Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 21:56:17 -0500
From: Frontrnrusa@netscape.net
Subject: A World Apart - Part IV

This story is fiction and resemblance to anyone living or dead
is purely coincidental.  I hope you enjoy the story. If you have
suggestions or comments, please email me, I look forward to
hearing from you. Frontrnrusa@netscape.net

Copyright 2002 Holloway H.


     The drive was long, Tyler sleeping as I drove. I couldn't
sleep much in the truck, but Tyler's head in my lap as he slept
was worth a couple sleepless days.  We'd stop for hours at a
time to see sites. We camped a few days along the roadside where
Tyler managed to fix our meals. We arrived in California on
Sunday morning.
     San Diego was already starting to wake up, we drove around
the streets before stopping and paying two dollars to fill up
the truck with gas, back home it costs us no more than a dollar
fifty. We left San Diego and drove out to Hollywood California.
We saw the big Hollywood sign and took pictures.  We stayed in
Hollywood at a small motel for three days sightseeing.  While we
were there we listened to people talk.  It seems people farmed
up near Alameda California and further north, a lot of people
also mentioned the Valley where they grew grapes. Just by chance
we met the Anderson Family, Bill and his wife Mary were
traveling with five children to the Valley.  Bill had grown
grapes before and was excited as he told us about farming and
making wine.  I don't think that either Tyler or me had ever put
a wine glass to our lips but listening to Bill had us excited.
Over the next three days we traveled along with the Anderson's.
When we arrived it didn't take long for Bill to get himself a
job, his wife and kids almost danced with joy, anyone could
figure out money must have been running low.  We said our
goodbyes and Tyler and me continued on.  We camped at night in
open fields, in the morning with first light we saw what looked
like mountains rising in the distance, the land we were on
sloped away, we both stood in awe watching the wonder of the
morning unfold. After another fine breakfast we found a small
stream and cleaned ourselves up, I watched Tyler for a few
minutes, realizing all the while just how wonderful he was.  He
looked over at me and asked what?  I smiled, feeling my eyes
water, I was just thinking how lucky we've been and how happy I
am.
     He grinned, Zach I've loved you since the day you sat
beside me on that tree trunk.
     We smiled at each other than cleaned up.  We drove less
than a mile before we saw a hand painted `for sale' sign.  We
looked at each other and decided we had nothing to loose.  We
drove down a hard dirt drive almost a quarter mile before we
pulled up to a Mexican style house, called a hacienda.  Behind
the house rose two large hills. We were getting out of the truck
when an old man came out of the house wearing a shirt and tie
with a huge smile on his face.  He introduced himself as Roberto
Montanez, his wife followed a few minutes later and Roberto
introduced his beloved wife, Angelina. We were invited to sit on
the porch and have a cool drink, as we sat down Roberto told us
about the property.  He and his wife had grown grapes on his 700
acres for the last 40 years.  He said wine making had always
been his families business.  He could see we didn't understand
everything he was saying and he took us on a tour of his winery.
He showed us presses and barrels, but neither of us was prepared
when we walked through two huge wooden doors in to the side of
the mountain and saw hundreds of oak barrels filled with wine
stacked one upon the other.
     We listened to Roberto talk for hours, his wife calling us
to lunch made him stop.  We sat down at their table and I saw
the happiness on Tyler's face.  I had thought to myself this
place was far enough away that we could live our lives fairly
safe and in time we'd learn to grow grapes and make wine. After
lunch we continued our tour ending up on the porch with a glass
of wine.  Out of curiosity we asked Roberto about the property.
When he told us the asking price we looked at each other and
smiled. Roberto and Angelina allowed us to camp on the property
that evening, early the following morning before we left we
asked Roberto to sell us the property, he looked at us as though
we might be kidding, I assured him we weren't.  We drove into
the nearest town and had half the ten thousand dollars he was
asking wired to us from our bank account, that was a lot of
money and we knew the risk we were taking.  When we returned to
the farm, Roberto and Angelina drove us into the tax surveyors
office were we signed papers on the property, we had sixty days
to come up with the remaining money otherwise the deal would be
off and we'd lose 500 of our 5000 down payment. Roberto and
Angelina were as excited as we were, they would be returning to
Spain in two months and the first vines would be ready.

