Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2003 13:39:01 EST
From: Tulsadriller7@aol.com
Subject: Tales from the Ranch, Chapter 28/?

Disclaimer:  The following story is a work of fiction.  If you
are offended by descriptions of homosexual acts or man/man
relations, please exit this page.

TALES FROM THE RANCH
Copyrightc 2003 by Tulsa Driller 7.  All rights reserved.

This is a story of men who have two common interests.  You will
see that they love the land where they live and work, but it is
also the story of young men who love other men and their coming
of age in a culture of prejudice and misunderstanding.  It is a
story, which deals with difficult and often disturbing issues
but, nonetheless, issues which must be confronted in today's
world.

This is a work of fiction and in no way draws on the lives of any
specific person or persons.  Any similarity to actual persons or
events is entirely coincidental.  This work is copyrightedc by
the author and may not be reproduced in any form without the
specific written permission of the author.  It is assigned to the
Nifty Archives under the terms of their submission agreement but
it may not be copied or archived on any other site without the
written permission of the author.

PLEASE:  In a perfect world AIDS doesn't exist.  My characters
have unprotected sex.  I hope you use proper precautions because
I'd like you to be around the read the last chapter of this
story.

Tales from the Ranch
Chapter 28:  More of the Honeymoon
     The next thing Dale realized was that Craig had leaned his
head on his shoulder and nodded off.  Dale wasn't that far from
going to sleep himself and didn't think it would be very
comfortable to sleep on the love seat, especially since there was
a bed in the next room.
     He kissed Craig on the side of his face.  "Hon. Craig.
Babe."
     "Uhmmm," came back the reply as Craig stirred slightly.
     "Hon, let's go get in bed before we both go to sleep."
     "Okay.?  I didn't mean to go to sleep, but it just feels so
good to sit here next to you," Craig said.
     "I know, but I'm sleepy, too.  Guess we had a busier day
than we thought," Dale said, easing Craig back into an upright
position so they could get up.
     Dale couldn't move until Craig was out of the way, because
his right leg was on the loveseat, behind where Craig was
sitting.  He finally leaned Craig forward so he could move his
leg and withdrew it.  It was starting to get numb.
     He stood up and took Craig by both hands to stand him up,
thinking that he might have to carry him to bed, but Craig became
more aware of what was going on and walked to the bedroom with
Dale's arm around his waist, keeping him from falling.  He helped
Craig shed his boxers, then sat him on the edge of the bed so he
could roll him into the middle.  He pulled the sheet up over his
lover.
     Walking around to the other side of the bed, he placed both
mints on the night table, shed his shorts and crawled into bed on
the other side.  Thinking again that the bed was too big, he
found his way to the middle, gave an unresponsive kiss to his
lover and wrapped his arms around him.  Dale didn't remember
going to sleep.
     * * * * *
     Craig stirred about 6 o'clock.  He didn't remember going to
bed, but he was curled up next to Dale, who had his arm over him.
He slipped out of bed so he could relieve his bladder, brushed
his teeth and made his way back to the bed.  He made a mental
note to never get a room with a king-size bed again.
     Dale roused a little when Craig slipped in next to him.  He
needed to pee, but not badly enough to get up.  He slipped his
left arm under Craig's neck and used his right one to pull Craig
to him.  Craig kissed him on the cheek and they both slept for
another two hours.
     * * * * *
     This time Dale needed to pee and do it right away.  He
extracted himself from his beautiful lover's body and made his
way to the bathroom.  After relieving himself, he brushed his
teeth and washed his face before he went back to bed.
     Craig was awake and waiting for him.  He was ready to play
around for a little bit and hoped Dale was, too.
     Dale lay down and Craig put his head on his shoulder,
tracing circles in the fur on his pecs and pinching his nipples.
Dale's hands were doing the same to Craig.
     "Did you sleep well?" Craig asked.
     "Must have, I don't think I even dreamed or moved last
night."
     "Me, too."
     "I thought I was going to have a hard time getting you in
bed after you went to sleep on the loveseat," Dale said.
     Craig giggled.  "I really must have been asleep to pass up a
chance to get in bed with you."  He leaned up and gave Dale a
kiss on the lips, pinching his left nipple at the same time."
     "AaRrGgHh!"  Dale pretended to be in pain.  "Is that any way
to treat me?"
     "Just checking your responses," Craig said innocently, then
cupped Dale's semi-hard dick in his hand.  "Hmmm, you must not be
awake yet."
     Dale did the same thing to Craig, starting with a kiss.
"You aren't either."
     They shared a few more kisses, tickling the other's sex
organs with their hands and fingers.  Soon both were "awake" and
starting to leak a little precum.
     Dale wanted to suck Craig off and he didn't want them to do
it together.  He wanted to make his lover feel good and be able
to enjoy the pleasure without trying to bring Dale off at the
same time.
     "Is it okay if I suck you off. then you can do whatever you
want to me?" he asked.
     "Sure.  Do you want to '69'?" Craig asked.
     "No, I want to be able to give all of my attention to you
and let you enjoy it."
     "Okay by me."
     Dale started in, bathing Craig from his face to his toes and
back up, rubbing, kneading, tickling, kissing, sniffing, using
his hands, tongue, mustache, nose, whatever he could.  Soon Craig
was withering on the bed and was making the "Craig noises" that
Dale loved to hear.  Finally, without warning he wet two fingers
with saliva, then swallowed Craig to the balls.  He started
working his fingers into Craig's ass and his sphincter
immediately opened up.  He realized that Craig was leaking a lot
of precum into his mouth, so rewet his fingers and worked them
into touch his prostate.  That had the desired effect.  Craig
started leaking profusely and the "Craig noises" really started
getting louder.
     He worked Craig's cock down his throat and constricted the
muscles.  Then he thought of something he'd read about.  He
started humming and Craig almost bounced off the bed.  The "Craig
noises" got louder - a lot louder.  He was really moving around
on the bed and Dale used his other hand to stroke his nipples,
chest and stomach.
     Almost without warning, Craig started cumming.  He even
surprised himself as he was trying to relax and enjoy this
exquisite feeling.  "AAARRRRGGGHH!!!" Dale heard, trying to hold
Craig's dick in his mouth and keep his teeth out of the way, too.
     It felt to Dale that Craig's dick had doubled in size as the
first wad shot down his throat.  The force was such that it
almost felt like a fire hose was emptying into his gullet.  Dale
rode out the convulsions, enjoying the fact that he was making
his lover feel so good.
