D U D E R A N C H ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The desert is a cruel and forboding place, yet that summer, I was to call it home. Having finished school, it seemed the only prospect of work was with a ranch situated smack dab in the middle of what normal folk would consider a dust bowl. Yet, somehow, the thought of going did not make me unhappy.
When the tears had cleared from mother's eyes, I saw fit to plant a big kiss on her thinly paired lips, feeling her moist cheeks against mine as I pressed to bid her farewell. It saddened me, but if I was to prove myself a man, this parting was my trues course. Turning to father, always a cold and emotional figure became almost sorry to see me standing there on the platform.
With a handshake, the acceptable form of manly gesture, I boarded the train, now puffing and preparing to depart. I found my seat with little trouble and craned to catch a glimpse of mother as the trained jerked and started pulling away from the station. She waved her handkerchief and sobbed under a supporting arm from dad. It was the first time I'd ever tried to put distance between myself and what I termed home. The bonds I was breaking cause her much pain, I knew, but then we both had an understanding. Something good would come out of it all. I would be proving myself a man.
A few more puffs brought the train up to speed and I watched the ties meld into a blur. The speed caused me to sink into my seat. It was like getting a gentle hug from mother, so warm and sincere. I looked out the window to shake the last thoughts of family and filled my mind with dust, blowing heat and the mooing of cattle. I'd noticed earlier a brochure of some sort on the seat across the compartment. Now I grabbed it, wanting anything to keep the tears back.
It was a brochure from the ranch I was travelling too, oddly enough. The cover was golden, highlighting rugged, rusty, sandstone peaks against the glowing orb of the sun. Cacti littered the landscape and a lone cowboy was silhouetted against the deep blue to scarlet hues of the sky. He looked a rough sort of creature. Certainly the kind of thing you would expect to find in a dust bowl. A yawned a deep breath, nodded my head toward to window and slowly set into a sleep. _____
It was morning. The train had come to a stop and the baraking jolt had aroused me. The brochure lay crumpled in my hand. I looked out the window into my new habitat, grabbed my bags and prepared to enter it, alone.
Just getting the bags off the train was bad enough. I'd now have to find out where I was going and just how I was about to get there. As I managed the last step down, my bags landed with a thud at my feet. The wind rose and a lay a hand at my hat should it decide to fly. Dust specks hit me hard in the face and my mouth was sucked dry. The air was hot and the sweat was already welling on my neck and back.
"Are you Steve?", a gruff voice said from ahead. I looked up to see a cowboy coming for me. He took sweeping steps and met me before I had even a chance to answer him.
"Yeah. Who are you?" I didn't expect anyone to be meeting me at the station. No one in fact knew that I would even be there.
"Your parents wired ahead and told us you'd be arriving on this train. Guess they were worried you'd get lost or something. Anyhow...I've come to collect you back to the ranch. Are these your things?" His words were well spoken. I thought it really rude if I declined him now and I accepted, even though I was eager to prove myself.
"Yeah. Thanx for coming. I wasn't really expecting anyone to be here. Not that I can't manage, I think I did pack a bit too much. Oh well!" I looked into his eyes as I spoke. He met me and smiled.
His hands were really large and he took a bag in either one not even bothering to clutch the handles. I grabbed the remaining tote and followed him from the station. Out front were two horses hitched to a crude wagon. This was obviously the transportation home. What I would now be calling home anyway.
I stopped to look at the horses. They were beautes and I couldn't wait to get into the saddle, but these two were in no condition to have me ride them at present. They looked pretty tired so I guessed that the ranch was a fair ride away. He had already ascended the wagon and was readying. I took a step up and threw my tote into the back as he tugged on the reins to start the horses. Off we went.
"Hey! Ya know. I don't even know yer name. What is it?", I said, trying to make adult conversation.
"My name's Jim, but my friends call me Tongue." He giggled, in a deep tone, and extended a hand, keeping the other fixed on the reins.
Shaking his hand made me feel like I was taking the first step toward my destiny. I'd never actaully shaken anyone's hand before, except for dad's. It was different this time though and Jim's hands were really rough, like the ground we rode across.
"Why do they call you Tongue? That's a really strange name, kinda funny too." I chuckled. I looked at him square now. As he turned, facing me, a grin came on his face and his eyes sparkled, something like mom's diamond ring.
