Sam
When I opened my eyes the next morning I had no idea what I was supposed to do next. I picked up my alarm clock and it read 7:09.
"Fuck," I mumbled as I moved my feet to sit up on the edge of my bed.
I put my hands on my knees and looked down at the floor. It started to hit me: I really didn't think this all the way through. I walked out of my bedroom and turned right into the kitchen. The house was pretty small. The kitchen was in the shape of an upside-down and backwards L with the refrigerator on one side and a makeshift pantry in a closet on the other along with the stove making up the short part and the sink and counter making up the long part. There was also a bar with a space for stools in the kitchen as well as a table with two chairs.
Where the kitchen ended was a small space designed for an office with a fan overhead. It led into the living room which was big and expansive and had a very high ceiling. Jared and Matt had bought two recliners that faced the TV on the far side of the living room and had a couch along the kitchen bar wall. Behind the recliners was a dining table and chairs and right next to it was the entrance to the kitchen with the refrigerator on the left.
I grabbed a mug from the cupboard and poured myself a cup before I went and sat down on Matt's recliner. I looked at my toes as I dug them into the carpet and then took the first sip. I was really worried about overstaying my welcome and finding a job.
I was the youngest and the most eccentric of the three sons. My parents thought I was the one who'd be gay, not Jared. They turned out to be right. My brothers had a pretty normal childhood but I didn't. Mine was traumatic.
Matt didn't start his job for another three weeks so he and I planned a surprise for him. He had always liked The Price Is Right so we were going to plan a road trip down to Hollywood to take him to see the show live. He got six full days off that month and we took the opportunity. We sent in for the tickets a few weeks earlier and when they arrived I put them in an envelope and left them on the dining room table for him to find when he got home from his trip.
Jared was usually exhausted when he would get home from a trip. He was based out of Minneapolis so he had to take another 3 hour flight home after he was off-duty. Matt and I were both at home when he arrived around noon. When he dropped his keys on the table on his way to the fridge he noticed the envelope with his name on it. He tore it open and looked confused as he pulled out the tickets.
They were small white pieces of cardboard with the CBS logo in the top left corner of it. THE PRICE IS RIGHT STARRING BOB BARKER was written in big bold letters in the middle and then YOU MAY BE SELECTED AS A CONTESTANT. I saw Jared's eyes getting wider and wider as he realized what this was.
"We're driving down there tomorrow and the next day we're going to that taping," I explained.
"No shit?" Jared asked.
"Yeah we are," Matt said with that smile Jared talks so much about.
"Damn," he said as his face lit up.
The next day we left the house at noon and began the 376-mile journey down I-5. The three of us took turns driving and we arrived at our hotel around dinner time. We went to bed early because we were going to have to be there early.
The tickets came with a separate card with instructions. We got to Television City at 6:00 AM because they started numbering tickets at 8:00. We sat on benches with all the other audience members waiting to get into the studio. They gave us our nametags and after a couple hours the producer came by interviewing everyone in the line. Finally he got to me.
"Hi Sam, where are you from?"
"I just moved to Sacramento from Illinois. I planned this trip as a surprise for my brother here because he's been hooked on The Price Is Right since he was little," I fired at him. He smiled and took a quick note on his notepad and moved on.
Finally after hours of waiting we were all led into the studio. Matt, Jared, and I were sitting on the left side of the studio looking from the stage. Rod Roddy, the announcer did the audience warm up, having everyone recite the "contestant's oath," solemnly swearing not to chew gum on national television. Once that was done the big moment had arrived.
This one camera panned the audience as the music went up and that unmistakable voice rattled off the intro.
"Here it comes! From the Bob Barker studio at CBS in Hollywood! Television's most exciting hour of fantastic prizes! The fabulous 60-minute Price Is Right! Erica Starkin, come on down! Stanley Thomas, come on down! Paul Luzow, come on down!" That's when everything changed.
"And Sam Ryan, come on down!"
I literally gasped as Jared tried to help push me to my feet as I worked my way by the other people in our row and ran down the aisle. As I got there and realized how fucking surreal this was the next part of this experience began to unfold.
"You are the first four contestants on The Price Is Right! And now here is the star of The Price Is Right: Bob Barker!" as that familiar gray-haired wrinkly old man came through the doors. I turned around to look at Jared and Matt as Bob took his bow and looked into the camera and said "Welcome to The Price Is Right."
"Right over here is the first item up for bids today," he said before the doors on the right side of the stage opened.
"It's a delightful gazebo!" said Rod Roddy as the audience applauded. "With a diamond gazebo from Gazebo Enterprise, you can relax in your garden or at your poolside. This eight foot gazebo will enhance your home!"
