This story contains explicit sexual activity between men. Please read no further if you are offended by such or if you are a minor. Any resemblance to actual persons or activities depicted is purely coincidental, but actual places and events are mentioned to add a sense of reality to the story.
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SAM CALDWELL'S FURTHER ADVENTURES
by Macout Mann
Chapter 12
Thanksgiving
Throughout the Fall Sam had received weekly reports from both his mother and David. David's work continued to be exemplary. From what David said, Sam thought his mother was probably dealing with her grief and loneliness well.
He decides to spend Thanksgiving weekend in Columbus. Tells his mom he is going to invite David and his family for Thanksgiving dinner, and orders Turkey and all the fixings from what he's told is the best caterer in town, 12th Street Catering and Deli. David's mom has gratefully accepted Sam's invitation.
Meanwhile, Win invites his best friend, Mason Jackson, to spend Thanksgiving in Sparta; but Mason has already made arrangements to fly to Minnesota for the holiday. The relationship between Win and Ron Masterson has continued to improve, so he decides to invite his roommate to come. He accepts, but with second thoughts.
Sam arrives in Columbus shortly after noon on Wednesday. He has a long talk with his mother, who assures him that she doesn't really need the services of David, although she indicates at the same time that she really appreciates everything that he is doing for her. Sam says that he hired David for six months, so "we will see what the situation is come March." He does feel that his mother is doing well, and she reinforces his feeling. She happily describes how she is relating to her old friends now that his father is gone.
David shows up around four and seems surprised that Sam is already there. He quickly tends to his duties, and Sam arranges to pick him up after dinner at his house. "There are some things we need to talk about," he says.
After David leaves, Mrs. Caldwell affirms that the way he performed, when Sam was there, was no different from his normal behavior. Sam is very pleased.
He stops at the Williams' long enough to greet David's mother and sister before he and David drive off. He has bought a six-pack and gives David the choice of getting something at the mall's food court or parking someplace and drinking the beer. Not hard to divine what David wants to do. The park on the edge of a Walmart parking lot.
"My mom is very impressed with you," Sam begins. "She was scared shitless you were going to steal her blind at the beginning."
"She's a super-nice lady," David responds.
When Sam doesn't respond, David continues. "It sounds retarded to say so, but--you kno--—helping Ms. Caldwell's made me feel like I'm doin' something worth doing. I dunno. Shit, man! You don't know what you did for me."
Sam then says, "Well, you must think your mom's a super-nice lady, too. You could've just walked off. There's lotsa places you could make a lot more money hustling than here."
"But Mom and Sis need me!"
"And because you feel that way, that's exactly why I hired you.
"You still doing all right hustling?"
"Oh yeah. But it used to be all I thought about. Not anymore."
Sam puts his arm around the eighteen-year-old. Pulls him close. "Dave, you're my kind of man," he says.
"No body's ever called me that. I sorta like it."
"I was always `Sammy' until I was older than you," Sam grins.
"You're gay, aintcha?" David asks.
"Yeah, I am. Nothing wrong with that."
"A lot of guys I get with say they're not. I dunno whether I am or not. I never have fucked with a gal, but it's not like I don't like `em.
"I don't know whether I'm gay or not."
"Well," Sam snickers, "some guys just say that, because they don't want people to think they're queer. I `spect some of the soldiers you've been with are straight but horny enough to want a mouth instead of a fist. A lot of men are bi. They like to go both ways. You may be one of them. Just hang loose. You'll find out soon enough."
David's hand finds its way to Sam's crotch. "I do get off sucking you," he says.
In the November darkness, none of the Walmart shoppers are aware of what's going on in Sam's car.
The high schools have a full week break for Thanksgiving, so Chuck and Bryan are allowed to drive to Atlanta to get Win and Ron. They arrive back in Sparta just in time for dinner. Then the Hart family joins Christian and Vernon for the annual Thanksgiving concert at the University. To go to the concert had become a tradition for all of them.