"It's a long story Steve. Maybe some time I will tell you, but for now, call me what ever you like. Names don't mean much round here 'ceptin' super time, and even then it's usually only the chime that brings you to the table ta eat."
The country started getting rougher. I even saw a few wild animals, the likes of which I'd only until now seen pictures of in books. It was so different to see these things close up and in real life. I wanted to take a camera and capture everything I saw but I'd forgotten to bring it with me and besides, I don't think I could bring enough film with me either. There certainly weren't any stores out here for such things. Everything would be mail order from now on, so I was informed.
The sun was high in the sky before we reached some stone cairns marking one of the ranch's southern boundary. Jim tugged gently on the reins and the horses responded with a quickened pace. I was surprised that he didn't yell at then at all. A man and beast rapport I'd not thought possible, except in legend. It was like the horses and he actually talked through those two thin threads of leather.
Buildings now formed on the not too distant horizon. As we pulled closed, I even saw figures emerging and disappearing, going about their daily chores and such. One thing struck me as being odd, but I just assumed that all the women would be indoors, in the cool, preparing grub. The thought of it made me hungry as I had not had anything since super of last night.
A tap on the wagon brought the horses to a stop, each of them puffing and snorting anticipating some reward for travelling the great distance we hade come. A hand came out of a barn off across the garden and took the horses away. Jim had already gotten my bags and tote out of the back. The tote he now handed to me, dropping it lightly into my out-stretched hands. "Come on," he said, "I'll take you into your bunkin' house and get ya settled, then you can wash up and I'll take ya in for chow." I nodded agreeingly.
He ran up a couple of steps, with me closely behind, and into what looked like the hands quarters. It was then that it hit me that I would be really workin' hard all summer. Feedin' the animals, washin' down the horses and herdin' cattle. One thing was for sure though, I was certainly going to enjoy gettin' in the saddle. Straddling a horse was a great feeling. It always gave me a rush of power and I felt like I could reach out and pluck the stars from the sky.
My room was at the end of the hall on the left. Curtains wisped gently in the breeze coming through a partially open window. The scent in the room was musty, like it hadn't been used in some time. But nonetheless, I didn't see any dust, save what came in on the breeze from outside. Jim tossed my bags off to one side and landed himself on the bed with a bounce. "This is a good mattress. I've slept in this room many a time. You should be really comfortable here Steve, lad."
"Yeah. Looks okay." I smiled and sat down next to him. A loud noise from behind startled me and I spun quickly, noticing that it was only the breeze catching the door and slamming it shut. "Wow. That scared me. I hate loud noises, 'specially when you're not 'spectin' 'em."
"This place is usually pretty quite Steve. Fact is, this room is away from all the others so you won't be disturbed much at all." He lay a hand on my shoulder and squeezed me ever so slightly, but I could feel just how strong his grip was. Must have been the years of work out here in the nowhere. A smile came across his face and that same shining came to his eyes. Then he lay back onto the pillow, his arms folded behind his head.
He looked rugged, but his gentleness led me into a sense of security. I didn't really understand what was going on but I felt I was being drawn into something. My emotions surged and my senses were acute, expecting that I should again hear a loud noise. I sat there poised, at Jim's side. His gaze not leaving my darting eyes.
The butterflies in my stomach told me that something was happening but I didn't yet comprehend just what it was. I looked at Jim hoping he could explain it to me. My face, I was sure, was growning redder by the minute and the pumping of my heart made it difficult to swallow with each advance of blood. My temples pulsed with it and my nostrils flared. Jim just lay there calm.
The curtains lifted and the cool breeze fell along my back. I felt the sweat there and had an inkling of what wa to be. Jim caught me and moved a hand to my back. His touch was gentle and I was unafraid. I moved closer to him, shifting my buttocks along the sheets without trying to create a noticeable effort. His elbow bent and he noticed my shift, sliding his hand along the ridge of my spine, held tight against my moistened shirt.
He looked right through me and knew everything I wanted even though I did not. "You've come here hoping to become a man, Steve, and that's just what you are." His words were as kind as his touch. I relaxed, putting an arm about his belt. The buckle was almost as large as the back of my hand. I caught his eye again and when I looked down again, the buckle was gone. It shocked me at first, because I had not seen a movement at all, and had only looked up momentarily.
His arm wrapped around me and pulled me up onto his chest, my legs still draped across the bed and toes pointing toward the floor. I just lay there, unable to speak. I was aware of my feelings but it was difficult for me act on them. I really didn't know how. This Jim sensed, and to make it easy for me, he prompted me on.
