I found enough courage to attend.
Another Club Night.
I didn't know what to expect but this wasn't it.
As we walked past a clusters of horseshoe shaped booths with couples talking discreetly to each other, my heart started to palpitate with excitement as we arrived and my friend for the night stood up to greet me.
He were about my build, immaculately dressed in expensive black slacks a white short sleeved shirt partially unbuttoned, impeccably jet black hair with an odd gray hair starting to show. My dress almost identical except my apparel was from a chain department store and I was half his age. Our Solo night host introduced us.
"Jason Wilson allow me to introduce Stefan De Vries, I hope you enjoy each other's company tonight."
We exchanged handshakes, Stefan had an endearing soft double handed handshake then inviting me to sit with a flowing hand gesture as he asked.
"What would you like to drink?"
As I was driving I would have one of the Club's alcohol free mocktail, Stefan ordered a large Macallan whiskey and said to our host to put them on his account.
The horseshoe booth with its small round pedestal table could only accommodate two. As we sat down our legs bumped and rubbed together, Stefan smiled and placed both his hands on top of mine. I could feel something warm and intimate pass between us as he asked.
"Tell me about yourself, why you are here tonight and what you are looking for?"
I had prepared simple one line answers that I couldn't now put into words and nervously said. "I don't know I am not very good at getting into relationships and the guys I house share with said I should try this Club's new Solo Night. They helped me prepare my profile, actually they prepared it for me I have also tried dating sites but no luck." I then asked.
"What are you looking for?" His reply seemed almost apologetic.
"I have had a few relationships some good some not so good. Although I have a nice circle of friend's they all have live-in partners and I am the odd one out. Over the past few years I have been alone as you get older you tend not to get into relationships. Like you they suggested I try this Club's new Solo night and Karl my friend's partner prepared my profile for me. Can I ask what do think about getting into a relationship with someone like me who is older also I take it you are not out about being gay?"
I floundered again. "No I am not out and I am not even sure if I am gay, I am ok with you being older as I feel comfortable in your company." I could feel Stefan squeeze my hand in approval as our drinks arrived, mines had a pink umbrella in it; was it an omen?
Stefan asked me what I did for a living and what type of vehicle I had. I explained I was a junior design engineer in a sales department for a pump company in the south side of the city. My vehicle is a ten year old Range Rover that I restored, my uncle gave it to me when his eyesight became too bad for him to drive.
Stefan explained he was from Cape Town in South Africa and is now a partner in a diamond brokerage company just off George Square. I thought that meant he repaired diamond rings or something like that, how wrong can you be. His parents are now both retired enjoying life and recently moved to London due to the troubles in South Africa. His father was a diamond mining engineer, macho type and disapproved of Stefan being gay.
As he said that I felt very sorry for him and wondered what my parents and friends would think if I ever came out as being gay.
As the night went on we chatted about our lives, Stefan ordered quite a few mocktails for me and large Macallan whiskies for himself. I could hear his Africans' accent start to show as the alcohol affected his otherwise perfect English. Tim the Club photographer came over and had us pose together with our arms around each other holding up our drinks, then suggested we sit more intimately together. As we moved together turning to looking into each other's eyes Stefan put his hand on my leg sliding it up until he touched me, taken by surprise I opened my mouth as he kissed me.
I wasn't angary or embarrassed actually I quite liked it. Tim broke both our trances when he said.
"Perfect, I will finish them off and send them off to you later."
After Tim left Stefan asked me "would I like to spend the night with him we don't have to have sex, just be with him, or just coffee?"
Although I was excited at the thought of it replied "I don't know, I wasn't sure yet, maybe when we get to know each other."
His instant response was "then come out with me for a meal tomorrow night."
Catching me totally unaware I said "ok" which I felt quite excited about. Usually I got knocked back if I asked anyone out and didn't want him to feel the same rejection. The time passed quickly and it was time for us to leave the Solo club night. My vehicle was in the multi-story car park above the Club, Stefan's plan was to get a train home from the Central Station.
When we went outside and the cool night air hit us, alcohol made Stefan a bit unsteady on his feet so I decided to walk him to the rail station about a block away. Just two guys chatting as they headed towards the station. By the time we arrived I was a bit concerned about leaving him alone to find the rest of his way home safely and suggested if it's ok I will take you up on the offer of a coffee.
He smiled as we turned and headed back to where I had parked up. As we walked together this time I was conscious passerby's may be looking at us, would they see something in our intensions. Stefan gave me his post code and I punched it into the satnav and headed to the south of the city towards the Mearns district.
We arrived at an impressive luxury apartment complex turning into the driveway our path was blocked by a closed gate, Stefan produced a beeper, pressed it, and the gate opened like magic. We parked up at a visitor slot and took the elevator up to his floor. In his entrance hallway he took off his shoes and socks before leading me into the living room which was plush and expensively furnished with a long shag pile carpet which felt wonderful under your bare feet. It seemed to seductively massage your feet as you walked on it.
Stefan made us coffee which turned out to be an imported Dutch rope type coffee which had an arousing kick to it making us relax as we sat together. Placing his arm round me drawing us both together then partially unbuttoned my shirt like his before starting to caress my chest as our heads intimately touched. We stared to share our lives secretes after he asked me. Why was I unsure if I was gay and not good in relationships? It was then that I decided to tell him why and that I was not just leading him on.
About a year and a half ago during the Pride week the Students Union was raising funds running a disco night for some Transgender group and we all bought tickets, it was to be a theme fancy dress and we were all to be cross dressed and remain in character for a whole 24 hours. It sounded like fun.
I played hockey so went down to a second hand clothes shop bought a short green hockey skirt and matching pants I already had the shirt and hockey stick. My theme was to be a jolly hockey sticks character. Most of us didn't have the bottle to go dressed, at least sober, and got changed in the gym dressing room.