only two seats in the cabin with a small cargo area in the rear. Adam told John to get in on the left side of the aircraft, the pilot-in-command side. It was a tight fit in the narrow cockpit as they sat shoulder to shoulder. That suited John just fine.

The 152 was primarily intended for training purposes, and not terribly expensive to operate. Like all aircraft, it had dual controls. John chose the newer of the two trainers. It was a few dollars per hour more than the older one. He didn't care, the new one looked shiny and nice. He didn’t want to force Adam to fly an old rattletrap either. And a rattletrap it was, as he would come to find out.

Adam started the engine and held the plane in place with the foot brake. After checking automatic-terminal-information-service (ATIS) for wind direction, visibility, ceiling, barometric pressure, and so on, he adjusted the altimeter then called the tower.

"Tower, this is Cessna nine-three-eight-two-uniform with information November taxiing for take-off," Adam said. The registration on the fuselage of their aircraft read 9382U.

"Cessna eight-two-U, cleared to taxi, runway two-seven, hold short, squawk one-three-five-seven."

"Roger," was all Adam said then replaced the mic.

Adam turned the transponder on and set it to 1357, nudged the throttle and the plane began to roll. John tried to steer with the yoke and Adam started laughing at him.

"What's so funny?" John asked.

"You steer with your feet when the plane's on the ground," he said with a broad grin on his face. As he demonstrated the action with his feet, the rudder responded accordingly. “When you want to execute a turn, you brake the wheel on the side of the plane in the direction you intend to turn and increase the rpm's with the throttle."

His comment made John feel incompetent as he donned a long face. He wanted Adam to like him, not laugh at him. He got over it quickly though. ‘After all,’ John reminded himself. ‘He was a student and there to learn.’

He thought it must have looked funny to someone who knew the difference. There he sat in the pilot’s seat turning the yoke like a kid behind the wheel of a parked car and nothing was happening. He felt sheepish even if he was a student.

John looked at Adam as they sat touching each other at the shoulder. He was very much captivated by his instructor and very much enjoyed the physical contact. It was a nice day and getting better all the time!

When they reached runway two-seven they held short. Adam showed John how to do an engine run-up to check the planes systems then he called the tower.

"Tower, Cessna nine-three-eight-two-Uniform holding short for two-seven."

"Cessna eight-two-U, your traffic is arriving DC-9, taxi into position and hold, caution wake turbulence."

Adam engaged the mic then said, "Eight-two-U," acknowledging the tower's instructions.

They watched the DC-9 flare and settle into ground effect as it touched-down beyond the chevrons. It looked majestic and virile. John was amazed at the size and speed of the aircraft. It wasn't a wide body but it was breath taking to a novice just the same.

They taxied onto runway two-seven, turned west (270˚ or runway two-seven) then deployed ten degrees of flaps and held their position.

"Cessna nine-three-eight-two-Uniform, cleared to go," came over the radio from the tower. Adam keyed the mic to acknowledge the tower, pushed the throttle in and they commenced their ground roll. As the plane approached rotation-speed, Adam instructed John to ease the yoke back and they became air-borne. The ground fell away as the aircraft triumphed over gravity.

John’s senses were satiated. It was an exhilarating feeling. Although the G-force of the small plane was negligible, it felt like a jet fighter to a beginner. Every nerve synapse in John’s body was sparking.

"Cessna nine-three-eight-two-uniform, contact departure on one-two-three- point-seven (123.7). Have a good day."

"G'day," Adam bid the tower then tuned the radio to the departure frequency. He called departure, gave them their call letters and advised they would be in the practice area then instructed John to bank right and roll out on a heading of three-sixty.

The designated practice area was fifteen miles north of the airport over farmland. They climbed to three thousand feet to begin training. There were fields of crops and pastures with livestock grazing below them. The cattle looked like small, stationary plastic toys. The term `patchwork quilt' took on a whole new meaning for John. As much as he had fantasized about flying as a boy, he never imagined anything close to the way it was. It was an amazing world where everything became a first time experience.

Adam would demonstrate a maneuver then have John duplicate it. They did basic exercises slips, chandelles and the like. Adam made deliberate moves in an effort to justify physical contact with John, which enhanced the experience for both of them.

After a while, John looked at Adam who had a devious grin on his face then redirected his gaze out the windshield. Adam pulled the yoke full out pointing the nose of the plane nearly straight up. As the angle of attack became too steep to maintain, the airplane began to shudder, shake and buffet in the air. A few seconds longer and John panicked as the stall horn blared in the cockpit then the airplane stalled.

