Date: Mon, 25 Apr 2005 03:08:21 -0400
From: carl5de@netscape.net
Subject: HIGH PLAINS DOCTOR - 12
HIGH PLAINS DOCTOR - 12
Copyright 2005 by Carl Mason and Ed Collins
All rights reserved. Other than downloading one copy for strictly personal
enjoyment, no part of this story may be reproduced or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for reviews, without
the written permission of the authors. However based on real events and
places, "High Plains Doctor" is strictly fictional. Any resemblance to
actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely
coincidental. As in real life, however, the sexual themes unfold
gradually. If you would like to read other Mason-Collins stories, you
might turn to "Out of the Rubble," "Castle Margarethen," and "The Priest
and the Pauper" which are archived in Nifty's "Historical" section.
Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to the authors
at carl5de@netscape.net
This story contains descriptions of sexual contact between males, both
adults and teenagers. As such, it is homoerotic fiction designed for the
personal enjoyment of legal, hopefully mature, adults. If you are not of
legal age to read such material, if those in power and/or those whom you
trust treat it as illegal, or if it would create unresolvable moral
dilemmas in your life, please leave. Finally, remember that maturity
generally demands that anything other than safe sex is sheer insanity!
CHAPTER 12
(Revisiting Chapter 11)
The enthusiasm of the audience seemed to push the performers to do their
absolute best. >From the tuxedos and finely beaded gowns and plumed
chapeaux of the rich to the modest "go to meetin'" clothes of the poorest
immigrant dirt farmer, the feeling was the same. Besides the Opera House,
they had a fine hospital, an impressive bank, and several other new
structures, public and private. This was the frontier no more!
(Concluding Our Story - Southwestern Visitor)
During the last week of August, a lone, dusty cowpoke rode up to the
surgery. Chip, a.k.a. Rawhide, whom Ben had treated for a gunshot injury
during his first year in Shiloh (see Chapter 2), was on his way from Texas
to Lincoln in the eastern part of the state. Finding him the same bright,
inquisitive kid that he remembered, Ben wasn't at all surprised that he was
on his way to the University. "But why the University of Nebraska? Why so
far from home, Chip?" he had asked in some amusement. "Well, sir, I'm told
they're building a good 'Cattle Management' program - and it IS a long way
from home!" the lanky young Texan exclaimed with a twinkle in his eyes.
Ben grinned and simply said, "Yep." Adding that the boy was always welcome
in Shiloh, he introduced him to Jon and Kelly, closed the surgery for
lunch, and loaded the kids into the buggy for the short trip home for
lunch. Chip followed close behind on horseback.
Jon and Kelly were much taken with the handsome 18 year-old, and the
feeling seemed reciprocated. (Kelly was a bit amused when the saw the lad
whom he insisted on calling "Rawhide" standing next to Tyler. Two
good-looking strawberry blonds... "Dad, you old fox!" he thought.) Tyler,
who had been at home hard at work on the office books, was similarly
affable and lunch was a pleasant affair. Afterwards, Ben returned with
Kelly to the surgery, leaving Jon to get Chip settled in. (He insisted
that he had to ride on in the morning.)
"The doc is going to adopt y'all?" Chip asked as the boys sprawled about in
Jon's room. "Man, you're lucky! He's one fine human being!" Jon went on
to tell the young Texan a bit about the circumstances of their meeting and
their adventures during the past year. "Man," he complained, "I had to
work cattle all last year! I would have given my right nut to see Scott's
Bluffs or hike in the Tetons! My dad just ain't much for adventure," he
murmured sadly. When Jon gave him a highly expurgated version of their
week at the Crystal Palace (Chapter 6), Chip collapsed into giggles.
Looking into each other's eyes, the boys suddenly, spontaneously knew they
were "family." "Tell me more, Jon," Chip commanded in a husky voice. For
the first time able to give someone the FULL story, Jon obliged. Chip lay
sprawled out on his back, laughing until his eyes watered, occasionally
rearranging his package. "And she covered Kelly's stuff with a tiny lace
handkerchief?" he howled. "Why don't I think that quite worked?" "That,
sir, was exactly the idea," Jon responded in his driest voice. Dr. Cabot's
elder son suddenly reached over and covered Chip's mouth with his own. The
response was instantaneous. Unfortunately, at that very moment, the boys
heard a buggy roll up to the entrance and Ben and Kelly's voices call out
to Tyler. "Ah shee-it!" Chip complained. "Later, dude, later," his
companion on the bed murmured, giving the Texan's bulging crotch a light
squeeze.
