Date: Mon, 14 May 2007 14:08:43 -0700 (PDT)
From: T. Chase McPhee <survivalgame@yahoo.com>
Subject: Natures Trail 03

The story below is a work of fiction, set in the
format of reality. Any resemblances to real people,
alive or in the hereafter, is entirely coincidental in
nature. It is not meant to accurately reflect upon
persons, in towns, cities, countries, nor governmental
areas, which the story is staged. If a sexual scene
involving male-to-male relationships offends you, then
you should not read this story. Additionally, if you
are under 18 years of age, in most state and
countries, you are not allowed to read this story, by
law. Check with your local laws regarding such. %
Sexual safety matters. Remember guys, this is fiction.
In real life, use protection.

%

"Nature's Trail" 03
wriTten by T. Chase McPhee

%

After working, sticking by Chad's side for the past
two weeks, Tom Letterli reports for his first day,
running Barr's & Bridges, solo. Before the store
opens, at nine, he gathers the employees in the front
of the store.

"It's been a pleasure working with you all for the
past two weeks. Today begins the first day of our
`liquidation sale'. Every customer will receive twenty
percent off their order. I expect it to be very busy."

"Mr. Letterli?" Marco raises his hand.

"Yes?"

"When do we move into the new store?"

"Grand Opening is slated for Saturday. However,
employees will begin on Thursday. Wednesday is the
last day we'll be open, here at our old location."

Antonio raises his hand and after getting
acknowledged, asks, "If there's anything left, would
you consider making a donation to our church pantry?"

"I'll take that up with you on one-to-one, Antonio."

He voices his thanks.

"Alright, we ready to open?" the twenty-seven year old
store manager asks, staring at Kimberly Fairchild, the
head cashier.

She shakes her head yes, counting out the last cash
draw.

"Let's rock'n'roll, ladies and gentlemen!" Tom
announces, moving to the front doors, keys in hand.
"Oh my!" he comments, seeing the nearly full parking
lot, citizens at the doors with their carts, ready to
shop.

Tom's not the only one to take notice.

"Looks like we'll be upfront bagging all day," Kevin
Letterli tells John Torkelson.

"They can't pull both of us," John says.

"Right. Somebody's gotta stock the shelves."

"You can bet John-from-maintenance," speaking of John
Delano, "will be on the front lines," Kevin tells him,
as they walk in the stockroom.

John says, "Wanna bet they pull Marco out of bakery to
bag."

"I don't think so. My cousin, Tom... he's fair about
the guys in departments. Only us stockers get shoved
around!"

"Still, in all, I think Tom is a pretty hip guy."

"He can be, but he's also always watching out for the
business."

John kids, "All work and no play, makes Jack a dull
boy!"

"No, dah!" Kevin comes back with, laughing at John's
joke.

As they case cut some tuna fish and spaghetti sauce
boxes, in the recesses of the stock room the two
eighteen year olds chat.

"So, where you going to school next year?"

"School?" Kevin questions.

"College, I mean."

"Oh. I'm already in college. I just transferred to
WRCC. You?"

"I'm a senior at West Richlan High," John replies, but
I plan on going to WRCC."

"Major?"

"Undeclared. I'll just take some liberal arts courses
the first semester. See if I can find something which
interests me."

"Sounds like a plan," Kevin tells him.

"What about you?"

"Art."

"Cool. What.... what do you call it? Branch of art?"

Kevin found John's means of questioning so cute. In
fact, there wasn't much about John Torkelson that
Kevin didn't find `cute'. Instead of correcting John,
Kevin went right on, saying, "I like to draw."

"Cool!" John replied. "What do you like to draw?"

Right away, Kevin stopped cutting a tuna case open and
scanned John's bod, trying to imagine how he looked
without the clothes!

When Kevin didn't reply, John, on account of he
realized what Kevin was doing, suggests, "Want to draw
me sometime?"

"What?" Kevin asked, breaking out of a semi-reverie.

Point blank and on a gut reaction, John asks, "Are you
gay?"

"What?" Kevin asks, surprised.

"Never mind," John stifles his thoughts.

"Um, yeah," Kevin finally comes out with. "Why? Are
you?" Kevin hits John with the same.