     Finally, it seemed to be over except for the occasional
aftershocks.  Dale allowed his tongue to wipe the few dribbles of
nectar off the end of his cock, then moved up to share the
delicious creme with Craig.  He deposited his offering in Craig's
mouth.
     "Happy Birthday, Lover," he said, then locked lips with
Craig so they could stir the birthday cocktail he had produced
for Dale.
     Craig was truly out of breath, just like he'd done all the
work.  He swallowed half the mixture after returning some to
Dale.  He murmured, "Why don't you put your dick up my ass and
give me a birthday fuck, too?  That would start my day right!!"
     Dale was only too happy to oblige him.  Craig's sphincter
was already dilated as Dale had worked two fingers inside him to
massage his prostate.  He moved down to deposit what was left in
his mouth in Craig's hole, using his tongue as a plunger.  He
then used the rest and his own precum to lube himself, pushing
Craig's legs apart and back so he could get in position.  He
didn't think it would take him long to service Craig, he was so
horny.
     He placed his cock at the entrance and pulled his foreskin
back, then milked out the precum in his tube.  That was a nice
dollop.  He pushed gently and they coupled easily.  Craig started
contracting his muscles as Dale bottomed out.  He moved up on
Craig's body so they could kiss while Dale worked his magic in
Craig's ass.  Craig wished he could hum with his asshole as Dale
had when his cock was buried in his lovers throat.  However, the
pulsations of his sphincter must have had the same effect.
     Dale starting grunting and his thrusts got harder and
deeper.
     "Ride me, fuck me!!! Cowboy," Craig panted.
     Dale devoured Craig's tongue, gave a mightly thrust and
started emptying his balls into his lover's love chute.  God,
that felt good. he unloaded and then shot that much more on the
second eruption which followed about 15 second later.  Craig
hadn't realized that he was near a second orgasm.  He'd been
enjoying the pleasure of Dale's hairy body rubbing his chest and
stomach, so he was surprised when he felt himself firing more cum
between their chests.  The tightening of his sphincter was
milking the last of Dale's wad out of him.
     Dale fell on Craig's chest, sliding around on the cum he'd
shot there.  They both were gasping for breath.
     "Happy Birthday again, Lover!!!" Dale gasped.
     "Wow!!! I may have to stay in bed all morning to rest up
from this.  We just get better at this all the time," Craig said,
adding, "Thank you!!!  That was incredible!!!!"
     They lay there in post-coital bliss for several minutes
until their breath slowed to normal.  Craig's asshole convulsed,
ejecting Dale's soft cock.  He could feel that it was still
leaking a little cum.
     Their mouth's sought the other one more time and they
exchanged another passionate kiss.
     "If I'm not pregnant by now, I never will be," Craig giggled
as they got out of bed.
     "If you're not, I'm going to keep trying until you are,"
Dale laughed, slapping him lightly on the ass, then pinching his
cheeks as he followed him into the bathroom.
     Craig turned around with an impish look on his face.  "Let's
go make sure," then leaned up for another kiss.  God, how he
loved Dale and he was glad his parents did, too.
     "If I cum again today, I'll have to stay in bed.  That was
hard work and it made me hungry," he laughed.
     By this time they were emptying their bladders, then started
to shave before their shower.
     "Why don't we dress casual today, Levi's would be fine, and
go to the stockyards?  There's a restaurant there that has a
fantastic breakfast buffet.  That will probably hold us until
dinner this evening," Craig told him.
     "What about church?" Dale asked.
     "How about we skip today?"
     "Lead me to the restaurant, I could eat a whole cow," Dale
said.
     Craig smiled at him as they kissed, then climbed into the
shower.
     As always, it felt good to have the other wash them, paying
special attention to parts that really needed to be cleaned.
They finished, dried themselves and the other, dried their hair
and dressed in Levis, boots and plaid shirts that were similar.
     Dale glanced at his watch when he put it on.  It was 9:45.
No wonder he was hungry.
     * * * * *
     They rode their "private elevator" to the lobby.  Craig gave
his claim check to the doorman and the car was in the driveway in
less than 2 minutes.  It didn't take them 10 minutes to get to
the Stockyards Visitor Center.  The hotel with the brunch was
just a block away.  Craig parked the car and they walked the
short distance to the hotel.
     The church crowd hadn't gotten there yet so they were seated
immediately.  There was a listing of all the foods that were on
the buffet on the table.  While they were looking it over,
getting hungrier, a young, male server asked what they would like
to drink.
     "How about Bloody Mary's?" Craig asked Dale.  "They make
really good ones here."
     "That would be great," Dale said.
     "Will you gentlemen be having the buffet, or would you like
to see a menu?" the server asked.
     "The buffet," they said, almost in unison.
     "Help yourselves when you are ready.  I'll bring silver and
napkins when I bring the drinks."
     Craig led the way to the buffet table.  They had "Texas-
size" plates that had to be at least 14-inches in diameter, but
from the looks of the buffet, they would need them.
     As they moved down the line, Dale spied the "mountain
oysters" and helped himself to two.  He loved them.
     "Are you going to have some of these?" he asked Craig.
     "Oh yeah, I like them," helping himself to one.  I've never
been sure what they were because sometimes they call them 'cow
fries'."
     Dale snickered.  'This could wait until they got back to the
table,' he thought.
     They finished loading their plates.  Dale was surprised
because there were also plates and dishes on the buffet to put
fruit and pancakes on.  Then he noticed that the servers were
available to help carry all the dishes and food to their tables.
"Wow, this place is for people who are serious eaters, isn't it?"
     They arrived back at their table with their server carrying
their food on a tray.  The drinks and cutlery were on the table.
     They picked up the drinks and Dale told Craig 'Happy
Birthday' again as they touched glasses.
     "This has been a fantastic weekend," Dale said.
     "It's not over yet," Craig reminded him.
     They dug into their food and soon Dale was cutting into his
"mountain oysters".  He took a bite.  They were delicious and
really were fork tender.  They had been coated with a spicy
batter, and then deep-fried.
     "Have you tried these yet?" pointing with his fork.  "They
are wonderful."
     Craig cut into the one on his plate and took a bite.
"You're right, they are good."
     "The Bar-W supplies them to the Rotary Club to sell at their
booth during the Williamsport Days Carnival," Dale told him.
"Marty donates them to help them raise money for scholarships."
     "What do you mean, 'The Bar-W supplies them'?" questioned
Craig.
     "You're from Texas and you don't know what they are?" Dale
started to grim his famous 1000-watter.
     "Oh no, this is going to be good, I can tell," Craig
laughed.