Dinner was a delight, for five good conversationalists sat around the table
- and the grub, as Chip insisted on calling it, was delicious. The lanky
one told them more about his college plans and what he wanted to do with
his life. For the first time, Jon joined in and openly talked about his
desire to be a teacher and how he thought he had to have some "higher"
education to top off his home schooling. "It's been great working with Dad
and Tyler," he murmured between bites of a nice leg of lamb, but if you're
going to make a career out of teaching - especially in high schools -
you've got to have a little more. "Maybe you could join me at UNL (the
University of Nebraska at Lincoln)," Chip murmured. "We could room
together and raise all kinds of hell...in addition to studying," he
finished lamely. As Jon grinned positively, he attempted to draw attention
away from his slip of the tongue by asking Kelly about his plans. "Well,
Rawhide, they've never really changed. I want to be a doctor like my dad."
"That's a long, hard road," Ben murmured. "Yep," Kelly responded. Smiling
at his older brother, he added, "but like a dedicated teacher, it's a job
where you can really make a difference in people's lives." A little
surprised at his brother's freely given support, Jon grinned appreciatively
at the auburn-haired hunk who sat across the table. Realizing how Ben must
be feeling at that moment, Tyler reached down under the table and
affectionately squeezed his partner's thigh.
The evening of cards and good conversation passed quickly. All too soon,
everyone trudged up the stairs to bed. Standing on either side of the bed,
Jon and Chip stripped quickly. Suddenly, Jon turned to see Chip staring at
him, an expression of awe on his face. "God Almighty, Jon, you're
beautiful!" the young Texan exclaimed as his long cock rose and stood out
straight in front of him. "I think you've got the best body on any guy I
ever did see!" For a moment, "Doc Jon" almost felt as if he were back in
the surgery with the adoring Hans. Masterfully, he strode over to the
older youth and took him into his arms. "You're something yourself,
Rawhide," he murmured, allowing his hands to glide down the young cowpoke's
broad back and onto his nice rump. As he softly squeezed the warm globes,
he felt his own monster erect right under Chip's balls. Slowly, his big
hands pulled the boy into him, kissing him deeply and exploring with his
tongue. As he gasped, shivered, and surrendered control, the young Texan's
whole body simply melted into the muscular hunk. Slowly thrusting his cock
between Chip's legs, Jon's hands explored the boy's exquisite
slimness...the trim waist, the sides of his stunningly defined lower torso,
the smooth upper thighs. "Jon," Chip gasped, "please. I want you more
than I've ever wanted anyone in my life." Holding the youngster's face
between his hands, Jon growled, "Come on over to my bed, Rawhide."
In the morning, Ben realized much of what had happened without a word being
said. Chip had lost much of the assertiveness with which he had ridden
into Shiloh. Rather, he cast quick furtive glances at Jon with puppy dog
eyes and even blushed and giggled when Jon grinned at him. Although Ben's
elder son was a little embarrassed, he was also on top of the world. He
had promised Chip that it would not be long before he joined him in
Lincoln. Above all, he suddenly realized that he had become a man. It had
been some time in coming, for he had paid a heavy personal price for the
protection that he had been able to give his younger brother - but he had
made it. He had become a man.
(A Proud Day)
In earliest September, Simpson Broderick, Ben's Omaha lawyer, called him
with exciting news. All adoption papers had been received, were in order,
and had been submitted to the county court. (They were all highly
supportive.) Ben's petition for the adoption of Jon and Kelly McNulty
would be heard by Judge Henry Bryson at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 8,
1874, at the country seat. If Ben wished, he would gladly travel west to
be present at the hearing, though, given the distance, he would understand
if Ben preferred to depend on a local attorney. (Ben wired immediately
that he wanted Broderick in that courtroom! "I'm going to owe that man
half the Denver Mint in any case," he grumbled to Tyler.)