All the blond does is smile, proof enough.

"Cool," Kevin says to his gesture. "Of course I want
to draw you."

"In the buff?"

"Yeah and up close!"

"Oh shit!" John suddenly says.

Looking beyond the three stacks of spaghetti sauce,
Kevin can see the reason for John's exclamation.

"Yeah, I'm feeling it too. We better get our minds on
other things!" Kevin offers the alternative to a
growing urge.

%

"So, what about it, Zach?"

"I'm all for it, as long as we both take an interest,"
Zach Roberts replies to his twenty-seven year old
lover.

"Do you want to go over to the kennel and take a
look?"

"Now?"

Neil then takes a second look, as Zach lays on the
sofa, book keeled over onto his pecs and notebook
propped up on his lap.

"Never mind. I guess you're busy," Neil says.

Slamming the book shut, Zach says, "Why not?"

"I've already checked it out yesterday."

"You did, did you?"

"Yeah. They have a cute little golden retriever puppy
that got mixed up with a poodle."

"What does that make it?" Zach asks, putting his books
in his college bookbag.

"A mutt?"

"Oh. I thought they had a special, hybrid name for
it."

"Nope," Neil says with an ounce of whit, "we get to
name it!"

"Ha-ha, funny. Seriously, which does it look more
like?"

Because he was sitting on the back porch window, the
sun streaming in had heated up both the room and
Zach's skin, so he was slipping a tee shirt back on,
over his head.

"Umm," Neil says, scratching his head, "I'd have to go
with the retriever."

"Golden? Wait! Where'd ya go?"

"Here," Neil says, handing Zach his jacket.

"Is he a golden color?"

"Mostly. He's got a little black splotch on his
belly."

"I'd say that's close enough."

Walking out the side door, Neil formally holds the
passenger side of his rust-colored mustang open.
A `thank you', disappears inside, with it's closing.
Neil gets in behind the wheel.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Zach?" Neil makes
sure.

For the last few months, with his part-time job, at
West Hills Kennels, Neil has been searching for the
perfect dog. Zach knows how much Neil loves animals
and has wanted a dog.

"Of course. Let's roll!"

All excited, Neil revs up the engine and pulls out of
the driveway.

"Are you sure Gary will be alright with a dog?"

"I spoke to him and Mike about it. They are fine with
it. Mike has even offered to walk him... her... it?"

"It's a she."

"Then we have to think up a girl's name!"

"Zach honey, thanks for doing this for me."

"For us," Zach says it, as if a toast of cheer.

"Yeah. For us."

Turning left, out of the drive, the two head off in
the direction of the kennel.

%

Sure enough, at the end of the nature walk, Barry
started to get hit by a barrage of questions, until a
most welcome surprise occured.

"Hey Dad, we've got something to talk to you about,"
Denis confronted Barry and Steve, Mark next to him.

"Sounds mighty important," Barry said looking at the
two.

Given the opportunity, Barry coaxed the quartet, him,
Steve, Dennis and Mark, over towards the van. With his
sons at his side, talking, nobody else bothered with
them. They get inside.

"Now what's this about?"

"You're not mad at us for interrupting?" Mark asks.

"Are you dad?" Denis asks, too.

Barry looks across the seat at Steve and smiles.

"I think," Steve replies, "your father is rather
grateful."

"Oh?" Denis asks, "How's that go?"

"Never mind," Barry says. "What's on your minds?"

"We met up with Coach Hollister today."

Barry showed signs of question, replying, "He's not
one of ours," meaning the high school.

"No. He's the swimming coach at WRCC."

"Oh right," It occurs to him now.

Mark intercedes, "Coach invited us to swim with the
team."

"Yeah," Denis continues, "says we have talent."

Steve says, "I'd rather think of it as searching out
talent for his team next year?"

"Whatever," Barry says, "I think it might be good for
them. When would practice take place?"

"After school," Denis speaks for the two, "and it's
great that we'll be right there."

"While school is being held there, yes," his dad
reminds him of the temporary measure.

Mark says, "We thought about after we return to our
regular building and one of the guys on the swim team
can give us a lift."