"And that prize will go to the one of you who bids closest to the actual retail price without going over, Erika what do you bid?" asked Bob as the audience started screaming prices.
"Um, nineteen hundred, Bob!"
"Nineteen hundred it is and I want to hear from Stanley."
"Sixteen fifty," Stanley replied confidently.
"His bid is sixteen hundred fifty dollars, now you Paul."
"One thousand and one."
"One thousand one. Sam gets the last bid."
I had been dreading my turn because my mind had gone to Jello just like Rod said it would in his warmup speech. I turned and looked back at Jared but I couldn't figure out where he was again right away so I leaned over my microphone and gave it my best guess.
"Twelve hundred dollars," I replied.
"Twelve hundred dollars," said Bob. That's when the perfect bid bell went off and I wondered if I got it.
"That beautiful sound to start our show today, one of you has bid exactly right and will receive a $500 bonus!" explained Bob. "And that bonus goes to the contestant who bid $1900, Erika you win!"
Erika jumped up and down and twirled in a circle in the process before she went up onstage and played for a new car. Unfortunately she didn't win it but she did win a new mixer playing Switcheroo.
After the commercial break they called another contestant down and we bid on a new bicycle and the winner would receive a supply of toothache relief medicine. As I sat through the commercial I remembered that I had the advantage by bidding last. Since the newest arrival in contestant's row bid first, I realized that I had the ability to be the highest bidder and I should probably take that opportunity this time.
"May I have your bid Trina?"
"Five ninety-five!"
"Five hundred ninety-five dollars, Stanley is next."
"Seven ninety-five."
"His bid is seven ninety-five, Paul what do you say?"
"Nine hundred."
"Nine hundred dollars. All right Sam."
"Nine oh one!"
"Nine oh one. And the actual retail price is $800, Stanley is the winner!"
I sat down with my fellow losing contestants and watched as Stanley played Danger Price for a wine refrigerator, a new cradle, some patio furniture, and a new telescope. He didn't win either.
For the third round of bidding the models brought two camcorders down into contestants' row.
"Thirteen hundred," said Michael.
"Thirteen hundred. All right Paul."
"Fifteen seventy-five."
"Fifteen seventy-five. How about it Sam?"
"Eight hundred," I replied.
"Eight hundred, and I turn to Trina."
"Seven ninety-eight!"
"Seven ninety-eight," Bob replied as he began to pull the price tag out of its holder.
I thought to myself "Now that was a stupid bid" and then the perfect bid bell went off again.
"And one of you is exactly right! A second perfect bid on today's show. And that five hundred dollar bonus goes to the contestant who bid $798, Trina!"
She went onstage to play Clock Game for a home gym and a new sofa. She won the gym but not the sofa so she didn't get the $1000 bonus either. After that I watched them spin the wheel and then pick another contestant and I was getting pretty frustrated. But at least this time I got to bid last again.
"It's a wonderful digital piano!" said Rod Roddy. Once he was done describing it they brought out a puppy from a local shelter.
"John you get the first bid on the prize," said Bob. John bid $1950, Michael bid $2000, and Paul bid $1000.
with a grin I looked at Bob and said "One thousand and one!"
"Actual retail price, $1995 and the winner is John!"
John played Squeeze Play for a trip to Austria and unfortunately he lost too. After the commercial and the next player being called to come on down we bid on a stemware set.
Trixie bid $700, Michael bid $695, Paul bid $701, and I knew exactly what to bid and I was sure I wasn't going to lose this time.
"$702, Bob!"
"The actual retail price is $844, the winner is Sam!" The music went up and as I got onstage I turned my head to look back at Jared and Matt. Bob offered his hand to shake and said "Howdy Sam," before grabbing my bicep to move me where he wanted me.
"Now Sam I do hope you win this," he said gesturing.
"It's a beautiful new bedroom group!" said Rod as the model waved her arms.
"B.J. Millington and Company present this five-piece bedroom group in which antique traditions meet modern lifestyles. From B.J. Millington and Company. And this bedroom group also comes wiht a Boyd Natural Spring mattress set featuring advanced lumbar support. A prize package worth $5,321."
"And he can win it playing Bullseye," Bob explained in his cheery voice. "The way you win this game is by picking a product below and telling me how many it would take to total between $10 and $12. Now if you make a mistake but are still under $10, you'll get a marker on the board. If you don't hit the bullseye in your three chances there is a hidden bullseye behind one of these products. If you hit the target with the product that has the hidden bullseye you still win the prize. Now listen as Rod describes the products with which you can win," said Bob.
"Well we have Dolphins and Friends crispy cheddar taste crackers with a taste as big as the ocean. Treat yourself to the taste of premium SueBee Honey. Lever 2000 a fresh deodorant soap for all your 2000 parts. Niagara EasyIron spray is a non-starch spray that helps you iron those wrinkles away. And Hidden Valley Ranch dressing goes great with vegetables for a tasty snack."