When they heard the news - about two minutes after they finished treating a
ten year-old who had fallen and scraped his knee - Jon and Kelly were
beside themselves. As a matter of fact, they had to work off a LOT of
energy in Jon's bedroom that night! Kelly was firm on only one point: He
had to have a new suit. It seems that he had grown a full INCH while in
the Tetons! When Mrs. Parsons and Mrs. Culpepper heard of the coming event
- probably through an innocent remark made by Tyler - they immediately
asked if they might be in the courtroom. At first, Jon and Kelly were
resistant. "It's our moment, Dad! It's ours!" they exclaimed. When Ben
talked to them about the many obligations of friendship - and the fact that
many people in Shiloh loved them as he did - they relented. The two women
immediately began to arrange a reception at a local restaurant to follow
the Court proceedings. Only Ben knew of the planning - and he wasn't
talking!
Other than for the fact that the adoption hearing had to be moved into a
larger courtroom due to the outpouring of people from Shiloh (including
Cindy Sue from Amarillo and Bettsy from the Crystal Palace), the Court
appearance went off like clockwork! Exactly as their father had promised
them months ago, Judge Bryson, a rather stern looking man in his black
robes, asked each of them in turn if this is what he really wanted.
Somewhat nervously, each boy said that it was. He asked them if they
wished to retain their original names or if they preferred to change their
family name to "Cabot." Without a moment's hesitation, they both firmly
chose to assume "Cabot" as their last name. The judge sat silent for a
moment, thumbing through the thick sheaf of papers before him. Abruptly,
he turned to Jon.
Rather sharply, he asked Jon why a 17 year-old on the verge of manhood
would want to be adopted. "I can understand why a child, perhaps even a 14
or 15 year-old, might want to be adopted, but why you?" he asked. When
Mr. Broderick rose immediately to object, Judge Bryson waved him off.
"Hold on a minute, counselor. I want to hear the young man's answer," he
said, a softer note entering his voice. "If you still wish to object after
I have heard it, I shall have both my question and his answer stricken from
the court record." Broderick whispered in Jon's ear and then sat down, a
somewhat disturbed look on his face. As is the case with most attorneys,
he did not like surprises.
Jon rose, handsome in his new suit purchased at the same time as Kelly's,
swallowed, closed his eyes for just a second, opened them, and looked the
judge right in the eye. "Your Honor," he said in a surprisingly firm,
adult voice. "Mr. Broderick tells me that you have my full record in front
of you. Thus, you know where I was born and grew up. Along with my
brother, I came here on the Orphan Train full of hate, hated for others
and, worse, hatred for myself. While Dr. Cabot was drawing infections out
of people in Shiloh, he was drawing the hatred out of me and nursing me
back to health. I love him beyond all other human beings. If I live to be
eighty, I shall never be able to repay him. I intend to become a teacher
and, in my own way, carry on his work. I beg you to let it be done in the
name of 'Cabot'." With that, Jon sat down. As every single human being in
the courtroom exhaled simultaneously, Kelly found his brother's hand and
covered it with his own.
"Is there anyone in this courtroom who can give cause why I should not rule
on Dr. Cabot's petition at this time?" Judge Bryson asked. (Pause.) "Very
well. It is my ruling that Jon and Kelly McNulty are now the legal sons
and heirs of Benjamin Cabot. Furthermore, their legal names will
henceforth be 'Jon Cabot' and 'Kelly Cabot'. On receiving notice of this
ruling, the State of New York will issue new birth certificates with
revised data. May I compliment you, Dr. Cabot, on having two sons in whom
any man would be proud." Hidden from all eyes other than those of the
judge and court officers, two young men - each strikingly handsome,
magnificently developed, and nearly as tall as the man standing between
them - rested their heads on their father's chest as might children much
younger. Gently, he kissed each on the forehead before wiping the tears
from his own eyes.
Fortunately, given the crowd, the reception planned by the wives of Harry
Parsons and Sam Culpepper was by invitation only. Judge Bryson actually
attended to the visible surprise of Simpson Broderick. "A rare compliment
to you and your sons," he said to Ben. "He's actually known as a 'hanging
judge'," he added calmly. (Ben noticed the twinkle in Simpson's eyes and
refused to touch that one.) There was an elegantly catered luncheon with
Champagne, followed by gifts. Linda Culpepper brought out two small boxes
for Ben, explaining that they were given to help "make up for events that
he had missed." Opening them, he found two silver baby cups, one engraved
with Jon's name, one with Kelly's. As one might guess, the boys absolutely
cracked up. Holding the little cup on which his name had been engraved,
Kelly chortled gleefully, "Dad, if anyone ever saw anything like this in
Five Points, he would LIFT it!" (Judge Bryson joined in the merriment over
that one!) However rare, Jon and Kelly were literally speechless when they
were led into a lot that adjoined the fine restaurant to meet two
magnificent Arabians decked out in hand tooled saddles and tack. Ben had
all he could do to persuade them not to jump on their glorious steeds - new
suits and all - give a "Yippie-Ki-Yay!" and take off in the direction of
Shiloh! Later that afternoon, however, . . .