"Seems like you have all the angles worked out!" Steve
replies.

"We really want to do this, dads," Denis tells them.

"How about a trial basis?"

Both boys agree. They'll take whatever they can get,
as eager as they are. After their little discussion,
the boys hop out of the SUV, Barry and Steve wanting
to make their get away, but have the children to think
of. Just then Berk happens by. Steve unrolls his
window to make some small talk. They talk of the
lawnmower, Steve working his way around to taking the
boys home. Berk more than gladly agrees.

"Pretty slick," Barry says, starting up the van.

"Yeah. I do have some hidden talents."

"So, I've found out."

"Stop it before you make me horny, Beary."

"Too late for me!"

"Cool!" Steve says, as one of his students would
react.

"Remember, you have lesson plans to write and I have a
few phone calls to make."

"Yeah, sure Beary."

"I mean it!"

Smiling, Steve reaches across the seat, places his
hand on Barry's thigh.

"Owch!" He says, as Barry slaps it. "I betcha I know
why you did that!"

"Why?" Barry questions.

"Because you're already hard?"

"Am not."

Steve demands, "Then prove it!"

Pulling in their driveway, Barry unfastens his
seatbelt and gets out.

"Hey! Where you going in a such a hurry?"

Turning, looking back over at Steve, already exiting
the van, he replies, "to the bedroom?" He wiggles his
eyebrows.

%

"Um, cuzz, you going to take all day with that tuna?"

"Be right out," Kevin tells Tom.

Tom Letterli leaves the two teens.

"I thought you said your cousin was a nice guy?"

Kevin explains, "What would you do, if you came in the
back and found two gay guys goofing off?"

"Two gay guys? He doesn't know," John defends them.

"Takes one to know one!" Kevin smiles.

"You mean your cousin... Tom is gay?" John acts
totally surprised.

"Ever hear of gaydar?"

"Sure I've heard of it."

"Tom says he has a clear perception of it. He can pick
a gay guy out of a crowd."

"Wow! Really? So he knew I was?"

"Yeah and we better get rolling before we're out of
jobs!"

"Your cousin would fire you?"

Smartly, Kevin says, half-jokingly, "Let's not give
him cause to do it?"

John smiles, agreeing.

Suddenly both look alert as they hear Tom page over
the loudspeaker system, "Mr. Letterli and Mr.
Torkelson up front to bag!"

"And you thought we weren't expendable!" John tells
Kevin.

"He's doing it just because he saw us talking," Kevin
says.

"Last time I'll talk to you!" John jokes.

Before he rolls his tower of tuna out on a cart, Kevin
steals a fast kiss from John's cheek, then keeps on
going through the double doors.

%

"What do you say it's time to go, sport?" Callan asks
Diego.

"Okay, dad. Let me get Seth and say goodbye to the
guys."

Callan smiles.

"What are you all smiles for?" Alonzo asks.

"Oh, just thinking about how lucky I am."

"Any way in particular?"

"I suppose walking into the situation of being a dad,
then getting blessed with another son."

"On both accounts, we're both blessed!"

"We're ready to go," Diego says, with Seth by his
side.

"Dad?"

"Yes, son," Alonzo, the first dad to jump to it, says
to Diego.

"How come Freddie isn't here?"

"I'm not sure."

Callan says, "Maybe he doesn't know about the brunch,
after the walk."

"He makes good pancakes," Diego says, adding, "I bet
he can make a lot of good stuff!"

"I don't think my waistline can take it, so I hope
he's not too good a cook!" Alonzo says, walking
towards the exit of the park, eventually leading to
their street.

"You want him to be a bad cook, dad?"

"No, that's not what I meant, Seth," Alonzo says.

Softly, Callan says, "Nothing wrong with your waist!"

Alonzo smiles at Callan, before answering the boys,
"What I really meant is I hope he knows how to make
some lite meals."

"Light?" Seth inquires.

"Right, as opposed to heavy."

Even though the boys still don't get it, they make
like they get it!

Also on their way out of the clearing, Jeremy walks
between Chad and Matty.

"That was the bestest breakfast I've ever eaten!"
Jeremy exclaims, rubbing his stomach.

