Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2006 18:20:04 EST
From: Jetjt@aol.com
Subject: Super Jeff, Chapter 11

The following is a work of gay fiction. If the subject matter is offensive
to you or you are too young, please exit now. This story is the property of
the owner and may not be reproduced without his permission.  John Tucker,
JETjt@aol.com

					SUPER JEFF

				          Chapter Eleven

JON'S POV

`Why did I explode like that?' I pondered as I recalled the beginning of
the fight with Ben. I thought back to how I felt when I realized that Ben
was telling me that he was gay. I saw my father's face in my mind, and his
raging about his hatred of gays. Somehow all that I'd been taught shot out
of my mouth with hate. I recalled Ben's face, which first off registered
shock then anger. If words could light a fuse then mine certainly lit
Ben's. I knew that he was from the streets since he'd confided as much to
me just prior to outing himself. The street fighting instincts showed their
face when he attacked me while I laughed at him, landing a punch on my
cheek that sent me to the ground. Even though I should have expected
exactly what he did, I was still caught off guard and totally unprepared
for his fist. My unplanned verbal attack and laughing taunt which led to
what I'm sure was an unplanned physical response, only resulted in my own
rage. Our fight was bloody and dirty. If I'd have had a chance to bite his
nuts off I would've without hesitation. Only his fall over the ledge
stopped the fight and kept us from inflicting more damage on each other. As
I peered over the drop-off, I saw his twisted, unconscious body below. I
grabbed both backpacks and scooted my way down to his side. He was out like
a light. I looked in the packs and there was nothing there to help him. I
decided that I'd better run for help. Leaving a full canteen of water and
draping a sweatshirt over his body which I had straightened a bit to make
him more comfortable, I put my backpack on, then started to the camp at a
fast trot.

When I got back to camp I found Eric, who was filling in for Chris in our
cabin. Taking one look at me he asked if I had fallen. Without thinking, I
told him that Ben and I had a fight. He wanted details, but I refused to
say anything, telling him that I'd only talk to Jeff, and yelled at him to
hurry so we could help Ben. He ran next door and asked Jamie to come with
us. Jamie agreed and ran to the Administration Building to report why he
and Eric would be gone and to pick up a first aid kit at the Nurse's
Office. Returning quickly to the cabins, Jamie found Eric and me ready to
climb.

The pace up-hill was hellish. My legs, already tired, screamed in pain as I
forced myself to keep up. Two-thirds of the way to the pond we saw Ben
staggering down the hill toward us. Once he saw me, he began screaming
threats at me and running toward us. Eric ordered me back to the camp,
despite my protests. I obeyed as the two counselors moved to intercept
Ben. By the time Ben reached their position, I had disappeared into the
trees. When I got back to camp, I decided that I'd better get something
done about my cuts. I went to the Administration Building, where I saw
Mrs. Charles at her reception desk. Taking one look at me she stood,
motioning me to follow her into the infirmary.

When I got to the nurse's office Ms. Jones, the nurse, took care of my cuts
and bruises. When she finished Mr. Jepperson appeared, telling me that I
was to come with him. As I was leaving, I saw Ben being brought in as I was
led away to what became my jail cell. I found out later that Ben too had
refused to explain our fight, saying he would only tell Jeff our Cabin
Counselor when he returned. It had been decided to put us in separate rooms
until then.

An hour had passed since I left the first-aid office. It was an hour that
gave me time to think and realize that I was really sorry about the fight
and my yelling that started it. I felt ashamed at my knee-jerk reaction to
Ben's words. It was a reaction that I knew came from hiding the truth about
myself, protecting myself from my father's hate. I'd used that defense
before to keep attention away from myself. What I'd said to Ben were words
straight out of my father's mouth. In the process I had lost a friend,
probably the best friend I could ever want. Being honest with myself at
last, I realized that I did want him. In my depression I found myself
confessing to myself that I wanted him for more than just a friend, even a
best friend. I found that I was falling for him. It was me that I had been
accusing! I was a fag, a fag that would be hated by his own father! The
accepting of that truth made me wish that Ben had killed me. My eyes filled
with tears, tears borne of self-hate.