     "Bull balls," Dale said.
     "What?"
     "Bull testicles," Dale said.
     The look on Craig's face was priceless.  "Bull. testicles?"
     "Y'all got it," Dale teased.
     "Well I knew they were from a cow, but I really didn't know
what they were.  They taste great, but I never guessed."
     "They're not from a COW, they are the BALLS of a BULL, that
becomes a STEER when they cut them off."
     "Okay, but if you think you're going to gross me out, I love
them.  They are good!" Craig said.
     Dale didn't get to enjoy teasing Craig, although he really
didn't know what they were.  Many people got pretty squeamish
when they found out what they were eating.
     They finished their meal with a cup of coffee after the
drinks were gone.  Neither went back for seconds, even as good as
the food was.
     Dale paid the bill, remarking about the low cost for what
was served.  Craig tipped the server and they left the
restaurant.
     Since Dale hadn't been to the stockyards before, they walked
to the Visitors Center and watched the video, but declined the
free tour of the facilities.
     "Are you ready to experience Dallas, now?" Craig asked as
they started down the street.
     "It can't be any better than Ft. Worth," Dale said.
     "Not necessarily better, just different things to see and
do," Craig answered.
     * * * * *
     The first pass they made was to drive through downtown
Dallas.  Since it was Sunday morning, the traffic was light after
they got off the freeway.  Craig drove leisurely through the
streets, up and down, often criscrossing to get different views
of the same building or buildings.
     Dale felt a little strange with all the tall buildings
surrounding the area to the point that the sun was usually
blocked from view and they seemed to drive in the shadows of the
buildings.  They stopped in the area called Old Downtown, which
was being renovated.  Warehouses and other old buildings were
being turned into condos, loft apartments and restaurants and
stores.
     "I look for this to become the next big gay area in Dallas,
as areas like this seem to appeal to young couples and singles,
both gay and straight.  Probably if I lived in Dallas and worked
in the area, I'd live down here," Craig told Dale.
     "Well, I glad you don't," Dale teased.
     "Since I'm interested in architecture and old buildings, I
see a lot of things that appeal to me, but yes, I'm glad to live
in Williamsport because I would have never met you."
     Craig parked the car and they started to wander down the
sidewalk.  There were plenty of people out on the sidewalk, some
were dressed for church, some for running and others were
probably on their way to or from restaurants.
     Soon, they saw a male couple, dressed in shorts and tank
tops, each with a schnauzer on a leash.  They were holding hands
and looking in shop windows.  No one seemed to be paying any
attention to them except Craig and Dale and that was only because
they approved.
     Instinctively, Dale reached for Craig's hand and they
strolled on down the street together.  It felt wonderful - the
exhilaration of freedom!  Neither thought Williamsport was ready
for them to do that at home.  Craig pointed out interesting
features on many of the buildings.  Along the way, they saw
several other male couples walking together, too.  Several of the
guys cruised Dale and Craig, who were looking back, smiling.
     They returned to the car and Craig drove up the street a
little way.  Dale immediately knew they were in the area of
Dealey Plaza and thought about the dark day a little over two
years before he was born.
     As he parked the car, Craig said, "Unfortunately this place
became a historical landmark just two months after I was born."
     Even twenty-seven years later, the place still felt eerie.
They walked around the area, ending up in the 6th Floor Museum in
the Texas School Book Depository, quietly looking at the exhibits
and video tape that was playing.  It wasn't until they were back
outside that Dale realized that they hadn't spoken a word to each
other the entire time they were in the museum.
     They walked about two blocks to the Kennedy Memorial Plaza.
They stood side-by-side and read the plaque and description of
the monument, learning that the city had dedicated the memorial
in remembrance of Kennedy in June 1970.  They walked in and
immediately were overwhelmed at the memorial.  They were standing
in a square, roofless room, called a centograph, which the folder
said, 'symbolized the freedom of Kennedy's spirit.'
     There were seventy-two white concrete columns, which seemed
to glow.  Most of them stopped short of the ground and made up
the walls of the room. It seemed as if the columns supported the
sky, and each ended in a light.  They read in the brochure they
picked up that at night the monument appeared to levitate. In the
middle of the room, a coarse granite square was inscribed with
the name, John Fitzgerald Kennedy in gilded letters.  It seemed
to inspire reverence. The few people who were in the memorial
seemed to congregate in the corners, whispering or staring in the
silence that seemed to be punctuated by busy-city sounds of the
city.
     "Let's do something fun," Craig said as they were walking
back to the car.  "I enjoy history and learning of our past, but
I hadn't intended to dwell on the unpleasant aspect of Dallas
history."
     "I'm glad we stopped.  I've read about all this, but have
only seen a few bad pictures.  This was worth seeing, but I'm
with you, on to more happier things to see and do."
     The next stop was the 50-story Reunion Tower.  Craig parked
in a parking lot and found that even though it was Sunday, the
parking meters had to be plugged.  He hadn't seen a sign, but
there was a meter maid making her rounds.
     The entrance was through the Hyatt Regency Hotel and the
lobby had a stunning fountain.  They took one of the elevators
that seemed to be one the outside of the shaft and were whisked
to the first level of the dome.  They were greeted with a
stunning view of the city as the car rose.  They stepped off the
elevator in what was called the Lookout and paid an admission
charge to go outside to the 360-degree viewing deck.
     Dale, who had never been up so high was getting the feeling
that many men do, a tightening of his groin and balls.  It was
weird.  He said something to Craig about it.  He just grinned and
told Dale he was experiencing the same problem at the moment.
     They made their way around the perimeter of the dome.  Craig
pointed out some of the lights in the dome.  "The lights are
controlled by a computer and can be set to flash as strobes, or
in a pattern."
     "You pointed them out to me the other evening when we were
in our hotel room."
     "We'll have to come back downtown tonight so you can see
them closer.  I've been told that unless they program them to do
so, the pattern is never repeated.  There are 300 lights, so the
combination is never-ending."
     Dale was impressed.
     Even though the restaurant on the second level had just
opened, it was full, but the host told them the cocktail lounge
on the top level was open and they could go up, either for a
drink or to look around.
     "Do you want to go on up?" Craig questioned.
     "Sure, I'm game.  Maybe a cocktail will get rid of my
anxiety."
     "Afraid of losing your virginity again?" Craig whispered
with an evil leer.
     Dale laughed and hugged him around the waist.
     They took the stairs up one more level.  It was easy to walk
around the lounge, but they found a table and sat next to the
window.  A waiter immediately appeared to take their drink order.
     "How about a Margarita on the Rocks?" Craig said.
