Lawn Boy by David Lee © 2017
This is a story primarily about two young men who have recently reached adulthood. They're still trying to find themselves, and they're lucky to have found each other to help guide them on the journey.
Chapter 1
Perrin Prichard had a sudden inspiration when he saw a teenager, probably close to his own age, stapling a large handbill on a utility pole. The sign read, "Mowing and trimming at reasonable rates. Call `Lawn Boy' Liam." In smaller print below, it gave a phone number and other details. Hmm, perhaps he could hire the kid to do some of the yard work, so he'd have more time to devote to his summer-school classes.
He'd opted to stay home instead of going on the mission trip to Europe with his parents and sibling. After basically being his own boss while living in the dorm for the past nine months, he had little tolerance for his father's constant meddling in his life. The Reverend Peter Maxwell Prichard, Sr. had a kind of blueprint in his mind for his elder son. Perrin should pursue a particular major and career, marry at a certain age, and produce an heir by the time he was 26. None of these directives appealed to the young man, especially when being imposed upon him by his sire.
Another major reason for not going with them was that he questioned the validity of what they were doing. He didn't think that trying to convert Muslim immigrants in Europe was the way to save Western civilization.
The excuse he gave his family was that he needed to get ahead in his college credits so he could graduate in three and a half years instead of the usual four. That would give him a head start on his career because he would finish his senior year five months ahead of his peers.
He pulled his convertible to a stop near the teen.
"You know that's illegal, don't you?"
"What, trying to make a little money?"
"Nope, posting on a city utility pole. Do you see any other signs?"
"Yeah, there was one down the block about a lost cat."
"Well, sometimes the city overlooks those, but that person could be fined, and so could you. After all, it's not hard to track someone down when their contact info's printed on the flyer."
"Shoot! How can I get the word out without spending a lot on advertising?"
"I might be able to help. If you pass muster doing my lawn, I could recommend you to my neighbors. Many of them do their own mowing, but several could use your services when they go on vacation or get too busy. You could come over to my house and I can tell you what I'll pay for that size of lawn, and you can show me how good you are."
"So, do you own a house with a big yard?" the teen asked in a tone that was on the snarky side, knowing that Perrin couldn't be much older than he, and wouldn't likely be a homeowner despite the pricey car he was driving.
"My parents do, and I'm supposed to keep it neat all summer." Perrin answered, ignoring the boy's rudeness. "Trouble is, I'm taking a heavy load of courses at KCC that count toward my degree at the university, and I don't have time. I'm getting paid for it, and I'll give you what I'm making if you'll do it."
"Hmm, I'm also taking classes there to get a jump-start on the university in the fall, and I'm trying to make money to buy a car on top of that," Liam said, warming to the subject.
Perrin grinned at the trim blond who had evidently just graduated from high school. He seemed like an okay kid in every sense of the word. He was not only industrious, but eager to further his education.
His body suggested that he was physically active, perhaps a runner or swimmer. The tank-top he wore showed off pert pecs, and no bulge above the waist. There was, however a pleasant protrusion in his shorts.
Perrin figured the guy was assessing him as well. He sat a little taller and sucked in his gut. He hadn't put on the "freshman 15," but he wasn't as fit as he'd been a year ago.
"My name's Perrin Prichard. Here's my driver's license so you know I'm for real, and not some pervert who's gonna lure you off and do you harm."
"Thanks, I think. You don't seem like an evil person, but I guess some serial killers look like boy-next-door types. I'm Liam Neuhaus. You can see my license too. You never know; I might be a criminal."
"Nah, you look as innocent as I do. If you live nearby, we could park your bike and I could drive us to my house. You can use our equipment, so you don't have to haul yours, and I could do the hand-mowing around the places where the riding mower doesn't fit well."
"Great! I live only two blocks away. It's 3415 Parkview Drive, if you don't want to wait on me. I have a few signs to remove on the way."