That evening, Ben told them that he also had a present for them - a
celebratory trip to complete their journey west from the Atlantic to the
Pacific, a trip to SAN FRANCISCO! At first, Ben spoke as if Tyler wouldn't
be coming, but given their cries of outrage ("He's one of the FAMILY,
Dad!"), he relented. When he heard the full story, Tyler hugged and kissed
the two of them as he danced them around the room!
(At the End of the Rainbow)
ALL ABOARD! With those words, Ben, Jon, and Kelly (together with their
beloved Tyler) resumed an Odyssey that had begun on the Atlantic and would
not end until it reached the Pacific. At 22-23 miles per hour, the train
would take a good three days to reach its destination, keeping them glued
against the windows for much of the way. They were fascinated by
everything - the excitement of sleeping on a train, the great lunch baskets
(which, when most of their contents had been consumed, were generally
thrown from the train, often to disconsolate remnants of a once proud
native people), the animals, especially the prairie dogs, antelope, and
occasional carcasses of slaughtered buffalo.
Sleeping in the Silver Palace Cars presented some special challenges.
(After all, they couldn't spend three full days glued against the windows
without having SOME "innocent" diversions, could they?) For some time, the
train was quite full. While two elderly passengers were willing to trade
seats during the day, neither was willing to give up a bottom bunk at
night. Thus, Tyler slept above Ben (in whose wider bunk he was usually
found at night), but Jon had to sleep above an old gentleman whose legs
were none too steady. Kelly had to sleep above a very old and rotund woman
who was returning from Ohio, where she had gone to see her grandchildren.
On the first night, Kelly successfully navigated the journey down from his
bunk and up into Jon's. The next morning, however, saw the old gentleman
lodging a firm protest with Ben. "Though there was a great deal of
movement and noise in the upper bunk," he stated, "I want to believe that
nothing was going on other than innocent fun between two spirited
teenagers. On the other hand, sir, at times I feared that the upper bunk
would collapse! Surely, we can't have that sort of thing, can we?" Ben
didn't think so - and he firmly shared his (somewhat vitriolic) thoughts
with the boys.
Jon and Kelly realized that a new route had to be found, and Jon was
elected to explore it. At around 2:00 am, he quietly used the facilities
before returning through the curtained car. Sleepy, he became confused and
climbed into that which he thought to be Kelly's bunk. When a sweet young
thing suddenly saw the big oaf's head poking through her curtains, she let
out a piercing scream. The conductor came running, but he needn't have
bothered. As Jon lay sprawled in the aisle in his short drawers, the young
lady's aunt stood over him, beating him about the head and shoulders with
her parasol! A very grumpy and agitated father came running, apologized
profusely, grabbed his son by the neck, and led him back to his bunk. As
we know, however, one of Jon's more endearing qualities was his
persistence. Indeed, he was the epitome of the nineteenth century African
explorer! When all was quiet and dark again, he ventured forth. Quietly,
he found the ladder to Kelly's bunk, moved it into place, and began his
ascent. It may well have been that a curse was on him that night, for
halfway up, he slipped and fell struggling through the curtains into the
fat lady's den. She resisted with all the strength and guile of a female
wrestler. Screaming her bloody head off, she tore the curtains down around
their heads, continuing the struggle for her virtue in a tangled mass of
legs, curtains, curlers, and blankets! Again the conductor came running
while an assistant lit lamps throughout the car.
A grim faced conductor and an even grimmer faced father escorted the boys
to a baggage car in which several large felines were being transported to a
private San Francisco zoo from Chicago. Sleepily, they looked at the boys,
licked their chops, and snarled. The culprits were shown to two open cages
that sat near the very smelly cats. Only when they swore fealty to the
ideal of chastity were they let out in time for breakfast.
