Date: Fri, 25 May 2007 16:02:26 +0000
From: hank fawkins <frank778@hotmail.co.uk>
Subject: a New Life Down South

All characters in this story are completely fictitious.  Any
similarities to anyone is coincidental. This story is about
a romance between men, so if that is not your thing then you
should cease now. Also unlike other stories this is more of
a slower moving story that is not  just sex, but a slower
story about the people in it and coming into their own, so
if you are looking for something to get off too quickly this
will not be it. My previous story is called Acceptance at Last
 If you have any comments feel free to e-mail
me at frank778@hotmail.co.uk Thanks,


A New Life Down South


The voice on the other side of the telephone line sounded surprised when I
enquired about the waterfront apartment that was for sale in Newhaven.

He said, `John is away in Dubai this week and I was not aware that he was
selling the apartment. I am looking after the apartment as he did not want
his dog to be put into kennels. Did you say you were coming down tomorrow
morning? John is not contactable for two days as he is on a desert
safari. He will only be back on Tuesday'

I have been looking at relocating to the south of England from Manchester
as the weekly commute was taking its toll. I had found this apartment for
sale under a Private Sales listing and it looked perfect: Two en suite
bedrooms, a separate lounge / dining room and the kitchen and bathrooms
were new. The selling point for me was that it had a small front garden
which would mean that Casey my Basset Hound would have a place to roam.

I enquired, `Would it be possible to view it tomorrow morning? I realise it
is a Sunday morning and would understand that it may not be the best
time. By the way, my name is Tim, Tim Jackson.'

He answered, `Hi Tim, I am Jess Kelsey. Tomorrow around 10am will be
fine. John most probably forgot to tell me in his rush to get away'

I thanked him and said that I would see him in the morning.

Replacing the phone, I reflected back on my life over the past two years, A
time of great joy and sadness. I had come out of a long term relationship
six months prior to meeting Aidin two years ago. I had started going back
to the gym and had met Aidin there. Shortly afterwards I had started my new
job down in London and if I had not met Aidin, I would have moved down to
London from Manchester where I had lived for over eighteen years.

We agreed that it would be less expensive for Aidin to move into my
apartment which I owned as he was renting.  I commuted down to London and
stayed in Manchester on Fridays to Monday morning. This worked perfectly
and our relationship was great on all levels. Aidin at times came down to
London with me for the week as his pieces that he painted were being
exhibited in one of the smaller galleries from time to time. We usually saw
very little of each other during those weeks as he was very busy preparing
his works.  Three months ago I decided to surprise Aidin as it was his
birthday and found that he had his birthday present in our bed. It was a
good friend of ours, Jake.

I was totally shocked. The neighbours subsequently told me that they heard
a primeval scream and saw Jake running out of the apartment without a
shirt. Aidin left that morning to live with Jake.

The neighbours also told me that they thought that Jake lived in the
apartment as he was always there. I realised I was totally oblivious of
what was happening and Jake was only a friend of mine because of his
relationship with Aidin.

It has taken me time to get over Aidin and my breakup has precipitated the
move down south. I was ready to move on with my life although a few of my
friends had said that I was running away.. Maybe I was as Jake and Aidin
moved in the same circles as me.

I left my apartment in Manchester at 4.30am on the Sunday morning. The
drive down went well as we were having unseasonally good weather for
February. I arrived in Newhaven at 9.45 am and the directions Jess gave
were spot on. I rang the door bell several times before a very sleepy
person answered the door. He was around 6 foot tall, a bit taller than me,
had dark blond hair, bleary eyes and as he was shirtless, one could see
that he worked out.

`You must be Tim. I'm Jess. I am so sorry, I had a night out last night and
forgot to set the alarm. The place is still a mess. Come inside, I won't be
a minute as I need to wash my face.'

I stepped in to see Jess bounding up the stairs. The only piece of clothing
he had on was a pair of Aussie Bum briefs and I noticed that his legs were
muscular too. I waited in the lounge for Jess to come down. A few minutes
later he came bounding down the stairs this time and this time he had put
on jeans and a tshirt. He was around 35 years old and from what I had seen
earlier was good looking too. Being in my late `40s and after the two love
disappointments, I had told myself that a guy closer to my age would be
better in the long run and over ten years would be too much an age gap.

`Thanks once again for agreeing to show me the apartment and you do not
need to apologise. I left my place in Manchester this morning and I am glad
that no-one will be going in as I left in a mess.'

`How early did you leave Manchester to be here at 10am?'

`I left at 4.30am this morning but went to bed at 10pm last night. My
friends wanted me to come out last night and I know its sad but I decided
to stay in'

`My friends convinced me to go out and I did not have the willpower to say
no and this is the result of it' He said as he pointed to his eyes. His
eyes had cleared from the time that he opened the front door and I could
not notice any problem and said that he looked fine.