In my miserable state, I barely heard the key being inserted into the lock
on the outside door. My tear-stained and combat-battered face turned as I
followed the sound and saw the door swinging outward. In the doorway was
Jeff with a troubled look on his face. The tears that had been leaking from
my eyes now became a flood.

"You look like shit," Jeff remarked as he approached.

"I feel like it too," I replied with a sniff.

"I heard you and Ben got into a little tiff," he said as he sat down in a
chair next to me. "Wanna tell me about it?"

He put his arm across my back, and his touch brought an involuntary shiver
up my spine.

"I guess," I responded, not knowing just where to begin.

"I'm your friend, you know," he said. "What you tell me is just between
us."

I felt better believing he wasn't judging me even though I knew he had to
tell the administration guys something.

"You probably figured out that Ben and I became friends," I started.

"Yeah, I noticed. I guess that's why I'm so surprised that you two fought."

"It's my fault," I confessed. "We went up on the mountain for a hike and
when we stopped for a rest we began talking."

"That seems harmless enough," Jeff agreed.

"Yeah, but then he told me that he was attracted to me. All at once I
figured out that he was telling me that he was queer, and I flew into a
hissy-fit. I threw some nasty words at him and called him a hypocrite for
picking on weak guys just to get in their asses. It was just like my father
was talking. I laughed at him, pointing at him like I was accusing
him. Then he took a punch at me, and the fighting started. After mixing it
up with some nasty fighting, I hit him a good one. He stumbled backwards
and fell over a ledge and down to the ground; I guess it was about ten feet
below. It knocked him out. I grabbed the backpacks and climbed down to
him. There was nothing I could do but make him comfortable, then I ran back
to camp to get help. Eric and Jamie came back with me, then we saw him
coming down the hill. He was still pissed and was threatening me as he got
near, so I was told to high-tail it back here. When I got back I was taken
to the nurse and then locked up."

"How do you feel about it now?" Jeff asked kindly.

"I feel shitty," I admitted. "It took a lot of guts for him to tell me how
he felt, and I acted like an asshole. I mean, it was just plain stupid,
especially when I'm really hot for him too."

"You mean...?" Jeff asked with a calm voice.

"Yeah... I mean," I confessed. "You're the first person I've ever told. My
dad would kill me if he knew."

"I guess we won't tell him then," Jeff said with a smile.

I smiled back, as if Jeff's idea would really do any good. I knew it
wouldn't in the long run.

"So you're sorry, right?" Jeff asked.

"I'd get down on my knees and beg Ben's forgiveness, if he'd listen," I
offered. "I really was getting to like him a lot. Then I fucked it all up
with my big mouth."

"Well, it's not the end of the world," Jeff offered. "I'm pretty sure that
Ben really likes you, so there's hope. I'll go talk to him, and then maybe
we three can settle this."

"Tell him that I'm really sorry," I pleaded. "I'll do anything to make it
up to him."

"I'm sure it would mean a lot more coming from you," he said. "I'll be back
in a while. In the meantime, I suggest that you use the restroom, wash your
face and blow your nose. Make-up kisses are kinda gross mixed with snot."

I laughed as I visualized what he was saying, yet blushed at the thought of
kissing Ben.

"Okay," I said. "I'll be waiting for you to come back."

"I won't be long," he promised with a smile. "Thanks for being honest with
me."

"Sure," I said. "Hurry back."

JEFF'S POV

`So far so good,' I thought as I walked down the hall to get to the room
where Ben waited. Arriving at the door, I stuck the key I'd been given into
the lock and pulled the door toward me. Ben was sitting on a couch with his
elbows on his knees and his hands holding a pretty beat-up looking head.

