The following is a pure work of fiction and is the property of the author. If you are looking to get off quick, read something else. This is a short story presented in serial form of 4 sections and you'll be reading background, before you get to any mind-blowing sex images.
If you are bothered by same sex relationships, read no farther. This is a story about the interaction of males with each other in a fanciful setting. It's a story with some sex, not sex with some story.
Hope you enjoy the story. LJB
Joe's Dilemma
Chapter 1
Joe could have moved. He'd lived in the apartment now for over six years. It was a good deal back when he'd first moved in being he was a second year student at the University. A price he could afford, two bedrooms, relatively quiet area if you didn't count the occasional yelling from a Saturday night bender being resolved by a couple next door. There were eight apartments in the building, four on the ground floor and four on the second. This one was on the second at the back, so the views consisted of the building next door or the small back yard and alley.
It stayed a good deal for him the year he went to Teacher's College even though it was a fair pace farther to trek back and forth each day. The transportation system was good in the city and anyway, who would see Mrs. Gett's garbage was taken out each week, or Mr. Fullord's income tax was filed on time, or who would shovel the walk so the older residents would not fall, if he were to move. It just made good sense for him to stay where he was, besides he was starting to accumulate so many odds and ends that moving would be a lot of bother.
Now Joe was in his fourth year teaching at MacGregor Public School. He thought again about moving when he first got the job. The school was way on the far side of the city from the apartment building, in the new development zone. Even with the great transit system he still had to ride 40 minutes each way, every day. But four of the other residents were older people who were alone and he had been there to help them with their little problems for so long now they would be hard pressed to get by if he were to leave. Besides, he was just now getting his place the way he wanted it.
Before he started working, he could not afford to do anything to improve his home. Now with a steady income he was able to paint and paper some rooms, buy some new fixtures, get a nice entertainment centre and replace some of the furniture which was donated to him by family when he had originally moved in. Yes, he was starting to enjoy his home and each time the topic or thought of moving came up it became less and less desirable.
The only problem which made him think about moving these days was Apartment number 5. It was the apartment beside him, in the front of the building and during the time he had lived there it never had the same people in it for over three months in a row. Doors slamming, loud radios and television, arguing, swearing and fighting, visits by the police, drunks staggering in and out of the building, drug sales, prostitution, strange smells, occasionally a dead body, crashes and bangs, garbage, all were part of the history of apartment 5. It was strange a building with seven regularly occupied units had this one which was constantly in turmoil. Joe thought the landlord likely tried to get a premium price renting it to high risk clients while counting on the steady income from the other units. Whatever the reason, it was a constant source of irritation and problems for all of them.
Last weekend, apartment 5 had been vacated again. Everyone had five whole days and nights of peace. Joe noted on his way to his door this evening there was a pickup truck with items in the back on the walkway out front and the apartment door was open. He wondered at the time what kind of horror was going to face the tenants this time. No doubt some of society's worst would mingle with them for a month or two. At least if they were going to run a brothel, he thought, they could try having a male one, so he could see what might be available through such a business.
Joe was not experienced with sex, but he knew what he liked. He had tried interacting with girls through high school and university and was certain what he didn't want. His brief encounters with men, all two of them, in a university toilet had left him unsatisfied, but certain he desired more. But Joe had two problems. Although he was a very caring and generous individual, he was incredibly shy and taking the initiative was out of the question. His other problem was that he was not an Adonis.
Joe was a big man at 6"2'. He had a big frame with broad shoulders, but at 230 lbs. he was carrying about 40 lbs. too much weight. These pounds made his pecs a little droopy. His six pack abs were about a dozen, dozen donuts and 10,000 sit ups short of their peak. The tire around his waist made it necessary to suck in strenuously for him to see the reading on the bathroom scale, his feet or even his cock. Joe's butt did not exactly hang above his legs it slightly sagged above them and his solid, muscular legs were wrapped in an extra couple layers of spongy fat tissue.
Now Joe was not unattractive. He had rusty, red hair, a fair complexion and bright sparkling eyes with a smile people always remembered. Educated, well mannered and socially knowledgeable, he could be a charming addition to any gathering in which he knew the participants and felt at ease. His eighth grade students all considered him the greatest teacher they had ever known and his co-workers respected his work and liked him. In short, Joe was a 27 year old, masculine, virgin male, who was not into personal athletic activities, or unfamiliar social contacts.
