"A True Frontier Town"
Part 5
Dodge City, a town making history daily, was located west of Wichita, a place in southwest Kansas, where Jeb grew up on a farm. Dodge excited him, and he understood why Austin wanted to be here. Having a job with his uncle sweetened the deal, so he thought.
Cutting-edge and trendy, he believed he knew where to find Austin. It could possibly mean little to Austin, however, to Jeb, it worth the gamble.
Jeb took a shortcut from the Chisholm Trail, that drover's called the Texas trail, driving longhorn cattle up from Texas. It took him directly to Dodge following the route along the Santa Fe Railroad.
It was late in the afternoon when Jeb rode into Dodge. The town catered to saloon owners, outlaws, gamblers and a fair amount of whores. He passed `Boot Hill Cemetery,' thinking, "How many of these dead bastards, died with their boots on?"
Jeb had not eaten all day except for coffee and a chunk of buttered bread before riding Hurricane. He was no longer hurting, and if he was, he didn't notice. The aroma of barbecue beef drifted from a restaurant called Delmonico's just a few yards away from him.
He was not paid a cent for the time at the Clarkson Ranch, but that didn't matter. He had money in a hiding place in his pocket. Jeb was used to Kansas outlaws, roaming the trails. He knew how to protect himself from being robbed.
He tied his horse to the hitching rail and went in. The place had cowboys eating with a few women companions. He didn't see families with children, only cowpokes. They were chewing, waving their forks around, and slurping their food. Nobody took a hat off, something Jeb noticed first thing. Nobody, that is except a lone man sitting at a table, against the wall. He was quietly eating by himself. It was Austin. Yes. He had removed his hat.
"Mind if I sit here?" Jeb asked Austin who was cutting some beef on his plate and never looked up.
"Go ahead, sit yourself down," then he looked up.
"Jeb!" Austin mumbled, displaying a clasp look on his face, similar to the way they approached each other the first time they met on the Santa Fe Trail. "You're in town," continued Austin, smiling for the first time in a week.
"I know you have questions," replied Jeb lowering himself into a chair. He took Austin's hand appearing to extend a manly greeting, however, it was only to touch him and feel the spark between them. The spark was there stronger than ever, and they both felt it.
Jeb aimed not to look queer thinking people would be watching. Cowboys didn't glow over other cowboys, so he struggled to remain calm. What a joke, that was, if people only knew!
"What happened?" inquired Austin.
"The Clarkson Ranch didn't work out. I got the job, but I wasn't thinking the same way as the wranglers in the bunkhouse, so I split. I wanted to be with you in Dodge City, if that makes any sense.
"It makes enormous sense, I have a yarn to tell you about the livery stable which turned out to be disgusting. I was leaving Dodge to go to the Clarkson Ranch. Dang, talk about needing," continued Austin.
"I beat you to it," smiled Jeb, touching Austin's hand on the table not caring if people were looking or not. Nobody was. They were busy eating, slurping soup, and wiping greasy fingers on their clothes. It wasn't everybody, only rowdy cowboys not used to table manners.
"What are you having young man? Tonight it barbecue beef," said a waiter who looked more like the cook.
"What else you got?" said Jeb.
"Barbecue beef."
"Well, I guess that' what, I'll have," smiled Jeb, getting a little nudge from Austin, starting to laugh.
The waiter left two cups of black coffee, on the table, and went into the kitchen. He returned immediately with a plate of barbecue meat and vegetables for Jeb.
They sat together eating and talking until both plates were clean, drinking refills of coffee.
"Where are you staying tonight," asked Austin.
"Don't know."
"I do, you are coming with me. I am not staying at the livery stable. I'm a farm boy and I have slept in barns lots of times, but that hell-hole stable with bales of hard straw and hay, that Gus calls a bed, and lots of mice, I couldn't take. I am staying at the Dodge House. They board out rooms by the week, and it's cheap - clean and cheap. Best part, for fifty cents, you get a hot bath. We can share a tub," concluded Austin.
"Yeah, let's do that!" grinned Jeb looking dirty and delicious in a special way that Austin understood.
They left Delmonico's and rode to the livery stable, where Austin led the horses inside. Each one put in a stall with water and grain.
They walked down Front Street at last, together. There was not much to say, talking was left for later.
It is strange how being in each other's company seemed to be enough. Both men knew, the day they parted, the time would come when there would be a Connection.
The best, and only, hotel in Dodge was the DODGE HOUSE. Wally Parson, the desk clerk, was behind the desk napping, and of course, fully in charge. Austin stopped at the desk and poked him.
"Oh, just closed my eyes for a minute. Can I help you sir. Hah, it's you Austin.
"Wally, this here is my partner Jeb, just got in from Wichita and he'll be staying with me.
"Howdy, I can move a cot into to the room, unless you can bunk together."
"Naw, a cot won't be necessary." Austin handed Wally, the desk clerk, a dollar, making Jeb a registered tenant, with a key to the room.
"How's chances of getting a tub of hot water for a bath. That trail ride was mighty dusty," conclude Jeb, tossing Wally a silver dollar for the water.
"Yes indeed, in an hour, gotta heat the water," conclude Wally, smiling, when men didn't smile, at other men when being polite. They simply said – "Sure or okay."
The door to room eleven closed behind Austin and Jeb, they began sharing how they felt living should be done – together!.
At the same time, they removed their shirts exposing fuzzy chest of hard flesh. Pressed together firmly, their faces met really kissing for the first time. They had done a little cheek pecking here and there, however, this kiss was actual passion with a lust for cock.
They should have treaded lightly. However seeing each other again, tossed any "should have" ideas to the wind. With all the thinking and jerking off, they did when alone since separating, it prepared them for just this very moment.
They behaved as animals turned loose on one another, but not wild animals, just Teddy Bears. It was obvious that love was in the air. Neither of them wanted to mess up what they felt in their hearts, was the right thing. Their behavior, although manly on the surface, had an undertone of man on man sex. You could see it in their eyes and the way the spoked to one another clear and simple, they were gay cowboys.
A knock came to the door. Wally sent ahead a tub large enough for two people to bathe in at the same time. Wally wasn't dumb; he knew they planned to bathe together.
For sure, you see many things, sitting behind that desk in the lobby. Wally knew that cowboys had to pick a side and then go with it. These dudes looked good together, Yes sir, mighty fine.
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