     A week later we put our farm up for sale, it didn't take
long for us to get the five dollars an acre we were asking and
another five thousand dollars for the house, barns and
machinery, a new company bought up our land quickly. We packed
up everything we'd be taking with us and headed out for
California with twelve thousand dollars in the bank. Along the
way we stopped at the farm where Bill and Mary were working,
Bill was glad to see us and he was even more excited when we
told him about the farm. We offered him a job making five
dollars more a week than he made now and he jumped at it.  Bill
promised to be at the farm one week hence. Tyler and I drove
through town stopping at the bank and signing the last of the
paperwork, we walked over to the Tax Surveyors Office and
delivered the remaining amount to him.  He handed us the deed
and said he'd follow us out.  As soon as we pulled down our
drive we knew it was our home. Roberto and Angelina were on the
porch, their faces all smiles.  The Tax Surveyor handed them a
check for ten thousand dollars, Roberto hugged his wife as she
cried. Angelina broke away from Roberto and took Tyler's arm
dragging him in the house.  The Tax Surveyor shook my hand and
wished me well offering his services if needed. Roberto began at
that minute to teach me the art of growing grapes.
     Over the next week Roberto and Angelina completed packing,
the majority of the furniture was staying as had been agreed to
when we bought the house.  We helped Roberto and Angelina move
into the attached bedroom with its own small kitchen and
bathroom.  As we walked through our house and into the center
courtyard we fell in love. On Monday Bill, Mary and the kids
showed up to begin work.  Mary helped Tyler in the house, the
kids played out front and Bill, Roberto and me continued with
planting and learning. Bill was a wealth of knowledge he knew
how to determine the soil's acidity, he knew what vines needed
in order to grow healthy. When it came to the actual wine making
though he only knew the basics.  Roberto spent what time was
left teaching me as much about wine making as possible.  On the
day of their departure, Roberto presented me with several books
including a leather bound journal that he'd kept the last 50
years he'd been making wine.
     We drove Angelina and Roberto to catch the boat for Spain.
Once their belongings were onboard we hugged and shook hands
wishing each other everything the world had to offer.  I felt
very sad seeing them leave and Tyler and I were quiet as we
returned home.
     The transformation of the farm was amazing.  Mary and Tyler
had transformed the house back into a Mexican Style Mission that
felt open and airy.  Mary was also an outstanding cook and she
quickly took Tyler under her wing teaching him to cook until
finally he found it to be something he enjoyed. Bill took charge
of growing and I read and experimented with making wine until I
had a basic understanding of the process.  The farm had 900 oak
barrels, 300 of the barrels contained wine from Roberto and
Angelina.  We also had twenty five thousand empty wine bottles
that would need to be filled, corked and labeled.  The funny
thing about all of this, until that moment I had never thought
about a name for our Winery.  Together Tyler and I went over
thousands of names until we settled on Zach Tyler California
Winery. Tyler designed a label for our bottles and within days
the printer began the process of making thousands of labels.
Bill told me the grapes were almost ready for our first harvest.

     Bill and I drove into town arranging to have pickers come
the following Sunday afternoon.  The cycle had begun in earnest
for the first time and I was scared to death, I loved this land
and the house and while we still had money in the bank if this
year was a bust we'd be cutting it close financially without any
income to pay expenses.  On Sunday afternoon three things
happened, the Priest from the local parish showed up at the
house.  We invited him in and asked him to stay for lunch,
during lunch he worked on converting Tyler and me he wanted to
convince us to join the church we said we'd think about it.  Two
trucks filled with Pickers showed up and began working in the
fields.  Three workers followed me and we began the task of
removing wine from existing barrels, bottling, corking, labeling
and stacking the bottles for the next process.  By week's end
half the grapes in the field had been picked, washed, crushed
and were fermenting in two of five large vats especially for
that purpose.  Following Roberto's instructions, I tested the
fermentation juices for sweetness and alcohol content. I wasn't
use to drinking wine and it was hard for me to gage the taste,
Bill eagerly assisted and assured me we had a fine slightly
sweet tasting white wine.

