by Young
Serendipitous Reminiscence (Chapter Sixty-Nine)
“Adolescence represents an inner emotional upheaval, a struggle between the eternal human wish to cling to the present and the equally compelling desire to get on with the future.”
Louise J. Kaplan
March 1969
Paris, France
Not only did the Swarovski Fashion Presentation glimmered with a star-studded turnout that glittered and shimmered in haute couture gowns covered with Swarovski crystals, but it also overflowed with sparkling champagne. Bewitched and beguiled by such brilliance, I was especially enraptured by none other than the Givenchy clad Ms. Hepburn. The one and only Ms. Audrey Hepburn who wore a gown so simple, yet so elegant which she accessorized with a Swarovski encrusted necklace that showcased her gracefulness to dazzling aplomb.
Tad and Mario, the debonnaire were in their element. They hobnobbed with the who’s who in the international circuit. Thanks to Mrs. Andrea Swarovski, Samuel and Helius secured invitations to this glitterati soiree. They, like me, were blown away by the glamorous sophistication that was the paragon of haute Paree, especially within the fashion and entertainment world. The boys sat dumbfounded. They gawked at the couture-clad celebrities who strutted around like bootylicious strumpets consorting for their next inordinately paid assignments. Their designer scents trailed behind like a train of invisible fluttering butterflies.
At La Tour Eiffel
The morning before the Swarovski presentation, Andy, Driss and I showed the boys, the sights of Paris. We visited the Louvre, Notre-Dame de Paris, Sacré-Cœur and last but not least, La Tour Eiffel and lunched at one of the 1930s style Eiffel Tower restaurants. As I stared at the enchanting view of Paris from this iconic landmark, déjà vu overtook me. Flashes of my encounter with Prince P and Baron Pierre had me in goosebumps.
I stepped out to the viewing gallery while my lover and friends were busy consuming their bonne bouches and exchanging titter-tatters. I needed alone time to reflect on these few years of my life that had flown by so speedily. I wanted to relive those aesthetic experiences and unforgettable adventures that were compelling and precarious. Escapades that would be etched in my consciousness forever.
When I observed the Junior and the Freshman through the restaurant’s panes, I could not help but wonder what would become of my friends. If they were accepted into the Enlightened Royal Oracle Society, would they be resilient to withstand the trials and tribulations of their assignments or would they fall by the wayside like some of my compeers? I wanted the best for my charges and would do my utmost to mentor and groom them for their missions. Like me, I desired for them the best that youth could offer and to live life to the fullest.
Paris drew me to its enchanted bosom like no other metropolis. I was awed and floored by its sanguinary history and antiquitous romanticism. Most significantly, this Ville de L’amour (City of Love) is fashion’s epicenter, and as an aspiring fashion designer, I was bewitched by its glamorous sophistication. Like an unsuspecting fly caught in a spider’s web, I was hypnotized by its polished magnetism that cradled me like a powerful seducer.
Helius reminded me of me when I was a freshman. During our six-way liaison the night before, he was spritely inquisitive and curiously ebullient. Although in the beginning, the slenderly diffident Samuel was hesitant, he soon warmed to the sexcapade and took on the role of an assertive participant. Curious and aroused by his vivacious boyfriend, Samuel’s eyes scrutinized Helius’ every move as he luxuriated in his raunchy executions. The Freshman’s unconstrained prurience tantalized the Junior to heights of passionate ribaldry, especially when Driss’ passionate groans paralleled the adolescent’s bootylicious thrust. Sam’s orgasmic release hurled the model to his point of no return. The Junior remained buried in the actor’s upturned booty as he shot his potencies into Helius’ tenderness.
At the other end of the spectrum, Andy, like Samuel, perused Kaalib and my coitus with hawkish variability. My chaperone’s ardency fluctuated like bipolar forces. When he elbowed the Eurasian’s dominance over me for mastery, his mood swung from passionate endearments to emphatic aggressiveness. I detected hints of insecurities in my lover I had not witnessed before. As if he wanted me to himself, Andy tussled for my affection when I accorded the danseur entry into my inner sanctum. My Valet was at once aroused and indignant by the Eurasian and my intimacy. Even when Kaalib was into him as much as the danseur was lustful of me, tinges of possessiveness overshadowed my chaperone’s buoyant self.
On the other hand, their pugnaciousness stirred my concupiscence to precipices of sexual delight. When they wrestled for my affection, I felt desired and empowered. As the men oscillated their bulbousness in and out of my orifices, I was in seventh heaven. Their lasciviousness spurred my release to jubilance when they finally deposited their love seed in moi.
That night we changed partners many times until exhaustion overtook us and we fell into peaceful slumbers within one another’s embrace.
Andy jolted me from my serendipitous reminiscence to reality when he inquired, “Are you OK, Young? You seem so far away.”
He plopped himself next to me and put his hand on my shoulder.
I answered contentedly, “I was reminiscing about my life.”