"Hi Ben," I said as he looked up.

With a look that appeared to be embarrassment, he raised his head and
nodded his acknowledgement of my arrival.

"I hear that you and Jon got into it," I reported.

"Yeah, an` if I catch the bastard he'll wish I didn't," Ben said with anger
still in his voice.

I put my arm around Ben's shoulder. At first he pulled away, then looked
into my eyes. My compassion for him must have shown, because tears began to
form, then one ran down his cheek. His tough-guy image disappeared, and the
young boy who was injured appeared when he leaned into me, wrapping his
arms around me, burying his face in my shoulder. He sobbed as I held him,
releasing all the hostility that he harbored.

"Why does he hate me?" he blubbered through the tears.

"He doesn't hate you," I replied. "He made a mistake and he's more upset
than I know how to tell you."

"I wish that was true," Ben admitted, "but I don' know if I c'n ever trust
him again."

"Do you trust me?" I asked.

"Yeah, you're a good guy," he answered. "You're the only one I'd talk to."

"My friend Chris is a good guy too," I offered. "If I'm not around you
could talk to him too."

"Is... Is...he yer... boyfriend?" Ben asked as he pulled away, looking at
me.

I was surprised at the question. Chris and I had tried hard not to show our
attraction to each other around the campers.

"What makes you think he might be?" I evaded answering, wondering where
we'd slipped up.

"Uh... I saw ya down by the lake," he admitted, hanging his head.

"Then I guess you know," I replied truthfully. "Yes, we're boyfriends, just
like you and Jon might be."

"Ain't much chance o' that!" Ben declared hopelessly. "Jon hates gays."

"Jon's dad hates gays," I amended Ben's reply. "Jon only reacted the way
he'd been brainwashed by his dad. In reality Jon's been hiding from the
truth in order to avoid a conflict with his old man."

"What truth?" he asked.

"You'll have to ask him," I replied. "I think you'll like the answer
though."

"He ain't never gonna wanna talk to me again. Ben said slumping his
shoulders. "I popped him a coupla good ones, then threatened him when he
and the older guys come back to git me."

"He brought Eric and Jamie back to get you, huh?" I asked. "I guess he must
have cared a lot to do that."

"Yeah... I guess. I thought he'd run away and left me. I wasn't thinkin'
straight."

"It's understandable," I offered. "What do you feel now?"

"I dunno," he replied. "I jus' hope he'll forgive me fer punchin' him, even
if he don't like me no more."

"Do you want to go see him? I think you'll be surprised at how bad he feels
about his part in this whole mess."

"Yeah... I guess so. I jus' feel so stoopid."

"I'm sure that you both feel that way," I suggested. "I think it's time to
clear this thing up and get on with it."

"'kay. Lemme clean my face up first," he requested.

"Get with it pal," I said with a grin.

Three minutes later we were at the door of Jon's `cell'. I'd left the door
unlocked, believing that not to do so would have signaled my lack of trust.

"Wait here," I said as I turned the knob and pulled the door open. Ben
stopped as I entered the room.

"You have a visitor," I revealed to Jon who was looking better, but still
had a visibly worried countenance.

"Ben?" he asked, torn between hope and a desire to avoid further conflict.

"Yes," I answered. "Don't worry. Everything will be alright."

I again turned the knob and opened the door, signaling for Ben to enter.

As Ben stepped inside, Jon stood.

"Ben, I'm so sorry," he said, tears again filling his eyes. "I was an
asshole. Please forgive me."

"Hey, I'm an asshole too," Ben admitted as he moved closer to his
friend. "I forgive ya, and hope ya forgive me too fer hittin' on ya."

"It didn't hurt," Jon lied... then said, "...much."

They both broke into laughter as they took each other into an embrace. Then
they pulled away, looked at each other, and moved back together as their
lips touched.

"Ahem!" I said clearing my throat. "I guess I can leave you guys alone to
`talk'. From now on everyone in the camp is gonna call me Bubba when they
see us together."