      Another week passed before the fields lay bare of grapes.
The final two vats were filled with a mixture of Pinot Noir
grapes in the hopes of producing champagne, Roberto left me his
recipe and with Bill's help we'd attempt to produce a full
bodied California Champagne.  When the fermentation process
stopped in the first vat, the liquid was slowly siphoned off
into large oak barrels to continue the process including taking
on some of the flavor of the oak barrel. Tyler and I had a lot
riding on this first harvest and decided we needed the help of
an experienced winemaker.  I called the Tax Surveyor and he was
able to put me in contact with Joachim Blount.

     I followed the instructions the Tax Surveyor had given me
and found Joachim living out of a tent near an old railroad
clearing. When I pulled up in the truck he came out of his tent,
he was a small man, not more than five feet and appeared to be
in his late seventies, if a strong wind came along he'd be blown
away. I got out of my truck and introduced myself, he had a
healthy handshake and invited me to sit and have a cup of
coffee. We sat for a while then Joachim got right to the point
he wanted to know my business.  Over the next couple of hours I
told him everything about the winery and my lack of knowledge.
He smiled when I finished and began talking about himself, I
listened intently his life was fascinating.  When he finished he
looked at me asking about my living arrangements and who all
lived at the winery, I told him about Bill and Mary and then I
told him about Tyler.  He was very interested in Tyler and asked
several questions, mentioning that he too had never married.  I
offered him a place to live and salary for his expertise. He
thought about it and then jokingly asked me to help him pack.
It took until dark to get everything he owned in the truck and
back to the house.  It was dark when I pulled in the drive,
Joachim walked in the house with me and we startled Tyler, he
had a worried look on his face. I quickly introduced Joachim and
Tyler shook hands then led us to the kitchen to eat.  The three
of us talked like we'd been friends all our lives. After dinner,
we got Joachim settled in the small attached apartment. Tyler
and I heard him unpacking well after 11pm then there was
silence.

     Tyler and I talked as we lay in the dark together, Tyler
turned on his side resting his head on my arm, I studied his
face in the semi darkness, my fingers moving through his hair
and down the side of his face, he fell asleep and I soon
followed. Tyler woke me with a start, he yelled that something
was burning, I smelled something I couldn't be sure what.  I ran
through the house in my underwear, as I entered the kitchen the
light was on.  Joachim was fixing breakfast, he smiled as I
entered and told me to get Tyler and get dressed we had a full
days work ahead.  I walked back down the hall to our room I
could feel my face still red from being seen by a stranger in my
drawers.  I told Tyler what Joachim had said, he looked at me
shaking his head.  We cleaned up then dressed and headed for the
kitchen.  The table was set with a breakfast of eggs, bacon and
biscuits.  The three of us sat down, I could see Tyler's look.
After we prayed Joachim looked at Tyler and explained that he
wanted all of us to work together explaining it would be better
to have three of us with the knowledge than just two.  Tyler
thought about it and agreed Joachim smiled and thanked us for
giving him the job.

     Using only his sense of taste and knowledge of wine,
Joachim became more accurate than the instruments I had learned
to use. Tyler had keen senses and he was quick to pick up on a
particular aroma or flavor, my senses were not as good and it
was harder for me.

     Joachim taught us the business from the ground up. He found
the labels we had spent twenty-five dollars on and threw a fit.
He looked at the two of us and asked if we would buy a bottle of
wine with such a plain label on it?  We nodded our heads Joachim
shook his and stomped out of the tasting room.  At the breakfast
table Joachim handed Tyler a label he had designed. `Napa Valley
Vineyard of Zachary and Tyler Mason.'

