USA
Part 2

By late afternoon, we'd managed to remove most of the dirt and crap from the pool. There was still a lotta work to be done, but, hey, that could wait 'til the next day. We downed tools at about 5, then showered under the hose while Pop filmed us goosing each other, and behaving like a bunch of crazies.

"I think you guys deserve a beer or two. What about the younger guys? You guys prefer soda?"

"Hey! We worked just as hard as anybody!" Frank pouted.

"Maybe a light beer."

"Cool."

Pop handed the camera back to Dick, then waddled inside. A moment later, he was back with a case of cold beer, and a plate of snacks, which he distributed amongst us as we sat in a circle on the lawn.

"Damn fine job you're all doing. I can't believe how fit you are."

"Were," I cracked. "I don't think I've got the energy to blade home. Pool's looking good, though. I figure one more day and it'll be finished."

"Then it'll be party time!" Freddie beamed. "Is it true what Daniel said, Pop? That we can party here?"

"So long as your folks know where you are. Sure."

"What about... y'know... sex and stuff?"

"So long as nobody gets hurt, and the neighbors don't complain about the noise, you're welcome here. No drugs, though."

"We don't do drugs."

"You must be a minority. In fact, you are a minority. You're all fit, healthy... you work for your money, and you don't do drugs. Jason? Daniel tells me that you do weights."

"Yeah... gotta ways to go yet, though."

"You think so? Maybe you'll change your mind when you see the video. Bigger doesn't necessarily equal better. I think everybody here would agree that you're a damn fine looking specimen."

"I've gotta jet," Jason said as he stood. "Check you guys later."

"Have I embarrassed you?"

"Yeah... matter of fact, you have."

"Sorry. I didn't mean to."

"Chill, Jason," I ordered. "Sit down and finish your beer."

"I'm outa here."

While Jason was putting on his shorts, Pop rose from the grass, and made a beeline for the back door.

"Hey, Pop! Where do you think you're going?"

"Inside where I belong."

"Jesus!" I jumped up, dive-tackled Jason while his shorts were still around his knees, and brought him to the ground. Then I sat on his stomach, and pinned his arms. "What the fuck is the matter with you?"

"Get off me, Daniel. I'm warning you."

"So warn me. What the fuck's eating you?"

"I don't like that old dude checking me out."

"Oh? So what's he supposed to do? Ignore you?"

"It gives me the fucking creeps when he looks at me."

"Huh? You do weights to buff up, and you don't want people to fucking notice? What about those pics of you I sent to Kyle?"

"That was different. Now get the fuck off me."

"OK, I'll get off you so you can apologize to Pop."

"What? Apologize? Ha! To that crazy old dude? You're fucking joking, man."

Jason tossed me to one side, then continued to dress. Damn! I lost it, and dove on him again, but this time we were both seriously into trying to hurt each other. Seconds later, we we'd been forced apart, and were being restrained by Dick, Benny, and a couple of the other guys.

"Cool it," Dick ordered. "Jason? Get your shorts off and sit down."

"Who the fuck are you to be telling me what to do?"

"Just do what I say, pal."

Jason took a moment to read the fire in the blonde Adonis's eyes, then decided he was no match for that awesome six feet of pure muscle. After we'd all resumed our places in a circle on the lawn, Dick spoke again.

"Daniel's right. You should apologize to Pop."

"What the fuck for? Didn't you see him this afternoon? Videoing us? Checking us out?"

"He wasn't doing anything different to what I was doing when I had the camera."

"You're different."

"'Cause I'm younger?"

"Yeah."

"So it's OK if I gawk? Huh? I've been gawking at you all day, dude. Hello? Jason? Did you hear what I just said?"

"Yeah."

"So?"

"So... Fucking hell! I dunno."

"You think I'm gonna turn twenty one or something and stop gawking? Just like that?"

"How the fuck should I know?"

"Jason?" I interrupted. "I saw you gawking at Dick today... plenty of times."

"I wasn't gawking, Daniel. I was observing. I'm into muscles and fitness, remember?"

"Yeah, right. Listen, Jason, everybody gawks at Dick. They can't help it. Just like they can't help gawking at you. What's the matter with you?"

"I dunno," he sighed. "I guess I can't handle the fucking scrutiny or whatever."

"Then go hide in your closet," Dick continued. "Hey, listen up, man. You can't have it both ways. You can't buff up your bod and expect people to turn a fucking blind eye. You gonna apologize to Pop or what?"

"Apologize for what? Dammit! He was the one who embarrassed me. Remember?"

