Aaron's Summer of '77

Chapter Fourteen - Happy New Year!

'These CCM Professional men's hockey skates are really gonna' be good on the Canal when we go skating, Aaron! They're just the best present! Thanks honey!"

'And these 'Faber Castell' technical drafting pens are going to come in handy when I have to work on Gordon's drafting assignments in the New Year, Adam. How did you manage to pick them up in Ottawa without me knowing?"

"I didn't, babe... Wallack's has a branch store in Kingston and I got my Mom to pick them up when she was up there shopping for Christmas presents a few weeks ago."

"I keep breaking the really extra fine-point nibs for the ones I got back in September. Your timing here is perfect for the next semester! Thanks, Sasq."

"The sweater is nice too, honey. It kinda' makes me laugh when I remember it's an "Aaron" fisherman cable knit sweater! Sorta' like I'm wearin' 'you' on my back! Heh, heh."

"Merry Christmas, Adam!"

"Ahhh... Merry Christmas to you too, cookie!"

Later on that evening, the subject of New Year's Eve and spending it up in Ottawa with Rob and John and Calla is raised by Adam. I remember the idea being tossed around during my birthday dinner at 'The Town Haus'."

"So whatdaya' say, Aaron? Calla and Rob and John are all wantin' to go and dance at 'Sacs' and maybe those two clubs Ronnie White was tellin' me about when he came in to say hi to me at the store last week, when he was down visitin' his parents for Christmas... 'Le Club Domino' on 200, boulevard Sâcre Coeur and 'Le Trou du Diable' on 200, rue Victoria in those big new government office complex buildings they're buildin' over in Hull there. We could even stop in at the 'Le chez Henri' on boulevard Sâcre Coeur if ya' like. That place is somethin' you should really see, babe! It's been around like, forever!"

" 'Le Trou du Diable'? Isn't that 'the Devil's hole' in French, Adam?"

"Heh, heh... yup, honey. It sure is! But, I kinda' prefer yours though, baby! It's more than hot enough for me in there! Heh, heh."

Ten minutes of a 'taste of Adam' and then I change the subject and say,

"I'm really excited about skating on the Canal with you, Adam. Are you a good skater?"

"Yeah, I am, cookie. How about you?"

"Well... kinda' sorta'."

The first time I ever went skating, my Dad took me. I think I was around seven at the time. He was pretty good with holding me up until I got the hang of it. The ever-present handkerchief in his pocket dried my tears the first few times I fell on the ice.

Just then, I start to think quietly to myself, remembering the times I used to go skating with John and Wendy Weldon every Saturday when we were little kids back at St. Francis Xavier.

I'm not the greatest skater in the world and am never going to be an NFL hockey player. But I have to admit, I really did look forward to and enjoy those Saturdays at the 'Memorial Centre' on King Street West... going with the Weldons and then stopping back into the toy store inside 'Smart's Pro Hardware' on our way home.

It was the 'Gumby and Pokey' phase of my childhood. I can still remember the music they played on the loudspeakers at the Memorial Centre as everyone went round and round the inside oval hockey rink for one or two hours, until they headed in to unlace their skates and grab a hot chocolate and a hot dog at the concession counter. 'Sixties music like 'Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass' with 'Limbo Rock' and 'Henry Mancini' tunes such as 'Moon River' played on an endless, continuous repeat cycle. I can still remember the piano orchestral version of 'Alley Cat' from the early 'sixties by some obscure Danish 'Jazz' group named 'Bent Fabric' of all things! It's one of those tunes that got burned into my brain back then and will likely stay in there forever, along with all the other useless information I manage to retain in there on any given day of the week.

Then puberty and high school came and smacked us all on the side of the head. Suddenly, that was that for my Saturday afternoons with John and Wendy. John and I stayed acquaintances for maybe another year, until he turned thirteen and his hormones started to kick in. He and I went swimming every week at the 'Rotary Pool' beside the Memorial Centre during that time. He was one year older than me and Wendy was one year younger. But, when kids started calling me 'fairy' and 'queer', he started to avoid me like the plague and it was only years later that Wendy and I became friends again.

Their bullying cousin Jimmy made my early and mid-teenage years miserable. He would taunt and lunge at me and make like he was going to punch me in the face whenever he and I passed each other on King Street back in Brockville before I moved away. If I saw him first, I'd have to cross the street just to get away from him. I now wonder today just what it was that was so awful in his life that he felt he had to bully and torment me so badly. Oh well... I guess we all carry our own 'diables' around inside of us.

"There's a change hut to lace up skates and leave our boots just down on Argyle from us on the Canal, Adam. The ice should be in really good condition, once I start back to school in January."