At the highest point of the trip in the Rockies, the train actually stopped
and allowed the passengers to disembark and pick up a few souvenirs such as
pebbles and, for one lucky traveler from the East, a horseshoe. Mountains,
mountains everywhere, down into the Salt Lake Basin with the great lake on
their left, alkali flats, the desert, the final climb across the Sierra
Nevada - often through great tunnels and across trestles that soared over
deep chasms - and into Golden California. Finally they would cross San
Francisco Bay on the Overland Ferry. Indeed, it was a grand adventure!
After all, who could cross the country and take part in an African safari
at the same time!
They stepped off the ferry into a world that they hadn't exactly expected.
Two hundred thousand strong, the people of San Francisco - stimulated by
the Gold Rush, the Silver Era, constant emigration, and a fortuitous
climate - had created a city that was simultaneously alive, bustling, and
intensely colorful. It had already become the merchandising and financial
hub of the West, as well as a cosmopolitan window on the world where one
glimpsed peoples from every land. Its streets filled with fashionably
(though rather soberly) dressed people were bright with flower stands and
fruit stands. One could even wait for a covered wagon to clatter up, climb
into the rear where there was a table and chairs (plus a stove and a cook),
and enjoy fresh baked goods! (Tyler pronounced the muffins the best he had
ever eaten!) A loquacious staff member at the fine hotel at which they
were staying told them - with the unreasoning pride that seem to
characterize every San Franciscan they met - that the "City" (as he called
it) contained 90 hotels, 350 restaurants, 42 breweries, 260 bakeries, and
13 great public markets! On every side, the somewhat awestruck little
party from the High Plains encountered parks, churches, synagogues,
schools, libraries, and academies. Even the former Bostonian and New
Yorkers were impressed - and the young man from Laramie was open-mouthed!
Speaking to everyone he could find who had visited the City, including
Simpson Broderick, Ben had planned well and filled their days with
adventures. For instance, they took a ride on the cable cars that had
begun public service only three days before their arrival. Kelly even
tried to help turn the car around at the end of the line, but,
unfortunately, the greenhorn stood on the turntable! As other passengers
and employees tried to turn the car (with the added weight provided by the
hunky youth), he drew shouts from every direction. Confused, he wished
that his beloved Arabian, Diya, would just appear and get him out of there!
They visited a building where jeans were being manufactured. Using bolts
of canvas sailcloth, Levi Strauss, the son of a Bavarian dry-good peddler,
had made what he called "waist overalls" (Strauss hated the term "jeans")
that the miners found to be nearly indestructible. Now made of a sturdy
fabric called "denim," they were incredibly successful and demand was
rising throughout the West. Earlier that year, he had further reinforced
the garments by placing rivets at points of greatest stress. Only Jon had
a reservation. Having tried on a pair, he crouched down and showed them
one of the rivets, the one that had been installed in the crotch. "What
would happen," he asked with a smirk, "when they crouched as close to the
fire as possible on a frigid night on the Plains and it heated up that
rivet?" Everyone giggled, but the fascinated youngsters still went home
with several pair for riding.
With the assistance of the hotel (which provided a guide and a giant of an
"assistant" who the boys thought looked suspiciously like a policeman),
their next adventure took them into the Chinese quarter. Chinese had come
to California in droves to work in the gold fields and on the overland
railroad. Their guide told them that they now formed nearly 20 percent of
the City's working population. Ubiquitous, relegated to the lowest stratum
of society and subject to constant harassment, informally and by repressive
laws, they were allowed to do little other than fish and do laundry. One
might suspect that there would be trouble when they wanted more - and were
willing to work hard and for low wages to get it. It was Kelly who
muttered, "There always has to be someone," a comment that drew an angry,
disgusted look from the "assistant."
Entering the Chinese district, the company found itself suddenly
transported to a completely different world. One rarely heard a word of
English in this "New Cathay;" one rarely encountered the sights that had
theretofore delighted them in their short visit in San Francisco. Rather,
they entered an area of crowded alleys from which doors led to little
bazaars, teaming rookeries of sleeping places, restaurants, teahouses,
opium houses, and smoky gambling dens. The sights and smells - even the
colors and sounds of the Chinese Theater and a great temple - struck them
as...foreign...and more than a little sinister! Even so, they were
unwilling simply to dismiss the adventure, as was their "assistant" who
frequently muttered comments about the "Heathen Chinee."