"You think so?" Chad says to Jeremy, but turns his
head to say to Matty, "I don't think this is working
out with Marco."

"Race you to the fence!" Jeremy calls out, running
ahead.

"Right," Matty replies. "His housekeeping is
stupendous, but he's never around to prepare meals."

"C'mon dads!" the two hear from the distance, seeing
Jeremy coax they on with waving of both hands.

"To be continued," Chad says, as they hustle towards
the exit between fences.

%

"Whew!"

"Come on, let me have the pack for awhile," Christian
tells his mate.

Passing the environmental center, the two started
uphill. Fifteen minutes of trekking, Justin is running
out of wind and sweating.

"No, I've got it. I'm just way out of shape," his
twenty year old counterpart says of his Kelty
backpack. "Let's stop and rest."

"Sure."

Removing the backpack, Justin unzips one the netted
compartments, removing a Nalgene bottle.

"Drink?"

"Sure." After taking a gulp, Christian hands it back,
saying,  "Looks like we need to join a gym or
something."

"Yeah right. Money doesn't grow on trees!"

"You have a point there, although Michael tells me
there's a raise in store for me after the grand
reopening of Birdy's."

"That's nice of him," Justin says, capping the water
bottle, placing it in the backpack. "Ready?"

"If you are."

The two get to their feet, Christian insisting on
taking the backpack and they continue their ascent.

%

Like Tom Letterli predicted, shopping carts filled up
quickly, as well as the cashing out stations. Kevin
and John stood there, tossing food into sacks,
standing at the end of checkout counters, two stations
apart. Whenever he could, Kevin would steal a glance
at John. More into his work, John paid attention to
the flow of goods, putting like items together, though
once he caught Kevin eyeing him up and smiled. `God,
what a gorgeous smile', Kevin thought. All it took was
the trip from the stockroom, to the front registers,
to declare to himself, `I'm in love!'. He paid more
attention, after he dropped a can of corn on top of
some plums.

%

"Dads! Come quick!"

"Yeah!," Aidan yelled out, too, "Come see the new lawn
mower Berk bought!"

Max smiled, bringing in the few assorted foodstuffs he
purchased while Berk and the kids shopped at the
hardware store.

Upstairs, the two lay together in bed.

"Couldn't they have taken longer to choose?" Steve
said, jovially.

"C'mon," Barry said, with one leg already out of bed.
Going to the door, Barry opened it slightly, hiding
his bare bod behind it and yelled, "Be right down!"

Ascending the stairs, the two boys stop. Aidan says,
so only Philip can hear, "They're doing it again!"

"I thought they are only supposed to do it at night,"
Philip returns.

"I guess not, since this is like the fourth time we've
caught them doing it during the day!"

About facing, the two skip down the stairway.

Within minutes, the dads have slipped on jeans, tee
shirts, socks and sneakers.

"I wonder how much this is going to set us back?"
Steve asks.

"Depends on how thrifty a buyer Berk is."

Steve frankly says, "Well, look how much Berk saved us
with the barn remodel."

"Yeah, I can't believe he got us the pool and hot tub
installed so cheaply."

"It pays to build up favors," Steve comments.

"I know this isn't the right time to bring this up,"
Barry goes on to say, "but how would you feel about
looking around for some cheap wheels for the boys?"

"What brought this on?"

"Well, I'm sure whoever is offering them a ride, is
not going to be wanting to make round trips from WRCC
everyday."

"True."

The two are silent, shy of two minutes.

"Well?" Barry asks.

"I'm thinking."

"Got an idea, Steve?"

"If I remember correctly, I think Bernice was saying
something about getting rid of Matty's old mustang."

"Perfect!" Barry calls out. "Steve, you're a genius!"

"I am?" He replies, all smiles.

"Sure. We could offer her a hundred bucks for it
and.."

"Oh, she wouldn't take anything for it."

"No, I suppose not," Barry reconfigures.

They stop after the last downward step of the
stairway.

"Nah. She'll just be glad to get rid of it from the
garage."

"Nice."

"Oh, and I want to thank you."

"For?" Barry says.

"For `up there'," Steve motions in the direction of
the upstairs bedroom.

