by Scott Damon
Debut
Scott Damon
Copyright © 2020 Frontier Publishing, Inc.
All rights reserved
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.
ISBN-13: 9781234567890
ISBN-10: 1477123456
Cover design by: Art Painter
Library of Congress Control Number: 2018675309
Printed in the United States of America
Dedicated to all gay people who continue to struggle.
Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter 1 – The Meeting
Chapter 2 – Careful Consideration
Chapter 3 – Spreading the News
Chapter 4 – Jason’s Decision
Chapter 5 – Rounding Out the Cast
Chapter 6 – The Weekend
Chapter 7 – First Rehearsals
Chapter 8 – Stage Combat
Chapter 9 – Tarak is Captured
Chapter 10 – First Romance
Chapter 11 – Second Date
Chapter 12 – Time with the Family
Chapter 13 – The Photo Session
Chapter 14 – One More Casting Call
Chapter 15 – Promotion
Chapter 16 – Camping
Chapter 17 – More Promotion
Chapter 18 – Another Perspective
Chapter 19 – Final Rehearsals
Chapter 20 – The Walk
Chapter 21 – Opening Night
Debut
by Scott Damon
Dedicated to all gay people who continue to struggle.
Copyright 2020, Frontier Publishing, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Chapter 1 – The Meeting
As Jason finished his workout, his coach’s voice boomed through the gym. “Parker! Come see me after your shower.”
Tom Bridges, veteran gymnastics coach at Walt Whitman High, had an office just off the locker room, but it was still an olfactory oasis from the pungent mix of chlorine, disinfectant, and sweat of the locker room. As Jason knocked and stood at the door, Bridges rested his arms on small piles of loose papers on the desk.
“Jason, can you do me a favor and go see Mr. Langley before you go home?”
“You mean the drama teacher?”
“Yes, I told him I would send you down.”
“Sure, no problem. I think I know where his room is."
“I’m sure you’ll find it. Right by the auditorium.” As the coach stood, he added, “By the way, good practice today. Your movements are smoother on your rings routine.”
“Yeah, I feel more comfortable with the middle part now. I love practicing the rings.”
“I know. Good thing. It’s helped you pull away from the pack.”
“Thanks. See you tomorrow.”
Jason passed the school’s packed trophy cases, verifying once again that the ones with his name on them were still firmly in place. All the same, the coach’s compliments meant more to him, even if it they only came in small doses.
Whitman was the only high school in Edgewood, with 1500 students, most from upper middle-class households. Exceling in any sport was an achievement and a way to stand out. For Jason, it was a source of pride, but also a refuge.
* * *
Rich Langley was in his second year of directing school theatrical productions. He had no idea when he chose to do Tarak, Jungle Man, it would be so difficult to cast the starring role.
Most players from the football team and top athletes from other sports had tried out for the part, but they just didn’t seem to fit. Many of them, as well as some of the school’s regular actors, didn’t have the confidence or desired physical presence to pull it off. Others were awkward at the stunts or didn’t think they could perform in front of an audience wearing next to nothing. In a few cases, the kids’ parents didn’t want them taking on the role in front of the whole community.
Coach Bridges looked surprised when Langley chose to sit with him at lunch. “Hey, Rich. How’s it going?”
“Not so good. I’m having a hell of a time finding someone to play Tarak in the play.”
“Really? I thought there would be plenty of kids wanting to do it.”
“Yeah, there are. But we’re not finding a good fit so far. You know most of the athletes here. Is there anyone you can think of who might work?”
“So you need a white kid who’s in good shape, is confident, and can pull off some stunts?”
“Yeah, that’s basically it, but he doesn’t have to be white. We’re trying to avoid racial stereotypes, so Black, Asian, Hispanic, Martian…anything would do. He just has to move well on stage, and like you said, be confident and have a commanding presence.”
Bridges ruminated aloud about a lot of his athletes and the one he kept coming back to was Jason Parker. Being on the swim team, he was already used to being in front of people with few clothes on and his gymnastics background would make the stunts a breeze.
Bridges suggested, “What about Jason Parker? Has he tried out?”
“No. But, yeah, he would be an interesting choice.”
“I’ll send him down after practice and you can figure out if he can act and see if he’s interested.”
“Great! I appreciate your help.”
“No problem. I’m not going to fill him in on anything. I don’t want to scare him off before he even gets there. It will be your job to sell him on it.”
“Fair enough.”
“I’ll let you know if anybody else comes to mind.”
* * *
Jason had seen some of the plays the school had put on, but wasn’t aware they were planning to attempt this play. Being in the gym six days a week and focusing on his two main sports kept him busy and oblivious to most other things happening around school. That was fine with him, because he felt awkward in social situations and found it best to avoid them.
