DYLAN'S VACATION BACK HOME
Chapter 8
By Donny Mumford
After our hot shower-sex Robby and I get dressed in shorts only, then go up to Chubby's condo. I get the hidden key from the mailbox where the last burglar returned it, and use it to let myself in. Robby follows me inside as I'm telling him, "Whatever you do, don't look in my brother's bedroom.
It'd be much too disturbing for a neat freak like yourself." Naturally he goes right over and turns on the light in Chubby's bedroom, then laughs, "You gotta be fuckin' kidding me! Is this what it always looks like?" I glance over and say, "Oh, he's cleaned his room since the last time I saw it." There are still clothes and towels all over the floor, but Chubby picked-up the sports page sections of the daily Globe newspaper and most of the fast food wrappers and bags off the floor," Robby's like, "He cleaned-up? It's a disaster in there." I mumble, "Yeah, but Chubby has his own idea of comfortable living." As I'm taking four beers out of the refrigerator Robby comes over to kiss the side of my face, saying, "We're sickeningly sweet with our over the top shows of affection lately, but I can't help myself. I'm so in love with you it's stupid." Missing each other for most of two months has brought us closer. I mumble, "Double ditto for me, Rob." Putting the cans of beer on the table I write another IOU, then hand Robby two beers and carry my two cans outside to re-lock the front door. Robby asks, "Don't they mind you taking their beer?" I say, "No, they don't." And they don't because we're family.
Back at my place we go out on the balcony and pop open the beers, click cans, and I say, "To us, Rob," and we drink some beer. Lighting two cigarettes, Robby says, "Being in love is the most fun, the best thing in the world." I go, "I couldn't have said it better, Robby," and we touch beer cans again, very pleased with ourselves. Robby passes me one of the cigarettes and we talk about our favorite topic, the future we'll be living together. Our conversation is all about marriage plans and filling in the details, enjoying ourselves. These two beers on top of the drinks I had at dinner have me in a very mellow mood and like Robby said, we're both being dreamily affectionate with one another. If I saw two other lovers acting the way we are I'd be rolling my eyes, but we're both feeling romantic and consequently overdoing the touching and kissing in between solidifying our plans to be forever together.
When we've finished the beers Robby takes my hand and we go down the hall to my bedroom. We're not sleeping together on nights we have work the next day. Sunday night is getting late but we don't care if we're tired tomorrow. We only care about right now. We both drop our shorts and underpants, then get in bed for a long naked hug along with some kisses. I murmur, "Your body is so sexy and feels unbelievably good against mine, Rob. I love the feel of your skin," and I push the sheet down so I can lick his nipple, then lick across his hairless chest to his other rosy pink nipple and suck on it until it's hard. He ruffles his finger against my nip ring a few times getting my nipple hard too. With my face on his stomach, his hand on my head, I inhale his scent as my cock gets hard. Licking down to his groin and lifting his cock, I suck it into my mouth. Robby pushes my head away, saying, "Wait, babe," then, "Bring your feet to the top of the bed." I rustle around getting my feet up next to Robby's head. He licks my toes, then tells me to scoot up, bending my knees so my groin is next to his face. He wants to suck my cock as I'm sucking his. There's a number that describes this sex act I believe.
Sucking on each other's cock sends a number of shivers down my spine. I already had a hard-on from licking his body with his sexy scent in my head, but Robby's warm wet mouth gets my boner harder than hard. My super sensitized boner in Robby's mouth sends sexy shivers buzzing around my body making me shudder again. I hear Robby swallowing my drooling precum as we suck slowly, then do slow licks occasionally squeezing each other's nuts gently or rubbing the pad of a finger on each other's anus. The extreme stimulation keeps my shoulders spastically shuddering and me quietly moaning around his fat hard cock. He's drooling precum too, so it's me who's swallowing noisily now. Our hands caress each other's shaved groins and bellies with light touching as I drift slowly into a dreamy trance feeling as though I'm floating. It's so nice, so perfect, I could do this all night but Robby's body tightens-up and he takes my cock out of his mouth, and gasps, "I'm gonna cum," as his hips hump and, "Aaaahhh, ooh," shooting his orgasm into my mouth, coating my tongue with creamy spunk." I gulp it down trying to hold off my orgasm as Robby gasp again, his body still stiff as his hips hump again shooting more cum into my mouth. Deep breathing as Robby squirms against me while I suck the last drools of cum from his nuts.
After some deep breathing Robby reaches down and pulls on my arm, "Come up with me, Dylan." I rustle around on the mattress in the dark, almost falling over the side of the bed before Robby grabs me and we get our arms around each other for a tender loving hug. Hugging in general is under appreciated. Hugging another person is comforting and conveys a sense of affection and safety. Then there's naked hugging in the arms of a lover who you love in every way possible and the experience can be almost as arousing as a sexual act. Add some slow kisses to the naked hugging, some light humping of hips and murmurs of love and you get low moans of desire very near a climax.