This year the highlight is "A Lincoln Portrait," with Morgan Freeman as the narrator. There is also a choral work composed by the conductor of the University Symphony and based on a group of Thanksgiving hymns, including "We Gather Together to Ask the Lord's Blessing" and ending with "Now Thank We All Our God."
Ron has to admit that the concert is spectacular and Founders' Auditorium is a remarkable theater. He also meets Professors Ballard and Ramsey for the first time and is told that they will be joining them for Thanksgiving dinner the next afternoon.
"Bachelor professors?" Ron thinks. "They gotta be queer." If he only knew.
Once back at the Hart house, Win says, "Ron, I didn't tell you before. We only have three bedrooms. So I hope you don't mind sharing a bed with me. If that makes you uncomfortable, I'll sleep on the couch in the living room.
"We've lived here ever since I was a baby and Dad was just a construction worker. He's never seen the need for a bigger house. Chuck and Bryan slept together until I went off to school, then Chuck got my room. Now they're back together, while we're here."
On the face of it, the idea of sleeping with Win doesn't appeal to Ron, but he isn't going to force his host onto a couch either. "No problem sharing," he gulps, "just so long as we don't do it back at the dorm." Secretly, he is intrigued.
Thanksgiving morning Sam drives to the deli to pick up the food. 12th Street will deliver, but they require a minimum order of ten to do that. Sam has ordered more than enough, but he thinks twice as much is too much. He has Shrimp Cocktail, House Salad, Turkey with Cornbread Dressing, Cranberry Relish, Sweet Potato Casserole, and Blueberry Cobbler.
The Williams arrive promptly at noon. David's sister is a plain, uncomfortable, thirteen-year-old, who has practically nothing to say. His mother is also uncomfortable and seems overwhelmed by the opulence of the spread. But Sam and his mom do their best to make her feel at home. And soon she and Mrs. Caldwell are chatting like old friends.
As they are eating the cobbler, Mrs. Williams finally gets the confidence to talk to Sam about what has been on her mind from the beginning.
"Mr. Caldwell," she begins....
"Please call me `Sam,'" he interrupts.
"Sam, what you have done for David has made such a difference in him. I can't begin to thank you. But I can't figure out why you've taken such an interest in him. How do you even know him?"
Sam had known this query would come sooner or later. He is prepared.
"Some things just happen," Sam replies. "You know that I was here for my father's funeral. He and I had not been close, but I was deeply affected by his death. I had gone for a walk. Deep in my thoughts I bumped... literally bumped into Dave, who was coming the other way.
"I apologized, and we got to talking. He told me he was making a few bucks here and there doing odd jobs, but that he wished he could get regular work. That he was trying to help support you and his sister.
"Frankly, Ms. Williams, I saw in Dave myself, when I was his age. I was very fortunate to have some older men take an interest in me. If they hadn't, I couldn't possibly be who I am now. I thought if I could do something for Dave, it would be a more fitting memorial to my dad than anything else I could do."
His answer seems to satisfy her, but she does add, "But we don't even know what you do for a living?"
Sam grins. "I draw pictures," he says.
"Then how can you afford to pay David?" Her concern reasserts itself.
"Oh I get a lot of work."
"He's paid real well," his mother interjects. He painted our picture, the one hanging over there. He said it was worth $750."
"Well, if you decide to sell it, be sure to get it appraised first," Sam laughs. "You don't want to be disappointed." In today's market it should bring multiple thousands.
David helps Sam clear the table. In the kitchen he mumbles, "Fuck, you lie good."
"I didn't say anything that isn't true," Sam grins. "I just didn't say what didn't need to be said."
The next day he drove back to Atlanta, confident that he had made the right decisions.
Ron wakes up Thanksgiving morning still a virgin. In every sense of the term. He had gone through high school prepared to put down any "fucking fairy" that might touch him. But he never had much interest in the opposite sex either. His only experience had been with "Ma Thumb and her four daughters" and not as often as most guys even then.
He was aware of course that Win slept naked. That had always bothered him. But now he awakes to find Win's body nowhere near his. All the way on the other side of the double bed. Isn't so bad after all.