As promised, he made a detour to see the drama teacher. He expected the teacher must need help moving some furniture or boxes or some other quick and dirty task. He knocked and entered, finding Langley sitting with two students and a couple other adults. He froze, as if he had walked in on a meeting in progress. He recognized Principal Adams, his previous English teacher, Miss Savant, and Corinne, with whom he shared several classes, along with a boy he didn’t know. Even though it was a small group, Jason felt intimidated, slowly backing away. They all pulled their chairs behind two bare tables facing the door.
Langley said, “Come on in, Jason. We were expecting you. Make yourself comfortable.”
“Thanks. I wasn’t expecting a whole group.” He took the remaining chair, facing the tables. Langley made quick introductions, identifying the boy as Martin.
“We just want to talk to you about an opportunity. I’ll get right to the point. We’re looking for someone to play the role of Tarak, the jungle man in the school play. We haven’t found the right person yet and Coach Bridges said you might fit the role. We don’t have time to choose another play, so we’re still desperately hoping to cast this part.”
Jason sat for a moment, confused, and surprised by the whole turn of events. “Well…ahhh...that sounds interesting…but why me? I’m not an actor or anything.”
“Yes, I didn’t think you had any experience, but most kids don’t know if they can act until they give it a try. This role i
sn’t real demanding. In fact, your skills and presence are more important. You might even find it fun.”
Jason furrowed his brow. “Maybe. But I have my sports and everything else going on.”
“I know. You’re busy like all the other kids. I just want you to give it some thought. Coach said your season doesn’t start until after the play is over, so it wouldn’t interfere. And any time you spend in the gym will just help you do better in this role anyway.”
Langley paused for a moment and then continued, “I want to say that my initial impression is you have the physical presence for this role, and you would be an impressive Tarak. The stunts will be trivial for you. And as long as you’re comfortable wearing a loincloth on stage, you’re past the first three important hurdles.”
Intrigued by the idea of stunts, Jason asked, “What kind of stunts?”
“Nothing major. A few flips and some fight scenes. If there are other things that flow naturally into scenes, we can adapt it. You might even suggest some as we go. The more physical we can make it, I think the more it will appeal to the audience.”
“Yeah, that part sounds fun.” Jason thought about the loincloth, trying to picture it, “I guess wearing a loincloth would be something like the speedos I wear for swimming.”
“Yes, very close. Maybe a little looser, but not much bigger. Just something so the character looks as authentic as possible. It’s covered underneath, so like a swimming suit. Then a flap in back and one in front.”
As they talked, Jason observed the others scanning him up and down, judging him on some secret criteria. All of them had seen Jason’s body before in various situations. The principal tried to attend events for each of the school’s sports. Corinne had a friend on the swim team, so she showed up for meets at times. Jason’s picture appeared often in the school paper following his stand-out performances in both sports, although relegated to back pages behind the big three sports – football, baseball, and basketball. A couple months earlier, Jason was shocked when he noticed pictures of himself from the paper, The Leaves, hanging in a few girls’ lockers while passing through the halls. When a couple girls saw him catch a glimpse of the pics, they closed their lockers and looked away. It was the first time he realized he had admirers.
Principal Adams spoke up, “I think the next step is for you to try on the loincloth, see if it’s comfortable enough, and get a feel for it.” Others in the group nodded.
Jason took a deep breath, his head swirling, but it was becoming more interesting. He agreed to try it on and went off to a side room to change. He came out with only the loincloth on.
Langley remarked, “I like that you came out barefoot. Most others who auditioned left shoes or socks on. I’m glad you gave us the full effect right from the start.”
Jason took long slow breaths to calm his nerves. Their smiles told him his physique fit what they were looking for and possibly surpassed it. Jason’s tightly ridged abs and chiseled pecs matched the classic look perfectly. He was lean and well-proportioned overall from his gymnastics work. They looked him over head to toe and had him turn slowly, modeling the costume. His strong legs and developed arms were nearly hairless. His blonde hair and blue eyes were unusual for the role, but not a problem.
Langley spoke first, “Well, young man. You can definitely pull off the look. How does it feel?”
“Actually, very comfortable. You’re right, it’s not as tight as speedos, so I can move in it and do whatever stunts you want.”
Miss Savant handed Jason the script with some small portions highlighted. She asked him to read those as if he was Tarak but speaking in a natural voice and not like a semi-literate savage.
After Jason handled the lines well for a first read, the principal chimed in, “This is an unusual role. Think your parents will have any problem signing a permission slip for you to do it?”
Jason remembered the times his mother warned him to not go to the park shirtless as much as he did. She told him it was to protect him from the sun, but even with sunscreen, she seemed concerned. He responded, “I’ll talk to my parents, but I’m 18, so I don’t technically need their permission. I don’t expect to have a problem with that.” His voice broke on the last part.