"Well, after we see this new contraption, I have to
seriously get on the phone and you better get on your
lesson plans, before the principal checks up on you!"

"C'mon dads," Philip grabs Steve's hand, while Aidan
takes Barry's. "You should hear how it sounds."

"I can hear it," Barry informs them.

Aidan says, "Berk says it sounds like the purr of a
kitten!"

"Sounds more like growl of a lion," Steve jokes.

"Nice!" Is Barry's comment, when they reach the
backyard, seeing some nicely manicured rows of grass
chopped off.

"Oh, Berk said to give you this," Philip says, handing
Steve a pink slip of paper, then scooting away.

"Sure," Steve says, "he didn't want to face us with
the bill!"

Barry steals it away, looking at it. As if his brow
was dripping with sweat, he wipes it with the back of
his hand. He hands is to Steve, who smiles, looking at
the bottom line.

%

"I used to come up here all the time, growing up,"
Justin says of the picturesque view.

"Funny, I don't picture you the rugged type!"

"Only in bed," Justin jokes, turning to Christian, as
they sit there on the mountainside, kissing his lips.

"Yeah, I think I'm starting to... oh, whatever you
call it."

"Bottom out?" Justin says, half-joking.

Christian smiles, replying, "Yeah. I don't know what
it is, but after you fucking me and me fucking you, I
feel it more satisfying having you inside me." Sitting
there with a smile on his face, looking out onto the
surrounding hills of forrest, Christian turns to him,
asking, "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking of how glad I am you came to that
conclusion," Justin replies

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Don't get me wrong. I do enjoy sucking you off, but
there's a certain sense of great pleasure forcing
myself deep inside of you."

Christian laughs.

"What?"

"I don't know what took us so long," Christian says.

"Does it matter?"

"No." Then suggestive of happiness and contenment,
Justin's twenty-three year old lover states, "We've
got the rest of our lives to work out our differences.

Leaning back on the flat rock, Justin pulls on
Christian's shoulder. Moving the backpack out from
between them, they engage in kissing.

%

Business flowed nonstop until about two-thirty. By
that time, the cash stations looked abandoned for the
most part. Kevin and John wandered away, reporting to
the employee's lounge.

"Are you sure it's going to be alright with Tom, that
we take a break?"

"You kidding, John? After working through our lunch,
he owes us! Soda?" Kevin asked, depositing eighty
cents in the vending machine.

"Sure, I'll have a Pepsi."

Kevin thought, `too bad there are other employees in
here'.

On his mind was capturing John for a `real' kiss, but
as they sat down at a square table, over in the
corner, the nineteen year old had an alternate idea.

"Thanks for the Pepsi."

"No problem." Then softly, he asks, "Remember what I
asked you about before, in the stockroom?"

Knowing where this was headed, John decided to play
dumb.

"No, what?"

Looking around first, Kevin reveals, "About posing for
me?"

"Oh right."

"Well, how would you like to get together after work?"

John had some questions first, asking, "Where?"

"Well, if the art studio at WRCC is not being used, we
could go there."

"Not too private, is it?" John asks.

"Um, there's a chance somebody could walk in on us."

John shrugged his shoulders.

"We could use my dorm room?"

"What about your roommate?"

"He's working. He won't be in til late, besides, he's
seen me sketch guys before."

"In the buff?" John asks, all wide-eyed.

"Mostly. Either nude or barechested, at least."

"Any of them... you know..."  John suggests.

"Gay?"

"Yeah."

"I've only sketched three guys. One of them was gay."

"Did you...." Deciding the question he had on his mind
wasn't any of his business, he decided to bail out.
"Um, never mind."

But, Kevin didn't mind being outspoken, entertained by
personal matters, so interjected, "Get it on?"

Smiling, John wouldn't have put it that bluntly, but
replied, "Yeah."

"Kissing, that's all." Quickly thinking about it,
Kevin says, "I'm really saving myself for that special
man in my life. Know what I mean?"

John knew the score, but then questioned in his mind
what happened before; the kiss on the cheek when Kevin
left the stockroom.

%

Copyright 2007 T. Chase McPhee
This story may not be sold, nor made part of any
collection, without prior consent from the author.