Robby and I are into long tight hugs, our well-developed bodies touching from head to toe, one of his legs in between mine pressing against my hard cock as I run my fingers through his hair inhaling his scents. Our faces move tightly one against the other with the murmured words of love, and we find ourselves in a private world of intimacy and contentment. It's five or six minutes of naked body against naked body before Robby whispers, "Lay on your back now, baby, I need to be inside you." Slipping off Robby a shiver of anticipation zips down my spine, then I lay on my back as he smoothly slides down between my legs.
Robby runs his hands over my legs as I'm slowly pulling them back towards me, bending at the knees. When my knees are in the air near my head, my rear end lifts up off the mattress. Robby spreads my legs then drags both his hands down the back of my thighs, over my buttocks and the pad of a finger pushes on my anus as another sexual shivers zips around my groin and my cock tightens up further as I whimper with desire. Robby's hands slide up on my stomach now, and then up further to my chest as he leans over me until his head's above mine. With a hand on each of my shoulders he leans down and we kiss a deep lover's kiss. Sweat forms between the back of my thighs and the arms I have around each one holding my legs back to accommodate my lover, giving him full access to my private parts that now belongs to him to do with as he wishes.
Another kiss and a rub of his nose against mine, then he slides his hands back down my body, strokes my hard cock until it's sticking straight up in the air. Now his hands are on my buttocks again spreading the lips of my anus. A finger pokes inside a few times, as I go, "Aaah, aaah." It feels so good I'm sucking on my lips. His finger rubs my prostate gland making my shoulders do another shudder; then, taking his finger from my rectum, Robby presses the head of his hard cock there and the wetness from his precum helps it slide in and widen the opening with me making another low whining sound, then a spike of pain as he humps the swollen head past my sphincter muscle. The lips of my asshole grip snugly around the neck of his cock as Robby moans, "Oooh, mmmm." He pushes his fat cock into my rectum tunnel with my back arching off the mattress and me holding my breath. Pain pulses from my anus momentarily and then pleasure flows over me as I relax and go back flat on the bed, murmuring, "Ooooh, that feels soooo good, Robby." The head of his boner boldly moves all the way up my ass until our shaved crotches meet. Robby lays forward and we're as tightly together as we can get. He leans forward further, his hands moving on my body until he squeezes my shoulders and humps against my butt cheeks moving his cock a little inside me. "Feel good, Dylan?" I nod my head feeling so much love for him my eyes tear-up. Love and sexual pleasure from this incredibly good looking and sexy young man, his pale soft beard adding to his sexiness as he leans down and we kiss again. The change in position of his body pressing his bone-hard cock on my prostate gland making me shake and Robby smile, murmuring, "I know, boyfriend, feels good doesn't it?" He lifts back up on his knees and begins moving his hips sliding his hard cock tightly back and forth stimulating millions of invisible nerve endings around my anus and all over my prostate. Sliding tightly back and forth in not much of a hurry creates only a very subtly sound when his groin hits my buttock. With every humping thrust of ecstasy there's a quiet sound of two bodies' connecting. Right off it has me doing my quiet moans of deep sexual pleasure. Pleasure provided by my true lover who's doing this sexual act for the main purpose of giving me pleasure. His own sexual pleasure is secondary to mine. I know this from the way he looks into my eyes and his proud expression conveying the knowledge that he's giving me this gift of pleasure like no one else on earth can match. Only Robby Dickers can do it this awesomely for me.
It's a constantly steady flow of pleasure so intense that only true lovers can experience the indescribable depth of it, our eye contact never wavering. Our eyes speak, telling our unique story of love that only the two of us can read. The sexual sensations never stop and as they accumulate and build it's a tease of what I know is coming. I'm biting my lip and arching my back, "Oooh, ooh, ooh, umm, umm," desperate to climax now, and then the exhilaration of orgasm is on me. I squirm, my eyes tightly closed, my face scrunched up and every muscle in my body clenching, then my squeal, "Eeeeem aaaah," with my hips humping involuntarily and cum streaking out into the air where for half a second it's motionless before the creamy semen drops down wetly on my chest. My hips hump a desperate hump shooting up cum as Robby groans and I feel his orgasm hitting off the walls of my bowels and it's an explosion of sexual pleasure sensations. Whimpering at the flashes of nerve endings that sparkle all over me, then it's a slow but smooth retreat as the sensations drift away leaving me weak and limp. Robby's laying on me, his cock still partially inside my ass. My arms go around him, the side of our sweaty hot faces together as we listen to each other's deep breathing, then everything calms down and we savor the memory of our latest orgasms together with contented sighs.
