Sales, is not the best work, but it's not bad either. It's a little degrading because to be any good at all you have to kiss quite a bit of ass. All kinds of people come through the store, and every single one of them is your very best friend. Hell, at work I am all grins and affirmatives, "yes ma'am, that coat looks just great on you!" or, "Hey! We DO have that in blue! I'll get you two! Right away, sir!" Everything is a grand statement because I don't just "sell, sell, sell." I "Sell! Sell! Sell!" You get the point.
But like I said, it's not all bad either. You learn a lot about people by being a salesman. You get to know when they are going to buy something. They kind of light up, even when they seem to shy away, a veteran salesman knows when the customer is ready to buy and will close the sale at just the right instant. Bam! You close the deal. It gets to be instinct, you don't even have to think about it.
Which brings me to the topic of my story. It all starts normal enough, a guy walks up and we start talking about some pants that he needs. During the course of our conversation he tells me about his life, and specifically how his wife left him half a year ago. "That's interesting", I add, "my wife left me too, about 8 months ago. I know exactly what you are going through." Next thing you know were talking about how both of us got the shit end of the marital stick and how our wives left a couple of good guys holding the bag while their out living a new life.
After a few minutes talking to him, It was like I was talking to myself, he was finishing my sentences and I knew what he was about to say Then it clicked, I saw him kind of light up. This guy liked me. He was going to buy what I was selling. I had him, if I would just close the deal, and take him.
Freeze for a minute.
First off, I am not gay. I got a few kinks, but I've never been with a man. This guy didn't seem gay either. He seemed alone, and a little tired of women, but not perverted, or weird or gay, or anything. He was just a guy in a store bearing his soul to another dude, but then he got sideswiped by some kind of lust, born from confusion, or something. And there he is looking all doe eyed at me like my first sweet heart did and I think that his tender submissiveness might have, wellβ¦
Even though he was talking, I didn't hear a word he was saying for at least half a minute. I was somehow quite excited with this prospect. He noticed that I dazed off and chuckled, he asked, "I'm sorry, am I boring you with all this?"
I came back to reality, "no, you're not. I'm just thinking about how I like that I'm not alone with this. You know, that someone is going through the same thing. Hey, how about a beer or something after I get out of here?" I asked.
I could see the hesitation, the pulling away. I could see that he was trying to say no, but going over it in his mind. I waited.
"Yeah", He finally mustered, "Yeah, that would be OK." He was smiling, and so was I. We swapped numbers and I went back to work. Two more hours, and we were to meet at a bar near here.
2
The hours go by, nothing eventful. My excited lust bubbled down and by the end of the shift I was almost laughing at myself because I was thinking of who knows what with some random guy. "No way," I say out loud and chuckle to myself.
"I'm really going over the deep end," I think, and decide to call the meeting off. Who was I trying to kid; I'm just not gay. Besides, I like women way too much to be gay.
Well, that's what I was thinking when the phone rang. It wasn't a familiar number, probably him. "Hello," I answer.
"Hey, Where are you, I've been here for half an hour."
"I'm just getting out of here, did you still want to talk?"
"Yeah, I do, are you still up for it?"
I think briefly, and feel a nervous charge run through my face and neck.
"please?" barely audible from my cell phone.