My Bucket List.
The Night I Went For A Walk.
I was based in the South of England however my latest assignment required me to travel to the very northern tip of the Scottish mainland. Where each trip, to and from, took almost a whole day either by driving, train or air or any combinations.
My assignments took the format of three weeks onsite and one home based. While onsite I was to be accommodated in the St Clair Hotel which was about ten miles away from my work site. It was a very isolated if not lonely living arrangement.
I was now at the end of the first week on my second monthly tour, Friday night and finished for the week. I was sitting in the traditional bar of the St Clair with a beer in hand watching the locals come and go, while I waited for the restaurant to open, a fly on the wall situation.
The bar was not busy, mainly two group huddles one at each end of the bar talking, with a barman serving both groups. One group of three, from what they were saying were scaffolding contractors, the other seemed to be a group of five or so farmers from their attire, build and local accent.
One of the farmers asked the barman by name, who was at the other end of the bar, for another pint when he has a moment, then caveated it love. His statement attracted my attention, it wasn't offensively said but in a friendly way, seemed somewhat out of place to me. A scaffolder at the other end of the bar picked up on what was said and ordered three more pints love. This time said in a demeaning and aggressively way to the barman.
It drew my attention to the barman, whose name was Alex from his hotel badge, local by his accent, he was tall, thin but not skinny, short brownish blond hair, he may have had an effeminate way about him but not so you would casually notice. He served the farmer first and then went to serve the scaffolder, as he handed over each of their drinks in turn they would say thanks love in a demining way. The barman let it pass without any visual acknowledgement or comment as to what they had just said and continued with his bar work.
As it seemed to have passed I concentrated on my pint, some movement broke my trance staring into my pint glass, as one does. The farmers including some other local's that had joined their huddle were now standing behind looking over the three scaffolders. Something was developing or about to happen, my first though was is the restaurant open yet?
The scaffolders seemed to feel their presence too and turned, they quickly downed their pints, almost in unison, then left. One of the farmers said bye loves. Situation defused. The barman may have been gay or not, either way he was their gay or not barman. They had closed ranks and extended their wing of protection around their own. I later found out that this was a way of life with locals in remote locations.
The hotel manager came in at that point and told me that my table was ready, he saw me look at the extended group of farmers as I got up and smiled, must have been a local too. The meal was excellent as was the beer. Meal finished being a nice summer's night I decided to go for a walk. It was also a very pleasant warm evening too.
As I walked through the town and down onto and along the front, looking out to sea imaging I could see the Arctic Circle. Although not very busy, someone walking towards me attracted my attention. It was like a magnet drawing me to them, do not know why, but they did, as I seemed to be to them. As we walked closer together a familiarity came from him that I could not place. Then it became clear, we were at college together, must have now been over ten years ago. As we closed I remembered his name David, we were friends in our first year.
We both spoke together saying something along the lines of fancy meeting you here. Davids reply was I live here. I said I am a visitor working here staying in the St Clair hotel. I suggested how about a beer and a catchup; David said yes, I know a good place. We headed back into town asking questions of each other of what happened since our College days, we arrived and went into a pub David frequented. Although a Friday night we managed to find a quite table in a corner to talk and reminise.
David had left college after his first year, change of tack from engineering to accountancy, plus he moved house that summer with his parents to Aberdeen, his father managed to get a shore job with an oil company. After qualifying he went to work in a bank was promoted and posted here as the banks Loan Manager and living a mile outside of town.
I told him what I did, where I now lived, previously in Den Haag working for oil companies, now back as a freelance business consultant. I asked are you married. He said no I thought you knew; knew what? That I am gay; remember that night in the college badminton club, without hesitation I said yes.
It came back to me as a thunderclap. We were sitting watching a game being played, when David had put his hand discreetly on my leg then gently rubbed it up to my shorts, then the inside of my leg seductively. At the time I ignored it, put it down to fooling around, I never thought he was serious. Until now that is. I didn't know what to say, other than, I thought you were fooling around, he said no I was very serious. To reset the conservation I asked, what happened after that.
Nothing for a while, went to University and met someone their, we were good friends but nothing sexual ever came of it. Kept my head down and studied, then worked in a bank in Aberdeen, came up here. For the first few weeks I stayed in the St Clair hotel too, got friendly with the barman, Alex.
I suppose we were both lost in that front, Alex parents drove him out of the family house in Durness, a small remote village near Cape Wrath, when he told them he was coming out as gay. I explained what had happened at the hotel, he said one of the farmers is now his partner.
We had chatted that night the bar which was empty, a cold winters night. Alex closed the bar early and followed me up to my room. I never had sex before but I really wanted it that night, I knew what to expect but never actually had it. I was at a loss of what to do after he arrived in my room, I more or less just stood there.
Alex came over to me and slowly unbuttoned my shirt, removed it and then his, he then embraced me, I was really excited by what was happening, as we touched skin to skin I was starting to get seriously aroused. He then reached down and slowly unzipped my trousers and let them drop. I unzipped his too and let them drop too. We then stepped out of them, I was really, really hard by that time, and he was too.