Our private world's slowly dissolving and I begin noticing sounds of the outside world: a car driving down the back alley, the ambient swoosh of air from the central air conditioner, the refrigerator cycling on in an almost inaudible hum, and every little move we make creates a subtle sound of sheets rubbing together. Sounds of this world far from the private sexual pleasure-world we resided in a minute ago. A quiet gasp from Robby, then, "That was a beautiful experience, Dylan. You're eyes! I could see how much you love me in your eyes, babe. I don't know why I ever doubted your love," and he hugs my head with his lips on mine and we have a soft tender kiss, then I murmur, "I'll love you forever, Rob. You're my man." I feel his lips form a smile on mine, then he says, "Yeah, I'm your man, Dylan," and he chuckles as he slides off me, his cock pulling out. We cuddle together as I plead, "Stay with me tonight, Rob, please." He slowly runs his fingers over my head, murmuring, "Someday we'll be sleeping together without even thinking about it. It'll become routine, but I can't tonight. Tomorrow is work and I need to be there an hour earlier than you guys. As it is I'll get only five hours sleep if I leave right now." As it turns out he only gets four hours sleep because Robby doesn't leave 'right now' like he said. Instead we lay together for over an hour caressing and cuddling together murmuring words of love with a few soft laughs at how mushy we are and realizing we don't care because we're in love trying to outdo each other describing the extent and reasons for the love we have for one another. When Robby finally leaves after one last kiss he orders me not to get up and see him out. I hear the front door's lock click into place as I lay here wondering if it's possible to have a better night than this one, and thinking to myself that I'll bet we can, even as hard as that is to believe after tonight.
In the morning I'm tired, but still feel as good as I can ever remember feeling. As I'm coming out of the bedroom ready for work Chubby lets himself in. He has our lunch in a bag as we do a one arm hug with a quick brotherly kiss, then we make our coffees. He's all smiles, saying, "It's so awesome going to work with you again, Dylan." I'm just as happy as he is, and tell him so which gets us doing a two arm hug. Again I think hugging is awesome, any kind of hugging. Carrying our coffees and lunch we walk down the steps to the Jeep with Chubby asking, "You wanna drive, bro?" I shake my head, "Nah, you drive, Chub, I want to look out the window as we drive to work reminding myself of everything we pass." I'm anxious to see Seth. He's special to me and one of the friends I love most. I admire and respect him and his soft spoken ways. He was basically thrown out of his house for saying he's gay at age seventeen, then made his way on his own. He graduated high school with an equivalency degree and currently is putting himself through college, mostly online. An admirable, cute, wonderful young man.
During the drive to work I feel odd, but not as odd as I felt going to work at Lockheed/Martin my first day. Chubby's telling me there's been turnover on the work crew. There are two guys I don't know, but they're supposedly good guys so no worries. Of course Chubby gets along with everybody so I'll see for myself if they're 'good guys' or not. Robby's made Chubby his assistant and Chubby tells me that half the time Robby's not even with the crew, off doing whatever. It's funny but I've had close friends as my bosses this summer. First Ryan, then Robby and I guess half the time it'll be my brother acting as my boss for the rest of the summer. That's not necessarily a bad thing by any means, although I don't expect special treatment. I don't want special treatment, and frankly having a friend as my boss isn't completely stress free because I never want to let a friend down and consequently I'm more conscientious than I'd be working for someone I don't know, or like.
We use the company's secondary entrance to the complex. Robby showed me the new main entrance this weekend. The landscaping crews' buildings are at the rear of the new buildings. Same old locker room, but the supply garages are twice as spacious as they were last year, and there are entrances on our side as well as the new unit's side. After parking I carry the lunch Chubby made for us and we walk to the locker room. Inside there are some guys I've never seen before. Some working on grass cutting crews like Robby's, and there's a six man crew that does the real landscaping, but no grass cutting. They work primarily in new housing developments. Chubby says, "There's your locker, bro. I picked up three company t-shirts and khaki shorts for you, plus two of the company's baseball caps. We're supposed to wear the hats at all times." I open the locker and see the t-shirts in a pile on top of the shorts at the bottom of the locker. I have to grin to myself because I can see in my head Chubby tossing them in the locker. I would have folder and laid them neatly on the shelf.
While I'm changing my t-shirt for the pale green one with the company logo, Chubby yells at a guy walking out the door, "Dude, you owe me a beer," and an average looking guy about my size turns around and yells over the general hubbub in the room, "I can't wait to hear your bullshit story, Jeff.
I'm gonna grab a cigarette. See you outside." Chubby turns back to me, saying, "That's my main man, Matt. Matt Singleton, he's a hot shit. I'll introduce you to him after we change." There's a tall black guy with his back to us who Chubby taps on the shoulder, saying, "Dallas, say hi to my brother, Dylan Newman." A clean shaven guy turns around and stares at me, then bumps fist with me grinning, "Yo, wassup?" I go, "Nice to meet you, Dallas." He grins some more looking at Chubby funny-like, saying, "You two are brothers with different last names, or brothers like, hey bro." Chubby looks very sincere saying, "We're both kinds of brothers, Dallas. It's very common for white folk to be brothers with different last names." and the guy laughs his ass off while patting Chubby's shoulder. I can't help but chuckle too because he has one of those infectious laughs. He's big and really nice looking with very short hair like mine. I'm guessing he's older, maybe twenty-five. Chubby's grinning at the guy with the likable expression Chubby has.
Dallas mumbles, "White folk, huh?" and he chuckles some more.