`Oh hell! I need to let Reg out' and he raced past me to the next room. I
followed and saw the back of a black Labrador as he waited for Jess to open
the back door.

Jess closed the door and I looked around the kitchen. It was very different
to the picture that I had seen on the website or so I thought as I had seen
several apartments on the website.

`This is the kitchen of course and lets go back to the lounge and start off
there. The next half hour I was shown the apartment. It was exactly what I
required yet I was not sure that this was the same apartment I had seen on
the website. I asked Jess whether the kitchen and bathrooms were new. Jess
answered by saying that he remembered that John had them refurbished two
years ago.

`Jess, I may be in the wrong apartment.'

`What do you mean?'

`I recall that the advertisement mentioned that the kitchen and bathroom
were newly decorated. I have the printed information in the car. I will
fetch it'

I walked out and sat down on the sofa and showed Jess. He looked at it and
started laughing.

`Tim, the telephone number is one digit different. This number ends on 318,
and the one on the leaflet end on 319.'

`I can't believe it' I exclaimed through my laughter. We laughed out loud
for some time and Jess was ragging me about that ugly is OK, but stupid as
well!

`The photos are definitely of this apartment block. I'll try the number.'

He dialled the number and stared speaking to the person answering. He
explained that I was with him and that there had been a misunderstanding
and asked whether I could see the apartment. He rang off and said that it
was the next apartment down. When the apartment building was built twelve
years ago, the developer had arranged to sign the contract with the
telecommunications company and the telephone numbers were in sequence.

`You would still be sleeping if I had not disturbed you.'

`Not a problem. It was great meeting you. Come back after you have seen the
apartment and I will have coffee ready.'

`Thanks, I'll take you up on that. I hope that the apartment is as good as
this one'

I left and knocked on the next apartment door. The apartment was newly
decorated and it was perfect. I sat down with the owner, Devon Mitchell and
mentioned that I wanted to make a formal offer. We agreed on a price and
arranged the next step.

I walked over to Jess' and knocked on the door. He opened the door and I
stepped in. We walked over to the kitchen and I told him that I had made an
offer on the apartment.

`That's great. I know that you will be happy here. As I mentioned John is
back on Tuesday and I will let him know that you have bought next
door. John is a great guy and I know that you guys will be friends.'

I spent the next hour with Jess and arranged to meet up when I moved in. He
mentioned that he would show me around the town as John was more of a
homebody. I did not want to tell him that I was a homebody too.

The next few weeks flew by and the move date was set for the beginning of
April. I had arranged to rent out my apartment in Manchester to a friend of
mine and I packed up the apartment the previous weekend.

I stayed over in London the day before the move and was down in Newhaven
first thing. I collected the keys from the conveyancor and drove to my new
home. Devon, the previous owner had left the apartment in excellent nick
and I carried in the small items that I brought in my car. Casey, my basset
hound made himself at home within minutes. He went out onto my front lawn
and very soon found a hole in the hedge and was playing with Reg, John's
dog next door. The rest of the day he appeared from time to time to see
whether I was around and went back out to Reg who was now in my garden

The removal van arrived at 10 am and the rest of the day was spent
unloading and unpacking the large items. The removal guys were great and
assembled the beds and the cupboards.

The removal guys had left around 3pm and I continued unpacking the
downstairs boxes. By the end of the afternoon the lounge and dining area
looked OK and I had arranged that all the other boxes be placed in one
bedroom upstairs and I would unpack these over the next two days.

I was sorting out Casey's food around 7pm when the door bell rang. I placed
his food outside the back door and went to the front door. It was Jess and
I assumed the other person was John. Jess handed over a large plant and
said,

`Welcome back, I am surprised that you have moved into the right apartment
what with your track record.' He looked over his shoulder and said, `Sorry
Tim, this is John, John, this is Tim who tried to buy your apartment.'

John was older than Jess and I found out later that he went to school with
Jess' sister who is five years older. It has never happened before that I
am physically attracted to someone from the first look and I blushed as I
shook his hand. He was not classically good looking however his eyes were
the deepest brown I had ever seen. The other feature that I loved was his
shaven head which was perfectly shaped. I was at a loss for words and
somehow got around asking them to come in and see the apartment. We walked
through to the lounge and I was glad that I had sorted out most of the
unpacking there.

`Jess could not wait for you to move in. In fact he has been pestering me
to come over for the past hour but I did not want to impose.'

John's voice was deep and sensual. I found it very difficult looking at him
because I was like a kid on his first date.

I replied, `The movers were great and most of downstairs has been sorted
out. The kitchen boxes are still not unpacked. I can offer you guys a beer
without glasses or a cooldrink or coffee out of mugs.'