The left wing gave way first as it dropped and pointed toward the ground. Then, the nose of the plane followed pointing earthward in an instant. All John could see was the ground directly ahead as they spiraled downward, toward certain death. John was confident that judgment day was at hand. He thought they were goners.

"Whoooa!" he yelled as he released the yoke. He pressed his body into the seatback as he stiffened his legs. His arms spread out against the window on the left and across Adam’s chest on his right. He could feel the color leave his face. He was whiter than a ghost and frozen in place staring at their impending demise.

He had an instantaneous vision of his parents and sister, his home and bedroom came into view, his mind wasn't seeing what his eyes were witnessing. He saw the airplane from above as it plunged toward Earth.  Those were his last thoughts.

Adam eased the yoke back and applied right rudder slowly drawing the plane out of its death plunge mindful of pulling too many G's and causing the wings to fold up. John could feel the blood leaving his head as the G-force increased. It was a combination of mild vertigo and light-headedness. The picture in the windshield was beginning to change.

As they resumed straight and level flight, John looked at Adam who had a wicked grin on his face, full of self-pride that he had scared the crap out of John. As far as John was concerned, he had been given a second chance at life, that's how close it was in his mind.

"You bastard!" John yelled. Then Adam began to laugh.

"What?" Adam managed to ask between hysterics. He couldn't contain himself, he was laughing uncontrollably.

"What do you mean, WHAT?" John hollered. "I damn near died there, that's what!" He was trying his best to be emphatic.

"Oh bull, you were no nearer death than driving a car." He was still unable to compose himself giggling intermittently.

"It's my heart, Dufus. It almost stopped beating. Actually, I think it did for a moment. I had an out-of-body experience to boot." John was unable to suppress his grinning.

Adam patted John on the thigh. "You still want to continue lessons?"

"How much business do you scare away like that?" John asked, trying his best to be assertive and authoritative. "Do you always do that with first-timers?"

"No, I have never done that on the first lesson," he said rather sheepishly. "I knew you could handle it though. You're not mad are you?"

"I'll think about it and let you know when I come back for my next lesson. Be advised, you have one coming and pay-backs are a bitch." He looked Adam in the eye to punctuate his intentions. John couldn't get mad at him; he was too cute and sexy. Besides, it was fun in retrospect, even if he did very nearly perish.

Their time was running short so Adam had John bank in the direction of the airport. Time had escaped them. It seemed they had just started and the lesson was nearly over. John was disappointed on two fronts. Flying time was all but spent and he would have to leave Adam's company soon. On the bright side, his instruction was just beginning and he would have many opportunities to be in Adam’s company.

They parked the airplane, chocked the wheels and gassed it up, then went inside the FBO. John couldn't contain himself or his excitement. He was chattering away like a schoolgirl on the first day of class.  Adam was amused as he rambled on. Having verbally exhausted himself, John took a seat on the couch in the reception area next to Adam.

He sat quietly and became pensive as he listened to his instructor. Adam rose to remove some books from the display case while John monitored his every move. He had a cute, pert butt. John didn’t want to stare but couldn’t help himself. He wanted to look away yet couldn't bring himself to do it. Adam was decisively easy on the eyes. John thought Adam was his type. At the very least, someone he wanted to know better.

Adam returned to the couch with some aviation books. John scooted next to him when he sat down. As Adam was highlighting things for John to read before his next lesson, John managed to touch his arm and hand a few times, as he flipped the pages. It was sheer delight.

After some time, they grew tired of the textbook aspect of flying, so Adam closed the book, folded the map and said, "You feel like getting a beer?"

"Yeah okay, I'm not sure where to go around here."

"I'll lock up and you can follow me."

"I'll wait outside," John said then exited the building. As he sat in his pickup, John mulled over the different scenarios with Adam and hopefully himself. He decided to take things slow and easy and be cautious until he could be sure of things.

John followed Adam for a couple of miles then they turned into the parking lot of a bar called `The Red Baron Saloon'. It was on the backside of the airport. The barroom was full of flying memorabilia and was rather unkempt with peanut shells on the floor. Aviation pictures hung from the walls while replicas of airplanes dangled from the ceiling. The place had an allure all its own. John liked the atmosphere; there was a certain charm to the place.