"I think that's gonna' be really romantic, honey. You and me together, just the two of us and sharin' a 'Beavertail' and some hot chocolate together. And then we can head on back to our little place and warm each other up after skating the whole length of the Canal from the National Arts Centre right down to Dow's Lake and back! It'll be lotsa' fun and the exercise will do us both good, cookie. It'll keep our 'butts' in shape for sure! Heh, heh."

"You really are one single-minded sasquatch' at times. You 'do' know that, don't you, Adam? Heh, heh."

"Careful there, babe... it's all your fault, honey! You love it, cookie... your 'Trou du Diable' is all 'mine' and don't ya' forget it either!"

"Ummm.. I'm OK if you want to spend New Year's Eve in Ottawa with Rob and Calla, Adam. Can you get your Mom's car to take us up and then back the next day? I suppose we could all crash at our place that night after partying, if we had to"

"I'll ask her, honey. She'll be with Bast that night, so I don't think that's gonna' be a problem."

Meanwhile, in the background, 'Chaka Khan' and 'Rufus' are singing, 'Once You Get Started',

"Once you get started, oh it's hard to stop

You can't stop you just can't stop

When you get down y'all

When you get down ain't no turnin' back no

Everybody party hearty

To get back in the groove

I like the way you do it .. way you do it

I like the way you move ..."

"In the meantime, babe, I'm thinkin' Chaka Khan there is tellin' us she likes 'the way we do it and the way we move'! Whatdaya' say we 'move it' into the bedroom and continue this discussion in there?"

"I thought you'd never ask, Sasq man!"

"I can hardly wait until we get to do this every night when you're with me up in Ottawa, Adam!" I sigh and smile, as his big, hairy dong finds it's way into my 'Trou du Diable'. "

"Ahhh, cookie... guess I'm gonna' hafta' perform another 'Exorcism' on ya' tonight... just promise me your head's not gonna' do a 'one-eighty' on me like the last time I fucked ya', baby! That kinda' freaked me out! Hah, hah, hah!"

OK, deal!" I whisper.

Adam rams his big, thick cock deep into me and starts to move back and forth with a steady and determined rhythm. Then he starts to laugh and repeats with each thrust, "The power of Christ compels you... the power of Christ compels you... the power of Christ compels you!"

"Oh my God! 'Are you completely insane'? You're going to go to hell for sure now, Adam! Hah, hah, hah, hah!"

"An eternity in hell is worth an hour of heaven inside your tight, little ass, honey! Now, say a prayer for me and get ready for my 'Holy Water' to make you a 'born again' believer! Hah, hah, hah, hah!"

It's December 31st, 1977 and the last day of the best year of my life.

"C'mon baby! 'Jeezus fuck', you sure 'do' take long enough to get yourself dressed at times! Calla and John and Rob are waitin' for us to go pick them up! It's fuckin' freezin' out there! We just can't keep them waitin'!"

I promised them we'd pick them up at Rob's place on Courthouse Square for 7:00pm and it's past that now. Now let's get movin'! We hafta' be at Sac's to wish Ronnie a Happy New Year and then to 'Domino's' and the 'Trou du Diable' before midnight! And I mean 'midnight this year' too!"

"OK, OK, OK... I'm just having trouble deciding what to wear."

"Oh for fucks sakes! You're fuckin' gorgeous and sexy whatever ya' put on or take off! Now let's get goin'! New Year's is gonna' come and go and you'll still be starin' at yourself in that mirror debating on whether you're jeans are tight enough on ya'... which by the way, they are too! Now, c'mon, baby... let's move it!"

"Before we go though, Adam... can I have my New Year's Eve kiss 'now'?" I say, as I reach down and cup his big package.

"Ahhh, fuck baby... you're gettin' me all hard again here! You can rub my hairy pube forest and I'll shove my tongue down your throat and grab your cute little ass cheeks and then we can head out then. Will that make ya' happy, cookie?"

"Yeah! Happy New Year, Sasq!"

"You too, cookie babe... you too!"

It's still early when we all cross the 'Alexandria Bridge' over to 'Hull' and start to make our way over to Sac's. It's a 'special night' for the club and only VIPs and invited patrons have been issued invitations to celebrate the New Years Eve festivities inside. Ronnie White pulled some strings with his boss to get us tickets for the night. The owner of the club remembered Adam's tip about Alan Abelson and Jeremy and "Mother" and the drug incident in the washroom. The tickets were his way of saying thanks to Adam for getting him out of a potential jam with the RCMP.