"Huh?" Ben asked. "Bubba?"

"Yeah..." I replied with a smile. "It's a story: ...Bubba died in a fire
and his body was burned pretty badly. The morgue needed someone to identify
the body, so they sent for his two best friends, Daryl and Gomer. The three
men had always done everything together. Daryl arrived first, and when the
mortician pulled back the sheet, Daryl said, `Yup, his face is burnt up
purty bad. You better roll him over.' The mortician rolled him over and
Daryl said, `Nope, it ain't Bubba. The mortician thought that was rather
strange. Then he brought Gomer in to identify the body. Gomer took a look
at the body and said, `Yep, he's purty well burnt up. Roll him over.' The
mortician rolled him over and Gomer said, `No, it ain't Bubba.'  The
mortician asked, `How can you tell?'  Gomer said, `Well Bubba had two
assholes.' `What? He had two assholes?' asked the mortician. `Yup, everyone
knew he had two assholes. Every time we went to town, folks would say,
"Here comes Bubba with them two assholes."'

Jon and Ben fell to the floor laughing, still clutching each other. When
they recovered enough to speak, Ben asked giggling... "Which one of us is
Gomer?"

They fell into laughter again, which I joined.

At last the laughter stopped and I knew it was time to make my exit.

"You guys can stay here for awhile if you want to talk or whatever," I said
with a grin. "I'll be over by the cabins if you want to talk with me."

"You can go down to the lake with Chris if ya want to," Ben replied with a
wink. "I know where ta find ya."

"Yeah," I said with a friendly glare, "We still need to talk about that!"

"Woops," Ben said.

"Don't worry about it Gomer," I said with a returned wink as I pulled the
door open. "Lock up both offices when you're through. You guys have two
hours until lights-out."

I left the boys to their making up and swung by the Administration
Building. Carl Jepperson was in his office waiting, along with Jamie.

"Well, what do you have to report?" Carl asked as I entered.

"It was a misunderstanding," I replied. "The boys are burying the hatchet
right now and I'm sure there will be no new trouble."

"I guess I'll have to take your word on that," Carl replied. "I hate
sending campers home, but sometimes it's the only option."

"That won't be necessary in this case," I reported.

"Do you want to tell us what the fight was about?" Jamie asked.

"I'd really rather not," I answered. "Some of the things we talked about
were pretty personal and private. I'd hate for the guys to think that I'd
betray their confidences."

"I think that's wise," Carl agreed. "If the campers can't trust their
counselors, then this camp experience can't be meaningful. You'd be
surprised at how many of the campers, especially those that come from less
than desirable circumstances, distrust anyone of the older generations. I
must admit that I was a bit concerned about you and Chris being so close to
these campers' ages. I was afraid you couldn't handle it, but I was
wrong. You've proved it twice already."

"Twice?" I asked.

"Yes, today and the incident earlier between Ben and the smaller camper
who's name I believe is Sammy," he responded. "I'm sure you didn't think I
knew about that, but there's little that goes on here that I don't hear
about. I just wanted to say that I'm proud of you and of how you handled
both situations."

I blushed as I stammered, "Thank you sir. I was just lucky I guess."

"Bull shit!" Carl exclaimed. "Luck had nothing to do with it. I can see
that I'm embarrassing you though, so I'll shut up. Thanks for the
report. I'm glad we're not going to have to send either of them home."

"I'm glad too," I replied. "Thanks for the vote of confidence. Now if it's
alright, I'll get back to my cabin."

"And to Chris too?" Carl asked.

"Uh... yeah. See you later."

I stood and headed for the door, while thinking, `Jeez, does he know about
Chris and me? We're going to have to be more careful.'

I left the building and headed for the cabins. Stopping first at mine, I
found the other six guys milling around outside. They gathered around me as
I approached. It seems that Sammy had been appointed spokesman.