     "Make it two," Dale said, smiling.  He loved that drink.
     As they were sitting there, looking at the scene, Dale
realized that the room revolved inside the dome.
     "We've moving around!" he said, more than asking.
     "Yeah, I think this makes a complete revolution about every
55 minutes," Craig replied.
     Their drinks arrived, along with a bowl of peanuts.
"Anything to make people thirsty and order more drinks," Craig
said.
     "This is really a neat place," Dale said.
     "There was a big uproar when they announced that it was to
be built because it didn't fit with the architectural designs of
the rest of the Dallas skyline."  He laughed.  "Now most of the
other buildings don't look like they belong with this tower."
     They enjoyed their thirst-quenching drink.  The room had
moved about half a revolution when they were ready to leave, but
they went to the middle and took the central elevator to the
lobby.
     "That was fun," Dale said as they started toward the parking
lot.
     "And we're just in time," Craig said as they got to the car.
"Only five minutes left on the meter.  I thought I plugged it for
an hour."
     "Maybe this lot gets most of its revenue from parking
tickets," Dale laughed.  "The meter maid is on the next row over,
writing tickets."
     Craig laughed, and then said, "You may be right."
     He backed out of the parking place and made a left turn on
the street.  "I just thought of something else that you might
enjoy."
     "What's that?"
     "A cattle drive," he smiled.
     Dale was a little confused.  "Where are we going to see
that?"
     "Just a few blocks over."
     "Now I'm curious. here. in downtown?"
     Craig turned onto Lamar Street and headed toward the Dallas
Convention Center, finding parking place a short distance from
what he wanted Dale to see.  These meters had signs telling
people that parking was free on Sunday.
     There was a plaza of about 4 acres with a recreation of a
19th century cattle drive.  It was called "Trailing Longhorns"
and depicted a herd of nine bronze Longhorn steers that appeared
to be stampeding down the hill into a creek, pursued by three
bronze cowboys on horseback.
     "This was done by Robert Summers and I think it looks real,"
Craig said.
     "It does."  Dale was surprised, as he'd never seen large-
scale art like this.  The area where the sculpted cattle were was
surrounded by native Texas landscaping and even had a waterfall.
     "I've never seen this at night, but I understand that the
lighting is such that it looks even more real."
     They walked around and through the cattle.
     "I really like this," Dale said.  "I hadn't thought that
something like this might exist."
     After they were through with the cattle, they wandered over
to the Pioneer Park Cemetery across the street, then back to
their car by a different route.
     As they got in the car, Craig glanced at his watch.  It was
a little after 3 p.m.
     "Okay, is the sightseeing getting to you?" he questioned
Dale.
     "Having fun is hard work," Dale said.
     "If you're up to it, I've got one more suggestion for today
and you can sit down for part of it, too."
     "I'm game.  You're a good tour guide, Craig Bastian
Richards," Dale said.
     "Huh?" Craig said.
     "Or maybe my name is now Dale Richards Bastian, since we're
now brothers," he teased.
     "Hmmm, I'll have to think about this.  I like the sound of
each," Craig said, reaching for Dale's hand and kissing it.
     "What are we going to see and do next?" Dale asked with a
smile, then brought Craig's hand to his lips.
     "I thought we'd go to the Dallas Museum of Art and see some
local history."
     Dale was curious.
     "Dallas has some turn-of-the-century trolley cars on a line
that runs from the museum along McKinney Avenue to the Uptown
area.  The rides are cheap and fun.  We can get on and off and
wander around in different areas.  There's restaurants, antique
shops and other things to do in the area."
     "Sounds like fun," Dale said.  He was glad Craig was driving
because he was totally lost.  The streets didn't run true to
north and south and one-way streets didn't help, either.  He did
notice that they were on Griffin Street.  "What direction are we
going?"
     "More or less north.  The streets are a little confusing,
aren't they?"
     "I'd hate to try to drive here without having someone with
me who knew where we were going," Dale laughed.  "I like the
straight streets of Williamsport better, at least they don't go
around a curve and change names."
     "You have that right.  I guess growing up in the area; I
just learned where things were when riding with my parents to the
downtown area.  When I started driving, I already knew where
places were and how to get there."
     Craig told Dale a little more about the trolley cars.
     "The McKinney Avenue Transit Authority operates the line and
it's staffed and run by volunteers. I think the cars run seven
days a week and I suggest that we get off at the car barn on Oak
Grove as they have a little museum and gift shop there"
     "Sounds like fun," Dale said.  "I'm surprised your father
isn't down here since he's interested in model trains."
     "He's was active for a couple of years, but they kept
assigning him to work schedules that didn't always work out for
him."
     Craig parked the car noticing, again, that there was free
parking on Sunday.
     They walked across the street and immediately saw one of the
cars making its way down the street, bell clanging noisily.
     "Have these always been here, or were they imported from
somewhere else?" Dale asked.
     "I think this is the last of the old trolley system that
serviced the downtown area and probably ran a few miles out into
the residential areas.  Busses replaced the trolleys and somebody
had the foresight to turn them into a tourist attraction and I
think they produce enough revenue to keep the cars repaired and
running, but they couldn't do it if they paid a staff to run
them."
     They paid the small fee and got on the next car that was
ready to leave, the tracks running in a northwest direction, then
turning northeast on McKinney Avenue.  They got off at the car
barn on Olive Street.  One of the trolley cars was undergoing
restoration and repairs, so they could see how they were built
and there was a knowledgeable person to answer questions.  There
was a lot of memorabilia in the shop, including old route maps,
uniforms and pictures.  Both bought a couple of souvenirs, then
got on the next car that was going to the end of the line, which
looped around the Uptown area, north of Oak Grove.  They rode to
the end of the loop, got off and walked around the area, then got
on the next southbound car to the other end of the line.
     "That was fun," Dale said as they headed back to the car."
     "Something you don't find in very many towns anymore," Craig
answered.
     They stood and admired the Dallas Museum of Art Building,
then headed for their car.
     "What do you think about heading back to the hotel and we
can talk about what we might want to do this evening on the way
back to Ft. Worth?"
     "That's fine with me.  Do you have any suggestions?" Dale
asked.
     "It's almost 4:30 now.  By the time we get back to the
hotel, it will be time for Happy Hour and we can decide about
dinner and then if we want to do anything this evening."
     "I don't know about you, but I think I'm going to be hungry
fairly early this evening.  We've walked a lot and shook our
breakfast down pretty good," Dale laughed.