"I think we'll park around the corner from Sacs and just say go and say hey to Ronnie at the front door. I just gotta' see what his boss has him wearin' 'this' time!" says Adam, as he starts to chuckle. "I sure hope his nipples are covered up in this fuckin' deep freeze! Heh, heh, heh."

"Ronnie! Hey man! I see ya' got a bit more clothes on ya' this time, buddy! Happy New Year to ya'!" says Adam, as he gives his friend a big bear hug.

"I'm wearin' 'long johns' under these tight, fittin leather jeans, Adam! And if I didn't have this goddamn toque and padded, down-filled bomber jacket on, I'd be a fuckin 'ice sculpture' right about now, like the ones at Dow's Lake during 'Winterlude', man!"

"You remember Aaron, Ronnie dontcha'? And these are our friends, Calla and Rob and John from Brockville."

"Sure do, Adam! Nice meetin' ya' guys. Hey... are ya' legal yet, there Aaron? Heh, heh. And Calla! I remember you! Your sister Diane worked on the assembly line with me when I was back workin' at Black and Decker. How are you? And How is Diane?"

"Hiya' Ronnie! Diane is doing just fine. And, I remember you too! But not with tight black leather pants and 5" platform boots on though. Guess it woulda' been kinda' hard to work an assembly line in those back in Brockville, I'm thinkin'! You look just like a 'Porn Star God'! Hell... why is it all the really hot and sexy guys seem to be gay..." she sighs and whispers, as she leans over to Adam and shares a quiet laugh with him. "Don't anyone 'ever' tell Charlie I said that though!"

"Ronnie, we just wanted to stop by early to wish you a Happy New Year before things get crazy later on. You mentioned to me about that 'Trou du Diable' place and then 'Domino's.' Figured we'd get an early start on the night and maybe check those places out and then head back here for around 11:00pm or so to ring in the New Year."

"Forget about that fuckin' 'Devil's Hole' place, Adam! It really 'is' a fuckin' hole... as in hole in the wall. I found out some 'Organized Crime' guys outta' Montreal just rented some space out for a few months 'til the buildings are finished and when the government starts to move employees into them. Those fuckin' guys outta' Montreal are tryin' to gouge and scalp all the gay guys who go in there with overpriced drinks and undercover drugs and I hear they've been takin' down names and pictures of some of the government senior men who go in there. God knows what the fuck they're doin' with that information... and I don't wanna' know either. I went in there myself and the place is a real dump. It looks like it's still a construction site... the walls aren't even painted yet... drywall tape and plaster still with just some folding chairs and tables and a real shitty DJ and sound system too. I'd be stayin' away from there if I were you, Adam."

"Holy shit! Thanks Ronnie! I can always count on you to have my back. I appreciate that." says Adam.

"And as for Domino's... well, Adam... just be real careful when you're there too. Something really 'strange' is goin' on with the bars in Hull these days. The owner here has had to hire security guys to watch this place 24/7 'cause bars have been mysteriously burning down in Hull on a pretty regular basis. Seems like those guys in Montreal are tryin' to send a message to all the bar owners here about allowing access for selling drugs and it's gettin' kinda' scary to tell you the truth. Just last week, someone drove by 'Domino's' and threw a bottle of gasoline with a burning rag in it at their front door when the place was packed! Just be fuckin' careful, OK Adam, please?"

"Holy fuck! I will for sure, Ronnie. Thanks! Umm, uh... we'll be back here before midnight for sure. If you're off before 3:00am then maybe you might wanna' join us at the Chez Henri before we all go home and crash, whatdaya' think?"

"I'm outta' here at 1:30am and my new boyfriend will be meetin' me here just before midnight. I'll let ya' know when I talk to him, OK Adam?"

"So 'you're' dating someone now too! That's fantastic, Ronnie! Guess that means you'll be stayin' up here for a while then. I'm movin' up here in February myself to be with Aaron!"

"We'll be hangin' around then lots together, Adam! That's great news!" says Ronnie, as he smiles and gives Adam a big hug.

"Later Ronnie!"

Domino's appeared to take it's design cue from Sacs in that it was pitch black inside, to the point where you'd almost need a flashlight to make your way around the place. One long bar with white polka dots painted on it to imitate, what I'm guessing are domino chips and multi-level, carpeted raised platforms all along the walls where people could either lean up against or lounge upon like in some scene from ancient Rome were the main distinguishing elements inside. It was much smaller and in a way, more intimate than Sac's. The place reeked of stale cigarette smoke, spilled beer and cologne-masked, body odor. And the ever-present mirrored disco ball and a tiny DJ booth hidden away in an obscure corner completed the 'glamorous' picture. Along with the smallest dance floor yet, when compared with the 'Oral Grief' Club and 'Sac's'..."