After his third year teaching at MacGregor Public School, Joe had been certain his career was coming to an end. His major problem was vice-principal Jerry Wilder. Jerry was a 31 year old dynamo who came to the school at the beginning of that third year. As quiet and withdrawn as Joe could be, Jerry was exactly the opposite. He was effervescent, animated, often loud and Joe was sure Jerry hated him. They virtually never spoke and Joe was too shy to make eye contact. At meetings, Joe sat silent and Jerry would appear frustrated by his lack of participation. They would pass in the halls and barely glance at each other, nodding their heads slightly as they moved on.
As the school year came to an end, Joe came into the school office late one afternoon, dropping off some reports and papers as he was leaving to go home. Jerry was sitting in the inner office of principal Jean Fowler and it soon became clear they were discussing teaching staff for the coming year.
"We have to list who we're keeping on staff for next September, so I know how many new teachers I'll have to recruit." Jean Fowler was saying. "Who do we keep?"
"Well, number one is Joe." Jerry responded.
"I thought you and Joe weren't getting along." Jean questioned.
"He doesn't like me." Jerry replied. "I don't know why he doesn't, but he's still the best damn teacher in the school. We'd be fools to lose him and you should consider getting rid of me before having Joe go anywhere else."
Joe couldn't believe what he had heard. He thought Jerry didn't like him or his work. He realized all this had come about because he was just too shy to get to know the vice-principal during the past year, or let the man know him. A couple of days later, when Joe was getting ready to head home again, he saw Jerry seated in his office working at his desk. He tapped on the door and entered when beckoned.
"What can I do for you, Joe?" Jerry greeted him in a friendly voice.
"I wanted to speak to you before we all went on vacation." Joe answered hesitantly sitting down on the opposite side of Jerry's desk. "I accidentally overheard a discussion you were having with Jean the other afternoon and I wanted to thank you for the very nice things you said about me."
"You're very welcome, Joe." Jerry said with a big smile on his face. "They were true, or I wouldn't have offered them."
"I wanted also to say that I don't dislike you and I regret ever giving you that idea." Joe told him. He hesitated. "I am a very shy person and it takes me a long time to get to know someone and feel comfortable around them. You are a very active and forceful person and we haven't really had any time to get use to each other."
"You mean I've got a loud mouth and I control everyone all the time." Jerry laughed as he was saying it. Joe became embarrassed and didn't know what to say. "It's okay, Joe. I know I can be loud and even obnoxious sometimes. I didn't know I was turning you off on me. That's the last thing I wanted to do."
"It's not your fault." Joe answered. "I'm a grown up. It should not be up to you to cater to my eccentricities. I should have put forth a better effort to welcome you here. I have been here longer."
"Let's forget about it, Joe and start over." Jerry proposed thrusting out his hand for Joe to shake. "Maybe we can make up for it this summer and do a couple things together so we start out September on a new foot."
Jerry had been away four weeks during the summer and Joe had taken courses at the University, but they did go to dinner together a couple times before Jerry left, then played golf and had a couple more dinners before they started back to work in September. This year, Joe's fourth, had been his best. He and Jerry had remained friends and had dinner or went somewhere together every week or two. It was the first time Joe had ever had a good friend and he valued highly his time spent with Jerry.
He discovered Jerry was 31 years old. He was divorced and lived alone in a nice co-op housing unit several blocks from the school. He was a jock and participated in all types of athletic activities, playing on several different teams throughout each week, depending on the season. Jerry was about 6 feet tall with blond hair, blue eyes and a handsome face. He had thickly muscled arms and shoulders and his chest filled out his shirt fully. His narrow waist and hips were supported on solid legs which were covered by lots of thick blond hair. Joe had taken notice in the summer when Jerry wore shorts and thought how wonderful it would be if he had the will power to develop his body like Jerry's. Jerry did not seem to have many friends and he had given no indications to Joe of having any sex life, but then neither had Joe. Joe was very drawn to Jerry, but would never risk their friendship by suggesting anything sexual between them.
It was now February of Joe's fourth teaching year and for about three weeks there had been six inches of snow on the ground, being replenished daily by storms and blowing. It was one of these nights Joe notice the loaded pickup truck and the open door on apartment 5, when he arrived home that Friday evening.