     "Yeah, I thought the big breakfast would last us all day,
but it didn't.  Any idea about what kind of food you might like
this evening?  Do you want to go somewhere fancy or somewhere
casual?"
     "Let's do casual this evening, somewhere they have good food
- maybe barbeque or a good steak."
     "That's fine.  I'm pretty sure I know where a couple of good
barbeque places are and we can check that out when we get back to
our room."
     Craig started the car and headed for a ramp to take them
onto I-30 and back to Ft. Worth.
     They talked about the day and Dale expressed some interest
in seeing the Reunion Tower at night.
     "Well, there's nothing stopping us from coming back tonight.
Do you want to visit any more gay bars?"
     "That was fun last night.  I never thought I'd enjoy
dancing, but it felt so good to be with you to two-step and
especially dance the slow dances where I could feel your body
moving with mine."
     "There are a lot more gay bars where we can go and a lot of
them have dancing."
     "Let's go cleanup and relax a little, then decide what we
want to do," Dale said.
     * * * * *
     They arrived back at the hotel a little after 5 o'clock and
Craig asked for a claim ticket, telling the car valet that they
would be taking the car out a little later.
     As usual, they were the only ones in the elevator so took
advantage of the opportunity to exchange more than just a quick
kiss.
     "Thanks for a great day.  This has really been fun," Dale
said.
     "It's been great for me, too.  You know this is the first
time that we've really been able to spend time alone for a long
period of time and I've really enjoyed that," Craig told him.
     The elevator stopped and they broke their hug just as the
doors opened.  Two other men, dressed casually, were waiting to
get on.  The men smiled, and then exchanged greetings with each
other.  As the door closed, Craig said, "I wonder."
     They both laughed.
     "Is the whole world gay?" Dale joked.
     "It is when we're in it," Craig replied.
     * * * * *
     They shed their clothes and it felt good to sit down on
something comfortable and relax.  Craig fixed drinks for them,
Dale trying a scotch and soda for the first time.  He decided he
liked that drink better than bourbon and water, telling Craig
that it didn't have that "raw taste" of bourbon.
     The remaining cheese from the previous night was in the bar
refrigerator so Craig got that out and put on the tray that had
been left in the room.  They discovered they were both hungry as
the only thing they'd had to eat since morning was some ice cream
in the Uptown area on the trolley line.
     "What are we going to do tomorrow?" Dale questioned.
     "I have several things in mind.  I think you would enjoy
going to Fair Park as there is a lot to see there, then I want to
take you to the Fairmont Hotel for lunch and to see the Neiman
Marcus store downtown."
     "I've heard of Neiman Marcus.  It's a really expensive
place," Dale asked.
     "Yes, it's 'top of the line' everything.  They have things
that you can't find anywhere else, and they come up with
Christmas gifts that are pretty far out and terribly expensive.
But you know what?  They sell them," Craig grinned.  "Just not to
you and me."
     "That's okay.  We probably don't need matching jewel-studded
jock straps, anyway."
     They both laughed at that idea.
     "Do you want to go explore the gay scene in Dallas tonight?
I can see if we can get dinner reservations to eat somewhere.
You said you'd like to see the Reunion Tower lit up," Craig
questioned.
     "Well. do you mind driving back to Dallas tonight?" Dale
asked.
     "No, the purpose of this trip is to be together and see and
do things that we don't normally do.  It was my idea to stay in
Ft. Worth because of the trade show.  We could have moved to a
Dallas hotel today, but I didn't think about that.  Besides, it
not that long of a drive.  There's a good restaurant in the
Melrose Hotel, with an elegant bar called 'The Library'.  It's
not that far to the 'Round-up Saloon', which is an even bigger
dance bar than we went to Friday night."
     "Okay, just wanted to be sure," Dale replied.
     Craig went to the telephone and made a call after checking
the phone book.
     "We have dinner reservations at 7:30 in the restaurant at
the Melrose Hotel.  We can go in Levis, but they request coats -
no ties necessary," Craig said.  "Then we can go on to the
Village Station for dancing.  If you would like a nightcap, we
can go back down to the Reunion Tower."
     "Wow, and all in one telephone call, too," Dale teased.
     "I suggest that we freshen up and change clothes, then
arrive at the Melrose Hotel early enough that we can have a drink
in the 'Library Bar' before dinner.  It's a really neat place."
     "Let's take a shower and get dressed then," Dale said.  "I
think that would give me a recharge for my battery.
     Craig, who had sat next to Dale on the loveseat, said, "Oh
no, I don't think I could stand it if THAT was recharged," he
giggled, groping Dale.
     "Is that a hint?" Dale questioned, wiggling his eyebrows.
     "Hmmm, I might take you up on the idea a little later,
especially after seeing all those horny cowboys on the dance
floor."  Craig wiggled his eyebrows, too.
       They went through the shower and it was, indeed,
invigorating to both of them.  They got a fresh change of clothes
out of their cases and were dressed in a short time, opting for
chinos and cloth shirts that would go well under their sport
jackets.
     They were on their way back to Dallas by 6:20, after finding
a filling station to refuel the car.
     It wasn't as easy to park as the other places they had been
during the day, but found a spot about a block and a half from
the Hotel.
     Craig stopped at the restaurant to tell the Maitre d' they
were in the bar and was assured that he would let their waiter
know when their table was ready.
     Dale was impressed with the bar.  It was on the verge of
being stuffy with lots of wood and leather wingback chairs.  It
made him think of the gentlemen's clubs that you read of in
England.  The waiters were dressed in black tux with tail coats
and acted very reserved.
     "Kind of makes you think of 'England meets the Rodeo',
doesn't it?" Craig asked.
     "Yes, none of the customers really look like they belong
here, do they?" Dale answered.
     They decided to have their usual Beefeater martinis since
they were experiencing "Jolly Old England" and were about halfway
through their second drink when the waiter notified them the
dining room was expecting them, telling them to take their drinks
with them.
     The restaurant was nicely appointed and the menu was simple
with a good choice of steaks, chicken, seafood and pasta entrees.
Between their being hungry and the drinks they had, they both ate
their salads quickly.  Both ordered KC strip steaks, opting for a
side dish of pasta instead of the baked potato.  One side dish
was a combination of zucchini, tomatoes and mushrooms and the
other was a corn casserole, somewhat like a souffle.
     Craig had bread pudding for dessert while Dale chose their
special lemon cake.  The coffee tasted good after the somewhat
heavy meal.
     As they left the hotel, Craig said, "The dance club won't
get crowded until about 10 o'clock or so.  Do you want to go
there now, or ride on downtown to the Reunion Tower and go to the
top to see the city lights?"