Then Seth comes in and sees me. We both have big smile as we come together for a long two arm hug, the sides of our faces sliding together. He hasn't changed much. Same soft kinda curly blond beard that's at a three days-growth, trendy length. I suggested he wear it like that last year. His blond hair is shaggy but not too long although very unevenly cut, same tight body I remember too. I'm like, "It's awesome to see you, Seth. How ya doing?" He goes, "Really good, Dylan. You're as perfect as ever I see, and with another extreme haircut like always." I go, "That's changing this summer," then we're a little awkward with each other. We were so tight last year but I guess we're both wondering if that's changed. Well of course it's changed, but by how much? He pats my chest, mumbling, "God, you look good. Hey, I need a haircut. Maybe we can catch up with each other then. I mean if you're willing." I go, "Absolutely! When can you make it?" He shrugs, "We'll figure it out. Man, it's so good to see you." I love Seth but I can't think of what to say right this second. That happens when there are too many things to say. I'm nodding my head, "We'll talk, Seth. It's awesome seeing you." He goes, "Well, I gotta change, I'm a little late this morning." I pat his shoulder and he makes his way through the guys to his locker. Robby's told me Seth's has a boyfriend and I'm not surprised. He still looks really cute, but older. Well, no shit, Dylan, duh! We're all older.
Wearing my company t-shirt, khaki shorts, and an old pair of sneakers that
will soon be stained green by the cut grass, I walk outside with Chubby and light a cigarette to share with him. I go, "It's so nice seeing, Seth," and he goes, "He's always asking about you, bro." That makes me feel good.
Chubby exhales a stream of smoke, saying, "You met Dallas, and guess what? I've been dating his sister on and off the last month or so. She's a pretty little thing." I go, "How'd you meet her?" and he goes, "Dallas had the crew over for a cook-out last month and I met her and his brother then. Nice family." I nod, "Huh. How old's Dallas?" Chubby goes, "Eighteen. He just graduated high school, why?" Shaking my head, I mutter, "Just wondered." Jesus, I'm older than he is and he looks way older than me. Chubby's like, "Their mother's the principle at Ardmore Middle School." I go, Huh," as I see Seth just now jogging out of the locker room. Chubby looks up, then yells, "Heads up guys, here comes the boss." Everyone stops talking, puts out their cigarettes, and the five of us sort of stand in a line. Then I notice painted on the blacktop where we're standing the words, "CREW 3". That's new.
There's a specific place we need to stand now? Huh, I just followed Chubby here. Ya know, I don't remember it being quite this formal in the past.
Robby's all business, "Good morning, guys. We're doing the large properties this week." He nods towards the two guys who are new to me, saying, "I'm sure Matt and Dallas have met Dylan by now," pointing at me, then he adds, "If not, Jeff, would you do the introductions when you get a chance?" Chubby says, "Sure thing, Rob." Robby take a deep breath, he's probably as tired as I am, then he points at me again, "Dylan is our latest crew member and I know we've had some turnover this summer but he's experienced. He worked here last year." I shrug as Robby continues, "Dylan's taking Biffiron's place," and there's some murmuring. Robby grins, saying, "Yeah, Biff's been transferred back to Stan Arnold's crew," and more general murmuring with a few snickers. Biff wasn't real popular I take it. Robby looks right at me, "Dylan, you'll be work under Matt this week. He'll catch you up to date on some of the changes from last year. Right, Matt?" Matt goes, "Roger that, boss." Then Robby's nods at Chubby, saying, "Jeff." He said it like, 'come here'. Chubby walks up to him and Robby hands him the clipboard and confers with him as Matt comes over to me, saying, "We didn't actually get formally introduced. I'm Matt Singleton," and he holds out his hand. I shake hands muttering, "Dylan Newman.
Like Rob said, I worked all last year on the crew so I know pretty much..." Interrupting, Matt puts up his hand and says, "Yeah, I'm sure, but just the same, Rob wants me to treat you like you're inexperienced. It's for his training report and for insurance purposes, you know?" I shrug, saying, "Sure, okay." He goes, "Um, not to be a prick, but would you tuck your shirt in.
Rob's a stickler on us representing the company in a professional manner." I'm tucking in my t-shirt, frowning. The new T-shirts have the 'Dickers and Son' logo on the front right shoulder, then the company's name is spelled out in bigger letter on the back. We're walking billboards. Matt goes, "Thanks, and, heh, heh, you're going to think I'm an asshole, but I need to insist you wear the baseball cap at all time too." I was holding it in the same hand I have the bag Chubby put our lunch in. I put the 'Dickers and Son' baseball cap on, nodding my head at Matt like I understand.
Robby's walking away now and Chubby turns to us four worker bees, saying, "Listen up, guys!" We look at him and he goes, "Hypothetically, something could happen and everyone on earth is dead." Matt mutters to me, "One of Jeff's jokes." Chubby says, "God appears and says he wants a line of women and a line of men. Ya know, the lines are gonna be pretty fuckin' long if everyone on earth dies at the same time, so it takes a while to get the lines settled with some ass grabbing thrown in for good measure. Then God tells all the women to report to St. Peter and the men are to form two new lines: one line for the pussy-whipped men dominated by their wives, and the other line for real men who were head of their household. There's a lot of moving around and in the end there's one really, really long-ass line, and then just one man in the other line. God's like, 'What the fuck is this? Don't tell me that long-ass line is for those men who were hen-pecked by their wives! There's only one guy in the other line. God's basically bullshit, saying, 'You all suck! We got only one guy who didn't take any shit from his wife." God's disgusted at the men for being dominated by their wives and tells the one man to explain to the others how men should act. The one guy shrugs and says, 'I don't fucking know, my wife told me to get in this line.'" There's some chuckling as Chubby says with a straight face, "That could happen. Food for thought." Everyone's grinning, shaking their heads. I can tell they all really like Chubby, and that makes me feel good.