     Tyler looked at me then at Joachim, "my last name isn't
Mason."
     Joachim looked at me for a moment, "so change it."  As
quickly as he'd said that to Tyler, Joachim moved on with
showing me the label.  It was beautiful he had drawn a cluster
of grapes with huge leaves. Behind the grapes were the winery's
cellars and in front was the house above was the name, `NAPA
Valley Vineyard' below the grapes he had printed Zachary and
Tyler Mason, Owners. Joachim cleared out after breakfast, I
helped Tyler clean the kitchen he sat down at the table and
looked up at me and asked me what I wanted him to do.  I knelt
down in front of him and looked around quickly and kissed him on
the lips, telling him I loved him and whatever he decided to do
was going to be all right.  He stood up and told me to call him
Mr. Mason from now on. When he said that to me the feeling that
went through my body and mind was electric, I felt a ton of
emotions. It didn't take long to change his name legally matter
of fact all it took was a birth certificate and five dollars.

     We had the label Joachim designed printed.  It had been
almost four months since harvest and Bill was working in the
vineyard pruning vines.  Mary was cleaning house and Joachim,
Tyler and me we worked on filling and labeling each bottle, then
placing the bottles on a rack with the cork down.  It took time,
we had to be sure the liquid coming out of the barrel had as
little sediment as possible as it was placed in clean bottles,
once the bottles were corked and put on end they would require a
ritual of turning allowing the remaining sediment to settle and
be drawn off.  The barrels of sparkling wine had not been
touched.  At the end of six months we had bottled almost ten
thousand bottles of a sweet and dry white wine, Pinot Noir.
Joachim and I loaded the truck and made rounds dropping off
bottles here and there trying to drum up business.  Bottles were
sent through the mail to magazines and anyone else we could
think of then we sat back and waited.

   A month passed before we received our first order for five
bottles, it wasn't much but it was an order. Joachim carefully
crated the five bottles and with a bill of sale in hand we
delivered the wine and received six dollars and twenty-five
cents.  Getting paid for the work we had done was exciting.
Orders trickled in over the next few weeks and soon we'd sold
almost a thousand bottles, however we still had 8500 bottles
left.  It was also time to start bottling the Sparkling Wine.  I
liked the bubbles in Champagne and the flavor.  Another five
thousand bottles were sitting in racks and once more Joachim and
I made the rounds.  We continued to get a steady flow of orders
for our wine.  However after a month we hadn't received a single
order for Sparkling wine, we all felt let down, but the Pinot
Noir profits would carry the vineyard for another year.  As the
year drew to an end we had sold almost the entire ten thousand
original bottles. We placed one bottle that the three of us
signed on our mantel and a case of wine we kept in our wine
cellar for our own use. We did the same with the Sparkling wine
but one thing was sure we wouldn't run out.

   New years 1950 came in quickly.  At 27, I still looked in my
teens. Joachim would officially be eighty years old and he still
got around like a young man. Tyler would be 26, every year
Tyler's looks became more striking and no matter how many times
I told him all he ever would say was how lucky he was to have
me, I was the lucky one to love him. Near the end of January we
received a letter from a restaurant in New York ordering 50
bottles of Sparkling Champagne at 3.50 a bottle we were excited.
The following morning five crates of 10 bottles each were sent
for delivery.  We waited almost 10 days before calling the
restaurant ensuring the bottles had arrived in good shape. The
restaurant was pleased and assured me that another order would
be forthcoming.  100 bottles was the next order from another
restaurant in New York, when I contacted the restaurant to
follow up on the delivery I was informed that my wine had been
featured in a new magazine called the New Yorker.  Joachim and
Tyler drove all the way into town to get a copy of the magazine.
The story was half a page and spoke of the light, sweet taste
and the wonderful bubbles. By the middle of the year every
bottle of both wines had been sold.  We had a backlog of orders
to be filled.  With our next harvest we put up nearly 20
thousand bottles.  We had a good customer base from the first
harvest and we hoped to continue to grow.  I began buying up
adjacent land on Joachim's advice to expand our vineyards. The
same as the last year we sold all of our stock.