     "Let's ride downtown and come back to dance a little later,"
Dale replied.
     They shed their coats before getting in the car and were
soon on the route to take them to the tower.  The big dome seemed
to fairly pulse with flashing lights in random order, but with
some patterns here and there, too.
     Craig saw a sign in the parking lot this time.  The meters
had to be fed until 11 p.m. - and a meter maid was working the
lot.  Craig put in money for an hour and looked at his watch.  It
was exactly 9:15 p.m.
     They took one of the outside elevators up to the bottom
level of the dome.  They had the feeling that they were floating
above the skyline, as the elevator was dark so people could see
through the window on the outside of the car.
     Dale paid the small fee for them to go out on the viewing
deck and they were in awe of the view as they walked the full
circle of the deck.  Although they had enjoyed the view that
morning, this was a totally different experience.  Both were glad
they had come back.
     They were almost 500 feet above the ground and Craig was
able to point out most of the places they had been during the
earlier part of the day.
     Dale thought it was strange, the height didn't bother him at
night as it had that morning.  Craig agreed, but didn't know why
except that it was a visual reaction.
     They had been there about 45 minutes when Craig indicated
they should probably go in case the parking meter was running
fast.  They had a good laugh about that, but when they got back
to their car, there was only 5 minutes left on the meter and it
was only 10:04.  The meter maid was still writing tickets.
     "They really have a great revenue source going here, don't
they?" Craig joked.
     "Might was well put in slot machines, too," Dale agreed.
     Parking was more difficult when they arrived back at the
"gay crossroads" of Cedar Springs Road and Throckmorton, but a
car was pulling away from the curb as they slowly drove down the
street.  The parking space was not large, but Craig maneuvered
the car in with no problem, glad that he didn't have a full-size
car.
     There was no cover charge at the Village Station, but being
a Sunday evening there wasn't the crowd Craig expected.  Still it
seemed full.  The music was loud, the strobe lights and lasers
were pulsating and the dancers were stompin' to the DJ's
selections.  Dale bought them each a beer and they found a small
table on the edge of the dance floor.  It appeared that there
were quite a few straight people there, too, but the crowd was
still 75% male couples and singles.
     They watched the crowd as they drank their beer, then threw
the bottles away and made their way onto the dance floor.  The
first number they danced to was a rompin'-stompin' 2-step, then
the next two numbers were slow ballads.  Craig and Dale hung onto
each other and danced around the floor, not sure if they were
doing the correct steps, but it felt good to hold the other in
public and they even shared a few kisses, too.
     Craig bought the next round of beer and they stood on the
sidelines this time, watching those on the dance floor.  Several
men spoke to them and they made some conversation as they
watched.  After they finished their second drinks, Craig led Dale
back to the dance floor for a slow number and they, again,
enjoyed being in each other's arms.  This time they danced four
more numbers, and then were ready to go back to their hotel.
     It was about 11:45 when they arrived back in their room and
they were both tired.  It had been a long day.  They had walked a
lot, seen a lot and especially enjoyed their time with each
other.
     Stripping off their clothes they stood at the window to
watch the airplanes in their landing pattern for a little bit.
Being a Sunday night and also late, there was not as much traffic
as on Friday night.  Even the freeways seemed empty in
comparison.
     They crawled in bed, making their way toward the other,
wrapped themselves in their partners arms, exchanged several
kisses and were asleep in a matter of minutes.
     * * * * *
     Dale first woke up about 6 o'clock and his morning wood was
pressed against Craig.  They must not have moved during the night
because he thought they were still in the same position as when
they'd gone to sleep.  He extracted himself from Craig's arms and
legs, then made his way to the bathroom.  Just as he was
stripping the last of the urine from the head, Craig stumbled
into the bathroom to pee, too.  Dale figured that Craig also had
beer breath, so he brushed his teeth, and then handed the
toothpaste tube to Craig was he stepped away from the stool.
Craig was sleepy, but also brushed his teeth.
     By the time he got back to the bed, Dale was already in the
middle and patted the sheet beside him.  Dale was on his left
side and Craig scooted back against Dale's furry chest.  They
cuddled and both dropped into a light sleep for about an hour
when Dale came to, stretching his long body, and rubbing against
Craig, who immediately woke up.
     He worked himself around so he could give Dale a kiss.  They
lay together, idly rubbing the other, enjoying waking up
together.  Both were thinking about the wonderful time they were
having, wishing it could go on for another four days.
     "I've got to pee again," Craig said.  "I must have drunk
more beer than I thought I did," he laughed.
     Dale said, "They say that you don't buy beer, you just rent
it."  They both laughed and Dale got out to bed to join Craig in
the bathroom.
     They stood side-by-side to relieve themselves again.
     "Hey cowboy, y'all wanna fool around some?"
     "Na, 'ready dun it three time this trip," he teased back in
his best hick voice.
     "Oh, just what I like, a man that's experienced," Craig said
in his best seductive voice, running his hand around on Dale's
hairy chest.
     "Zat so?" questioned Dale, laughing as he scooped Craig up
in his arms and carried him back to the bed, dumping him in the
middle, then lying on top of him, pinning him down.
     That seemed to push Craig's buttons - in all the right
places and they proceeded to make out, then the kissing turned to
a gentle session of making love to each other.
     As they were shaving and showering, they talked about the
day, Craig reminding Dale that they would have to check out of
the hotel when they left to go back to Dallas.  As they were
packing stuff up and stuffing dirty clothing into a laundry bag,
Dale was wondering about the flowers.  He didn't want to leave
them there because it was the first time anyone had given him
flowers and he wanted to keep them.
     "What about keeping a couple of each flower and dry them?"
Craig asked.
     "That would work, I guess.  How do we do it?"
     "I'm pretty sure that we can stop at a floral shop and they
will do what's necessary to start the preservation process.  I'm
not sure how it's done, but I think it's a granulated powder that
is used.  Let's just take the whole arrangement and we can find
out at the desk where they recommend we go."
     "Okay," Dale said brightly.  He was really happy that they
were going to have a memento of their trip.
     Craig was thinking he would find out if the entire
arrangement could be preserved.  He could pay for it, and then
have his mother pick it up and they could get it later.
     When they were packed, they headed to the mezzanine
restaurant for breakfast, then back to the room.  Craig called
for the bellhop to bring a luggage cart to the room and asked
that the car be brought from the parking garage.
     He took care of the final bill while Dale saw to the loading
of luggage and garment bags into the car.  This time the garment
bags went in the trunk since they had to park in a public lot.