"Hey Coach," he began. "How are things with Ben and Jon? Are they alright?"

"They're fine," I said. "They just had a little misunderstanding."

"Where are they?  Are they going to get thrown out?"

`Does he ever ask one question at a time?' I wondered as I thought of how
to respond to him.

"No, they're not going to get thrown out. They should be back here before
lights-out."

"I'm glad," Sammy said. "I liked Jon from the beginning, and Ben, who
started out being an asshole, has really tried hard to make it up to me and
the other guys. We just hoped you wouldn't throw them away."

I was so shocked to think that Sammy or the others would even think that
I'd `throw away' their two cabin mates that I forgot about Sammy calling me
`coach'. For a minute I didn't know what to say. I quickly realized that
they probably all had, or knew of, friends who had been rejected by one or
more of their parents.

"Guys, we're a team," I replied, deciding to use my honorary title to its
best advantage.  "We stick together. When one or more of us has a problem,
we help each other, not turn our backs. When Ben and Jon return, I'd
suggest not making a big thing of their disagreement. I know they're trying
to get over it, so they need your support, not your nosiness. They'll tell
you what they want you to know. I hope you can respect that."

"Don't worry Coach," Sammy said, "We'll be cool."

"I appreciate it guys," I said. "I'm here for you if you need me."

"We know that Coach," Ted, one of the other campers responded. "We think
you're the best cabin counselor here."

"I'm glad, but I wouldn't say that too loud," I laughed. "We'll find out
soon if we're really a team and if I'm really a good coach. Some of the
competitions will be starting this coming week. I think we have a good
chance at doing well, but I'd be happy if we just were competitive and
learned to work as a team. We'll talk some more about all of that later."

"Okay. Thanks Coach," Sammy said. "You can go see Chris now."

I blanched, thinking, `Jeez!  Does everybody know?'

Shaking my head, I just gave the guys a wave and headed for Chris' cabin.

CHRIS' POV

Jeff is amazing. Here it's the end of the second week of camp and he has
his campers eating out of his hand.  I really like my own campers and I
think they like me too, but somehow I just don't have the charisma that
Jeff has. It makes me truly humble to see how the kids flock to him like
he's some kind of messiah or something. I know that he's handsome and sexy
as hell, but straight kids like him as much as gay ones do. And it all
seems so effortless for him. He says the right things and everyone falls in
line. It's a good thing that he loves me. He makes me feel worthy when I
have serious doubts as to my own worth. See, it's not only the campers that
need help.

He's changing too. When I first met him, you could talk to him and you'd
realize he knew that he was Super Jeff. It's not like he rubbed it in or
anything, but somehow you just knew that he was aware of his awesome power
over people. For people who are full of self-doubt, he was hard to be
around. To be around someone with his presence and charisma is intimidating
even if you're normal. If you have no feeling of self-worth, it's
devastating. That all has changed. I can't say how and why, but somehow the
camping has changed him bit-by-bit. The campers are so vocal, expressing
without thinking what they perceive. They call it as they see it and Jeff
for one, listens. For example, one of the campers, I think it was Sammy,
asked Jeff why he always used big words. Sammy confessed that he didn't
always understand what Jeff was trying to say. Jeff was astounded. I guess
he never thought about it. That night we talked about what Sammy had
said. I realized that I did the same thing sometimes. Suddenly we both were
a bit more conscious about what we were saying. In only days I noticed a
change in Jeff's vocabulary, with him using more words of the one or two
syllable variety and almost completely eliminating polysyllables. I'm sure
he was more successful than I, because the change seemed to bring his kids
even closer to him than before.

I love him more every day. I'm not terribly religious, but I can't help
thanking the Lord for bringing Jeff into my life, and praising His name for
letting Jeff love me. We're still at the oral stage of our lovemaking, but
he makes me feel so good that I wouldn't care if we never did anything more
than what we do now. I just know that my heart is Jeff's to do with what he
will. I also know I'm leaving myself wide open to heartbreak, but I believe
and trust Jeff when he says he loves me. I know I'd want to die without him
now that I know how wonderful life can be with him.

