by Sam Lollar
“I guess.”
“Just remember, there are a zillion gorgeous gay boys out there just as beautiful as you, just as available, and even hornier,” Scott said.
Chapter Twenty-three
The Royal Blue Lincoln
As we got back to Miss Ruby’s place, we passed the police in a 1967 Plymouth Belvedere, just like the one on Adam 12.
Around two in the morning we got back to the guesthouse. I went straight to bed, but Scott continued the ritual of taking a swim.
I didn’t wake up till almost eleven the next morning. When I got up and went to the verandah, I saw Miss LuLu there alone.
“I guess I slept really late this morning.”
“No need to worry, dear boy, we’re on vacation, after all.”
“Where is everybody?”
“Well, as you can see, I’m here. But Ruby and Scott went out. Ruby’s his godmother, you know.”
“I never realized they were that close.”
“Oh, yes. Dollie and Ruby go way back to their debutante days.”
“You mean Dollie was a debutante?”
“Oh, yes. The cream of Chicago society. From what they tell me, she was svelte and lovely back then. She must have cut quite a figure at her coming-out ball. She and Ruby were inseparable.”
“Is that where you met Miss Ruby?”
“Oh, no. I didn’t meet Ruby till I moved out here to appear in the movies. Ruby and I were best of friends from the start. We were two abandoned Hollywood damsels. Her husband was always at the studio, and I was always jumping from man to man. Oh, boo hoo. Listen to me.”
“No, please go on. This is fascinating.”
“Oh, no. I don’t feel like talking about the good old days, or should I say the bad old days?”
We heard a car drive up, and Scott and Miss Ruby soon joined us on the verandah.
“Well. Where did you two tear off to this morning?” Miss LuLu said.
“Oh, just around. We were hungry for lox and bagels, so we went to a great Jewish deli I know about.”
We sat around the table, Miss LuLu and I eating a light breakfast, Scott and Miss Ruby drinking coffee. I could have stayed there all day, it was so pleasant, but Scott had other ideas.
“Hurry up, Aaron. We haven’t gotten to Knott’s Berry Farm yet. I thought we’d go there today.”
“That sounds like fun,” Miss LuLu said. “Today’s the day I go to the lawyer’s office.”
“What’s all this about?” Scott asked, somewhat brazenly, I thought.
“Oh, nothing really. My ex-paramour wanted to keep everything I gave him as well as everything he gave me, including my jewels. I won’t have that, so I’m fighting him in court. My lawyer thinks I have a good chance of winning.”
“Good luck,” Scott said.
The phone rang, and shortly the maid came out to say it was for me. I took it in the dining room.
“Hi, Aaron. It’s Mark. What’s going on?”
“We’re just sitting around the pool enjoying a late breakfast.”
“Early lunch, it looks like to me. It’s past noon. What are your plans for the day?”
“Scott’s taking me to Knott’s Berry Farm.”
“That sounds like fun. Can we tag along? It’s been ages since Isaac and I have been there.”
“I’m sure it would be all right. Let me check with Scott.” After asking Scott, I returned to the phone. “He says sure. Do you want to come get us?”
“That’s the most practical thing, I suppose. We’ll be over in the Bentley in about a half hour.”
“That Bentley sure is a fine car.”
“Yeah, it is. I wish it were mine.”
“I thought it was yours, Mark.”
“Oh, no. Just like the fancy house, it’s rented. I could never afford such extravagance. I only moved in here about six months ago. The studio folks thought it would help my image to be seen in a Bentley. You should have seen where I was living till a few months ago. I was sharing an apartment in town with two guys. The studio convinced me it was unbecoming for me to be in such poor surroundings, so they took out a one-year lease on this place and rented the Bentley. Anyway, we’ll be around in about thirty minutes. See you then.”
“Seems like you’ve made quite a conquest,” Scott said. The women nodded in agreement.
“I think he’s just lonely. Did you know he just rents his house and car?”
“Of course. No one who’s just got his first big break could afford a place like that,” Miss Ruby said. “I thought you knew that. The house has been sitting empty for a couple of years before the real estate company leased it to Mark—or to his studio.”