Ben thought it time for a change of pace. Perhaps, they should sample the
reputedly wild nightlife of a city also known as "Baghdad by the Bay"!
Needless to say, the boys were all grins. As soon as a little money had
changed hands at the hotel desk and a carriage called out front, they
quickly found themselves on the sidewalk before an establishment that had
been described to the good doctor as "well regarded." The boys immediately
began muttering. Obviously, something didn't feel right! Tyler was game
to enter, but even Ben had his reservations as he saw the crowd that was
entering and departing. Finally, the foursome positioned themselves in
front of the large entry doors. As the doors opened and closed, they got
nothing more than fleeting peeks - and the hawker out front wasn't
particularly interested in giving them a better look. In some disgust, Jon
finally exclaimed that all the performers appeared to be women...naked
women! "It's a big city, Dad," Kelly grumbled. "Can't we do better than
that?" As he spoke, they were approached by a rather sleazy type who
suggested that he could possibly provide some entertainment more to their
taste.
After a short carriage ride, they found themselves in an area of the San
Francisco waterfront known as the "Barbary Coast." Ah, this felt better!
One couldn't see much more than the faint glow of lights in the thick fog
shrouding the area. Even the street sounds were muffled, although they
occasionally heard the moan of a foghorn. Ben explained that the Barbary
Coast was a remnant of the Gold Rush Days. All sorts of low-life
flourished - gamblers, gangsters, prostitutes, confidence men...you name
it. Named after the pirate coast of North Africa (the "shores of Tripoli")
that Commodore Stephen Decateur and his marines had to clean out in the
early 1800s, its brothels, saloons, and disreputable boardinghouses were
notorious throughout the world. "Looks like a good place to get
Shanghaied," Tyler murmured nervously. At the urging of their "guide,"
they descended into a basement where a little gold gave them admission to
an ongoing gay floorshow.
Ben told them to drink nothing - and the two men remained alert to what was
going on around them. (To anyone who looked, it was apparent that both Ben
and Ty were armed. "Way to go, Dad and Tyler!" Jon thought.) Talk about
wild! No member of the party had ever seen anything like it! The
performers - probably ranging in age from 17 through the earliest 20s,
beautiful beyond belief, and naked as the day they were born - danced,
sang, and performed gravity- defying acrobatics. Our boys were in seventh
heaven! They - and most of the rest of the audience - sported prominent
hard-ons. Ben, whose tastes had changed a bit in recent years, was
actually sweating! No one was willing to take his eyes off the youths long
enough to look at or say something to anyone else at the table.
The next group regaled the audience with a Can-Can, reputedly straight from
Gay Paree. "Ah shit!" Tyler complained, "I thought we came here for some
REAL entertainment!" "Hold on a minute, Ty," Kelly said. "There's
something strange about those girls!" Secure in their adult wisdom,
neither Ben nor Tyler would agree and finally told the boys to "put up or
shut up". Losing patience, J&K called one of the girls over to the table
during a short break - a particularly lusty wench with long golden hair,
bulbous accoutrements, and a great deal of war paint. (For a goodly piece
of gold, a girl would dance at your table, ending by flipping up her skirts
and displaying her...feminine charms.) Suzie danced long and hard. When,
however, she flipped her skirts, she was shown to have "something familiar"
at the juncture of her thighs and lower torso. Reluctantly, Ben and Tyler
admitted defeat and paid up to the party's experts on such matters. "I
still would like to see more of the group that was dancing when we came
in," Tyler grumbled. He was in luck.
For the finale, the original group of young men offered a dance set against
a waterfront mural. Ten dancers wore only skintight striped shirts that
ended at the navel. Sensually, they undulated around the stage to a
hauntingly beautiful song that carried images of foreign shores, palm trees
and danger. Suddenly, from the wing, a new performer danced onto the
stage, an absolutely gorgeous young blond lad - who looked all of 13 or 14
- clad only in a tight shirt and the white canvas pants favored by sailors.
