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The New Apartment part 2.
I was up early the next morning; I wanted to make sure everything was ready for Ben's arrival. Quite why I'm not sure as everything was in the room, all I needed was to shop to feed a hungry young man.
After breakfast I visited my favourite supermarket, at first I just doubled up on the things I normally bought, but then suddenly stopped, what if he didn't like the same things that I did. Time would reveal that Ben would eat just about everything that was put in front of him.
I made sure I got small boxes of two or three cereals, plenty of fruit and a great variety of veggies and various sorts of soft drinks
Later in the day I realised that I was on edge, I thought to myself, `What's the matter with you it's only a new lodger' I couldn't help it, I was excited.
The phone rang at about six forty five, it was Ben, he explained that he had only just finished packing his gear and it would take about 45 minutes to walk. I asked him where he was then said, "Stay just where you are, I will pick you up" Ten minutes later I drew into the kerb where he was standing.
The first thing he said as we drove home was, "I wasn't asking for a lift, I just wanted to explain that I would be late"
"First, it was kind of you to phone, second, I have a car, you needed help, that is what friends are for" I answered.
By this time we were pulling into the underground garage which we had under the apartment. "I wondered if you had a garage" said Ben, "I didn't see any yesterday and wondered where the cars were"
We took his bags, two large suitcases and a large duffel bag and got into the lift, straight up to the front door.
"Let's dump these in your bedroom and then eat, you can sort these later" I told him. Ten minutes later we were sitting at the table eating, I soon realised I would have no trouble feeding my new lodger; he ate everything that I gave him, even coming back for seconds.
"Maybe I'm being nosey" I said, "But when did you last sit down to a meal like that?" I asked.
"Two weeks ago before I left home, all the rest of the time it has been carry outs or ready meals, usually eaten from the dish" Ben replied rather guiltily.
"If you want to stay here that changes right from today, each morning you eat breakfast, a proper breakfast, and each evening you have a proper meal sitting at the table, is that understood?" I told him.
Ben appeared a little taken aback at my statement and was quiet for a couple of minutes, so I remained silent as well.
At last he said, "I have to admit that sounds really good but I can't expect all that for the money I'm paying you"
"Ben, we need to talk, let's get these dishes out of the way and then we can sit down" I said.
It only took a few minutes to dispose of the clutter then we sat together on the couch, me with a whisky and water and him a juice.
"Now why can't you have good food and a good bed?"
"There is no reason" replied Ben, "It's just so difficult to get my head around it. For the last two weeks I've been living in a shared house with three guys who haven't got a clue. I started by keeping the kitchen clean, it didn't make any impression on them, they seemed to expect it, I have enjoyed their company as friends but living with them was the pits. Now I'm living with a man who is even cleaner and tidier than me and expects me to just accept it"
"It takes a good man to accept what is offered in friendship" I told him, "Also I'm not suggesting you should expect what we have here but just be grateful that you have it."
"Oh, believe me I am grateful, more than you will ever know I just hope that I live up to your expectations"
"They aren't expectations, I don't expect you to do anything, I just hope you will" I said.
"Can I have your word that what is said now will go no further, not even to your folks" I asked him.
"You have my word".
"Ben, it's my pleasure to give you a nice place to live and study in. To be honest, the main reason you are here is to give me company."
"I was very fortunate a little while back to win the lottery, I decided to give up my sea going life and settle down, the point was, where"
"I thought of a quiet village, I do love the country, but as you get older you need all the amenities fairly close. Then it hit me, I was born in this city and still have emotional connections to it, but no relations, also I could still have my connection to the sea. So that was the first decision"
"It soon fell into place that I needed to be able to see the sea and have life around me so I picked this area"
"The agent offered me another apartment in this building it was slightly larger but had one major fault, I couldn't see the sea, so I settled on this place and I'm very happy here"
"After a short while I realised there was something missing, company, so what should I do about it, the obvious thing was a lodger"
"Next question where do I get a lodger, and what sort of lodger did I want. I'm a long life bachelor so I didn't want a female around so that I would need to be careful how I moved around, and the thought of having tights and panties hanging in the bathroom was a turn off"
"My first thought was to put an advert in the paper but then I saw a crowd of guys who were clearly students in a bar one evening, bingo, that was it, get a student. The next morning I contacted the Uni housing officer and lo and behold I got you"
"How do you know I'm the right student?" asked Ben, "Did you interview any others?"