Chubby's reading off Robby's clip board now, "Okay guys, today's assignments: Seth you're on the big mower, Dallas you've got the walk behind mower today, and Matt get the weed whackers and leaf blowers. Number one priority, like every day: don't get injured!" The guys start walking toward the supply building as Chubby lights a cigarette and Matt tells me, "Get two weed whackers, Dylan. Tell the guy what crew you're on, and make sure you get the new whackers, the ones with the orange grips. They're lighter and better than that old shit. New leaf blowers too. The supply guy will try giving you the old ones, but tell him you're working for me, okay?" I nod, trying to think how I'm going to carry all that shit, when Matt taps my chest, saying, "Two quart bottles of water too, and he'll want you to pay for them but tell him they're for Rob. Got it?" Then he gets a hold on my arm, muttering, "Come over here." I follow him to the back of our truck and he points, "The weed whackers get strapped on here and put our water bottles in that cooler. Leaf blowers fit in that slot near the front of the truck bed." He points at the bag I'm holding, asking, "Is that your lunch?" I go, "Yeah, my broth.." he says, "Lunches go in the blue cooler. Put then in there when you get here first thing in the morning. Don't carry it around with you. Jeez!" I nod, and he laughs a little, "Well, what are you waiting for? Put your lunch in the blue cooler." I climb up on the truck and do what he said.
Climbing back down, Matt squeezes my shoulder, "Oh, and gets both of us company-issued headbands with the little logos on them. It's gonna be a hot one today and I sweat a lot. You'll need to give Ralph a deposit of a buck for each one." He pats my shoulder, "Can you remember all that, rookie?" I shrug, muttering, "Duh," and he grabs my shoulder again, saying, "Hey, I'm a good guy. I'm not your enemy, so don't be defensive. We wanna work good together." I nod again, not sure what to think, and Matt says, "You had a 'look' on your face like you're pissed off about something. I'm just bringing you up to date on how Rob wants things done." I go, "I'm not pissed off and I don't think I had a pissed off look on my face." He goes, "Whatever, Rob likes us guys jogging. No meandering, got it?" I go, "Yeah," and take off jogging as Matt walks over to Chubby, asking, "Ya get laid this weekend? Is that what you're telling me?" They slap palms with Chubby saying, "You're not gonna believe this shit, Matt." I don't hear what they say after that.
As I'm jogging up to the supply building I pass a dozen or more guys coming the other way carrying equipment. None of them are jogging. I remember a few of these guys from last year; not their names, but just to nod to in the locker room. Most of the guys are sauntering back towards the trucks, and I see that our crew member, Dallas, isn't jogging behind the push mower.
Seth's riding the big mower next to Dallas and as he passes me Seth gives me a sweet smile and a wave, then says, "Why ya running, Dylan?" and I go, "Huh?" I'm noticing a different vibe this year with the guys. Less messing around and everything's more businesslike, except for Chubby's joke of course.
In the new much larger garage/supply room the same old guy from last year is behind the counter. Grumpy as usual. He says, "You're late! Whaddaya need, Bud?" I tell him, "Matt wants two of the new weed whackers. The ones with the orange handles and two new leaf blowers.." He asks, "Matt who?" I shrug, forgetting his last name already. Grumpy says, "Don't matter anyway, all the new stuff is already out. Ya gotta get here early for the new issue." He goes in back and comes out with the same weed whackers and leaf blowers we used last year. Taking them from him, I tell him, "I also need two bottles of water, quart bottles." He looks at me like I'm nuts, pointing to a shelf behind me containing cases of bottled water. I take two, saying, "These are for Rob." He says, "They're for whoever wants them." I go, "Oh," then remember Matt saying the old guy would ask me to pay for them. I go, "Um, how much for the water?" He says, "Whaddaya mean? The waters for whoever needs it." That fuckin' Matt! Hesitantly, I says, "Um, two headbands too." He asks, "Headbands? Ya think this is a Dick's Sporting Goods shop? We don't got no sweat bands. Is that a joke?" I go, "Yeah, I think it was," figuring it's the old rookie gag where you send a new guy for a left handed screwdriver.
There's straps on the leaf blowers so I put one over each shoulder and with a weed whacker in each hand and a quart of water under each arm I head back to the truck. Obviously this makes making jogging problematic and I feel like a dork doing it. When I get halfway back to the truck I hear Chubby and Matt laughing about something. It better not be about me. They're not looking in my direction though, so it probably isn't me they're laughing at.