The house erupted into cheers and lewd shouts. Dancing a sprightly step
that conveyed youth and purity, he slowly wended his way between the other
dancers, oblivious to their gestured enticements. Suddenly, as the others
fell back, the largest of the dancers stepped in front of the lad. Forcing
the boy to his knees, the dancer offered him his swelling cock. (Hearing a
loud grunt next to him, Ben turned to Kelly. The red- faced lad was busy
tucking a handkerchief down under pants that already showed a widening
stain.) Virtuously, the young blond shook his head in refusal. The dancer
who had accosted him picked him up, held his horizontal body high in the
air, and THREW him to his companions. As the lad was borne about the
stage, he was slowly stripped. When naked, he was thrown back to the
leader of the pack. As the boy held onto his neck and clamped his legs
around the man's waist, the leader fucked him on his immense pole as he
danced him about the stage! (He never missed a beat! In fact, none of
them did.) That would have been enough, of course, to bring the house
down, but the leader finally threw him to another dancer...and he to
another...each of whom repeated the fucking. The audience rose as one in a
roaring tribute to the sweaty dancers who bowed low before them. (Ben
noticed that both Jon and Tyler had reacted to the spectacle as had most of
the rest of the audience. That is, they had simply pulled it out and
relieved the tension manually! "God, I'm getting old!" he thought as he
sniffed the distinctive odor that permeated the room.)
During the intermission, one of the dancers came over to the table...a
black-haired 17 or 18 year-old, his entire body smoothly shaved and lightly
oiled...handsome, muscular though sleek and defined, hung like their
Arabians. They invited him to sit - which, after they paid the "House
fee," he did, sitting back from the table and splaying his legs widely in
front of him. "Danny" made it entirely clear that he'd be happy to go with
them "after the show" - and, if they wished, bring some of his friends. He
pointed to a couple of the teens who were also working the audience.
Beautiful kids... For an extra fee, Pauli, the blond 14 year-old, was
available. Each of them did...everything. When he asked if there was
anything else he could do for them, the three younger members of the party
put their heads together. Giggling, Tyler motioned for Danny to come
closer. Receiving three gold coins that he placed in an ankle holder, the
stunning youngster went over to Ben and whispered in his ear. At first the
pater familiis looked up with a dubious expression on his face. When
confronted by three absolutely intransigent expressions, however, he sighed
and "permitted" Danny to open his fly and give him an thoroughly
professional blow job. As might have been expected, the boys kept up a
running line of expert commentary throughout the whole affair! Obviously
tired from his exertions and nervously keeping an eye out for the boss, the
lad began to ask Jon and Kelly about their lives. Jon was going to become
a teacher; Kelly, a doctor? And they came from Five Points (which he knew
by reputation)? When the boss signaled that the intermission was over, he
stood for a second between the boys, lightly touched their shoulders, and
smiled sadly before silently departing. (With a twinge of regret - and a
final spasm - Ben watched a truly memorable set of buttocks disappear into
the curtains.)
Jon and Kelly looked at each other white-faced. Realizing that the boys
had just seen themselves as they might have been, Ben wasn't surprised when
Kelly turned to him and choked, "Dad, I want to go back to the hotel.
Please!" Once in their rooms, Ben couldn't pry Kelly off him, and Jon had
forsaken his brother to glue himself to Ty. Fear...gratitude...pain...it
all spilled out - plus, before sleep relieved their tension, a bit more.
Ben woke up holding a beautiful, auburn-haired 15 year-old who had slept
like a rock once he had propelled what seemed to be a quart of cum into his
mouth. Suddenly aware that the boy's eyes were open and watching him, he
turned his face and planted a kiss on the very tip of his nose. "Good
morning, Sunshine! What's your pleasure?" At first, the boy smiled
softly, returned his father's kiss, and murmured, "You were there again for
me, Dad. How I love you." Then, assuming the more natural tones of the
adolescent, he complained bitterly that he was HUNGRY and had to be fed
before he DIED a horrible death! From an adjoining room came the brotherly
cry, "FOOD!"
Yes, they had a good breakfast in a nearby cafe, but, in truth, it was only
the latest in a long line of superb meals. Even Ben who knew the finest
restaurants in both New York and Boston was amazed. Never had he tasted so
many imaginative meals of such exquisite quality in his life. The meats,
the fish, the shellfish from the Northwest such as Dungeness crab, the
vegetables and the fruit, not to speak of the sourdough bread were beyond
belief. They even enjoyed some excellent pasta prepared by Italian
immigrants from Genoa who were beginning to be noticeable in the City.