     The first stop was a floral shop that Craig knew about in
Arlington, not too far from his parent's home.  They took the
floral arrangement in and were given a price that both thought
was fair for preserving the entire arrangement, using the nice
container the flowers were presently in.  Craig paid for it with
his MasterCard, making arrangements for the shop to call his
mother to pick it up when ready.
     Finally, they were on their way back to Dallas and the Fair
Park complex.
     Dale was reading the brochure aloud as Craig drove.
     "Fair Park, east of downtown Dallas, is an Art Deco gem
built in 1936.  It has one of the nation's largest and finest
concentrations of art deco architecture and was designated a
National Historic Landmark in 1986.  The buildings on the 277-
acre site include pavilions, an auditorium, theater and eight
museums.  They're a melding of architecture and art, with strong
geometric lines, painted stencil designs and bold murals. Popular
with cyclists and rollerbladers, the landscaped grounds also
contain fountains, an esplanade with reflecting pool and a
lagoon.  Fair Park is best known today as the site of the annual
State Fair of Texas and as a venue for concerts and special
events.  It's also home of the Cotton Bowl stadium, the Age of
Steam Museum, the Dallas Aquarium, the African American Museum,
The Science Place, the Hall of State, the Smirnoff Music Centre
and the Museum of Natural History.
     "The most visually striking building in the Fair Park
collection of art deco buildings is the Hall of State building.
It was built as part of the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition. The
place feels like sacred ground and it is -- it holds the history
of Texas.  Within the building is the Hall of Heroes; it features
statues of men who shaped the Republic of Texas. Another is the
200-foot-long Great Hall of Texas, which has six bays each
devoted to one of the national flags that has flown over the
state and gigantic murals.  Constructed of Texas limestone, the
building is a masterpiece of craftsmanship with red marble floors
inlaid with squares depicting Texas plants and animals, bas-
reliefs, stenciling and metalwork along with Texas motifs such as
cacti, Lone Stars and oil wells.  These days the Hall is mainly
used for special events such as art exhibitions and can be rented
for private events."
     "I didn't realize what this park was and that there were so
many buildings," Dale said.
     "This really is 'the historical district' of Dallas," Craig
replied.
     They easily found a parking place, probably because of it
being a weekday.  There were no parking meters, although Craig
seemed to remember that you had to pay to get into the parking
lots if there was a big exposition going on.
     Craig knew that they really would need all day to do the
area justice in seeing everything, but Dale had agreed that he
would rather see a little bit of a lot and then go back later to
take a full tour.  They started with The Science Place, then on
to The Science Place Planetarium and spent 45 minutes there
seeing a wonderful presentation on the solar system.
     Afterward, they cut across the grounds to the Hall of State
Building, then on to the Age of Steam Railroad Building.  There
just wasn't time to see or do much of anything, except whet their
appetite to see more at a later time.  The last stop they made
before their self-imposed time to leave of 1:15 was the Dallas
Firefighters Museum.  Those five buildings received more than
just a cursory tour by them, but they were more in an "observe
mode" rather than a "learning mode".  Although the Cotton Bowl
was of interest, neither wanted to spend the time to see it on
this day.
     The next stop was the Fairmont Hotel, operated by the same
company that ran the San Francisco Fairmont.  They found parking
in a city garage a block away.  The restaurant had just emptied
out from the noon rush hour crowd and they were ready for a
relaxing lunch.
     "I'm sorry that I rushed you at Fair Park, but I wanted you
to get an idea of what it was.  Hopefully we can have another
long weekend and make up some of the time we didn't have this
weekend," Craig said.
     "Don't worry about it.  I know that we would have to spend a
couple of weeks in Ft. Worth and Dallas and still not see
everything.  You've shown me a lot more than I ever dreamed I
might see, anyway," Dale told him.  "Some of the places we've
been the last two or three days, I've heard of, but it was hard
to visualize they were so big, or were as wonderful as they
really are.
     The host seated them and Craig ordered Bloody Marys for each
of them when the waiter arrived at the table.  While waiting for
their drinks, the looked at the menu.  Dale decided that the beef
stroganoff on noodles and a garden salad was for him.  Craig
decided on the Irish stew with a garden salad.  Of course, they
had to partake of the dessert cart.  Dale decided on the
strawberry shortcake and Craig took the fresh strawberry cake.
Both were delicious.  They knew, because they shared their
entrees and dessert with each other.
     The Neiman Marcus flagship store was 7 blocks away and they
decided that they would walk the distance instead of moving the
car.  After all, they were country boys and certainly Dale was up
to walking the distance.  It wasn't a problem for Craig either;
he just wasn't as active nor on his feet most of the time as was
Dale.
     Dale was totally blown away when he walked through the front
door with Craig.  This certainly wasn't Dillard's.  They hadn't
come to buy anything in particular, but just wandered through a
dozen different departments on the various floors.  Although many
of the offerings were the same things as any department store,
the merchandise was better displayed and the clerks (sales
associates) were well informed about the goods for sale in their
departments.  But, there were also things you wouldn't find in
just any department store - and they were a lot more expensive,
too.
     One of the areas they passed through was the fur department.
They each fell in love with several of the men's fur jackets.
'Hmmm, a gift for an upcoming occasion?'
     By the time they were through at Neiman Marcus it was time
to think about heading back to Williamsport.  Craig found a pay
phone to call his mother, thanking her for the wonderful birthday
dinner and to ask her to pickup the dried flower arrangement at
the floral shop, telling her that they would try to get back to
spend a weekend within the next month.
     Dale then spoke to her, also, thanking her for the great
afternoon and for treating him so well.
     By the time they were back in the car, it was after 4 p.m.
and that meant they would hit the already heavy Dallas traffic
during rush hour.  They took I-35 East to Hillsboro, where the
interstate met up with I-35 West which went through Ft. Worth.
Although traffic was still heavy, they were out of the area of
the aggressive driving of the commuters.
     Dale drove for about an hour, and then traded with Craig in
the Temple area so that neither got tired of driving.
     It was after 7:30 when they arrived back at their apartment
and they were glad to be home.  They had covered a lot of miles,
done a lot of things and had the time of their lives.
     For Craig, it was the joy of being able to share the
experiences with someone he loved and to show him the world
beyond the town where he had lived all his life.
     For Dale, it was being with Craig for four days, meeting his
parents and being accepted into their family and seeing and
visiting places he had only heard of.
     * * * * *
     They unpacked their luggage, putting dirty clothes in the
laundry basket in their closet, then hung up the good clothing
they had taken with them.
