It has been a year since that night at the gym. A lot has changed in my life. In finished my courses and graduated. I have a full-time career job with a tax company. I don't work at the gym anymore, but now I am a paying member. I still live in the same apartment, but now I have enough disposable income to afford my needs easily and save some extra along the way.
With school behind me and just work to fill my days, I find myself with free time on my hands. This is new to me and my evenings and weekends can get lonely. I am 23 now and I it's time to think about dating. I have only been on a couple of dates in my life, each one with different girls. First dates only, never anything further. The last few years, there had been no time for a social life with full-time work and school.
Now that I have realized that I am gay, I am even more unsure of how to go about meeting someone. There are a couple of good looking guys at my gym. I know nothing about their personalities or their interests. How would I know if they're open to being with another guy? I am at this new phase of my life but I am inexperienced and clueless.
I made a decision. I pulled out that phone number that I had hidden away a year ago. That number that I didn't think I would ever call. I still thought about that night at the gym. Honestly, not a single day goes by without thinking about it. I didn't think I'd ever call this number, but then again something made me hold on to it. Believe it or not I didn't even know his name. He spent 3 hours that night performing personal acts on me, tickling me, violating me, humiliating me and giving me the most intense sexual release of my life. But I still don't know his name.
I do know that he asked, practically begged me, to call him sometime. Why not now? I knew he wouldn't hurt me. He didn't hurt me that night. In a strange way I kind of feel like he protected me from real harm. Between his bigger partner in crime and their angry boss, things could have gone very differently in a bad way. But he was there and things went his way. Now I found myself dialing his number.
In a gruff, hurried and irritated tone, he answered. I recognized his voice. What do I say? How do I address him? I felt like an idiot. I began, "Uh, hi. This... is uh..."
He cut me off, "I know who this is." His tone immediately changes. Softened. "I was starting to think you'd never call." I could hear the big smile on his face as he spoke.
"I...well...I think I want..." I stammered on.
"You want..."
"I want to see you."
"I'd be glad to. I am free this weekend. That work for you?" he asked.
I said, "Yes."
He said, "Where and when Little Dude?"
I knew he knew my name. He knew where I lived. He knew where I worked at the time. He and his cohorts had broken in to my apartment and searched every inch of it. But they never said my nameor each other's . This one referred to me as "Little Dude" a few times. I responded, "How about Saturday at noon at the coffee shop next to the gym? You remember where the gym...?"
He cut in again, "I remember. I'll be there."
I said, "I don't know your name."
He chuckled, "My name is Dan. I will see you Saturday, Eric," and he disconnected the call.
I suddenly felt a wave of fear. What have I done? What if I just re-started something that I would regret? What if this turned out to be dangerous? Torturous? What if I misread this guy, Dan? Was there a way out? Should I just not show up Saturday? No, he probably remembers where my apartment is. Should I call him back and tell him to forget it?
I spent the next few hours thinking, contemplating the situation. I decided that it was time for my life to begin. I had just come to realize a year ago that I am gay. I have now crossed a bridge from one part of my life to another. But I was stuck, just treading water. Not only was I clueless about how to even begin the process of meeting someone, but I also hadn't even publicly come out as gay yet. I haven't told my mom or my younger brothers. No one at work knew. Meeting up with Dan would help get me going. I won't cancel or bail.
Just then my phone pinged - an incoming text. It wasn't from one of my saved contacts, but I recognized the number from having dialed it earlier. Dan. The message read: "Do you still have those same beat up, smelly old sneakers from last year? Wear them on Saturday."
I flushed with embarrassment at the memory. Now that I had some disposable income, I had in fact bought myself a long overdue new pair of sneakers. I had not, however, thrown out my old tattered pair. Of course I would do as he said and wear them.
Saturday came and I showed up early at the coffee shop. I hung out on the sidewalk until just before noon and then went in and took a booth. As I sat there waiting for Dan, I thought about what I really wanted to get out this unlikely reconnection. I know he isn't likely to be a dating or relationship expert, full of advice and tips. I guess I was hoping he could help me with the physical side of my emerging sexuality. I have never been with a man. I have zero experience. A little knowledge and skill would boost my confidence. And Dan would probably enjoy teaching me.
Just then, I saw him come through the door. He looked exactly the same. I had changed a little over the past year. With more time on my hands I was working out more, trading time on the treadmill for time with the weights. I hadn't transformed into a bodybuilder or anything, but I had added a little toning to my previously little-boy figure. I am 5' 10" and just about 150 pounds. I recently added an inch to waist going from a 29 to a 30. Would Dan notice the changes? He found me and slid into the booth across from me.
"Little Dude," he said.
"Hi Dan. You didn't bring your big friend."
"Were you hoping I would?" he asked.
"Actually, no. I only wanted you. I just wasn't sure what to expect."
The waitress came by and we ordered sandwiches and water. When she walked away, Dan explained, "Steve wouldn't have been interested in whatever this is. That night last year work to him. He was doing his job...well maybe his job plus a little extra, but it was a job he was paid to do none the less. Whatever this thing now turns out to be, it's not Steve's thing."
So his name is Steve. I said, "Okay, he sure seemed to be enjoying himself that night. At my expense."
Dan said, "Sure. Work is usually not fun. That night was different. A break from the usual routine. Steve is not gay. My theory is that everyone has at least a little bisexual curiosity in them. You know, varying degrees for each person. Steve dipped a toe in that end of the pool that night. He had fun for a few hours, but he probably hasn't given that night much thought since. Now me on the other hand? I think about that night every day."
"I guess that makes sense."
"Sure it does. Look, I am gay," Dan continued. "But I find myself attracted to the occasional beautiful woman. Not everything has to have strict boundaries."
I nodded. In fact from what I remember about my brief time with Dan, he is definitely not one to worry about boundaries.
He asked me, "So what brings us here? Why did you call and what can I do for you?"
The waitress brought our lunches. While we ate, I explained the crossroads my life seemed to be in. How even though I now know who I am, I don't know what to do or how to proceed. That I have zero experience, and therefore, zero confidence. I told Dan I was hoping he would be willing to help out so I wouldn't be a clueless idiot when an opportunity arose. I was trying to talk discreetly among the lunchtime crowd, but the couple at the table across from us seemed interest and amused by our conversation.