"Well, I'm not going out to shovel the sidewalk with that truck sitting there." Joe thought as he opened his apartment door and turned on the lights. He had picked up a few groceries on his way from the bus stop and went into the kitchen area to set them on the counter. There was a knock on his door. Joe went over and opened it expecting one of his older neighbours had stopped by to make sure he knew about the new tenants.
"Gee, Mister," the young boy standing outside the door said, "you're really big. My Mom says my Dad was big like you."
"Is that right?" Joe replied. He figured the boy speaking was about 10 years old. Beside him was a smaller boy of about 5 or 6. "What can I do for you?"
"My name's Mickey." The eldest announced. "We are moving in next door."
"Well that's nice Mickey." Joe replied. "Who's your friend?"
"He's not my friend." Mickey assured Joe. "He's my little brother, Joey. He doesn't talk very much. My other brother, Johnny, is still over at our place."
"It's nice to meet both you and Joey, Mickey." Joe responded. "My name is Joe. What can I do for you this evening?"
"Mom wanted me to ask you where there is a grocery store near here that will take Social Service Vouchers." Mickey stated. "We need some milk and cereal for tomorrow morning and I don't know where to go to get it."
Joe gave the boy directions to a store not far away and was thanked for his help. Returning to the kitchen to finish putting items away and select what he was going to cook for his own supper, Joe found himself thinking about the two boys who had knocked. The first thing that struck you about them was the mass of bright red hair each of them carried on their heads. Definitely in need of cutting. Then of course there was the freckles. Lots and lots of freckles all over their faces. He wondered if the third brother had been cast from the same mold. Both boys had appeared to be thin. Too thin. It occurred to him they might not be getting enough to eat living on food vouchers. Their clothes were quite worn and not very clean, but then boys of that age range were seldom very clean.
Joe was busy thinking as he prepared his dinner. He had made a big pot of mildly spiced chili yesterday and had it handy in the fridge. He knew whatever was left past tonight would need to be frozen, because he doubted he would want to eat it more than two days in a row. He should have invited Jerry over to help eat it up, but this was Jerry's bowling night and then he would be going to the gym for his workout. Just as the pot was hot and he was ready to spoon out a bowl full, there was another knock on his door.
"Hi, Joe." Mickey said with a big smile. This time the middle sized boy was with him as well as Joey. "The grocery market wouldn't take the vouchers from me without an adult being present. Would you have a quart of milk and some cereal we could borrow for breakfast. We'll bring it back as soon as we go to the store tomorrow?"
"Why didn't your Mom go to the store with you, Mickey?" Joe asked.
"She's sick." he replied. "She went to bed with a headache. She thought we would be able to get the stuff ourselves." Something in the way Mickey said it, the tone of his voice, the spacing of his words, a little hesitation, made Joe's ears pick up. He looked into Mickey's eyes and the boy avoided his gaze.
"Come on." Joe said. "I think we better go check and make sure your Mom is okay."
"No, no, she's okay." the panic in the boy's voice was apparent. "You don't need to go over there. We'll be okay. Sorry we bothered you." The boy turned to leave, but Joe reached out and placed his hand firmly on Mickey's shoulder.
"Mickey, let's you and me make a deal, right from the start." Joe stated, turning the boy back to face him. "You don't ever lie to me and I won't ever lie to you. Can we agree on that?" Joe put his hand out to Mickey and after the boy had peered into Joe's eyes he took it and shook hands. "Good. Now tell me. What's happening?"
"Mom went out with her friend and left us with the vouchers." Mickey told him. "They won't let me use them at the store without an adult. There's no food and we haven't eaten since breakfast."
"Do you have any idea when Mom will return?" Joe asked. Mickey shook his head as he looked at the floor. "Come on, in you come." The boys slowly shuffled into the apartment and Joe closed the door. "You guys better like chili, `cause that's what's on the menu." There was a general nodding of heads and agreement chili would be a good meal. Joe sent them into the bathroom to wash their hands and faces. When they came back there was a place for each of them set at the table in the dining corner of the apartment.
The meal was not a social event. There was no time for discussion or pleasantries. Three hungry youngsters downed a couple bowls of chili each. Mickey had three. Joe supplemented it with bread and butter and each boy had at least two pieces. A glass of milk rounded out the meal and not a sign of any of it was left by the time they were done. The question of left over chili had been solved. The small apartment freezer produced a large tub of Neapolitan Ice Cream and each of the boys managed to put away two big scoops and several cookies as well.