     The Winery was doing better than could have been expected
and while it was exciting it was also tiring. I needed time to
be with Tyler, away from the daily operations of the vineyard.
Tyler had become angry with me, he wanted time for the two of
us, we never had the chance any more, he cried one night as I
held him I heard the frustration in his voice.  I made love to
him until he begged me for release. I lay atop him covered in
sweat our bodies warm against each other, his lips to my ear he
whispered his fears and his need for us to be alone for a few
days.

     The following morning I told Joachim that Tyler and I were
going into the city for a few days. Bill said he'd help out
until we returned.  Tyler and I jumped in the truck and headed
to San Diego. We checked in at a hotel, cleaned up and changed
clothes then we went out to eat.  We looked in store windows as
we walked the world was changing. We watched television for
almost half an hour standing on the sidewalk, laughing along
with a few other people gathered outside the store.  We
continued to walk stopping in to have a drink, while we were
standing at the bar we heard a commotion behind us and saw the
bartender trying to force two men out the door, he was yelling
at them that their type wasn't allowed in here, they should go
down to the Hanging Tree bar where deviants were welcomed.  I
felt my face turn red. We finished our drinks and left.

     We talked about going back to the motel but instead we
searched out the bar we had heard the man mention.  It wasn't
hard to find. When we walked in all eyes turned toward us and
watched us make our way to the bar.  It took a few seconds for
the low murmur of voices and soft music to fill the air once
more.  I looked around and noticed men our age talking,
occasionally touching their partner.  The bartender got our
attention asking if this was our first time we shook our heads
yes.  He explained that the police would come in and harass
everyone about once a night so we'd better drink up and leave.
     We finished our drinks and walked out, the bartender yelled
at us to come back the following night earlier.  We returned to
the motel bolting our door and stripping each other we made love
for hours.  My fingers moved through Tyler's hair as I begged
him to release me, my breath was still coming in gasps as he
slid beside me, putting his lips against my shoulder.  I looked
at him and kissed him deeply, knowing we were apart of each
other. His body gave way as he offered himself I took him
willingly making him cry out before I would fill him.  We slept
the following morning until well after 11am.  We walked the city
again having breakfast and then lunch before returning to clean
up and head once more to the Hanging Tree bar.  The bar was
already filled with customers. It was lighter inside and I could
clearly see the faces of the people.  I felt sad, many looked
lost and alone some seemed hopeless. As I lifted my drink Tyler
looked at me, "I want to go, we're different than them."
     I heard the urgency in his voice. We stepped out of the bar
into the sunshine and returned to the motel.  Tyler bolted the
door behind us. He had me sit on the side of the bed, he knelt
down resting his hands on my knees and he looked up into my
face.  He spoke softly, telling me he felt sorry for the people
we had seen in the saloon because we weren't like them because
we loved each other.  I held his head against my chest kissing
him over and over. His words touched my soul and I cried as I
held him making him swear he'd never leave me alone. We finally
ended up washing our faces and went down the street to eat
before returning to our room. As I held Tyler close against me
we talked about the future.  Early in the morning we checked out
and returned home.  As the months passed our sales increased and
we purchased additional land.

     An opportunity came about for us to purchase almost 500
acres we knew in doing so we would completely drain our cash
reserves.  I had strong feelings something was wrong and I
convinced Tyler we shouldn't buy the land at this time we could
afford to wait another season and another opportunity. We didn't
have long to wait to find out what I had felt was wrong that
day.