The crowd inside was decidedly more 'Gatineau' French than English. Above the music, all you could hear was raucous laughter and vulgar French epitaphs at the bar and on the dance floor.

"C'mon Calla... let's dance!" Adam yells to Calla, and grabs her to muscle his way onto the dance floor. Meanwhile, 'Don't Leave Me This Way' by 'Thelma Houston' is cranked up and there is frenzied movement on the dance floor.

"Oh baby, my heart is full of love and desire for you

Now, come on down and do what you've got to do

You started this fire down in my soul

Now, can't you see it's burning out of control?

Come on, satisfy the need in me

'cause only your good loving can set me free..."

" 'Jeezus fuck', cookie, I sure as hell hope they clean the fuckin' shag carpet on these platforms... I feel like I'm sittin' inside someone's hairy armpit or crotch here with you leanin' back on me!"

"Hah, hah, hah... let's switch places and you can pretend you're leaning into me then and I can put my hands in your pockets and play with your big cock then, Sasq!"

"You kinky little fucker!" Adam exclaims, while scratching himself and trying not to chuckle.

"Aaand... that's why you love me, Adam. Heh, heh."

"Yeah right... I'll be hoppin' into a bathtub when we get home, just in case I get a rash or pick up bed bugs from this damned fuckin' place, for sure! We're sure as hell headin' right back to 'Sac's' after Rob and John get off the dance floor!"

"Don't leave me this way

I can't survive, I can't stay alive

Without your love, oh baby

Don't leave me this way 'cause I can't exist

And I will surely miss your tender kiss

Don't leave me this way..."

"Ahhh... you look so 'cute' wearing that 'Happy New Year' tiara with the fluffy white marabou and silver stars on it, Adam!" I say to him, as he comes back with drinks for us, once back inside Sac`s.

"You're gonna' really 'get it' when we get home, if ya' keep on teasin' me, Aaron! Ronnie made me wear it when we came in the door at the coat check. In fact, he gave me one to put on you too!" Just then, he hauls a matching one out of his back pocket and slaps it on my head.

"Now 'that's 'worth a picture! Smile guys!" Rob and John are both laughing, and then Rob pulls out a little camera and snaps a shot of the both of us.

"Oh My God! C'mon Calla... we came here to dance!" I yell to Calla, and then drag her out onto the dance floor to get away from 'Paparazzi Rob' and his flashing camera.

"Turn the beat around (go on go on go on girl!)

Love to hear the percussion (move your feet when you feel the beat, yeah)

Turn it upside down (HEY! yeah yeah)

Love to hear percussion (whoa!)

Love to hear it..."

A half hour later at three minutes to midnight... and twelve 'drag queens' suddenly converge onto the dance floor and start to throw pink glitter dust into the air, while singing Auld Lang Syne...``

"Gotta 'admit, baby... this is one 'fucked up' way to ring in the New Year, eh cookie?" whispers Adam to me, as he bends down and starts to nibble at and play with my ear lobe with his tongue.

"It's been the best year of my life, Adam! I love you, Sasq man! Happy New Year!"

"Happy New Year to you too. I love you too, honey!"

"Too bad, Ronnie couldn't join us." I say to Adam, as we grab the last remaining dirty table inside the 'Chez Henri' just before last call.

"Well, honey... he was wantin' to spend the rest of the night with his new boyfriend. I can understand that baby," Adam replies, as he puts his arm protectively around me and starts to survey the people in the packed bar.

"Yup... this place hasn't changed since the last time I was in here! You've got drag queens, transvestites, dykes and everything else in here and I wanted ya' to see it with 'me', cookie. This is no place for you to come into by yourself though, baby. Drug dealers, addicts and motorcycle gangs and every other fuckin' criminal and creep you can think of winds up here for last call on weekends. The place used to be a real respectable hotel decades ago, and if ya' look really hard you'll still see some of the leftover reminders from that time. Like... just look at the big hand-painted mural on the wall behind the old brass and wood bar there. It's fuckin' fantastic!"

The mural is huge. I'm guessing it most be over thirty feet long and at least ten feet high. It reminds me of an 'Edgar Degas' painting or maybe something from 'Toulouse Lautrec'... although more realistic and not really impressionist when I really start to look at it. It depicts a ballroom scene from what I'm guessing would date back to the time when the hotel was first opened for business in the 'mid-eighteen hundreds. Men in white waistcoats, black tail-coats and tight trousers are waltzing with women in swirling 19th century pastel-coloured ball gowns with bustles and feathers in their hair. The scene to me looks like something out of Paris in the last century."