"Thank you, Joe." Mickey said when they had finished eating. Johnny echoed the thanks and Joey sat and stared at Joe. He slid down off his chair and walking around the table to where Joe was sitting, stretched out his arms to be picked up. Joe picked the young lad up and sat him on his lap. Joey reached around and gave the big man a big hug. When he was done he brought his arms back around, but continued to sit on Joe's lap, quite comfortably, as if it was where he was meant to be.
"You all are very welcome." Joe told them. "Remember from now on, the truth gets you a lot farther with me than stories." The two older boys nodded. "How would you guys like to sit and watch TV with me for awhile?" The two older boys expressed their agreement and Joey slid down off Joe's lap and headed over to the couch.
"Shoes off." Joe said. "No shoes on the furniture or couch." The boys removed their shoes and put them over by the entry. Joe noted they were all pretty well worn. They all sat together and watched some shows that Joe thought were appropriate for the group. Very shortly after they sat down, Joey somehow ended up on Joe's lap again and stayed there the entire time they watched.
"Mickey, what's happening about bed times for you guys?" Joe asked as he noticed Joey starting to fall asleep leaning against his chest.
"We stay up as long as we want." Mickey told him. "We got a mattress in the bedroom we can sleep on."
"You have any clean clothes over there?" Joe wanted to know. Mickey hesitated then shook his head. Joe went to the table and wrote a note. He gave it to Mickey with instructions to leave it where his Mom could find it and to bring back any sleep wear they might have. Mickey told him they slept in their underwear.
"Okay, Joey. I know you're tired, but into the bathtub before you get to sleep." Joe said and led the smallest boy into the bathroom. He ran the tub and threw in some bubble maker while the youngster peeled off his clothing. After setting the boy in the bath, Joe went into his bedroom and took three, white tee shirts out of his dresser drawer. When he returned to the boy, he found his shampoo and gave his hair a good scrubbing. Next he took a wash cloth and soaped his back. An extra soaping of hands and feet, a washing of the face with the rag and Joey had turned from gray to pink. Lifting him out, Joe helped him dry off and put one of the tee shirts on him.
"Johnny, your next." he called out after changing the water in the tub and adding more bubbles. "I'll be back to wash your hair." he announced as he picked up Joey and took him into the spare bedroom. Joe tucked him into one of the twin beds and told him `good night'. Joey reached up and gave Joe a big hug around his neck.
"Let's get some washing done." he told Johnny when he returned to the bathroom. Johnny used the soap while Joe washed and rinsed his hair. Extra soap on the feet this time and a scrubbing of the face. As Johnny left the tub, Joe gave him a dry towel and a tee shirt to put on afterward. "Fifteen more minutes of TV and then to bed." Joe told him when he was all ready. Johnny acknowledged the instruction.
"Mickey, your turn." Joe called. The oldest boy appeared at the bathroom door. "Come on, give me your clothes. I'm going to throw them in the washer and dryer, so they will be ready for the three of you in the morning." Mickey started to slowly remove his socks and shirt. "I'm sorry, Mick. Would you sooner I waited outside while you get into the tub? I didn't mean to embarrass you." Joe got up from the side of the tub to leave.
"No, it's all right, Joe. I'm not embarrassed. Joe, you know I'm the oldest." Joe nodded his head. "And I sort of look after my brothers."
"I could see that all ready." Joe acknowledged.
"Well you've been really good to us." Mickey said. "And I need to know if you like little kids." he blurted out in a rush.
"Yeah, I like kids." Joe said. "I'm a Teacher. I have kids around all the time." There was a moment of awkward silence between them which Joe didn't understand until it occurred to him what Mickey was really asking. "No, Mickey. I misunderstood what you meant. I'm not into little kids, if that's what you mean. I just like kids as people." The boy looked very relieved.
"I had to ask, Joe." he muttered. "If you were I was going to ask you to take me rather than touch my brothers."
"You have nothing to worry about from me, Mickey." Joe assured him. "You are as safe here as you'll ever be anywhere." Joe thought for a minute. "Mickey, has anyone ever bothered you or your brothers that way." The panic in the boy's eyes was obvious.
"No. No, Joe." Mickey responded with a shaky voice.
"If it ever were to happen, Mick and you told me," Joe said, "I would make it stop. Remember, we tell each other the truth to make good things happen."
"I remember, Joe." Mickey replied. "I remember."