The Hart's house, like many others built right after World War II, has the master bedroom on the first floor, the other two upstairs. So Ron and the three Hart boys find themselves in a battle to see who gets to the upstairs bathroom first. Bryan wins. The other three boys form a line outside the door and entreat Bryan to hurry. Ron is in the boxer shorts he slept in. All the Harts are naked.
Ron takes some good natured ribbing from Chuck. "You afraid your dick's goanna freeze if it aint covered up, Ron? We do have central heating you know."
"Aw, lay off," Win joins in. "Texans are just modest."
"I just don't want some faggot to get any ideas," Ron says only half in jest.
"Now he's saying we're gay," Win grins.
"Not me," Chuck giggles.
After breakfast, Win borrows his dad's pickup and takes Ron on a tour of Sparta. He drives through Cranston Park and tells Ron that some of his earliest memories are of his father bringing him and his brothers to the park to play. He also mentions that he first met Sam Caldwell there. He also gives Ron a fuller exploration of the university campus.
Back home they relax, until they are joined by Christian and Vernon. Win explains that his mother does Thanksgiving dinner one year, Christian the next. Vernon's no cook, he says, so he brings the booze every year.
The two professors arrive within ten minutes of each other, Vernon first. Ron sort of expected them to be together. "So I guess they don't live with each other...." He muses.
Vernon brings wine for dinner, and Martini makings plus beer, Scotch and Bourbon for cocktails. "I didn't know what Ron likes," he says, "but I figured he would drink Scotch, Bourbon, Gin or beer."
"Gosh, I'm surprised that a professor would bring anything for us students to drink," Ron responds.
"Oh, we don't encourage our own students to misbehave," Christian laughs, "but those that go to other schools are a different matter."
"Sure enough," Winn interjects.
Myra Hart's dinner is certainly the equal of the catered meal that had been served in Columbus, and after dinner the men and boys work off calories with rolicking games of catch and touch football. There is spirited give and take. Vernon shows off his superior athletic ability, and Jim demonstrates his superior strength. However, not even Bryan is out of his league.
The sun is setting when Christian and Vernon take their leave. They chat for a few minutes by their cars, and then say "goodbye," fondly embracing.
Inside, watching from a window, Ron is shocked. Are his suspicions confirmed?
"I can't believe what I just saw!" he tells Win. "Christian and Vernon hugged each other. Might have even kissed!"
"Not surprising," Win smiles. He quickly decides to take the plunge. "They are gay, you know."
"Does your father know?"
"Of course. They don't advertise it, but they don't hide it from their friends."
"And Chuck and Bryan?"
"Look, Ron," Win begins, "I've always been confused by your attitude toward gays. From some things you've said, I guess your whole family's got some sort of hang-up about them. But they're just like everybody else, except they like sex with guys instead of gals.
"Take Vernon. He's the most masculine guy you'll ever see. A better athlete than most of the men on Sparta's varsity teams. Christian's never been into working out or shit like that, but you saw how well he played this afternoon. And they're both at the top of their fields.
"But how can the university let queers be on the faculty. They could...."
"My god!" Win interrupts. "You think Tech doesn't have gays on the faculty. Fucking engineers can be gay too!
"Besides, did either of our friends make a pass at you?" He thinks about adding, "Have I ever made a pass at you?" but thinks better of it.
"Well...no," Ron admits.
Win is really pissed.
Come bedtime, Ron is more skittish about sleeping with Win, given his attitude, but goes ahead and bites the bullet. Given the horseplay about nudity earlier, Win had planned to see if he could get Ron to shed his boxers. But he thinks better of that too.
Next morning Ron wakes to find himself pressed against Win's backside, one of his arms flopped across Win's waist. He is panicked. But he also is oddly thrilled by the feeling of Win's skin against his bare chest. Nonetheless, he rolls as far away from his companion as he can get.
Win, who had waked up moments before Ron did, could hardly keep from laughing out loud.
Friday night they have Burgers and Fries. Afterward Win makes sure Ron has a beer or two more than he does. Win is going to test his roommate's resolve.