They seated themselves at the far end of the bar where it returned to the wall facing the door. They were the only customers. Adam held up two fingers then the bartender brought them two drafts. The beer was icy cold and delicious. John drank half of his glass in one swig.

Adam turned to face John, "So, what's your story?" he asked trying to hedge his own uneasiness with a pointed question.

‘Great,’ John thought. He hated talking about himself. He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to say. Should he admit that he was attracted to Adam? Ask him to get naked? He surely didn’t want to tell him the truth about his boring existence.

"What do you mean my story? There's nothing to tell. I was bored that's why I decided to take flying lessons. What's your story?"

John thought he would throw it back at Adam and see how he liked talking about himself. John wanted to know more about the guy that intrigued him so. He liked Adam’s spontaneity and the way he seemed upbeat and full of life. It was refreshing and unpredictable.

"I meant like are you in school? Are you from around here? That kind of thing."

"Oh,” John said. “I graduated last year from State then moved back to Chicago. When I got a job, I was transferred back here. I like living in a college town. And I already know my way around from the five years I spent here in school."

"What do you do for fun?"

‘Great again,’ John thought. He felt like he was being backed into a corner and at a loss to do anything about it. He sure as hell wasn’t going to admit to being a boring accountant. He was certain that would be a non-starter.

“What is this? Twenty questions?” John asked sarcastically.

Adam laughed, “Sorry. We’re going to be spending a lot of time together and I thought it would be nice to know something about you. That’s all.”

John thought that was innocent enough so he decided to go along with the line of questioning. He felt more at ease after Adam’s explanation. "To tell the truth, not much. I wanted to fly since I was a kid so I thought flying lessons would be fun." John said somewhat embarrassed. He thought his explanation sounded a bit simplistic.

Adam held up two fingers to the bartender.

After the bartender served them, Adam was staring at John making him feel self conscious. John found Adam very appealing and was quite taken with him. He was relatively sure Adam was checking him out. He watched from the corner of his eye as he sipped his beer. He cracked a few peanuts and ate them, though he wasn't crazy about peanuts. It was all new to him and he didn’t know how to purse his interest without making a faux pas.

‘Enough of this wishful thinking,’ John thought silently. He decided to take a leak then get out of there before he really embarrassed himself. He was convinced he was forcing himself to see something that wasn't there.

"I'm going to the restroom then head for home. I'll be out in a minute," John said then left for the men’s room.

Inside the bathroom, John stood at the urinal, breathed a sigh of relief then realized he was unable to pee. There was no way was he going to empty his bladder. He'd be peeing in his face in his present condition. He zipped up then stepped over to the wash basin. He splashed water on his face then took a paper towel to dry off.

He looked at his image in the mirror and thought how utterly pathetic he and his existence were. ‘Aha,’ a light came on in John’s head. ‘That's what he had; an existence, not a life.’ His destiny was one of a spinster. He was doomed to misery and loneliness. Go to work, go home, get up and do it again for the next fifty years. Die and go wherever, who gave a hoot? Nobody.

The door swung open and in walked Adam. He approached John stopping next to him staring at him in the mirror. John stood there returning his gaze. Adam leaned over, put a hand behind John’s head then placed his lips to John’s.

John stood there listless as his head played catch-up. The picture began to come into focus. Adam was everything John always thought he wanted. He was cute, sexy, witty, handsome...the whole thing. And he was a fly-boy! His pulse was racing at the speed of light.

John eased him back and stood with his hands on Adam’s waist. There they were. Two guys in a public bathroom kissing! Not good to John’s way of thinking. He was nowhere near comfortable with public displays of affection. It made him nervous as hell. And two guys? Well, that was definitely a problem for John in public.

"What's wrong?" Adam asked. Then he kissed John’s neck. That was one of John’s weaknesses. It very nearly made him swoon with the thought of Adam naked and on top of him.

John couldn't help himself his animal instincts were calling the shots. He pulled Adam in. "Come here," he said smothering Adam with a passionate kiss.

When he let Adam loose, Adam said, "You're so hot, John. I want to be with you. We don't have to do anything. I just want to be with you."

"Do you treat all your students like this?" John said then planted a good long one on Adam with tongue action. He couldn’t help it. Something beyond his control was scripting his actions.

When John relinquished control of Adam’s mouth, Adam said, "Just the hot ones," with a disarming smile and a glint in his eye. "Actually, I never hit on a student before. You're the first one."