"He didn't mean to. He was just behaving normally... like the rest of us."

"Shit," Jason complained as he rose, and collected his shorts.

"What do you want those for?"

"I'm gonna talk to the old dude. OK?"

"You don't need your shorts, man."

"Like I'm supposed to go inside the house like this? Naked?"

"Hey, check yourself out, dude. You could make minced meat outa Pop in a second if you had a mind to. You think he's gonna be a threat? You scared of him or something?"

"Scared of him?" Jason studied our faces for a few seconds. "Yeah... OK... maybe I am scared of him."

"Then get unscared, man. Go talk to the dude. You owe him."

We watched in silence as Jason's cute ass disappeared through the back door. Never before in my life had I wished so much that I could've been a fly on the wall of Pop's room.

The next part of this story needs to be told by Jason, from his point of view.

I stood for some minutes outside Pop's office with my fist poised in readiness to knock on the door. But every time I was about to knock, I resisted. What the fuck was I gonna say? What the fuck we he gonna say? Fuck it. This was the dumbest idea ever!

I was half way down the hall, heading toward the back yard, when I paused. What would I tell the guys? That I wussed out? I went back to Pop's door, hesitated several times, then finally connected wood with knuckles.

"I'm busy," came the voice from the other side.

Cool! I had an excuse to get the fuck outa there. But half way down the hall, I paused again. I had to at least tell the old dude that it was me who was knocking, otherwise the guys would give me a hard time. I returned to the door and knocked again.

"It's me, Jason." Nothing. Zilch. No response. Then the door opened, and revealed a pair of bloodshot eyes. "The guys said I should apologize."

"Do you agree with them?"

"No."

"Then don't apologize," he said before closing the door.

Half way down the hall, I paused again, and remembered what Dick had said about becoming 'unscared'. So I returned to the door and knocked once more.

"I've changed my mind."

"About what?"

"Apologizing."

Pop stood aside to let me into his room, then closed the door before sitting in front of his computer, and pouring something into a glass. "You want a brandy?"

"No thanks. Look, I'm sorry I freaked before."

"Are you?"

"Sorry? Hey, I'm not so sure. The guys said..."

"You believe everything the guys tell you?"

"No. Hey, can I say something?"

"Shoot."

"It freaks me out when you look at me."

"Is that my fault or yours?"

"Huh?"

"You're here in my room, and you're naked."

"Dick told me to... yeah, OK... I know what you're gonna say. I'm not supposed to believe everything they tell me. You want me to fetch my shorts and come back?"

"Sure... if that would make you feel more comfortable."

So what was going on here? Where was the threat? Why was Pop treating me so casually? "Actually, I will have a brandy, if that's OK."

"Now? Or after you fetch your shorts?"

"Forget about my shorts."

Pop poured a nip of brandy into a glass, then handed it to me. "I suspect this might be a little strong for you."

"Yeck! You're right!" I coughed as I felt my throat burning. "Bleh! How do you drink this stuff?"

"Try it with a bit of soda water, and maybe a drop of lime. You'll find all that stuff in the kitchen."

Suddenly, for some weird reason, everything was cool. I was walking down the hall, totally starkers, and it wasn't a problem. Next thing, I was in the kitchen getting a bottle of soda and some lime from the fridge. Naked in Pop's kitchen. No biggie! Then I strode back down the hall, and into Pop's room.

"Why did you change your mind about fetching your shorts?" he asked as I sat on a chair, and sipped my drink.

"I dunno. Suddenly, it wasn't a problem any more. Anyway, I'm sorry I freaked today."

"You weren't the only one."

"Is that why you disappeared?"

"I felt guilty about gawking at you. I shouldn't have singled you out for attention like I did. You're obviously a lot more self-conscious than the others are."

"It's not easy for me to handle, Pop. I mean, Daniel and Dick couldn't give a fuck. They don't feel threatened. Not that I feel threatened any more. I guess you're pretty cool."

"Maybe not so cool," he chuckled. "You guys freak the hell outa me, too, y'know."

"We freak you?"

"You'd better believe it."

"You're scared of me?"

"Shitless."

"But why?"

"Because I feel compelled to compliment you. How am I supposed to look at you and not react?"

"I look that cool, huh?"

"Is it safe for me to say yes?"

"Yeah. And thanks. I guess part of the problem... hey, maybe all of the problem... is mine 'cause I don't know how to handle compliments, especially from... well..."

"Somebody my age?"

"Yeah. It is kinda freaky, y'know."

"Everything's freaky if you don't understand it, Jason."

Copyright © 2000 All rights reserved. mrbstories