When Seth sees me he runs down to take the weed whackers from me, asking, "Did Singleton tell you to get headbands?" I nod, "Yeah,", and Seth mumbles, "He tells all the new guys that." When we get to the truck, Chubby, who's still holding Robby's clipboard, goes, "Here, let me give you a hand, bro." He hops up on the truck and I pass him one leaf blower, then the other.
Seth does the same with the weed whackers. Then I get up on the truck and put the bottles of water in the cooler of ice with other bottles of water and some soft drinks. When we get down Matt, asks, "Where are the fucking sweat bands?" and Chubby says, "Hey, Matt, don't pull any of that shit on him." He said it with a friendly expression on his face, but there was some hardness in his voice. It makes Matt's eyebrows go up, then mumble, "Sure, Jeff.
Just kidding around." Chubby, still smiling, goes, "Yeah, sure, do not kid with my brother though," and he stares Matt down. Matt goes, "Okay already. Jesus!" Robby's back, saying, "Let's go Jeff. You guys, mount up. We've got a thirty-five minute ride out to the Willows." I remember the Willows. It's a condo development. Big job, but all grass cutting. No shrubs to deal with because they have their own guy for that. Chubby rides shotgun in front with Robby. Dallas gets up on the truck bed as Matt says to me, "You sit with me, Dylan," and Seth goes, "No, I'm sitting with him, Matt, we're old friends." Matt goes, "He's working for me this week, Seth, you heard Jeff." Seth says to me, "Next week then," and climbs up sitting next to Dallas who bumps fist with Seth asking, "How'd your weekend go?" Matt and I get on the other side of the truck with the mowers blocking our view of the other two guys.
Chubby looks though the little window in back of the truck's cab and Seth ask, "You guys good?" Matt goes, "Yep," and I guess Seth gives the thumbs-up to Chubby because the truck lurches forward and we leave the blacktop bouncing as we hit the road. Matt says, "You probably know how to work the equipment and know most of the safety rules, but I gotta explain everything anyway, so just bare with me, okay?" I nod and he explains about truck safety back here, going over each piece of equipment and how it should be stowed properly, blah, blah, blah...
As he talks I can't help occasionally glancing at his mouth. He has a tooth missing on the bottom and I wonder if he lost it recently. I mean, why would someone go around with a tooth missing in the front where everyone can see the space? Other than that there's isn't anything especially noteworthy about Matt Singleton's appearance. He has run-of-the-mill longish brown hair, but all I see of it is the hair around his ears and in back because he's wearing the company's hat. Last year we took our hats off riding in the back of the truck, but I leave mine on because Matt left his on. I can't see the other two guys so I don't know if they have their hats on or not. The wind could blow a hat right off your head when we get out on the highway going sixty-five to seventy miles an hour. I glance at Matt as he continues droning on about safety. When we hit the highway though, he stops talking because even shouting is hard to hear over the wind noise, road noise, and the loud truck engine. I can't blame Matt for doing what he was told to do, which is training me like I've never worked on a lawn-cutting crew before, but it is a waste of time basically. We sit silently now as I daydream about Ryan and be making out back here on the way to a job site, and even screwing a couple of times. Me and Seth did some of that too, but I certainly have no desire at all to do it with Matt. He's not bad looking, just not good looking, and he has an oddly shaped body. None of that makes any difference to Chubby of course. He seems to be buddies with Matt.
Before we get to the job site Matt and I have pulled our hats down to our ears trying to keep them from blowing off. When we finally come to a stop at the condo's, Dallas and Seth stand up putting their hats on. Ha! I knew it. I look at Matt who has nothing to say about that, and instead says, "Dylan, whoever's responsible for the leaf blowers, in this case you, unhooks that equipment first, then you get the weed whackers." I do that with him handing the weed whackers down to me after I carried the leaf blowers off the bed of the truck. He hops off the truck and together we pull out the ramp so the mowers can roll off the truck. When everything we need it off the truck, Matt says, "Okay, good, except you need to get back up on the truck for the big heavy duty green trash bags used for storing the grass clippings." When I do that he pats my shoulder, "Okay. I'll be with you all week instructing you to do what you need to do, then next week you're on your own so start memorizing your responsibilities and don't hesitate to ask question." I say, "Got it," and Matt tells me, "I want you to work the ramp with Dallas at the next site." Work the ramp, Jesus! Ya just pull it out. Anybody could do it.
He puts a hand on my shoulder, looking me in the eyes, "Dylan, Rob has entrusted me to do all the training since the beginning of the summer and Jeff's busy at times filling in for Rob. So that often leaves me in charge and I take that seriously. I'm just telling you how it works here. At the end of your week's training you'll stay after work with me on Friday and take a test. It's a written test as well as you'll need to demonstrate the techniques I teach you for each piece of equipment, including the big ride-on mower. Results of the test go directly to Rob along with my observations as to how you're fitting in with the crew. You know, your attitude is a big factor, and I already had to mention that this morning, so work on that. I basically indicate to Rob if you stay or go, so consider yourself on probation this week. One kid the first fucking month I felt wasn't fitting in and when Rob saw the test results he let the kid go that same day. So, just saying, pay attention, but at the same time I want you to do good." I'm trying to convince myself Matt's conscientious about his job, but one could also simply consider him a major asshole. He laughs a phony laugh, going, "I can't read you yet, Dylan, but right there: again it looked like you have a negative attitude and your body language is wrong. You're not being receptive to instruction and corrective criticism. Again, I want you to do good; it's in my best interest that you do so I look good." I'm shaking my head, mumbling, "No, you're wrong, Matt. My attitude is good, but I appreciate all your help." What an asshole! He doesn't know obviously, but my recommendation to Rob at the end of the week about him should be more of a concern to him than his recommendation about me.