     In June of 1951, Tyler and I had just finished with dinner.
We cleaned up and headed to bed as we lay there, we heard
Joachim in his room and soon he was quiet.  Tyler and I were
making love when the bedroom door burst open and the lights went
on. Standing next to our bed with a look of disgust was two
Federal Bureau of Investigation Agents. The two men yelled at us
to get out of bed and get dressed, then we were handcuffed and
dragged outside where Mary and the kids watched as we were
forced into the back of a police car and taken to police
headquarters.  On arrival at the jail we were separated Tyler
went one way and me another.  I felt nothing but hate for these
people and at the same time I imagined the fear Tyler would be
feeling.  I'd been sitting on a bench for over an hour when an
agent walks in and jerks me to my feet by my bad arm.  I winced
with pain and the agent looked at me like I was crazy or
something.  He literally shoved me down a hall and into a room
where Tyler was seated his face was red, his eyes swollen from
crying and blowing his nose.  At that moment I wanted to kill
both of the agents for hurting Tyler.
     One of the agents offered me a cigarette, he handed it to
me then lit it, my hand was shaking so bad.  He asked me if we
were communist and I told him no.  I told him what had happened
was my fault and Tyler had tried to resist but I overpowered
him.  He looked at Tyler who looked at the floor.  Then he
looked at me and asked me if I was a pervert and I told him yes.
He shook his head and told the other agent to release Tyler.
With Tyler out of the room, the agent pointed to another chair
and told me to move, as I went to stand he took his foot and
pushed me, I fell against the table and to the floor unable to
hold myself up with my bad arm. He looked at me smiling and said
I needed to be more careful.
     I stood up and looked at him but said nothing. He told me
to sit down again I sat with my hands cuffed in front of me. The
agent walked over and removed the cuffs, he walked around the
table and sat on the corner and looked at me. He began asking
degrading questions about my sexual habits.  I answered them all
up to the point when he said that he hated fighting for this
country so perverts like me could stay home and do nothing.  At
that point I looked at him and said he was a dumb son of a
bitch. He stared at me, I told him had been an Army Air Corps
Pilot and Army Officer, awarded the Purple Heart, Distinguished
Flying Cross and a disability pension, before he could say a
word I ask him what sacrifice he'd made to serve this country.
He looked at me, then got in my face and called me a liar.  I
literally ripped the buttons off my shirt removing it and showed
him what war does to someone.  He looked at me with anger then I
told him if he could read he'd have seen my military papers in
my wallet.  He walked out slamming the door behind him. He
returned with my papers and another agent. The other agent
looked at my chest, arm and stomach, almost repulsed by the
damage and they walked out.

     It was morning when they returned to the room, I sat there
almost six hours without water or anything else.  The next agent
that came in the room introduced himself.  He looked at me and
said that I didn't look like a pervert.  I looked at him and
said he didn't either my comment angered him.  I demanded to
know why my house had been broken into in violation of the
constitution and State law?  He smiled and said my hired hand
had reported there were illegal activities of a communist nature
going on in the house, I asked who made the report and he said
Joachim reported that we were communist.  He told me he could
care less about me being a pervert but the communist comment had
to be taken seriously.  He handed me my paperwork back and told
me I could leave, I stayed seated and said I wasn't going
anywhere until the agent that kicked me apologized, if he didn't
I would go to the papers and tell them the FBI broke into my
house, a decorated veteran of this country and see what they
made of all this.  He looked at me incredulously and said, he
could charge me with perversion, I told him to charge me.  He
walked out returning with the agent that had shoved me with his
foot. He walked up to me looked me in the face with scorn and he
said he was sorry I was a pervert, my knee came up catching him
in his groin, he bent forward and I told him I was sorry he's
stupid. I looked at the main agent and told him he could arrest
me now if he wanted to, he shook his head and pointed to the
door.

     At the desk the agent returned my belongings, he treated me
like I had a plague, I emptied the envelope and threw it back at
him and called him an idiot, I waited for his reply he said
nothing.  I stepped out the front door Tyler was sitting in the
truck waiting for me.  I opened the passenger door and got in
without a word. He looked at me and I looked at him, we said
nothing.  He pulled away from the building and drove slowly down
the main street taking the first turn off the main road we could
find.  We drove for well over an hour before pulling off the
road.  We stopped in a vacant area, I looked at Tyler and he
began to cry, he cried like they had ripped out his heart, he
cried like a man destroyed. I didn't dare move, I wanted to hold
him but I couldn't not until he was ready. Through his tears his
anguished voice spoke of seeing me in handcuffs and nothing he
could do. I knew at that moment I could hold him.  I put my arms
around him and held him tight he cried against my chest his
tears soaking into my shirt.  I kissed the side of his face
whispering that together nothing could hurt us.