"It didn't take you long. Let's go sit down before someone walks in." John said then reluctantly followed Adam as they resumed their places at the bar. John was relieved since having someone witness their rendezvous was nothing short of terrifying to him.

They were still the only customers in the bar so Adam hooked his leg behind John’s swinging his leg up and down then stroked his thigh. When John looked at him, Adam was grinning big time. As good as it made John feel, he couldn’t control his nervous impulse. When the bartender turned his back, Adam placed his hand on top of John’s.

John panicked and pulled his hand away saying, "What are you trying to do? Get our asses kicked?" He surprised himself with his show of resolve.

Adam laughed then cocked his head at the bartender, "Rusty’s gay, too. He's been trying to seduce me as long as I've known him."

Adam leaned into John pressing his lips and torso forcefully against him. John was caught off-guard and fell backward losing his balance. He caught himself by gripping his stool with his legs. Adam wasn't easing up so he righted himself with one hand holding onto the bar. With the other hand, he pushed Adam back on his stool. Though John was turned on by Adam’s advances, his propensity for propriety was still very much intact.

"Damn," John said. “You almost broke my neck there dude. Easy does it, okay?"

"Okay, I'm sorry. I couldn’t help it. You're so attractive, John." Actually, Adam wanted to say hot but didn’t want to turn John off any more than he may have already.

"So are you. I have a hard time being intimate with other people around. I guess it's a hang-up or quirk or something," John said apologetically.

The truth be known, John liked Adam’s advances a whole lot. Try as he may, he couldn’t help himself. He knew what he liked. He recognized his proclivities long ago. What he didn’t know was how to act on them. Most of his apprehension was attributable to the very thing he coveted so earnestly. John was in unchartered territory and knew it. He was struggling to reconcile his needs and wants with the situation.

The bartender walked to their end of the bar and introduced himself. His name was Rusty and, John thought, a few years older, not bad looking and in relatively good shape. They made small talk for a few minutes.

"Where did you find this fine specimen?" Rusty asked Adam.

"He's a student of mine as of today."

"Didn't take you long to orchestrate things," Rusty said.

"I'm curious," John said. "What made you so sure I was gay? That was a pretty risky assumption."

"I could tell by the way you were checking me out. Then you were going out of your way to touch me while we were reading. That’s when I knew and I wasn’t going to object either. I liked it."

The two of them grinned at each other. "Yeah, I couldn't help myself."

They finished their beer then decided to get something to eat. During the meal, Adam asked if they could spend the night together. John hesitated. He found Adam’s personality quite appealing and the physical aspect was certainly there, but he wasn’t convinced it was the right thing to do. He knew he wanted to be with Adam. At the same time, he didn't want it to be a one night stand. He was definitely attracted to Adam and was afraid it might end in a quick pas de deux. There were flying lessons to keep in mind, too.

John had prepaid a thousand dollars into his account at the FBO and would have to see Adam every time he took a lesson. In the end, he decided to take the guarded approach and go home alone. It was a tough decision and he hoped Adam wouldn't lose interest or change his mind. John had every intention of pursuing their mutual attraction. He simply could not get past his conservative nature.

John suggested they use the flying lessons to become better acquainted. Adam said that was a good idea but frustrating then they laughed. Before parting company, they exchanged numbers and had a goodbye kiss.

John woke up Sunday morning the same time he always did. He lie in bed for a while lost in thought. He tossed, turned and rolled around trying to go back to sleep. After a half hour, he gave up and resigned himself to greet the new day.

He was thinking about Adam as he made coffee and toasted a bagel. What did he know about him? Not much. John wasn’t concerned with the usual faults; he had his to be sure. Nor did he want to be a notch on Adam’s bedpost. He was hoping for something more. If things somehow went awry, he had flying lessons and money on deposit at the FBO to think about. He silently wished he had a close friend to confide in.

That same morning, Adam was driving his roommate crazy relating in detail everything about John. He described John’s dark brown hair and blue eyes and the way his body was so trim and seemingly fit. He must have told his roommate a hundred times how handsome he found John. Adam was borderline giddy.

As John went through the motions of his morning routine, he couldn't get Adam out of his head. He liked Adam’s spontaneity and impulsiveness not to mention the way he stalled the plane and came onto him the first time they met. He was attracted to Adam and wanted to know more about him. They hadn't discussed a lot about themselves over dinner, it was mostly idle conversation.