"Why don't you get out of that shirt, Steve? It looks uncomfortable." I nodded affirmatively, and he helped with the buttons, sliding one hand around my waist, his rough skin soothing me as he pushed it further around and up my back to a shoulder. I fell back onto it and felt his other hand loosening my pants. Instantly, my hands were there, alarmed, again. It was a real shock to discover these feelings so quickly. Almost immediatley after Jim did anything I jumped, then relaxed as I comprehended its full meaning and his intention.
My pants slid off landing in a pile, on top of my shirt, on the floor. Next were socks, and a pair of underwear lay at the foot of the bed. He was still fully clothed, minus a belt. This made me curious now. I was fully naked yet he still had all his clothes on. It somehow didn't seem like it was supposed to be like this and I put a hand up to unbutton his shirt.
Soon, it too was in the growing pile on the floor, his pants were next. I had to tug hard to get them off. It was then that I noticed his crotch. Unlike mine, it was full and swollen. I looked closer, and the lines of his undershorts showed that something was alive inside. I felt a rush of blood and my groin was warmed, his hands coming for me and pulling me onto his stomach, butt first.
As I sat there, I felt him underneath me, warm and wet. Putting a hand at his chest and one at his shoulder, I gained some stability and thoughts began forming in my head. It was becoming clearer all the time, like a puzzle with pieces popping into place at random. Sometimes, the picture was easy to see, and other times, not enough pieces were there. I felt a pulse between my cheeks. It didn't startle me. I looked into his sparkling eyes and at his thick lips, moistened by a sliding tongue.
"So...tell me why they call you tongue," I said, the voice coming from a seeming nowhere. I didn't even know I'd said it until after I realized what I said.
He moved, lifting me into the air above him. I freed my arms and tugged at his shorts, pulling them down to put the missing pieces of the puzzle into place. It was then that I saw the whole picture and knew how I was about to become a man. When he lowered me, I rested my head on his chest, listeneing to the beat of his heart. It thumped like a bass drum, deep inside.
The warmth of his crotch rose into mine, and I felt hard, as was he. I just lay there, rubbing myself on him and it felt really good. It felt great. I felt warm all over. His strong hands helped me and grabbed at either of my cheeks, moving me left and right across him. I sighed heavily, breathing hot air across his erect nipple. I thought to lick it, and in the effort was swept off him.
I was face down in the pillow before I knew what was happening. The warmth in my groin was still there, as was one of Jim's hands. It rubbed me gently, as I had rubbed on him and I felt another sensation coming at me from behind - a heat like that I had not felt before followed by incredible pleasure. I turned sideways and saw him licking me from behind. It felt so good. I'd never experienced anything like it before. The warmth filled me and I became very wet, rolling from side to side, Jim playing with me all the time.
Though I had read about orgasms in books, the ones under dad's bed were very explicit about such things, I'd never actually had one myself. But if this was anything, it was close to an orgasm. I felt his tongue working deeper and deeper. His mouth opened and closed and I felt his teeth knawing at me. The roughness of his hands added to the sensation in my crotch and I rolled to see what was happening. I couldn't believe the size of it. I'd never seen it that large before. It was amazing.
He rubbed and prodded, his tongue occasionally licking one of my balls. I watched him do this and saw the skin contract around it. It felt just as good as having him in behind. Then he was back there pushing even harder. I felt his half day old shave against my bare bottom. That was another sensation driving me up. Moments later I was spasmed into the bed, his tongue still pushing and working it out of me. My eyes blinked uncontrollably and for a moment, I couldn't stop shaking. The pleasure was immense. A few seconds later, a felt wetness under me and had stopped spasming. I was in control again.
"Was that an orgasm?" I asked him.
"Yeah. Was it good Steve?"
The words were there but they didn't really express how I felt. I threw both arms around his broad shoulders, and hugged him tight as I could. The intensity of the hug almost stuck me to him, stomach to stomach, but I felt that he understood what I meant from it. He patted me gently on the behind, telling me that I had best wash up for super. I took a last look as he fell back onto the bed, then I grabbed a towel from my bag, tied it about my waist and headed into the bathroom for a shower.
As I washed myself, the thoughts of mother crying seemed very distant to me. Soon, I would be writing her, telling her I was a man.