This is a story about a continuing relationship between two men in New York City. It includes explicit homosexual acts. If you are underage or find such material distasteful, please read no further.
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The people and events in the story are totally fictitious, but actual locales are used to add realism.
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Copyright 2015 by Macout Mann. All rights reserved.
AT FIRST SIGHT
by Macout Mann
V
My last day at Asti is April Fool's. I have three weeks before rehearsals begin, and Wilbur wants us to spend part of his Spring break at Grosse Pointe. So we're off to Detroit Metro Airport from Newark as soon as he can get away.
At Detroit Metro we see a young man holding a placard reading "Fischer."
"So are you to shoot me on sight?" Wilber straight-facedly asks.
"Oh, no, Mr. Fischer," the young man grins. "I'm Jeremy Smith, your father's legal assistant. He got tied up, so I'm to drive you home."
"You see, Jack," Wilber laughs. "Get involved with a big law firm and you have all these important duties." He extends his hand. "Good to meet you Jere. This is my good friend, Jack Crawford."
"Good to meet you, Mr. Crawford."
We collect our bags, find the Fischer Mercedes, and head across Detroit. Crossing the city on I94, Detroit seems a pretty desolate place. When we turn onto Connor Street and then Jefferson Avnue, my impression doesn't improve. Then it's suddenly a whole different world as we enter the Pointes. Jeremy finally turns off Jefferson into Woodland Place. There near the edge of the lake is the Fischer's 4,600-square-foot bungalow.
Jeremy drops us and heads back into the city, and we are warmly greeted by Wilbur's mother. "I'm so glad you could come, Jack," she says. "We've heard a great deal about you, and are so looking forward to seeing you in 'The Pirates of Penzance.'"
I had thought the Fischers might be condescending, but no, they were anything but. For example, covering the possibility that I don't have a tux, Mrs. Fischer says, "We are scheduled to go to a function at the club tonight, Wilbur. It's black tie, but since you and Jack have just flown in, I'm sure no one would mind if you two go in mufti."
"No problem, Mom," Wilbur replies. "We both brought our tuxes." After all that's what I've been wearing at work every night.
Mr. Fischer proves to be equally diplomatic. Actually, he's one of the most "down-to-earth" guys I've ever met. And the whole time we are there no one makes any allusions to our boyfriend status.
At the country club, I meet Wilbur's sister and her husband. She's delightful. He's an associate in a big law firm and a bit haughty. My mother would say that Wilbur's sis married below her station.
I do have one crisis. I get a call from Ronald Maxwell.
"Arnold says we've got to cancel your contract," he tells me. "He says we can't have a General Stanley who speaks with a Southern Accent. Says he didn't think about that before."
I'm completely panicked, but I drawl, "Oh, I can overcome that, I think."
"That's what I told him," Ronald laughs. "If you can master Italian vowels, I'm sure you can take on British sounds, but we do need to get you with a dialogue coach."
"Fine with me," I respond, very relieved. "I'm out of town visiting friends right now, though. Won't be back `til Monday."
"No sweat. I'll set up an appointment for Tuesday. You can work out a schedule then."
He gives me the name, address, and phone number of the coach. I'm beginning to believe Arnold Cousins doesn't like me, but maybe he's just being a Brit.
When we arrive back in New York, Wilber and I spend a passionate night fucking and sucking. We had been very good little boys back in Grosse Pointe. I'm not really sure why. Although Wilbur's family and their servants had all been very circumspect, there could be no doubt that the two of us were a couple.
My coach, it turns out, is a London-born dialects professor at the Julliard School. He tells me that in fact the accent of certain Southern Appalachian communities is the closest approximation to English spoken at the time of Shakespeare that can be found today. So it shouldn't be a problem to sharpen up my vowels. And we begin.
In a couple of weeks he has me doing lines from "Pirates" like I was a veteran of the BBC. Wilbur and I go out to dinner a couple of times, and I pass myself off as a visitor from England. Ronald is very pleased.
Rehearsals begin and go well. The other principals are much more seasoned than I am, and I realize how lucky I have been to have been cast. Actually some of the members of the chorus have more experience than I.
One afternoon I happen to be in the office with Ronald, when I am really taken aback. He is a happily married man, after all. Still, without warning, he reaches for my crotch, saying, "I've been wondering what that thing would feel like."
I can't help but be flattered. I tell him quite honestly that nine months ago I'd have welcomed his advances, that I'd always been open to have sex with any good-looking dude that said "hello."
"But then I found my guy," I say. "Sorry, Ronald, but I'm taken.
"I hope that won't make a difference in our professional relationship," I add, "but if it does, now is the time to say so. I can always go back to being a singing waiter."
"Oh, no," Ronald replies. "I'm not that kind. I chose you for the company, because I thought you had the sort of appeal I was looking for. But I was also hot for your body from the first time I laid eyes on you.
"I'd still like to see what I'm missing."
"No harm in that, I guess," I respond.
I open the fly of my Lee Riders and let my dick flip out. Same old dick. It plumps up nicely.
"Yeah," he pants. "Well, if anything goes wrong between you and your boyfriend, know that I'm here. And, by the way, Myra knows I go both ways."
I'm inviting my folks to the opening. I'm a little concerned how they might take Wilbur's and my relationship. Wilbur says not to worry.
"Tell them to stay at the Waldorf. My folks will be there. They'll get to know each other. It'll seem like the most normal thing in the world for two friends to move in together. We'll have a party at our place while everybody's here, and everybody can see that we have all sorts of room. We can even offer to put your kid brother up at our place."
"Pirates" is scheduled to open on June 10. There are to be three charity previews so we can get a sense of what might need to be tweaked. I'm surprised that the backer has sprung for an orchestra the size of an original D'Oyly Carte production. And the costumes and staging are also first rate.
Opening night is sold out.