John wanted to know about his family. He thought that said a lot about a person. Adam hadn't mentioned any goals or expectations that he had, for that matter, neither had John. After showering and primping, John decided to call Adam to see if he had plans for the day.

Three rings later, a voice said, "Hello?"

It wasn't Adam so John said, "Hi, this is John Turner. Is Adam in?"

"Oh, hi John, nice to meet you. I'm Jim. Adam told me all about you. Hang on, I'll go get him." Then the receiver came to rest on a hard surface.

John wondered how Adam could tell Jim everything about him when he knew very little. As far as John was concerned, Adam didn’t know anything about him. They hadn’t discussed family or any of those personal issues. John decided it was a good sign. Adam wouldn't talk about him if he weren't interested. He satisfied himself with that line of deductive reasoning.

"Hi John," Adam’s voice came through the earpiece. "What you up to?"

John perked up with the sound of his voice. "Uh, that's the reason I was calling. I'm not up to anything. I was wondering if you had plans today."

"Jim and I were just trying to come up with something. Do you want to come over and we'll put our heads together?"

John couldn't help wondering who the hell Jim was. Was Adam involved with someone?

"Who's Jim anyway?" John asked.

"He’s the one that answered the phone. We're roommates and friends. Nothing to worry about."

"Oh, okay. Yeah, that sounds good. I'm showered and ready. Is it all right if I come over now?" John asked feeling relieved after Adam’s clarification.

"Yeah sure, see you when you get here." Adam gave John the address then told him to hurry up and hung up. John liked what he heard a whole lot. He was looking forward to seeing Adam again.

John was pleased that someone would be with them. Sure, he found guys attractive from time to time over the years but he had never been romantically involved. He’d thought about it some and how he might handle it but the truth was, he was nervous and unskilled in affairs of the heart. He couldn’t discount the feelings that he was experiencing and wouldn’t try to. He liked very much the way he felt.

When John arrived at their complex, he was somewhat taken back with the arrangement. They lived in a gated condominium community with a guardhouse at the entrance. The guard made a call, hung up then gave him directions to their unit. John waited for the gate to rise then proceeded to the Condo.

He rang the bell and the door swung open almost immediately revealing a smiling Adam. He grabbed John by the hand, pulled him inside then shoved the door closed. Adam embraced John and gave me a big wet kiss. John put his arms around Adam and pulled him close to complete the picture.

When they broke for air, Adam turned and introduced John to Jim, whom John hadn't noticed. Jim was grinning big time and extended his hand. John could feel the heat in his face from his embarrassment. He wasn't sure how he missed Jim standing there, it made him nervous.

"Hi, nice to meet you," Jim said extending his hand.

"Nice to meet you, too," John replied, feeling very much on display.

Jim turned to Adam. "So this is the dude you couldn't coax into bed on the first date huh?"

"This is him. What do you think?"

"I'll take him if you don't want him," Jim said inspecting John.

"Over my dead body!" Adam countered then placed his arm around John’s shoulder. He was sporting a huge grin, which John found very comforting. Adam’s arm made him feel a bit more welcome and a little less vulnerable. John wasn’t an extrovert by any stretch and being the center of attention was something he avoided at all cost. Wallflower was his preferred mode. He wanted to take refuge in the nearest niche.

"I think you did good,” Jim said.

"Okay, that's enough if you guys don't mind," John said seriously and trembling a bit from the attention and the coffee. His insecurities were roiling on the inside.

They both laughed but John didn't think it was funny. He was embarrassed and wanted to hide.

Adam said, "Cool it Jim," as they escorted John to the kitchen. Adam sensed John’s inner turmoil and wanted him to feel relaxed and comfortable. He hoped it was the first of many times that John came over.

John sat on a stool at the island and began fidgeting with a spoon and napkin. As he surveyed the room, he surmised that it must be what was called a `gourmet kitchen' though he wasn't for sure, having never seen one. The kitchen was bigger than his parent’s living room and grand in scale and every other sense of the word. He wanted to be close to and hold Adam like a security blanket but he suppressed the urge. He felt spot-lighted with the bantering Adam and Jim did earlier and wanted some reassurance.

"Can I get you something, John?" Adam asked.

"I'm okay, thanks. So have you guys come up with something to do today?"

Jim said, "Adam wants to take a drive in the country."

John quickly responded, "That's a great idea. Let's do it." He was praying they would like the idea. He loved drives in the country. He knew a few places that he was sure they hadn't seen.