"No, you were the first; I didn't bother to go any further. I'm a pretty good judge of character and something clicked as soon as you came in"
"What would you have done if I had been a drinking and partying type" he asked.
"That's easy, pitch the rent so high that they would walk away saying they couldn't afford it"
"I very nearly walked away when you said £75, it was only when you made your revised offer that I changed my mind, your offer was too good to pass up, and also I liked you when I first walked in, I had a feeling that I could be happy here"
"I hope you will be happy here, as you now understand I could quite easily let you stay here for nothing..."
"I wouldn't live here for nothing, it wouldn't be right, I have been brought up to pay my way" Ben interrupted.
"I wouldn't let you stay for nothing" I answered, "I quite agree that everyone should pay their way and I will expect my rent, on the dot"
"I think I should get my stuff unpacked otherwise I will never get to bed" said Ben as he got up to go to his room.
It was almost an hour before he returned to say "Good Night"
The next morning my new lodger was up and about quite early. "I thought I would need to call you, you must be an early bird" I said.
"When you live on a farm everything starts early" Ben replied, "Also when I was at senior school it took almost an hour to get there on the school bus, it's no big thing to me"
I asked what time he would be home and he told me mid afternoon and if it was OK with me he would cook the meal. Who was I to complain?
Ben was home just after three and asked me what he should cook, "Don't ask me you are in charge" I told him, "Just look in the fridge, freezer and cupboards and cook what you like"
He went to his room to study before he started and as he cooked and prepared we chatted.
As the meal finished I complimented him on his skills and asked, "How did you know I would like the things you cooked?"
"Ben smiled at me and said, "That's easy, if you didn't like them you wouldn't have bought them"
I roared with laughter and said, "First mark to you, I think we are going to get along very well, I like someone who answers back, as long as they aren't rude. One other thing, I would like you to treat this place as your home, you don't have to stay in your room, just do whatever you like. If you want to watch TV in your room that's OK but if you want to watch the bigger set out here that's also OK"
"One other thing, the main reason for getting a male lodger is that I sometimes walk around the apartment in my boxers or a pair of shorts, you are welcome to do the same, will that offend you"
"Not at all" replied Ben, "Dad and I often did that at home but never in my nineteen years have I ever seen him naked. The first time I saw a naked guy was in the changing rooms at school"
Ben and I got along pretty well, he had no bad habits, except for always insisting on helping, and we formed what I thought was a pretty good team.
One evening I asked him if he had a girl friend, "I've been out with three girls but they all dumped me for the same reason"
"Dumped you, what was the reason?" I asked.
"I was too serious and worked too hard, they wanted fun"
One evening he plucked up the courage to question me. "Have you ever been married? What was it like at sea? Have you had many girl friends?"
I managed to answer them all without lying but avoiding any mention of me being gay.
Ben had been with me for about two weeks when the phone rang in the middle of the day, it was his mother.
"I'm sorry; Ben is at college he won't be home until about four, shall I get him to phone you?"
"I don't want to talk to Ben, I want to talk to you, that is why I rang while he is at study" she answered.
She explained that each time Ben rang home he was talking about me and how good it was to be living here, she was curious that I was charging him such a small rent and feeding him as well. I gave her a quick explanation, pointing out that he had to work as well, doing housework and some cooking.
"That isn't work to Ben, he has always done it" she replied
I suggested that the two of them come down for a weekend and then they could see where he lived and put their minds at rest.
Mary, (his Mum) conferred with her husband David, then they agreed to drive down on the Friday and go back on the Sunday, could I recommend a small hotel. "You aren't staying at a hotel, this is Ben's second home and you are staying with him" I said.
After a little argument they agreed and I asked them not to tell Ben, let it be a surprise.