     In time he calmed down, I couldn't let him go, not yet.  I
caressed the side of his face and whispered all the words my
heart was filled with, my love and devotion to him.  I told him
everything that had happened I got a slight smile from him, we
discussed Joachim and decided to throw him out in a sign of
strength, we didn't want to appear to be afraid to get rid of
him, we weren't.  It was mid afternoon when we arrived home.
Bill saw us pull up in the truck he hurried over I told him I
would talk with everyone this evening. Tyler and I returned to
our bedroom, we showered and changed clothes before calling
everyone together in the kitchen. Tyler stood beside me as I
looked at Bill, Mary and Joachim. I proceeded to tell them Tyler
and I had been arrested because we are homosexuals and because
we had been labeled communists.  I explained about my military
service and told them we had been released without charge.  I
asked Bill and Mary if they wanted to keep working with Tyler
and me, they nodded their head yes.  I looked at Joachim and
told him to pack his things and be out by five.  I turned and
looked at Tyler telling him to get a locksmith to change the
locks today, I didn't care what it cost. Joachim stood up and
began screeching at the four of us.  He called us every
imaginable name. I looked at him and shook my head, no wonder he
had lived alone, he was so filled with hate. Bill ushered him to
his room and helped him pack.  By five Joachim wasn't on our
land any longer and his room was emptied.  Mary had spent the
last hour cleaning the room. When Bill returned he took a
screwdriver and changed the locks himself. Before Bill and Mary
left they told Tyler and me that they understood, it didn't
matter what other people thought they thought we were good
people and we had their support.  We shook hands and they left
for the day.

     The house looked the same as it did the day before, no sign
that anyone uninvited had been inside.  Tyler and I ate a
sandwich for dinner neither of us was hungry.  I lifted Tyler's
hand and led him to our  bedroom.
     We undressed and crawled under the sheets.  I held Tyler
tight in my arms and we talked about how happy we had been up
until last night. Gently I moved down Tyler's body and made love
to him, making him cry out loudly over and over, I wanted him to
realize this was our home, nothing could harm us here.  I lay
back exhausted on the bed, Tyler's head on my stomach, my
fingers moving through his hair, he looked at me before making
love to me the way he had since we were kids.  I gently held his
head in place and gave him the last measure of my being.  He
gladly accepted, crawling beside me as I fought to recapture my
breath, the excitement of the moment overpowering.  Tyler leaned
against the headboard and held my head against his chest, his
fingers moved up my neck and into my hair he caressed my body as
he reminded me of my importance in his life. Tyler had never
held me like that before and I soon fell asleep.  Nothing
appeared in the paper the next day, the next week or the
following months, only a few people knew we had been arrested.

     Three months had passed and word came our way that
Joachim had died.  I felt saddened by his death but I
couldn't make myself attend his funeral, what he had done to
Tyler would never be forgiven.

     Tyler and I turned 30 in 1953.  Our vineyard has had
continued success and we often have more orders than we can
produce wine.  We expanded and with the expansion hired on a
few new hands picked by Bill.  On a piece of land almost a
mile from where we lived, Bill and Mary began building their
own home.  We deeded the land to them out of gratitude.

     My shoulder began to give me problems and I was sent to
the new Veteran's Hospital in San Francisco for treatment.
Tyler and I drove to San Francisco on a Tuesday and checked
in with the hospital.  I was scheduled for testing the
following morning.  After finding a place for dinner we
walked around town. We knew there were bars that only men
frequented but neither of us had the desire to go and we
didn't drink anything but our own wine.

     In the morning I convinced Tyler to remain in bed while
I went for tests. The hospital quickly put me through one
test after another, not even I noticed that lunch had
passed.  At five the doctor told me to return again the
following morning.  As I walked out into the waiting room to
leave, Tyler stood up and looked at me, he wasn't happy.  As
we walked out the front doors he proceeded to tell me how
nervous he'd been all day wondering what was happening.  I
explained about forgetting the time, he settled down just a
little but he was still upset.  That night as I lay in
Tyler's arms, I knew something was wrong with my shoulder,
something serious.  I'm sure the doctor's thought I hadn't
noticed they repeated a few test several times.  I was
expecting the worst I knew that losing my arm was a
possibility.  I turned my head and looked at Tyler.  He bent
forward and kissed my lips, then he smiled and told me how
handsome I was and how much he loved me.  We were gentle as
we made love and then fell asleep holding each other.