I excused myself to get ready for our afternoon’s adventure. In short order, the Bentley honked in the front driveway, and Scott and I were off. It was more or less a repeat of the previous day in Disneyland, though Disneyland had a lot more attractions. By five, we were all ready to call it a day.
Mark and I got back in the Bentley as we waited for Scott and Isaac to come back from a spree in the gift shop. “Are we on for tonight, Aaron?”
“Well…”
“Oh, what is it now?”
“You know, Scott would really love to go out with you.”
“That would be great. But are you and I on for tonight?”
“Wouldn’t you rather go out with Scott?”
“No. No, I wouldn’t. Not tonight. If I want to go out with Scott, I’ll ask him.”
“I suggested he invite you out,” I said.
“There’s no law against that, is there? He has my phone number, he knows where I live.”
“Would you go with him if he asked you?”
“Of course. He’s a nice guy. Why wouldn’t I go with him?”
“Oh, he just had it in his head that you would never find him attractive.”
“What’s with you guys from Texas? Does everyone there think they’re toads? Or is it just my good fortune to have met the only two doubting Thomases from there?”
“Your point is noted. Here comes Scott and Isaac now.”
“Tell him to call me.”
Mark drove us back to the house and went home to change for our evening together. He told me to dress formal again. I was glad I had the tux; it sure was getting a lot of wear. At about seven thirty, he rang the doorbell. The maid ushered him to the verandah, where I was seated with Scott and the ladies.
“Evening, everyone.”
Mark made conversation for a few moments. “We’d better run along, Aaron. We have a reservation to make.” We got into his Corvette. “This is the only thing around I actually own. I bought this, used, with the first paycheck I got from the TV show. It’s my baby.”
“I sure like it.” I was surprised when he drove away from the main street and back down the block toward his house. When he pulled into his driveway, I asked if he had forgotten something.
“No. This is where we have a reservation, that’s all. Come along now.”
We entered his home, which was opulent. “It’s all rented, remember,” Mark warned me as I was commenting on how beautiful everything was. He took me into the drawing room. Even though it was seventy-five degrees outside, he had a fire going in the fireplace. “I think a fire is just so romantic, don’t you?” he said as he stepped closer to me. “Can I get you a drink?”
“You wouldn’t happen to have a Dr Pepper, would you?”
“I don’t think so. How about something else? I make a great screwdriver.”
“Just a soft drink, please,” I said.
“What are you doing? Are you afraid that I’m trying to get you drunk? Why, Aaron. I’m shocked. And apparently it’s not going to work, is it?”
“’Fraid not,” I said, smiling as he smiled at me.
“Oh, well. I guess I’ll just have to rely on my charms to get me through this. Truly, Aaron, you can have a hard drink if you want it. I won’t take advantage of you. Besides, it’s no fun having sex with a drunk. He just lies there
.”
“Oh, all right,” I said. “I’ll have a screwdriver, then.”
“Be right back.”
I didn’t know what a screwdriver was, but I decided this was an adventure, so why not try one?
He invited me to sit as he handed me a drink. I chose a small club chair next to the sofa, figuring he couldn’t try anything that way. He sat at the end of the sofa away from me, which surprised me. Boy, Aaron, aren’t we getting a big head? I admonished myself. Just what makes you think he’s going to make a play for you?
Although it tasted terrible, the drink loosened me up a bit and I was able to relax and not fear his every move. I had fun chatting with him. He talked about his childhood growing up under the Hollywood sign. He was a native of L.A., and knew from his earliest days he wanted to be an actor. We talked about my time in El Paso. He asked if it was even possible to have any fun there. Was there any kind of night life? Any kind of gay life? I mentioned Juarez, and his eyes perked up.
“That’s right. You’re right on the border. I bet anything goes in Mexico.”
“Pretty much.”
“So, tell me about Rick,” Mark said, startling me with the sudden change in conversation. I was just getting ready to tell him about my recent exploits in the Juarez whorehouse.
“What? Oh, he’s a guy I met a couple of months ago.”
“A long-term relationship.”