I worry about school. What's going to happen to us? I'm sure that by now
many if not most of the campers, counselors and people in administration at
the camp know that we're a couple. But it's different here than at
school. We've talked about it a couple of times, but as yet haven't decided
what we'll do. When Jeff says he wants to `out' himself at school so that
our love is open for all to see, it scares me to death. Not just for me
either. As I told him, he has far more to lose than I do. Somehow Jeff
thinks he can do anything and get away with it. I just don't feel his
confidence.

We're going to San Bernardino again tonight for our weekly round of
golf. It's also as much to be by ourselves, an impossibility here at
camp. I'm waiting for him, lost in these rambling thoughts while he gets
permission to leave.

Our running and lifting programs have taken on a life of their own.
Two-thirds of the camp now runs with us in the morning. We have to be
careful on or crossing roads, since there are nearly 70 kids running with
us as well as three or four counselors. We've had to schedule the workout
gym too as there are far too many kids that are working out on an
every-other day regimen to do it all at once. We've pretty much given up
our afternoon free time in order to run the gym program, scheduling
work-out sessions around the arts and crafts activities.

Both our cabins are real contenders in the camp games too. Even though
things come easy for Jeff, he is a real competitor when he puts his mind to
something, even if that something is just `coaching' his kids to
excel. It's funny, because no one calls him Jeff anymore, it's `coach' this
or `coach' that! Even Mr. Jepperson calls him `coach' now.

He helps my guys almost as much as his own. I don't know how he spreads
himself around so effectively, but I'd be willing to bet, that there's not
a kid in this camp that he hasn't touched. If there was an election today
for King, he'd win, hands down. Most incredible is the change in Ben
Collins. Oh I know it's not all Jeff's doing, and Jeff would deny that it's
any of his doing, but I know better. Ben is a different guy than the
belligerent tough-guy that showed himself when we first got to camp. He
wears his love for Jon on his sleeve for all to see and can't do enough to
make Jon happy. You never see one without the other nearby. The guys in
their cabin are happy for them both, even the majority who are
straight. The guy that everybody hated and feared is only second in
popularity to their counselor, my Jeff. Ben and Jon both look up to Jeff,
and won't tolerate even the slightest criticism of him or what he wants
them to do. I know that Jeff occasionally has private talks with his guys,
both as a group and individually. He's even spent some time with Ben and
Jon together. I have a few ideas about what they're discussing, but Jeff
treats their conversations as private, only revealing the barest essentials
to me, in case they should ever need help from me if he's not around.

Well my bag is packed and the clubs are ready. I wonder what's holding up
Jeff?

No sooner had the thought crossed my mind than Jeff appeared at my doorway.

"Ready handsome?" he asked with a smile.

"Sure Babe," I smiled back at both his arrival and the compliment. "What
took so long?"

"I got stopped by Mr. Jepperson and he asked me to come into his office for
a little conference."

"Oh? What did he want?"

"He asked if we could both stay for the whole summer," Jeff
answered. "Let's get in the truck and I'll tell you all about it on the way
to San Berdoo."

I grabbed my bag and my clubs and followed him out of the cabin. He picked
up his things that he'd left outside, hefting them on his shoulders like
they weighed nothing, and walking off toward the truck. I hurried up beside
him.

"Well, are you gonna tell me?" I asked.

"Tell you what?" he replied like he had no idea what I was talking about.

"What did you say when you answered his question?"

"Who's question?" he asked, teasing me further.

"Jepperson, dummy!" I cried in desperation. "What did you tell him about
staying for the whole summer?"

"Oh that!" he said with a grin as we reached the truck. "Let's load up and
get out of here."

I unceremoniously dumped my clubs and bag in the back of the truck then
grabbed the door handle, jerking the door open and plopping myself down in
the passenger seat in a huff. Jeff soon joined me and started the truck as
he grinned like the cat that ate the canary.