I knew that Jared was the one I needed to be turning to for help. When I looked out into the audience to find him he was jumping up and down signaling five. That's when Bob noticed I was looking at him.
"Just a moment audience," he said as they began shouting out suggestions. "Who are you looking at out there?"
"My brother right there," I said pointing to Jared.
"What's his name?"
"Jared," I replied.
"Jared, stand up," instructed Bob and he did. The camera flashed over to him. "Do you think you know what he should pick?" and Jared flashed a thumbs up. He signaled five again and I figured that meant the ranch dressing. I walked over to it and pointed and he gave me another thumbs up. Then he signaled four. I gave him another four sign and pointed to the ranch and he gave me another thumbs up.
I came back to Bob and said into that long, skinny microphone he had "Four ranch dressings."
"So you think he's right?" said Bob.
"Absolutely," I said. "He's an airline pilot and he watches The Price Is Right whenever he's home," I said and Bob laughed.
"All right, Sam says four ranch dressings," as he went to pull the card out of its holder.
"Each one is $2.99, how much is four? $11.97, you're a winner! Great job Sam and great job Jared!"
Bob shook my hand as I jumped up and down in celebration.
"More, more I say, after this announcement!" Bob said into the camera as I started to walk away. The producer told me I'd have to come back to the stage after the show to fill out the paperwork for my prizes but when I got back to our seats Jared and Matt just mobbed me.
"Fuck yeah dude!" Jared said slapping my back.
After the last two pricing games I went back onstage to spin the wheel. Bob asked the three of us where we were from before the cameras started rolling again.
"We have wheel-spinners from the far corners of our country. From Trenton, New Jersey we have John. From Chicago we have Michael, and from Sacramento by way of Belleville, Illinois we have Sam! Step over there John and spin that wheel," Bob instructed after the intros.
John was a big burly black guy and he spun the wheel so hard and fast I didn't think it was ever going to stop. He landed on 65 cents and decided to stay on that. Michael spun next and landed on 50 cents.
"The one of you who is closest to one dollar without going over will be in the showcase today! If you get a dollar we'll give you a thousand dollars and a bonus spin in which you can win as much as $10,000 more," Bob explained as the wheel was going around for Michael's second spin.
"Here's his second spin, and that second spin is too big by a nickel," Bob said as the wheel stopped on 55. "Thank you Michael. Come on, Sam."
I stepped up to the wheel and grabbed the two tallest handles I could reach. I gave it as big a spin as I could.
"Sam won a new bedroom playing Bullseye earlier," Bob explained as the wheel was spinning. It slowed down on 90 and the beeper was hanging on the peg but it stayed there. 90 cents. I was the winner.
Bob walked with me over to the scoreboard where 90 was flashing and he said to me "You are going to be in The Price Is Right showcase today where you may do a lot more winning before you go back to Sacramento! We'll see after this," Bob said pointing to the camera.
Afterwards I stood behind the purple podium as we waited for the show to resume. The only two words that were going through my head this entire time were "Holy shit." Finally we were ready to resume and Bob stood to my left.
"The top winner in today's showcase is Sam! And the runner up in today's showcase is Erika. Each of you will have a showcase of beautiful prizes to bid on, the one of you who bids closer to the actual retail price of your showcase will win it. But if you are the winner and you are $250 or less away from the actual retail price of your showcase, we will give you both showcases!" Bob announced as the audience cheered.
"Sam as top winner you take a look at the first showcase and if you wish to bid you may or you can pass it to Erika and wait for the second showcase. Here we go, this is showcase number one." Bob explained. This was such a whirlwind experience and I was so caught up in it.
"Sam your showcase is filled with lots of stars and you can start by watching Star Wars at home with this new TV and VCR!" started Rod Roddy.
"Star Wars episode 1 video, set thirty years before the original Star Wars Episode 1 introduces us for the first time to the Skywalker character who eventually evolves into the evil Darth Vader. And a new color TV! This 36 inch color television comes with universal remote, picture-in-picture, and stereo sound. And this four-head VCR comes with auto clock and remote control," Rod continued. At this point most of what he was saying was blowing by me but I actually wanted to win so I really forced myself to hang on every word he said.
"Then you'll visit the home of the original Stars and Stripes, exciting Washington, DC! You and a guest will fly roundtrip coach from Los Angeles to Washington, DC aboard United Airlines, a leader in West Coast service with over 100 nonstop flights along the West Coast every day, another way we're helping you stay united. You'll have a six-night stay at the Grand Hyatt which is within walking distance from the White House and Capitol Hill," I heard as the set of big doors opened up revealing the painted backdrop with the US Capitol buliding in the background.