I couldn’t tell if he was joking or ridiculing, or if he was serious.
“So tell me all about him. Is he gorgeous?”
“Oh, yes. He’s beautiful.”
“As gorgeous as me?”
“I don’t know, Mark. How can I answer a question like that?”
“Relax, boy, I was just teasing you.”
“Oh. Well, he really is a good-looking man.”
“Describe him to me.”
So I described him, remembering the hardness of his body, the size of his arms, his chest; the beautiful hair color and his wonderful beard; his dreamy eyes. I told him what Rick did for a living and how he had made a fortune in local real estate.
“No wonder you want to keep yourself for him. He sounds like the catch of the century. Not only gorgeous, but rich.”
“I never know if you’re teasing me or if you’re serious, Mark.”
“I guess I’m a little jealous. He sounds great, and I wish I could make your face light up like it does when you talk about him. Is it serious?”
“I don’t know. He broke up with me for a few weeks, then came back begging me to be with him forever. He’s asked me to move in with him, but Scott says he’s nothing more than a predator, always on the prowl for fresh meat.”
“I think that’s something all of us have gone through. And I don’t mean to sound vain, but good-looking young men are a prime commodity in the gay world. I have tried to avoid the predators, too. But I’ve never had one tell me to move in with him. From my experience, they fuck you and move on to the next conquest.”
“When he dumped me, I assumed that was what had happened. But I didn’t know what to think when he came back with tears in his eyes, asking me to take him back.”
“Maybe he’s really taken with you. What are your feelings about him? Do you want to move in with him?”
“Yes and no. I just moved out on my own last year, and I really like it, even if I live rent free at the motel. I still pay rent on an apartment I share with another guy. I don’t want to live in someone else’s house again. I’d feel like a child all over again.”
“Oh, is Rick that much older than you?”
“He’s thirty-five.”
“Jeez, he’s still young enough to be fresh meat himself. Maybe his feelings are sincere. What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. I keep hoping divine inspiration will come to solve this dilemma, but so far it hasn’t arrived.”
We were called into dinner by the butler. Butler? I asked myself. Mark had gone to great trouble to fix a lovely dinner. He even told me he cooked it himself. I didn’t know whether to believe him or not, but it was a great meal. The dessert was luscious: a vanilla soufflé with plum wine poured over it.
After dinner, we retired to the patio that overlooked his pool. “Would you like to go for a swim?” Mark asked.
“Oh, I think I’m content just to let the meal settle for a while.”
“Let me freshen your screwdriver, then.” We sat at his patio table, which was quite similar to Miss Ruby’s. I finally got a brainstorm.
“Mark, what are Miss LuLu’s and Ruby’s real names?”
“Actually, they’re before my time, sweets. I do know Miss LuLu was somewhat of a movie star back in the day. When she disappeared recently, it made the papers. Everyone said her boyfriend killed her. That’s why she’s been such big news.”
“Wow. She said she would never see him again if she could help it.”
“There’s a lot of enmity between them, that’s for sure. As for Miss Ruby, I was told when I moved in here that a prominent movie star lived just a few houses down from me. I’m guessing that’s her.” He told me her real name, and I was delighted to finally know her identity, although I didn’t really recognize the name.
We chatted for a bit, sipping our drinks. The soft lights on the patio and the pool lights mixed with the quiet music as well as the view. Mark asked if I would like to dance. I had never danced with a man before, but I was curious to learn how it was done. Mark insisted that he lead, which was especially awkward for me, since I was used to leading. We managed, though, and the idea of dancing with another man was really exciting to me. I could feel his hard body through his tuxedo. After we had danced to several tunes, he quite unexpectedly kissed me. My old friends the warning bells went off in my head, but they sounded more and more distant. One thing led to another, and we ended up going to bed together. In fact, I spent the night with him. It was wonderful.
The next morning I had to borrow some of Mark’s clothing so I could return to the guesthouse without wearing last night’s tuxedo. After Mark and I ate breakfast on his patio, I decided to walk the half mile down the road to Miss Ruby’s house. Mark’s tennies fit me perfectly and were much more comfortable than my dress shoes would have been on that walk. I tried to steel myself for the inevitable questions and the ribbing I was bound to get from everyone.