Matt continues telling me stuff I already know with me nodding my head mumbling, "Got it, Matt, thanks." I'm trying not to have a 'look' on my face like he claimed I had earlier. That said, I'm pretty sure we're not going to be best buddies. Oil and water comes to mind. He shows me the correct way of edging around the sidewalks and shrubbery areas using the weed whackers, as if I didn't do this all last summer. I hold my tongue and act interested 'cause I'm a team player and he kind of intimidates me. Then I do edging for like ten minutes thinking the weed whacker is heavier than I remember.
Matt walks along beside me carrying his weed whacker until I'm ready to scream. Finally he says, "I'm seriously not trying to break your balls, Dylan, but I need to tell you that your edging simply won't do. It's not nearly good enough and I don't want Rob checking out the finished product and telling us to do it all over again. He's done that once or twice early in the summer. Watch me," and he goes over where I'd already done the edging making a straighter, more defined edging that does look a lot better than what I did. Well I'll be goddamned! I'm frowning trying to see what he's doing differently.
When he's corrected my edging, he goes, "See? That's the perfect professionally edge, just the way Rob and Jeff want it done. Don't feel bad, it'll take some practice. Go ahead, try it again and this time concentrate on what you're doing." Well, fuck, my edging was okay last year. He goes, "I want you to hold the whacker closer to the edge and tilt it more, like this," and he shows me, moving my hands on the weed whacker in uncomfortable positions. The thing feels even heavier holding it like he wants me to. It looks simple when he does it. I try duplicating what he did and a minute later he goes, "NO!" then he chuckles to offset him yelling at me. "Um, Dylan, didn't mean to yell, but it's so simple I can't understand why you can't do it.
You're pulling a 'Biff' on me here. Don't be Biff!" Fuck you, Matt, and fuck a whole bunch of Biffs too! That's what I said in my head.
Matt does twenty feet of edging that looks awesome, and he did it effortlessly. "Now you, Dylan," and I try again doing better but he comes behind me redoing my edging, smiling and calling over to Dallas, "We got Biff two on the crew, Dally." My face gets red as Dallas grins saying, "Oh shit, not that!" Matt remains calm while continually correcting me, but within the hour I'm doing it pretty much like his edging. He says, "Good, Dylan, that's the way to do it." Okay, score one for Matt. We both weed whack edges until it's all done and my arms feel like they're going to fall off. My bicep muscles ache, but I keep that to myself. Matt puts his arm across my shoulders for a guy-hug, side to side, saying, "You did good. I'm temporarily calling off the Biff alert." and I get this weird happy proud feeling that he's finally pleased with my work. It's possible I overrate back-handed compliments like, I'm temporarily calling off the Biff alert.
The condo grass cutting, weed whacking, and leaf blowing of grass clippings takes all morning and by the time we finish I'm wishing I had a sweatband. My hat is soaked through with sweat around the band and halfway up the sides. When the last bag of grass clippings is piled next to the truck, Robby says, "That took a little longer than it should have, guys. Let's pick up the pace the rest of the day. Shorter lunch period today." Then he, Chubby, Seth and Dallas stand in the shade drinking water and smoking as Matt tells me, "You're the rookie, dude, so you need to load the bags of grass clipping onto the truck bed, back near the cab." He pats my back and heads for the shade. Fuck! I hump one bag onto the truck bed and it reminds me how heavy grass is, especially bright green grass with a lot of moisture content.
Going back for another bag, Seth comes over, saying, "Let me help you.
Dylan." I mutter, "Thanks, Seth," and we load all the bags silently, then hop up on the truck bed to move them away from where our seats are. Seth's telling me, "I was the first rookie on the crew even though I worked on it last year like you. Chubby helped me with this nasty chore." I ask him, "What's your opinion of, Matt?" He says, "Oh, he's okay. Everyone gets along real good. Well, except for that Biff character, but he's gone." I shrug and Seth pats my shoulder, "During week one Rob had this professional landscape guy demonstrate the right way to do everything and Matt was the teacher's pet. The pro guy has a college degree in golf course landscaping. Different approach then the last couple of years. Rob says he wants to upgrade our techniques. Nothing's all that hard, it's just a little different." I'm nodding, "Yeah, Rob's a perfectionist. So this guy Biff sucked, huh?" Seth smiles, "Ah, he tried. I felt bad for him. By the way you're much better looking than Biff even if Matt thinks you work like him." We both laugh with me muttering, "Fuck him." He grins at me and we chuckle a little more.