When Shiloh had grown to the point where it could support such an
establishment, he knew exactly where he would suggest they turn for their
chef! In the meantime, everyone was complaining that he had put on so much
weight that he had to get back to some hard exercise. Otherwise, Levi
Strauss & Company would have to insert multiple rivets into their clothing
simply to resist the added stress!
Not that everything in Baghdad by the Bay was sweetness and light. On
their trip out to the new Golden Gate Park and the Seal Rocks that lay
beyond, for example, the always-perceptive Tyler commented about the
tremendous disparity in San Francisco between the haves and the have-nots.
"I've seen too many homeless children to be comfortable," he stated, "and
even the newspapers suggest that young hoodlums are becoming a serious
problem." The boys from the lower East Side of New York were quick to
chime in. "It's just like New York, Tyler," Jon had growled. "There's so
much wealth and so much promise in this country, but a handful of people
seem to be cornering most of it - and the Government does little but
protect them! We saw the Stanford and the Mark Hopkins mansions the other
day. How do they compare with the buildings in which most San Franciscans
- or New Yorkers - live?" Though he tended to sympathize with Jon, Ben was
from wealth and had seen the good uses to which it could be put. Always
ready to play the devil's advocate, he asked, "In the far West, Jon, you
rode on the tracks of the Central Pacific. Leland Stanford and Mark
Hopkins were two of the four men most responsible for that part of the
transcontinental railroad. Didn't their energy and their money deserve to
be rewarded?" "Does that justify Danny?" Kelly asked quietly. "Would
their right to 'rewards' have justified Jon and I being up there on that
stage?" And so the discussions - and occasional arguments - went as the
boys gradually defined who they were and the goals they wanted to set in
their lives. In truth, it was not a discussion that ended with the San
Francisco trip. Indeed, it was a discussion that continued throughout
their lives - and throughout our nation's history.
On their last day in San Francisco, the travelers visited the historic
Presidio. Established in 1776 as a military post by a Spanish expedition
from northern Mexico, it came under control of the United States in 1846.
Actually, Ben did not bring them to the Army post to view the many
artifacts. Rather, the hotel had recommended that they spend some time on
a bluff near the fort that lay at the northernmost end of the Presidio, a
bluff that overlooked the narrowest part of the Golden Gate. Even though
it was early September, climactic conditions were right to view a City
phenomenon that was far more common during the summer. It began during the
afternoon. At first there was only a haziness over the Pacific in the
western sky. Then a great bank of fog became visible, making its way
towards them. Slowly, it began forcing its way into the narrow Gate, only
about a mile wide at that point. Ben, Tyler, Jon, and Kelly stood, arms
around each other, as the sun shone down on the advancing force.
"Strange," Ben thought, "it's not just gray." Indeed, the wind constantly
caused wisps of white to lighten the appearance of the billowy mass. As
the sun reflected off the surrounding land and water, other colors - lilac,
mauve...even touches of crimson and gold - were mixed into the
kaleidoscopic display. "Oh, man, it's beautiful," breathed Kelly. "Is
this the place where the rainbows all come down to earth, Doc?" Tyler
asked. "Yeah, maybe" Ben answered. "A lot of people around here seem to
think so, but I'm inclined to think they come down to earth wherever one's
heart is." He sighed and grinned at Jon who was vigorously nodding his
head in agreement. "I, for one, am ready to head back HOME! Are you guys
with me?"
THE END
(AUTHOR'S NOTE: For the history buffs among our readers - and it wouldn't
be surprising to find a few, yes? - your authors would like to share a rare
treat. All too often, eyewitness accounts of earlier events occur only as
brief excerpts in other texts. In writing this last chapter, however, we
came across a major exception. In the mid 1870s, Benjamin F. Taylor - a
freelance writer and poet - took a trip by rail from Chicago to San
Francisco. His observations gave rise to a book titled, BETWEEN THE GATES.
Fortunately, the entire book is in the Library of Congress and, more,
online! Even to the initiated, the Victorian prose is
occasionally...heavy, and initially the browser isn't the easiest to use.
Nevertheless, it is an absolutely glorious account and we recommend it to
you most heartily. Access it by:
- Clicking on www.perseus.tufts.edu (to access the Perseus Table of
Contents Browser),
- Clicking on "California" in the left-side menu,
- Scrolling down to (and clicking on) "Between the gates. By Benjamin
F. Taylor," (Do NOT click on "search this work"), and,
- Following the arrows and the left-side menu to move through the chapters.)