The previous two nights, respecting Ron, Win has gone to bed as close to the edge of the mattress as he could without falling off. Tonight he stretches out as near the middle as he can. Ron climbs in and because of the beer is soon "deep in the arms of Morpheus."
Win scoots over and plants his dick against Ron's boxer-covered crack and plants his palm on Ron's right tit and waits. He wiggles just enough to make sure Ron wakes. He can sense when it happens.
Ron groans. He scrunches closer to Win. When they wake up the next morning, their position hasn't changed.
Again, Ron is panicked. But since Win is basically where Ron was yesterday morning, Ron decides this is just what happens when two guys share a bed.
Win rolls over, pretending to still be asleep. His hand manages to sweep over Ron's dick. It responds to Win's "inadvertent" touch.
To avoid being teased Ron does remove his boxers before heading to the bathroom. And Win is intrigued. He expected an entirely different reaction when Ron discovered that his dick was pressed against Ron's ass.
Ron on the other hand is reliving the buzz he got when Win's skin was pressed against his skin. And now he's remembering what it's like to feel somebody else's dick touching your body. He finds himself almost against his will checking Win out. Yet he can't keep his eyes off of his roommate's crotch....or the crotches of Win's two brothers.
The plan of the day is to watch football. Thanksgiving weekend is the time when traditional rivals meet. Alabama vs. Auburn. In the old days Texas vs. Arkansas. Since Arkansas joined the SEC, it's Arkansas vs. LSU.
Georgia Tech is having a disastrous season. Its game against Georgia is being televised, but the outcome is not going to be in doubt. Sparta's game at North Carolina is radio only. Chuck and Bryan are both hot to watch Alabama play Auburn. Chuck's for Alabama, Bryan for Auburn. Jim reminds everyone that back in the 20s a riot had occurred that resulted in the death of an Auburn student, so for many years Alabama and Auburn were forbidden to play each other by state law. After World War II the law was changed, but the game always had to be on neutral territory, at Birmingham's Legion Field. It also had the advantage of being one of the largest stadiums in the Southeast.
As the conversation progresses, Ron becomes more and more agitated. Finally he tells Win, "I need to talk to you about something."
They excuse themselves and head up to Win's room.
"I hope you won't think I'm weird or something--I don't think you will--but....well for the last two nights I've waked up, and we've been...I think it's called 'spooning.' You know, laying right up against each other."
By the hardest Win manages to keep a straight face.
"So?" Win says. "It happens when more than one person is in a bed. Nothing weird about it."
"But....but I got a real kick out of feeling your body against mine. And I even liked it when your dick was rubbing up against me, and--I know you didn't mean to--but your hand touched my dick this morning one time when you rolled over, and that felt good too. I even got a hard-on."
It was all Win could do not to take Ron in his arms and comfort him. But he knew that probably would frighten the poor boy to death.
"Your dad....nobody ever talked to you about sex, did they?" Win asked.
"No. O yeah, I had to go to the sex ed classes, but I didn't pay a whole lot of attention. I've heard all the locker room talk about guys making out and getting pussy--I was on the football team, after all--but I always thought it was bullshit. Dad's just always been down on queers. Never had `the talk' with me. I've dated gals, but never tried anything with them....never wanted to.
"And now, I think....Oh shit, I don't know what I think."
"You're afraid you might be gay?"
Ron is almost in tears. He doesn't answer the question.
"Ron," Win says, "You just need to calm down and enjoy the rest of the weekend. And don't worry if our bodies get tangled up tonight. It don't mean a fucking thing.
"You know our friend, Sam Caldwell. When we get back to Atlanta, I'd like you to talk to him. He is one of the most knowledgeable and understanding guys I know. And you'll find it's better to talk to somebody not as close to you as I am."
They continue to talk until Chuck yells up the stairs, demanding to know what they are doing up there. Win has calmed Ron down and Ron has agreed to meet with Sam.
Win is also very proud that Ron has had the courage to address his feelings.
At Legion Field Alabama beats Auburn 17-0.
The next day Jim drives Win and Ron back to Atlanta.