"Let me know what you decide, I'm going to take a shower," Jim said then left the room.

John was beginning to feel relaxed so he asked, "Is Jim into flying?"

"No he hates when I talk about it. He thinks it's boring and changes the subject. He especially hates small planes. He's afraid of them."

"I guess going to the airport or flying is out of the question then."

"Yeah, pretty much if Jim comes along."

Adam came around the island and wrapped his arms around John from behind then kissed the top of his head. John loved it. He turned in Adam’s arms, stood and kissed him on the lips. They held it for a few moments then John pulled Adam in. He buried his face between Adam’s head and shoulder. He inhaled him, rubbed his back and relished the nearness. He had never felt so alive as he did at that moment.

He released Adam with a peck on the cheek then sat down. He knew he had to slow down. He reminded himself that he was lonely and, if honest with himself, insecure to a fault. So he should take it easy, `Keep it on an even keel,’ he thought.

Adam was confused by the way John put an end to their intimacy so abruptly. He didn’t get it. He was reasonably sure there was something going on between them yet as soon as things began to happen; John was quick to put the brakes on like the previous day. He tried to make sense of it then decided to let it go. After all, it was only the second day he had been in John’s company and you don’t get to know a person in two days.

After his shower, Jim came down the hall into the kitchen. "What did I miss?" He asked. "I didn't hear anything while I was dressing."

"Nothing to report" Adam said. He walked to the other side of the island behind Jim.

"So what are we doing today?" Jim asked.

"We?" Adam said then winked at John. "You want to crash our first date?" Adam said with a devilish grin on his face. John couldn't help but smile. Adam had a way of keeping the ball in the air.

They decided to go for a drive in the country and had a great time.  The fall colors were close to peaking and the afternoon sun seemed to embolden nature's palette. They stopped at a cider mill to buy some fresh cider and a bag of apples that they divided among themselves.  They went to the dam that held the city's water supply and walked the length of it.

Jim popped for lunch at a roadside diner where they ordered burgers and fries. John sat next to Adam and did the touchy-feely thing as much as he dared and Adam returned the favor. It didn't go unnoticed by Jim. They kidded each other some and the two roommates made John feel like he was an old friend.

John learned that Jim came from a well to do family. His parents bought the Condo for him to occupy while he attended school. After he graduated, Jim found a job in his field in town so he decided to stay.  He said he had recently dated a guy for a while but stopped calling since it wasn't going anywhere. Jim was taller than Adam and John with dark hair and eyes tending on the handsome side with a medium build. John didn't think he would have much trouble attracting another suitor.

After they talked it became evident that Jim was a nice person with admirable qualities.  He was genuine, sincere, and un-spoiled by his privileged upbringing. He was a good guy and a worthwhile person. He was like any other recent graduate, trying to make his way in the world.

Adam turned out to be six months older than John which put him a year ahead in school. He had graduated from the aviation program at State ahead of John and wanted to be a corporate pilot.  He was currently building hours in his logbook and still receiving financial help from home to make ends meet, although Jim wasn't charging him rent.

Since Adam was an only child, John surmised that it wasn't terribly burdensome for his parents. John learned that Adam had a boyfriend for a few months in college but it ended when they graduated and the guy moved away.  Adam indicated it was hard for a while but he had managed to get over it.

That same afternoon, John set his inhibitions aside and kissed Adam a few times in front of Jim. He found it difficult keeping his hands to himself, he liked Adam a lot. When they got back to the Condo, Adam kissed John goodbye then John found it difficult to leave. They had a great time getting to know each other. The fact that Jim was with them, made it much easier on both of them, especially John.

After John left for his apartment, Adam wasn’t exactly depressed, deflated would have been more like it. He thoroughly enjoyed being with John and hated to see him leave. It didn’t go unnoticed by Jim, who thought Adam appeared sullen when John left. Jim couldn’t help feeling a little jealous of John. The truth was, Jim had a soft spot of his own for Adam.

That night in bed, John reflected on the events of the day. He realized he was more or less stuck on Adam. All things considered, he couldn't find much that he didn't like about him.  Adam was smart and witty with a kind streak as wide and deep as the ocean. Those warm brown eyes and sandy locks coupled with his buoyant personality made John want to hold him all the more. John placed Adam squarely in his sights. He hugged his pillow wishing it were Adam then went to sleep.

To be continued...

Posted: 12/31/10