Having grown up in a rural setting, I instantly disliked the busy college life in a large city. Constant chatter and traffic noise made it difficult to concentrate and find a peaceful place to reflect on anything, let alone my schoolwork. But graduation had come months before, and with a year of labor under my belt, I was headed home; back to my roots and my grandfather's farm. Grandpa was in a retirement village and I had made arrangements to purchase the homestead on a land contract. To say I was thrilled doesn't come close to how I felt about being back in the open spaces where it was quiet and peaceful.
I had only been back a few weeks and still settling in when a burgundy 4x4 pulled in the lane and parked just outside of the kitchen door. The man who climbed out looked familiar, and I soon recognized him from high school. The quarterback of our football team his junior and senior years, he hadn't changed very much. His brown hair was longer, just touching his shoulders, and his tanned arms bulged inside of his tight t-shirt. He walked toward the door and I stepped outside with a greeting, "Hey Brady! Is that you?" He smiled broadly and extended his hand, taking a firm grip on mine and laughlingly said, "Yea. How you been? I heard you were back in the area."
I welcomed him inside where we sat at the kitchen table, talking about our high school days, teachers we despised and some of our conquests with our female classmates. As we talked, I couldn't help but notice the scent his cologne and his bright white teeth gleaming against his tanned face. His pecs looked like they had been poured into his shirt; the same with his thighs fitting snuggly into his Levi jeans. My mind raced back six years to our high school: seeing him strut down the halls, hearing his deep but soft voice, and reliving the silence that fell across a room whenever he entered. He was very popular and respected, and perhaps the envy of every average guy there.
"Listen", Brady said, leaning forward on his chair toward me. "I've been looking for some property to hunt this fall and wondered if you'd be interested in letting me hunt here. I always clean up after myself, and I have a great respect for nature and keeping things as natural as when I found them." I thought for a moment, then answered, "That sounds like a good proposition. The back woods is secluded and full of rabbit and deer. Feel like taking a walk?" Brady smiled and nodded his head as we stood and started out the door.
The one mile walk across a field and down a shaded lane got us to the woods; totally unspoiled by progress, possibly looking just as it did fifty years ago. Brady chit chatted all the way, noticing signs of deer and groundhog. My mind was blank. I kept reliving visions from before, and began feeling something strange down deep inside. I know that I'm not gay, but I feel very attracted to him. I don't know how to handle this. We reached the center of the woods and Brady leaned back against a fallen tree, taking in a deep breath of fresh, country air. He wasn't aware, but this was one of my favorite spots, so quiet and secluded. We stood there a moment, just taking it all in.
Brady broke the silence. "You're a lucky guy, having all this. Wish I had known you years ago, and maybe we could have hunted together." "Yea," I answered, "but you were always hanging out with the football jocks and cheerleaders." We both laughed as Brady leaned down and picked up a stick, beginning to break it into smaller pieces. "You know," I began mumbling, " I kinda looked up to you, like admired you. You were first pick and pretty popular." My eyes glanced down at his thighs and bulge in his jeans, then darted back to his face. Brady grinned slyly, just leaning there and listening. "Oh yea?", he answered. "You admired me? Why? 'Cause you heard I was hung?" Laughingly, I responded, " Nooo, people looked up to you and wanted to be like you". Brady looked puzzled and snorted," Shit! I could bench my weight easily and keep up with the best of 'em, but I wasn't smart like you. You're the one that was envied; for your brains and.........." Brady paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "There was talk about you being a lady's man and how you packed quite a package back then. And to be honest, I slipped a peak a couple times during showers, you know, to check out he competition." He laughed out loud, then grew quiet as a look of seriousness came across his face.