Damn, Seth's just as cute and awesome as I remember. He asks, "Ya wanna feel my whiskers?" We both laugh at that too remembering last summer when Seth was just growing his beard and I suggested he have the trendy three day old beard look. He had been clean shaven except for some he left on his chin and I asked him if I could feel his chin whiskers. I was just getting into a 'thing' about whiskers at the time. That reminds me, and I glance over to look at Robby. Yeah, he's clean shaven this morning. Huh, he knows I like his new beard growth, as insubstantial as it may be. I like the way he looked last night with his curly short pale blond beard on his upper lip, chin and along his jaw, and under his sideburns too. Damn, he looked sexy.
I don't have time for a smoke after we take all the bags to the front of the truck. Everyone hops on and Robby drives us to a small park's picnic area for lunch. Same one we used last year. When we get there the other three crews are already eating lunch around picnic tables and somebody has a radio with rap music jarring my ears. Robby walks over to greet another supervisor, a youngish guy I don't remember from last year, and Robby eats his lunch with that nice looking guy and another supervisor. No one on the crew thinks anything about it so it must be a routine thing. The guys are relaxed during lunch with Chubby doing some ball busting on Dallas, then reciting some factoids that guys call 'total bullshit', but they're laughing anyway.
I know Chubby's factoids are pretty much true, but they're pretty bizarre so the guys don't believe them. Chubby calls them ignorant dips shits not worthy of hearing more. It's all in good fun and I can see Seth's right, everyone does get along well together. Matt has an easy laugh and seems okay.
Seth sat next to me during lunch and while Chubby's doing his factoids quietly asked about my experiences in Georgia. He's such a sweet kid. I want to ask him about his boyfriend but don't because I'm kinda jealous he has a boyfriend for one thing, and he already told me we'd catch-up when he comes over my place for a haircut. He used to tell me he loves me. Everything considered it's a good lunch break with the only negative words spoken being those about the temperature; today it's over ninety degrees with no breeze or cloud cover. After twenty minutes Robby comes over, saying, "Let's load up," and everyone gets to it immediately. A twenty minute lunch break? That's new too. The afternoon goes pretty much like the morning with me weed whacking edging and Matt critiquing. He tells me, "I'll wanna see you doing more edging, but you're getting there. Let's see how you handle the leaf blower." Chubby was doing the leaf blowing this morning. It's soon apparent Matt doesn't care for my leaf blowing either, which is actually grass clipping blowing; there aren't any leaves until the end of the summer. His complaint is I blow the clipping back on the lawn. He wants me blowing them in a pile, then raking them into the grass bags. That's new too.
I'm beat by the time we pull back to home base and begin unloading the truck. Its four-thirty, so a normal day although to me it seemed like a long-ass day. In the locker room changing out of our sweaty clothes, Seth says, "I've got some online classes the next two nights, Dylan, but maybe I can come over Wednesday after work, if it's okay with you. I need a haircut and we can talk. I miss our talks. I'll tell you about my boyfriend." I say, "I'd like that, Seth," and Chubby calls over, "You ready, Dylan? I got a date tonight." I say, "Just a second," as I'm rolling up the sweaty company clothes, and squeezing the back of Seth's neck, saying, "Thanks for helping me today, Seth. Um, it's great seeing you." He grins, "See you tomorrow, Dylan." Carrying my work clothes out the door I see Chubby's waiting for me and showing one of his incomparable smiles that make me smile back at him. "Let' s go, bro," and he puts his arm across my shoulders as I look around for a glimpse of Robby, but he's not around, so I'll text him later.
On the ride home, Chubby says, "Hey, Matt tells me you're a really hard worker." Well fuck, that's surprising to hear. Taking the high road, I'm like "Well, Matt's a damn good teacher." We talk generally about how things are run tighter this year and how it's better this way. Actually I agree with that. Back at our place we do a one-arm hug, saying, "See ya in the morning, bro," then do another quick two arm hug with Chubby mumbling, "It's awesome having you home, Dylan." I watch him going up the steps before I go inside. During the ride Chubby told me he'll do our lunches all week and I'll do them next week. I crank up the air conditioning and collapse on the sofa thinking how easy the job in Georgia was compared to working on Robby's crew. Plus, until two days ago I thought I'd be lounging around this week...
ha ha, guess not. My cellphone beeps and I fish it out of my pocket seeing the caller ID: Frank Denton. Huh! To be continued...
Donny Mumford thinat20@yahoo.com donnymumford@outlook.com
========================================================
Hoping some readers may be interested, there are books of mine published and available on Amazon.com. Anyone who has Kindle can download them for next to nothing. The books are under ten dollars. They are about a 19 year old gay boy (Oliver) who has a far different life than Dylan's. And there is a new book, 'Mike, his Bike and Me'. Please at least check them out by typing my name on Amazon.com. Information about the story in the books can be found in some detail there. Thank you.
Donny Mumford
============================================
Please consider a tax deductible donation of any size to nonprofit Nifty to help with the expense of maintaining this ginormous free story site. Thank you very much.
http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html