When Liam arrived at his home, he saw Perrin standing near the garage visiting with his mother. That was a good move on the guy's part. Mom was always wary of whom he might be hanging with. She hesitated to cut the apron strings, but it wasn't all that annoying. At least she really cared about him, unlike the mothers of some of his schoolmates.
Perrin had given Cindy Neuhaus his cell number, and told her the job would take several hours, so she shouldn't worry about how long Liam was gone. He would make sure he stayed hydrated, and would feed him lunch.
"You weren't kidding about the size of this place! What does your father do, rob banks?"
"Worse, he takes people's money in the name of Jesus."
"Um, how does he do that?"
Haven't you heard of the Gospel Tabernacle Hour?"
"Oh, that anti-immigrant, homophobic televangelist show that actually lasts only a half-hour?"
"That's the one. The Reverend Peter Maxwell Prichard, the main preacher, is my father. Look, I'm not proud of what he does, but it paid for my Audi. Once I'm out of college, I'll move on, and let the chips fall where they may. I might end up poorer, but I'll be my own person and feel more honest."
"You don't buy into religion?"
"I'm okay with God, but the hypocrisy that goes along with some forms of organized religion makes me want to puke! I used to believe everything my church told me, but college has made me learn to think for myself."
In the interest of getting the job done before noon, the two young men moved on to the utility shed and gassed up the mowers. Liam had an industrial-type headphone radio that cut out a lot of the motor noise, while Perrin used his wireless headphones that worked with his iPhone. Once those were in place, it was basically all work and no talk.
The job took less time than they'd anticipated even though they had taken a couple water-breaks. Both of them were drenched in sweat by their first break, and continued to perspire profusely throughout the operation even after they'd removed their shirts. They were hot and tired, but pleased with how quickly they'd accomplished their task.
"It really helps that you did all that trimming," Liam grinned. "I'll have to split my fee half and half."
"Nope, I want you to have all of it. After being alone a couple of weeks, it's worth the price to have another guy around. I chose to stay by myself this summer, but it does get a bit lonely. I'm gonna keep you for a while longer too, because we need to eat."
After washing their hands, Perrin and Liam made sandwiches and put them, along with potato chips, the remnants of a deli-made macaroni salad, a couple of apples, and ice water, on a tray to carry them to the patio by the pool.
As they sat in the shade, they began to revive quickly. The food and cold water helped restore their energy.
"Do you have a lot to do when you get home?" Perrin asked.
"Nope. My mowing is caught up. After I put my signs up, I was expecting to loaf today until you put me to work."
"Sorry about that."
"Don't be. I love the extra money, and my classwork for Monday is finished already, so I'm a free man."
"My homework's done too. Since there's nothing left from lunch that needs to be refrigerated, let's leave the scraps and jump in the pool."
"We're pretty sweaty and I don't have a suit," Liam lamented.
"There's a shower in the pool house, and we don't need more than our birthday suits. Haven't you noticed how well screened the back yard is? I go skinny-dipping when the family's gone, and they'll be away most of the summer! No one will be the wiser because I've turned off the security camera."
Having said that, Perrin nonchalantly took off his shorts and underwear and laid them on his chair before turning toward the shower house. Liam was surprised, but not offended, at his lack of modesty. It gave him the opportunity to see exactly what his new acquaintance looked like.
The guy was about his size, and had hair that was a little darker at the roots, but had bleached out toward the ends. It was obvious that he spent time in the sun. His eyes were blue, while Liam's were hazel, tending to go toward olive green when he wore that color.
From what he'd seen of Perrin's junk, they were pretty close to twins in that department. All in all, the sight of him completely naked was a pleasant one. Liam hoped his dick wouldn't betray just how much he enjoyed the view.
They played around like a couple of little kids, cannonballing into the water trying to show off. Eventually, they got out and lay on a couple of loungers to dry in the sun.
"You must have run track or been a swimmer," Perrin commented. "You have a good, lean bod."
"Thanks. I did both. You must have too."
"I did in high school, but haven't this past year. I've gone a little soft and put on a few pounds eating cafeteria food. There's a lot of starch in it to fill us up on the cheap."