Both John and Jess opted for beers and they followed me through to the
kitchen. There Casey met John and Jess again as they told me that they had
played with him when he came through the fence to play with Reg.

Jess said, `Your dogs have made friends already. That hole in the hedge
that John made when the previous owners were here has meant that they can
be together all the time. John is going away tomorrow night and I will not
be able to look after Reg. Are you OK to do so?

John piped up, `Jess, I said that I will sort something out. Tim has only
met me and I do not want to impose.'

`John, it is not a problem at all. I am off the rest of the week and will
be here. It is no problem and I know that Casey will love the company.'

`Thanks Tim,that will be great. I owe you one.'

I blushed like a school boy again. John and Jess stayed for a second drink
and I arranged to go around to John's early the next morning to sort out
the arrangements with Reg.

I decided that I would carry on unpacking the next day and went upstairs to
have a shower. I kept thinking of John and from the brief time I spent with
him, I found liking him more. Both Jess and he were men's men. They loved
all kinds of sport and had both played football in their younger days. They
unfortunately supported Spurs and coming from Manchester, I supported
United. They often went to football matches which I did too. They played
tennis socially and Jess said that he would take me to their local gym the
next night to see whether I wanted to join.

In all the time they did not mention girls however that did not mean that
they were gay. I of course had not mentioned that I was gay either. I
decided to let John know the next morning as I was open to everyone
already.

I climbed out the shower and was drying myself in front of the mirror. At
48 I was in good shape. I would never be a bodybuilder yet from the gym
work that I had put in the past few years, I was naturally lean
muscled. Most people mistook me for a much younger guy and my reply was
that it was from my mother's genes. My hair was mostly grey from being
previously dark brown. Thinking of John had given me a hard-on and drying
my cock had made it more hard. The past three months I had resorted to
using my hand but tonight I gave my cock a few strokes and then wrapped the
towel around me.

I went downstairs to heat up the left over lasagne I had made for the
movers. Casey came through and he sat at my feet whilst I ate. I had a
great feeling about the apartment and knew that I would be happy down
south. I knew that I would be good friends with both Jess and John.

I was falling asleep over the bowl of lasagne and realised that the move
had been more tiring that I had thought. It was only 9.30pm and I decided
to go to bed. I fell asleep as soon as my head touched the pillow.

The next morning I went around to John's and sorted out the
arrangements. He was off to Austria on a business trip and would be back
the next evening. Over a glass of water, as I do not drink tea or coffee,
he said,

`Thank you for agreeing to look after Reg. He hates to go into kennels even
though it is only for a day. I am moving to another division in the company
where I do not need to travel so much. At first I loved the travelling as I
was able to arrange my trips around weekends but when I bought Reg last
year, the trips have been very difficult. It is the same as leaving a young
child at home.'

`I know exactly what you mean, John. Casey stayed in Manchester with Aidin,
my partner during the week whilst I worked near London. When Aidin and I
broke up three months ago, Casey was farmed out to friends during the week
however this was disruptive to both parties. I am glad that he will see me
every day from now onwards.'

By bringing Aidin into the conversation, I had let John know that I was
gay.

`Tim, I am sorry to hear about you and Aidin. Breaking up is always
traumatic. I was married for over ten years and my wife left two years
ago. For a year I did not look at anyone and became a type of recluse. I
have Jess to thank for getting me out of the hole that I had dug myself
in. We went on a ski-ing trip and I fell head over heels in love with the
instructor. It must have been the attention that I craved. He came to live
here with me but it did not work out. I have been single ever since. Jess
keeps trying to hook me up with one of his friends but no-one has
interested me.'

I replied, `At times I think this getting together with someone is too much
like hard work, then I see other people together and I know that is what I
want too. The difficult part is finding the right guy, I know that he is
out there somewhere.'

`Exactly! I feel the same way. Turning 40 last year has made me re-evaluate
my life and I am enjoying being who I am and do not want complications. Yet
I miss the physical intimacy the most.'

The more I spoke to John the more I liked him, Oh Ok the more I wanted
him. In the past when there was an intense physical attraction, I was prone
to lightly grinding my teeth and this had returned.

We arranged to meet up the next night on his return and John excused
himself as the taxi was arriving for him in the next few minutes.

The next day flew by and I was feeding the dogs when John came over. He
mentioned that he had a very successful trip and wanted to know whether I
wanted to go out for a drink to celebrate my moving in and his business
success.

We arranged to meet up at 8pm. Usually I get ready in 15 minutes and this
time it felt like my very first date ever and I was very nervous. I went
over to John at 8pm and he had ordered a taxi to take us through to a local
bar / club.


Next Chapter The next move...