He declared, “You know, Young, since we met, you’ve chased my blues away. I can’t live without you, and I can’t bear it if we’re apart.”
He caught me speechless. I could not bring myself to tell my beloved that our relationship would soon come to a close; that I had made up my mind to stay in London and Paris for my fashion education, rather than follow him to New Zealand. As I laid my head on my Valet’s shoulder, tears welled in my eyes. Like fortified lovers, Andy kissed my tender lips to assure me that all is well. Yet, my irksome heart wept uncontrollably. I did not wish my lover to witness my anguish and despondency that were eating at my core. In the hope that my desolation would magically disappear, I shut my eyes tightly. Neither of us desired our affection to end. We were lost in that unperturbed moment where time stood still. But tears of sadness would not leave me alone, and when my valiant beau detected grief, I turned away quickly.
“Tell me, what is troubling you,” he asked.
I did not answer, but when I finally spoke; I lied, “Nothing. I’m simply blissful to be with you.”
He scrutinized my insincerity.
“Tell me the truth. I can tell when you are lying,” my chaperone urged.
I wondered how best to break the unpleasantness to my beloved.
Just as I was about to come clean, Driss, Helius, and Samuel appeared to notify us that it was time to return to the Ritz; to dress for the Swarovski Fashion Extravaganza.
Third Week of March 2015
Jacob’s Email to Andy and Me
Hi Young and Andy,
I am writing with considerable sadness in my heart. Grandpa David died of cancer a week ago. He was cremated, and we scattered his ashes on top of his mountain retreat. Not only did I lose a caring grandfather, but I also lost a sympathetic and supportive mentor. David was the only person who knew and understood my friendship with Pharon, even if my dragon pal did not reveal himself to grandfather when he was alive. But just before he passed, he saw Pharon and asked him to look after me. Pharon promised he will connect with David in the afterlife. My fantastical friend had been with me throughout these trying times. I would be lost without him. He told me he had reconnected with grandpa in the other realm and they got on splendidly.
David made me promise to stay in touch with the both of you. He said you guys will guide and counsel me on problems I might encounter. Grandpa also assured that if I need his help; to call his name, and he will steer me through difficulties I may face.
Before I sign off, I want to thank the both of you for your advice. I will be in touch again.
Love,
Jacob
Splintered Emotions (Chapter Seventy)
“We must let go of the life we have planned, to accept
the one that is waiting for us.”
Joseph Campbell
March 1969
Ritz Paris, France
Many say that love is an unfathomable mystery that no mortal can fully understand. But they’re wrong. Love is like a leech. It’s invasive, it sucks the blood out of you and leaves you exhausted. Instead of healing, it gives you a fever and causes you to spend a lot of time crying.
Of course, there is also much to be said in favor of love. As many of us know, Shakespeare said most of it. Who can forget The Bard’s inspiring words in his Sonnet 18:
“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date:
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm’d;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm’d;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;
Nor shall Death brag thou wander’st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou growest:
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this and this gives life to thee.”
But that was Shakespeare the genius. We, the ordinary folks must struggle along as best as we can, and this was precisely what transpired on that fateful evening at the glamorous Swarovski Fashion Extravaganza.
Our entourage entered the ballroom with sparkling exuberance. Dressed to the nines, our youthful party rubbed elbows with the international elite. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine I would be in such a ritzy occasion. But then I was in the Ritz and what better place than the Ritz, to put on the ritz.
Like my charges, I was enthralled by the exoticism that floated by. I did not notice Prince P and Sheik Fahrib’s approach until I was spun around and were greeted with sincere affections. A couple of Middle Eastern gentlemen were next to them.
The prince announced. “These are my cousins from Ajman; Rash and Amm. They saw your party from a distance. When I told them, I know Andy and you, they requested introductions.”
Andy and I shook the men’s hands.
The sheik commented, “Rush and Amm were my ex-schoolmates and neighbors and my country borders theirs.”
Before my Valet and I had a chance to introduce Samuel and Helius to the men, a loud crash rendered us senseless. A large ceiling chandelier had smashed onto Table 5. Broken and splintered glass laid shattered atop and around the nearby tables and floors. For a split second, the room went quiet before anguish screams came from all directions. A judicious gentleman shouted for exigency to be summoned and to assist a couple of blood-soaked guests who lay unconscious on the carpeted floor.
Dr. Fahrib, Curt, and Andy rushed to the victims’ aid. The ambulances arrived post haste to careen the wounded to the nearest hospital. The once festive atmosphere had transformed into an ambiance of distress, and the fashion presentation was postponed until further notice. Most of the invitees left in harrowed agitation while others remained to assist those with minor abrasions.
Rush and Amm disappeared with the prince and the sheik while Professor Eberhardt escorted Samuel and Helius back to their room. I waited for Andy’s return before we proceeded to the hotel lounge for an aftermath repose. I did not anticipate that this unprecedented catastrophe would provide me the opportunity to come clean to my beloved.
My Valet gulped a glass full of cognac before he voiced, “What a horrible accident! Luckily, no one died. The hotel will be held accountable for this dreadful dilemma.”