"You could fix that in a week or two of running or biking."
"I guess, but I hate to go on the trail alone; I spend enough time by myself."
"We could go together," Liam suggested. "I've been running in Ellis Park, or on the trail, Sunday afternoons. Would that work for you?"
"Yup. I can swing by and pick you up. No sense in your having to bike there to get exercise," he grinned mischievously.
"Right! I always take the parking place closest to the door when I go to the gym," Liam joked.
On the way to Liam's house, they set a time to meet the next day. Then Perrin opened his billfold and counted out four crisp 20-dollar bills plus a 10. Over Liam's protest that it was too much, Perrin put them in his hand and closed his fingers over them. Liam tried not to betray the sensations he was feeling. Their contact was very much like holding hands, and it sent an electric charge through his body.
"Hi Mom, I'm home," Liam called as he entered the kitchen.
"Was it a good morning?"
"It was great, and I'm $90 richer."
"Isn't that quite a bit for a mowing job? We paid only $60 to get ours done last year when we all went on vacation."
"You were robbed! Their lawn is twice as big.
"The going rate a commercial service charges for a yard that size is $100, but they bring their own equipment and gas. Ninety is still too much to pay me because he did the cutting in. I offered to share, but he wouldn't let me."
"And he fed you lunch too?"
"Yeah, it was like a picnic. We ate by the pool and took a dip after. His family's in Europe, and he said he enjoyed having someone around."
"He impressed me well when we talked while he was waiting for you to return on your bike. Is he boyfriend material?"
"M-o-m! We didn't discuss anything like that! We've only just met, and I don't even know if he's gay."
"My sixth sense tells me he is, but that he's deep in the closet. He's certainly cute enough."
"He's kinda lonely. Could we invite him for supper tomorrow night after he and I go for a run in the park?"
"Ah, another date so soon?"
"Mom, your teasing isn't helping here."
"I thought you wanted me to help by having him for dinner, and I figured the teasing was my reward."
"I'd like to have him here, but if you're gonna play matchmaker, I'll use part of my earnings to take him out somewhere!"
"Okay, okay, I promise to be on my best behavior."
Liam rolled his eyes, but grinned at the same time. His mother was a good person, and always had his best interest at heart. He gave her a hug.
Perrin and Liam went running on Sunday afternoon, but ultimately chose the trail over the park. It had a consistently smooth asphalt surface that was less likely to cause of a turned ankle or tripping injury than some areas of the park, and there was no motorized traffic to worry about. There was, however, less shade. Fortunately, there were a couple of water fountains along their route to help keep them from dehydrating.
They loped along at a moderate pace. Liam would have gone at a faster clip had he been alone, but he didn't want to stress out his companion who was a bit rusty. After thirty minutes, they turned around to retrace their steps.
Throughout their run, they had enough reserve wind to carry on a prolonged conversation. Through it, they discovered numerous things they had in common. It gave Liam hope that their budding friendship might continue.
At the end, Perrin drove them to his house to shower and play in the pool before going to Liam's place to eat.
Again, they spent a leisurely time in the water and on the patio, completely free of clothing. Liam treasured these moments, despite having to occasionally distract his mind in order not to get a full-fledged erection. Perrin's body was beautiful, and his all-over golden tan was a bonus.
Around 4:30, Perrin took a few minutes to read and respond to emails from his family. The one from his father was a lengthy discourse on how secularized European society had become, and how tolerant they were of fags. Perrin found himself scanning the familiar rant without reading every word. Then he dutifully replied in the accepted jargon of his church, using clichés and not saying much of anything in the process. It was easier than pointing out the flaws and inconsistencies of his father's arguments. Sometimes Perrin felt like a coward, but he knew he could never have a serious, civil dialogue with his father. They were too far apart on too many issues.
The note from his mother contained several admonitions, as usual, about not sleeping in on Sunday morning and missing church, or getting involved in anything that would reflect poorly on his family. She was quite aware that they lived in a glass house. People would judge her husband and her on how their children behaved. A good reputation was worth its weight in gold.