"And finally you can gaze at the stars at night on the deck of your new sailboat!" Rod announced as the audience went wild. "A nineteen-foot sailboat made of fiberglass, trailer and motor included. It's all yours if the price is right!"
"Sam are you going to bid or pass?" Bob asked me.
"I'll pass it to Erika," I decided. What use did I have for a sailboat?
"That's your showcase, Erika, what do you bid on it?" Bob asked her.
"Seventeen thousand dollars," she replied.
"Seventeen thousand is her bid. Sam, this is your showcase!" Bob said cheerily.
"Sam your showcase begins with elegant copper cookware. For the master chef in your home this 16 piece copper cookware is lined with stainless steel. And then use your elegant cookware to cook up a wonderful meal in your gorgeous new dining room!" The model who I think Bob at some point said was named Janice showed off the new furniture as Rod continued describing it.
"Broyhill's elegant table with chairs as well as buffet and China cabinet. Then serve your dinner on this elegant serveware! The Formalities by Baum Brothers bone china includes service for twelve. The Samantha pattern offers true elegance. And after dinner you can relax in your luxurious new spa!" That was exactly what I wanted to see.
"Seacard Pools offers its new hydrotherapy spa with seating for six. Featuring high-powered jets and temperature control, courtesy of Seacard Pools. This showcase can be yours if the price is right," Rod finished.
"Well," Bob began, "Sam there it is. What do you bid on your showcase?"
Jared flashed one, five, seven, five, zero.
"Fifteen thousand seven-fifty, Bob!" I said.
"Fifteen thousand seven hundred fifty dollars is Sam's bid on his showcase, seventeen thousand is Erika's bid on her showcase, and we will find out which one has bid better after we see this," Bob finished as the show went to commercial.
"Here we go," began Bob as the tape began rolling again. "Erika bid $17,000 on her showcase. Erika the actual retail price of your showcase is...$20,737, a difference of $3,737. That's a pretty good bid."
He took a couple steps backwards toward me.
"Sam you bid $15,750 on your showcase. Sam the actual retail price is $16,290, you win with a difference of only $540!" That's when I saw the producer pointing for Jared and Matt to run up onstage and celebrate with me as the bell started sounding and the music went up.
As Bob reminded everyone to have their pets spayed or neutered Jared and I were checking out the hot tub as the models came over. That's when Bob walked across the stage over to us to wave goodbye and Jared rushed over to shake his hand.
"I love the show, it's so good to meet you," I heard Jared say to Bob as he shook his hand.
After the cameras stopped rolling and I filled out all the paperwork we left Television City and headed to a bar before we went back to the hotel. We'd asked the front desk at our hotel if there was a gay bar anywhere near Television City.
After we walked in and took a seat at a table the waiter brought us our menus. In the time it took him to get our beverages Jared pointed out a cute red-headed dude up at the bar.
"That boy hasn't taken his eyes off of you since we came in here," he said. This was my worst nightmare. I'm pretty socially awkward so I have a hard time with these kinds of situations.
I walked up to him and he simply said "Hi handsome," as he gave me the full look up-and-down.
"Hey dude," was all I managed.
"What's up?" he asked.
"Well I just won a bunch of shit on The Price Is Right," I replied and he laughed. We talked for a little while longer and I learned his name was Zach before he just straight out said it.
"Let's go fuck."
"Do you have a condom?" I asked.
"Yeah, this way," he said as we headed for the men's room. He bent over the sink as I rolled the condom down my dick.
"Just a quickie," he said.
"Yeah no problem," I replied. I pushed my dick inside him and he let out a moan. I went back and forth slowly building my speed. Zach moaned more and more the more I did. He was a well-built dude, big and strong. Finally I let myself cum as soon as I started it coming on. I spun him around and sucked him off real quick and it didn't take long before this big, beautiful guy was shooting his man cream down the back of my throat.
I swallowed and gave him a quick kiss before we left the bathroom. I walked back to where Jared and Matt were sitting and took my original spot.
"Which base?" Jared asked.
"Home plate."
"Shit, really?" asked Matt with that smile Jared always talks about.The next day we drove home and tried to figure out what we were going to do with all the prizes
It was one of the most exciting and scary days of my entire life and I couldn't believe any of it was happening while it was happening. While I'd been scared about my decision to come to California I felt like this was a really good sign.
Hey everyone, so I ended up being wrong about this story ending. I wanted to write a story solely from Sam's perspective but it just wasn't going to work so I added him to the speaker rotation. Let me know what you think of this story whether you like it or not or if you just want to talk, drop me a line at AlexCenturyErotica@yahoo.com. I love my readers and I always write back. Onto chapter 12!