My lover sighed before he resumed, “I’m glad we weren’t in the disaster zone. If anything happens to you, I’ll be devastated.”
He looked at me before he remarked, “You know I love you more than you can fathom.”
“I am well aware of that,” I replied.
He took another swig. As if he was drunk in love, he began to quote one of Shakespeare’s love sonnet
“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art lovelier and more temperate: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,” he recited frivolously.
Before he could continue, I interrupted, “Andy, I have something important to tell you.”
“What do you have to tell me, my love? That you love me?” he sallied giddily.
“I love you,” I ensured before I blurted, “but…, but I’ve decided not to follow you to New Zealand.”
He glanced at me as if I was silly.
Without paying attention to my declaration, Andy picked up where he left off.
“And summer’s lease hath all too short a date: Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, and often is his gold complexion dimm’d; and every fair from fair sometime declines…”
I jumped in before he could resume, “Andy, did you hear what I said?”
Suspicious that my lover had one too many, I repeated, “Andy, I’m not going with you Down Under.”
He did not answer. Instead, he recommenced his recitation, “By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm’d, but thy eternal summer shall not fade nor lose possession of that fair thou owest…,”
This time around, I vociferated, “Andy, listen to me. I’m not going to Christchurch with you. I’m staying in London for my fashion education.”
As if to defy my proclamation, he cited loudly, “Nor shall Death brag thou wander’st in his shade, when in eternal lines to time thou growest….”
Andy could no longer continue his citation and broke into tears. My heart reached out to him. I could not bear to see my lover in such a volatile state and wished I could retract my declaration. It was too late. I’d spoken, and I’ve to live with the ramifications.
I reached to clasp Andy’s hands to lessen the verbal blow I had inflicted, but he coiled into self-deprivation. Not only had I had shattered his optimism for a rosy future he had planned for us, but I had also injured his pride. I wanted to renounce my decision, but I knew that would be perfidious if I did.
I assured myself that Andy would come to the realization that my honesty would set us free and we would weather this storm. Little did I realize that it was a separation that would last for forty-five years and we would not reconnect again until 2012.
“So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, so long lives this and this gives life to thee…,” were my lover’s final words of desolation before he left me to ponder the misery I had imbued on my gallant beau.
Last Week of March 2015
My Condolence Message to Jacob
Hi Jacob
I am deeply sorry for your loss. Although David and I were friends for a short time, I feel akin to him. We shared similar experiences during our young years. If he were alive, he would have told you more.
Do not hesitate to contact Andy and me if you require assistance. We will do our best to advise and guide you.
I am delighted that David met Pharon before he passed, and they had already reconnected in the other realm. Mythical creatures are known to transmogrify from one sphere to another with ease as they vibrate at a higher frequency than humans. They can be visible and/or invisible to the naked eyes. The Latin word for dragon is drak. It means to “watch closely” or “see clearly.”
Dragons are incredibly alert, and I am confident he’ll keep you safe. Dragon wisdom is well known, and those who communicate with humans will deliver shrewd counsel and prophesies. I won’t be surprised if you receive messages from David through your dragon friend.
Jacob, my advice to you, is to hearken Pharon’s words of wisdom. Your trusted friend will help you through these trying times.
Do feel free to contact me anytime.
Stay healthy and safe.
Love,
Young
There Are No Gay People In The Arab World (chapter seventy-one)
> “I’ve never talked about my sexual orientation because it is my concern. I’m not brought up to talk about my sex life with others.”
Amman bin Ahmad Al Nuaimi
March 1969
Ritz Paris, France
Four beautiful floral bouquets with gifts were delivered by the Ritz Hotel bellboys to our chambers the morning after the Swarovski Fashion fiasco. These princely presents were from the Ajman gentlemen we met at the Swarovski soiree. When they opened our packages, Samuel and Helius were beyond themselves.
The Junior exclaimed, “Gosh! What a stunning watch.”
He flaunted his lavish timepiece for us to inspect.
“How magnificent! It’s a Vacheron Constantin,” Andy marveled aloud.
Helius asked, “What’s Vacheron Constantin?”
“It’s a famous Swiss watch company, and their watches are of the most exceptional quality,” my Valet remarked.
Before my chaperone and I had a chance to open our largesse, the Freshman cried in astonishment, “Oh My God, I got a watch too.”
Like his boyfriend, Helius paraded his wristwatch for us to inspect.
“And what brand is my timepiece?” the adolescent questioned.
Andy pronounced excitedly, “It’s a Blancpain. Another prestigious Swiss watchmaker.”
I couldn’t wait to see what was in my box. An elegant silver pocket watch revealed itself when I opened my container.
“Wow! Mine is a Jaeger-LeCoultre,” I blurted excitedly.
Andy gave me an envious glance before he announced, “Young, your pocket watch isn’t cheap. Jaeger-LeCoultre creates the world’s smallest and most exquisite timepieces of near-perpetual movement.”