His sister, Pennie, in her email, babbled on a bit about the sights and tastes of Paris, including a description of a cute skateboarder. She was quite taken with the culture of Europe in general and the boys in particular.
The message that contained the most honest feelings was from his brother. Max (Peter, Jr.) was most unhappy, and wished he could have stayed in the States with Perrin. Of the three siblings, Max had always been the rebellious one. His willfulness had led him into more than one dispute with their father, and had occasionally left him with bruises.
A teacher at school had reported one instance to child welfare, and Peter, had received a strong warning. It was then, that he pulled his children out of public school and sent them to The Academy of Christ.
When he physically punished Max a year later, Perrin secretly turned him in. Peter never did find out who ratted on him. He knew that Max hadn't had access to a phone, and that his wife feared him too much to do it. Pennie was too young to figure it out, and Perrin was never suspected because he was the perfectly obedient son.
As a result of the intervention of child services, Peter was forced to find other means of disciplining his namesake.
While Perrin felt for his 15-year-old brother, he shuddered to think of how it would have been trying to ride herd on the boy for three months in his parents' absence.
"We should probably get dressed and head for my house. I'm sure Mom will want to visit with you before we eat."
"Oh, sorry. I got lost in thought as I was responding to the family's messages."
"No problem. I'd just as soon lie around here bare-ass, but you know parents."
"Yeah, do I ever!"
The guys arrived about a half hour before it was time to eat. Liam introduced Perrin to his brother, Kellan who was about the same age as Perrin's younger brother. Perrin dapped fists with him, doing the kind of greeting his friends did. Kellan appreciated being treated that way by his brother's new buddy. Perrin seemed to have excellent people skills.
Then they went to greet Liam's father.
Loren Neuhaus had been famous in his family for his grilling skills since the age of 16. It had happened quite by accident when his father, who did the outdoor kind of cooking, was delayed at work and someone else had to prepare the meat for dinner. Loren's mother was deathly afraid of the gas grill, and set her son to operating it because he wasn't afraid of anything.
Now in his forty's, his repertoire was extensive, and his barbecued ribs were to die for. Along with his wife's famous potato salad, a chilled, ripe watermelon, and a homemade three-bean salad, supper was a summer feast.
Cindy kept urging Perrin not to hold back, while Liam and Kellan rolled their eyes. They appreciated their mother, but were sometimes embarrassed by what they considered "fawning" over their guests.
Perrin enjoyed her attention, and so he ate more than he'd intended to and stayed longer than he'd planned. The love he felt in this family was palpable. He found himself wishing that his folks could be like these people. After his fun-filled day, he dreaded going home by himself.
When Perrin returned to the empty house, he stripped and got into the pool again. Lying on an inflatable raft, he relaxed and contemplated the joy he'd experienced the past couple of days. Being with Liam had been great! He'd never had a close buddy in school, and suddenly this new acquaintance felt like one. The guy was friendly, clean-cut, and good-looking. He was just the kind of person Perrin could see spending the rest of his life with.
Oops, his mind was straying into forbidden territory. He would have to be careful not to screw up this friendship, and he dared not let his family suspect his secret.
Closing his eyes, he couldn't prevent the image of Liam popping up in his head. The remembrance of Liam lying on a lounger completely naked, and with a light sheen of perspiration making his fit body glow in the afternoon sun, made his dick snap to attention.
The compulsion was too strong to counter. His right hand reached to caress his swelling member. It was too late to resist. In a very few minutes, his abs were covered with the fruit of his loins.
The prayer, he sent up in his mind as a result, wasn't one of begging forgiveness for doing a forbidden act, like it would have been when he was a young teen. Now, it was in the form of a petition. "Dear God, if it's possible, please let this happen!"
Author's notes: This is the first chapter in a new series. I hope you will enjoy it. If you do, please contact me to let me know at dlee169@hotmail.commailto:dlee169@hotmail.com .
Thanks to David and Tom for editing. Thanks to Nifty for providing this free format.
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Love and peace,
David