"I told him `no'," he replied, breaking the silence between us.

"No?" I asked, not sure whether to be relieved or sorry.

"I told him that we had other plans for the summer, which we do. I
explained that we had borrowed the truck we brought to camp, were planning
a trip by ourselves and another with our parents, and I told him about
golf, English lessons, workouts and piano. I think he was amazed that we
could spare the three weeks that we've given already. Besides, I argued, he
had his other counselors coming back for the next session."

"What did he say to that?" I asked.

"He said a bunch of crap about how invaluable we'd become to the camp, how
the running and workout programs had added to the success of this session
and all that. He said that if we stayed we'd only run those programs, as
well as some other special activities, not be cabin counselors."

"I bet he said how invaluable you had become to the camp," I guessed. "I'm
just another counselor. All the great things that have happened have been
because of you."

"You're wrong, Babe," he responded. "Besides if it wasn't for you, I
wouldn't be here at all. You're my partner and the guy I love and the guy
who loves me. Without you I'd have probably treated this job as baby
sitting. You have no idea how important you've become to me. You've made me
a far better person."

I blushed at the compliments, wishing they were all true and well deserved,
not just kindness to make me feel wanted.

"I won't argue with you my love," I said. "I'm sure half of what you're
saying is bull shit, but I love you for saying it anyway."

He grinned at me and winked.

"So we're going home next Sunday?" I asked.

"No we're staying," he replied straight faced as my mouth dropped open in
surprise.

"JUST KIDDING!" he clarified immediately as he laughed at my shocked
expression.  "We're going home, but I told Carl we'd consider coming back
for part of the summer next year if he was still interested. He said `yes',
without any negotiation whatever. He said he was sorry we couldn't stay the
rest of this summer, but he understood."

"I really wouldn't have minded staying," I offered.

"Me either, but I have other plans for you. We have a lot of golf to play,
a lot of running to do and we gotta get you beefed up before school
starts. Besides, you have karate lessons starting a week for Tuesday
night."

"Don't remind me," I responded with a dejected look. "Welcome back to
Jeff's boot camp!"

Jeff looked at me strangely then drove silently for a few minutes before
saying anything. Finally he pulled over to the side of the road where it
had been widened. The view of the valley below would have been wonderful,
had it not been for the blanket of smog. .

"Babe, I'm sorry," Jeff apologized.

"For what?" I asked, completely baffled.

"Ever since we met three weeks ago, I have pushed and cajoled you into
running, working out, learning golf, and now taking karate. In thinking
about it, I know that you would have done none of those things without my
insistence and I apologize. I shouldn't have done it. You can quit any or
all of those things if you want. You'll still be my sort-of brother and my
only love. If you were fat, one-legged and ugly, I'd still love you. I
can't help myself in that. You don't have to do any of those athletic
things just for me."

"You silly guy," I said, scooting over close to Jeff and snuggling into his
side. "I love you and I know that you want me to do those things not
because it will make you love me more, but they will make me love me
more. You push me so that I can be happy with myself. It's a funny way of
giving, but that's what it is. I know it and I appreciate it more than I
can say. I know I complain, and sometimes my aching body protests, but in
reality, I've never felt better. I've never felt more alive. In only three
weeks my weakling body has firmed up and begun to show some real
muscle. Already, I'm not ashamed to take off my shirt. I enjoy the golf,
and, bite my tongue; I also enjoy the running and lifting. For the first
time in my life I'm beginning to feel like an athlete. I only have you to
thank for it and that's what I'm doing... Thank you, my love. Thank you for
loving me enough to make me want to be a better person. Thank you for
making me proud of myself. Now give me a kiss. We need to get checked in
soon so I can really show you my appreciation."

"Show me, show me," Jeff pleaded as he kissed my waiting lips.

		*	*	*	*	*