Everyone was on the patio having breakfast. I quietly walked toward the open French doors and eavesdropped on their conversation.
“I sure hope he gets back soon. I want to go to the beach again,” Scott said.
“He will, I’m sure,” Miss LuLu said. “Give him a break. If it had been you who got laid, I don’t think you’d be wanting to run back home any time soon, either.”
On that note, I walked out to the patio, where everyone cheered and whistled. “The conquering hero is home from the war,” Miss LuLu said. “Way to go, kid.”
Scott smiled broadly at me. “I didn’t think you’d do it, Aaron, but I’m sure glad you did. At least one of us can say we landed a movie star.”
Lots of good-natured ribbing and questioning followed. “So, what do you two lovebirds have on today’s agenda?” Scott asked.
“Actually, Mark has business to take care of today. He asked if we would mind letting Isaac tag along with us.”
“That would be fun,” Scott said. “Sure. I was hoping to go to the beach this afternoon. What do you think?”
“That’s fine. I would love to lie in the sun. I could easily become a beach bum, if given the chance.”
“It’s really wonderful, isn’t it?” Miss LuLu asked.
“Say, LuLu,” Scott said, “why don’t you come with us? You too, Ruby? The more the merrier.”
“Why, I don’t know. What do you think, Ruby?”
“I’m game if you are, dear.”
“Well, let’s do it. I haven’t gone to the beach in probably fifteen years. This should be great.”
I went to the phone in the guesthouse and called Mark’s numbe
r. Isaac said he’d be glad to come along to the beach for the day. I told him we’d pick him up about one. I knew we’d be going in the Rolls again, so I was excited about that.
We lounged around the patio table for a couple of hours, talking and gossiping about this movie star or that. “Is he gay?” one would ask. “She’ll need a front end loader to lift that face,” another would say.
We ate a light meal and went to prepare for our outing. The maid had fixed a wonderful picnic, complete with bottles of wine and sandwich fixings. I gathered my swim trunks and a couple of big towels we used for the pool and beach.
“So, how was it last night?” Scott asked when we were in the guesthouse getting ready to leave.
“Scott, it was spectacular. I know you can’t believe I’m blabbing this out loud, but he is fantastic sex. I know I don’t have a lot of experience, but the two men I’ve had sex with were fantastic. Is every man like that?”
“Far from it. I’ve had guys that just lie there waiting for me to service them. It’s not much fun when you end up with a turd like that, I’ll tell you.”
“Scott, he told me to tell you to call him. He wants to see you.”
“What? He does? When? Now? I can’t wait. Is he home now?”
“No, he’s gone for the day. But call this evening.”
After calming him down, I suggested we go meet the ladies on the patio. From there, we walked over to the garage. I was amazed when Miss Ruby walked over to a large royal blue 1967 Lincoln instead of the Rolls. It was gorgeous. “I think we’ll have more room in the Lincoln, since there’s going to be five of us. That Rolls does get a bit crowded.”
So we piled into the Lincoln, Scott opting to drive. Again I was in the front seat with him, and the ladies were in back. Isaac sat between us in front. And again, there was more than one conversation going on at the same time. I was intrigued when I felt Isaac rubbing his leg against mine. After all, he wasn’t gay, or so he said.
I forgot which beach we went to that day, but I remember we had to drive around for a while before we found a parking spot near the water. Finally, we parked and unloaded all our stuff. We were lucky to find a large spot to lay out our blankets. Even though we had all had a light lunch, we were hungry. So the first thing we did was to dig into the picnic basket. Miss Ruby brought out four bottles of wine, and we drank two of them with lunch. My hunger sated, I decided it was time to get some sun. Even though it was late December, it was about eighty degrees, warm enough to lie in the sunshine. So I grabbed a towel, took my trunks to the cabana, and changed. Walking back to the others, I wrapped my towel around me to cover up as much as possible. When Scott came out after changing, he just strutted in only his trunks, holding his clothes in one hand. Isaac was a bit more circumspect, using a towel for coverage like me.