My lifestyle was described as
Always Home Alone.
Until something unexpected happened.
I left the rail station turned left just as heavy rain started the party venue wasn't far away a ten minutes hike along the High Street. It was in one of those homely Old World Inns with a thatched roof and roaring log fires perfect for a cold December night.
By the time I arrived I was feeling wet from the knees down my shoes had been overwhelmed by puddles I failed to navigate round. Justin our host met me wet and dripping at the door saying.
"Just take off your wet clothes and hang them up we are going to party tonight!"
Directed to one of the two annex function rooms with its log fire roaring, hot food and drinks were set out on tables to help yourself too.
Standing in front of the roaring log fire warming up watching steam rise from my wet clothes hot drink and food on a paper plate in hand it felt like ecstasy.
A voice wakened me from my hypnotic fire gazing trance. "My name is Felix a friend of Justin's Farther Glen, quite a spread he has put on for us. I take it you're James, Justin's boss?"
"Yes there are six managers and a General Manager in the supermarket where we work, I am the bottom of that chain and Justin's mentor, he's 21 today I was 21 week before last."
"Justin must think a lot of you inviting you to meet his father given recent developments of him coming out as being gay and dropping out of University. I thought both his father and grandfather took it rather well given they are both old school."
"Justin worked part time for me since before last summer and confided in me he was gay and wanted to leave University and start working in the family business. All I said 'it's your life to live not your Grandfathers or Fathers life to live again,' he acted on it the next week I had a new full time trainee."
Food finished paper plates in the log fire Felix said "let us has a drink and have a chat." He explained Justin was his Godson and had gone to Art School with Justin's father where they had their own clandestine relationship.
Glen felt deprived not coming out whereas Felix did, Justin's grandfather Harry always had his suspicions about them but never said anything. Glen had an arranged 'business' marriage which was common then that's how the supermarket chain started after Justin arrived.
"Can I ask you James are you gay too is that why you befriended Justin?"
"No; when I was a student I worked in a similar store as a night shelf stacker another student Jason came out as being gay after he moved in with a sugar daddy. What he went through emotionally keeping it from his family in Stornoway wasn't good.
People thought I was gay as I hung around with Jason and his friends, some were gay, even attended some themed house parties. I suppose like Jason I didn't want my family to know I had gay friends.
I didn't think Justin should have to go through that."
"How did you get on with Jason's friends did you not want to participate in their lifestyle?"
"I suppose I did but didn't want to make a commitment on one hand and betray it by disowning them with my own family. It was then I was tagged with a nickname 'always home alone.'
Why Felix befriended me that night other than looking after his Godson's wellbeing I don't know, but I really liked him. We chatted for about another half an hour where I found out he was a well know professional artist who sighed his painting as '
Felix'
I had seen and liked some of his paintings in Art Galleries, mainly nude still life's.
Justin interrupted he wanted to introduce his boyfriend Karl a blond six foot slim Swede quite a looker and personality to match. The disco was also starting and wanted me to join in; I made my excuses to Felix.
I wasn't the party animal type but male disco's reminded me of Jason's parties which I always enjoyed. On the way over Justin introduced me to Alex an art school teacher he knew the four of us went to join the melee on the dance floor.
Lights dimmed strobes started music changed from hip hop to a slow smooch, Alex wrapped his arms around me pressing face to face I let him and joined in. He was the affectionate type with wandering hands liked body rubbing and hugging which I enjoyed.