     Dale went downstairs to the mailbox to get the mail that had
accumulated from Friday, Saturday and today while Craig mixed
them each a drink, thinking they could decide on what to eat as
they relaxed.
     As they settled in their favorite position on the loveseat,
they talked about their trip and of the experiences.  Both were
enthused about what they had seen and done during the four days.
     "I especially enjoyed the time we spent with your parents
and sisters.  I didn't expect to be treated so well.  It was
almost like we've always known each other, I was so comfortable,"
Dale said.
     "They really did like you and I feel lucky they have always
been supportive of everything I've done.  Most kids feel their
parents are a real pain and are ashamed of them, but I don't ever
recall feeling anything except pride - that they loved me and I
loved them. and my sister's, too," Craig agreed.
     "I really like Susan and Chuck.  Do you think they are going
to get married?" Dale asked.
     "I think we can plan on being invited to a wedding sometime
soon.  I think they've decided to get married and it will
probably become official at Christmas.  I just don't know if they
are planning a long or short engagement," Craig said, cuddling a
little closer to Dale.
     "What about Becky?" Dale asked.
     Craig laughed.  "She doesn't know herself.  She's always
been the maverick of the family, although not a problem to my
parents or Susan and me.  She's just a bit of a rebel and as my
parents think, she tries too hard and dates the wrong men.  I
don't really know what she's looking for and she certainly hasn't
found it with Stan."
     They both laughed at that.
     "What do you want to eat this evening?" Craig asked.
     Dale licked his cheek, and then engulfing his ear in his
mouth, rewarded him with a great feeling.
     "I guess I meant for dinner this evening, but you can do
that all night," he laughed.
     "Oh.?" Dale questioned.  "You don't like that?"
     "I love it, just thought maybe you would like something with
a little more substance to it
     "How about either ordering a pizza or going to Tony D's to
have a bite to eat?"
     "Let's go to Tony D's, maybe Greg will be working this
evening," Dale said.
     They freshened up and drove to the restaurant in Dale's
Blazer.  The restaurant wasn't busy, it was after the evening
rush and Greg was working.  He greeted them and sat them at a
table where they could see the entire dining room.  After he gave
them menus, he came back to their table with three glasses of
Chianti.
     "Is it okay if I sit down and visit?" Greg asked.
     "Sure," they said, almost together.
     "So, how was the big city, or I guess I should say cities?"
Greg asked.
     "Just great," Craig replied.
     "We had a wonderful time," Dale added.
     They told him about going to the French Restaurant, Bistro
Nicoise.
     Greg was familiar with the restaurant.  "That's a great
place.  I've eaten there once and plan to go back the next time
I'm in Ft. Worth."
     "Dale was disappointed that he couldn't get a cheeseburger
and fries, but I was able to get him to eat something else, and.
he cleaned up his plate, too."
     Dale pretended to look injured and the three had a great
laugh over that statement.
     "The only thing I was disappointed in was that the menu
didn't have those nice pictures like the IHOP does."
     More laughter.
     "I'll have to remember that the next time we get new menus
here," Greg said.  "Maybe that will simplify the wait staff
having to answer the questions about the various selections."
     That was cause for further laughter and fun.
     Greg signaled one of the waiters, asked him to get them each
an Italian salad and then to check with the cook to see if there
was enough Chicken Cacciatore for the three of them.
     Craig started to protest.
     "Now, guys, I told you the other night that my family and I
entertain our friends here at the restaurant.  The chicken is
really good tonight and I want you to share it with me."
     They each thanked him.
     Shortly the other waiter served their salads and told Greg
that there was enough of the Chicken Cacciatore for each to have
for their dinner.
     They had a wonderful meal and Greg was a charming host.
Both Dale and Craig liked his personality and sense of humor.  At
Dale's expense, Craig told the story about Dale's "virginity" and
this time it was Greg who almost choked on his sip of wine.
     All of them laughed about that.
     "I love that story," Greg said as he regained control of his
breathing.
     He reached across to squeeze their hands and noticed the new
rings for the first time.  "These are beautiful," Greg told them.
     "Thanks," Craig said, with Dale echoing.
     "I love these.  Tom and Eddie have matching rings, but
theirs are a plain, wide gold band, still beautiful, but look
like regular wedding rings.
     "I'm not sure the term 'regular wedding ring' has any
meaning in this day and age.  You see all kinds of shapes and
stones.  I think Dale and I would feel just as committed with a
cigar band, but this symbolizes our outward feelings for each
other," Craig said.
     "I know that many men don't wear rings, and a lot of couples
don't wear matching bands, but I wanted something that told
everyone that Craig and I are together," Dale said.
     "I agree," said Greg.  "I hope that when the time comes my
guy will want to wear a ring I'd buy for him, too."
     "Any prospects?" Dale asked.  "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have
asked that."
     "No problem, but the answer is a big 'Maybe'.  I've been
going with a fellow that lives in Austin.  We really like each
other, but his business keeps him there and the family restaurant
prevents me from going over there as often as I'd like.  We'll
just see if the relationship progresses any further."
     "Good luck to you," Craig said and Dale agreed.
     Too soon, the meal was over and it was time for the evening
to come to a close.  They each thanked Greg, promising they would
get together after they returned from Waco.  Greg allowed them to
leave a tip for the other waiter, but told them it wasn't
necessary.  Dale left a nice gratuity and told the young fellow
'thanks' as they exited the restaurant.
     * * * * *
     Back home they discovered they were tired.  It was their
idea to get in bed, cuddle up and talk, but sleep overtook them
within five minutes after they pulled the covers up.
     * * * * *
     (to be continued)
     * * * * *
Author's Note:  This is my first attempt at gay fiction, and the
only way I can learn whether or not I should continue is from my
readers' feedback.  I would appreciate your comments, criticism,
suggestions, and anything else that you would care to say.  All
Email will be answered.  If you wish to receive e-mail
notification of subsequent postings, please let me know by
sending your request to the following e-mail address:
TulsaDriller7@aol.com

A special THANK YOU to DANNY and GARY in DALLAS for their help
and input to this chapter and the next.  Their help was
invaluable as I'm not that familiar with Dallas.  Some of the
information was downloaded from websites and it's hard to put the
places into a story where you are (hopefully) seeing it through
Dale and Craig's eyes.  Thanks for the overwhelming response to
previous chapters.  I have received positive replies from all
over the world and continue to be amazed at how large my
"Notification List" has gotten.  My special thanks for
proofreading help to Paul Daventon, who has taken time to help me
catch obvious errors.