Langley shot Adams a quizzical look like he should have known the teen’s age. Adams defended himself, “I never checked his age. He’s a junior. I just figured he was younger.”
Jason added, “Yeah, I turned 18 last month. My birthday fell oddly and my mom didn’t want me to start school too early. Anyway, I’ll run it by them.”
Langley turned to the group. “Any questions for our new Tarak?” Nobody had any so he continued. “I think you should hang onto the loincloth and get used to wearing it, Jason. I want you to feel comfortable in it. And of course, we can adjust it as needed. Here are some more loincloths so you have plenty. Give the role some thought – please! we need you – and give me a final answer tomorrow if you can.”
Jason smiled for the first time. “Thanks. I will. This totally sounds interesting and even fun.” He returned to the side room, put his jeans on over the costume, finished getting dressed, and headed back to the gym. There, he described what happened for the coach, who totally supported Jason’s new adventure.
Chapter 2 – Careful Consideration
Jason sometimes took the bus or rode with friends, but today he decided to walk home to ponder the offer. Leaving school, he happened to pass Corinne’s locker as she grabbed her things. “Hi, Jason.”
“Hi Corinne. That was crazy.” He stopped and leaned on a neighboring locker.
“I know. You looked like a deer in headlights.”
“Oh, was it that obvious? I guess a little warning would have helped. I had no idea.”
“Yeah, it seemed that way. I hope you take the part though. You’d be great.” She looked him in the eye. Her long brown hair and deep brown eyes would have prompted him to ask her out if he was straight. He liked her as a comfortable friend.
“Thanks.”
“Jason, what happened to you last Saturday? I thought you planned to come to my party.”
Jason stood up and took a step back. “Oh, that. Something came up. Sorry.” He didn’t want to tell her he always feels awkward at parties, wondering who he’ll talk to or what to talk about. At school, there are always classes to discuss, but that gets boring to talk about outside of school. For some reason, he clams up and everyone thinks he’s weird or arrogant. At least that’s what he imagines they’re thinking.
“This is like the third party you’ve missed. Janey’s, Amy’s, and mine. People are going to stop inviting you if you never show up.”
“I know. I want to come to them but I get so busy.” He knows he needs to work up the courage and be bold enough to power through it. “I’ll come to the next one. I promise.”
“I hope so. I think you’d have fun and everyone likes having you around.”
“Oh yeah? They tell you that?”
Corinne raised her brows. “C’mon Jason. They don’t have to. You’re a fun guy.” Jason wasn’t sure anyone thought of him as a fun guy, but it sounded good coming from Corinne.
“Okay, next time. See you tomorrow.”
“See ya.”
* * *
Jason was lost in thought all the way home. He considered the offer of the role, but his mind kept wandering back to the discussion of parties. Why did he feel so awkward at them? His childhood stuttering made him avoid social situations a long time ago, but it’s been years since he overcame that. When he attended awards ceremonies for gymnastics or swimming, he had no problem talking with people and enjoying the event. As long as he could talk about things he knew something about, he was relaxed and could join in any conversation. It was small talk and getting to know new people that tripped him up.
He thought back to the last party he went to, which happened to be at Amy’s house. He had tried to back out of it, but his friends dragged him to it. He was among the group of athletes who follo
wed the rules and didn’t indulge in alcohol or drugs. As the kids who got involved in those activities became more talkative, he grew quieter. He could talk about gymnastics or school to begin with, but after a while, topics changed. He wondered if he was too one-dimensional.
He grew even more restless as students paired up and went off into dark corners. He knew who he wanted to pair up with but was certain it would never happen. If any of the other jocks were gay, they kept their secret buried. Calvin Jeffries, a tall, lean Black boy on the basketball team always caught his eye, but their paths rarely crossed. Jason’s palms got sweaty even thinking about talking to him at parties. He resigned himself to just checking out Calvin from a distance.
Jason told his friend Corey he was leaving. Corey told him it was too early, but he knew there was no stopping him. Jason thanked Amy and left largely unnoticed. He heard more about the party on Monday, but didn’t feel he had missed much (other than time with Calvin). He wondered if he would ever be as enthusiastic about a party as the other kids were.
* * *
One relationship Jason cared deeply about was with his coach. Because he spent so much time and effort on gymnastics, he was cautious about threatening that activity in any way. When he arrived home, he texted Coach Bridges to verify his comfort level with him doing the school play.
“Hi coach. Do you know what this play will involve for me?”
“Yeah, I think so. What do you mean?”
“Just the time really. It means less time for gymnastics”
“I know. As I said, I’m ok with that if you are”
“Yeah, I am, but I want this to be my best year ever, so I don’t want to detract from that”
“Jason, you’re a very focused person, and you do what it takes to succeed. That’s why I know you can handle the play, sports, and schoolwork”
“Thx. I guess you’re right”