     I was on my way to the hospital before Tyler woke, I
hoped to have the bad news before he woke up at least I
could tell him from our motel room.  I had just entered the
hospital and got a chair in the waiting room when Tyler
walked in, he looked at me saying, "I'm coming along."
     I shook my head in understanding. We waited almost an
hour before the doctor from the day before escorted me back
to his office.  He smiled as he sat down.  I noticed by the
way he wrung his hands that he was a bit uncomfortable with
the news he had to deliver.  He put a few x-rays under a
lighted glass and pointed out different structures in my
shoulder.  He came to a very light colored area the size of
my fist.  He studied our faces before saying the words we'd
never expected to hear, "Zachary you have cancer."  Tyler
gasped and I looked at him, patting his leg.  The doctor
continued speaking, he told me there was nothing medically
to be done the cancer had spread into my body through the
lymphatic system.  He foretold the future and how to deal
with the associated pain that would increase with time.
After he finished speaking he looked at both of us and
offered his sincere sadness that this was happening at my
age. I shook his hand and walked out of the hospital. Tyler
was a wreck but held himself together in the hospital and
now he wanted to fall apart, but I told him not to, I had to
get home.

     He looked at me nodding his head.  We arrived home
around 10:30pm. Tyler fixed a bite to eat we ate on the
porch and looked up at the stars.  When Tyler finally cried,
it hit me, I was dying and I wouldn't live to see another
year. Just as quickly as it entered my mind it left and fear
overtook me, what would happen to Tyler, I was terrified, my
whole body began to shake, I told Tyler what I was afraid of
and he just stared at me in disbelief, I told him I loved
him that much, he held me close to him. Time was of the
essence I couldn't afford to waste any.  I sat down that
evening and wrote a letter to Nick, I'd not corresponded
with him in well over five years.  I wrote about the
Vineyard and many other things but I didn't mention my
illness.  I asked him to come visit as soon as possible.

     Several weeks passed when I received a reply from Nick.
He was doing well and would love to come and visit. He said
he was pleased to hear that Tyler and I were still together.
He promised to spend two weeks the following month.  The
nights were getting cooler but the days were still
oppressively hot. Tyler was happy that I was seeing friends
and he was excited at the prospect of meeting one of my
military friends.  Near the middle of the month I heard a
car pull up in the drive, I looked out the screen door.
Nick, looking as handsome as he did seven years ago as he
stepped out of his car and looked around whistling.  I threw
the screen door aside and he ran over to me. He threw his
arms around my neck and whispered in my ear saying I never
changed.  I commented on how wonderful he looked.
     He winked, I grabbed a suitcase, he carried another and
I got him situated in his room.  When he walked out onto the
porch Tyler was sitting next to me on the swing.  I saw the
look Tyler gave Nick and vice versa, there might be hope
after all.  I feigned being tired and asked Tyler to take
Nick on a tour.  I sat on the front porch once they had
gone, the pain in my shoulder was growing and already
morphine was my only freedom from pain. My greatest fear was
losing my sight and hearing before I died, I swore to myself
it would never get to that point.  When Tyler returned with
Nick we drove into town and had dinner, most of the town
folks knew about my cancer and were quick to offer
apologizes.  Nick looked at me when one of the neighbors
mentioned an aunt with cancer. Nick stared at me asking when
I was going to tell him.  I said when the time was right.
For two weeks Nick and I played cards, talked about the war
and each other.  He used any excuse to hug me and tell me
how much he still loved me. He'd made us both cry several
times.  He told me that Tyler was beautiful but he'd never
feel anything for anyone the way he felt about me. On the
last day of his visit he asked to come back in a month or
two for another visit, he made me promise I'd be here, I
promised him, while all the while I knew I was dying and
wouldn't live another two months.
Prologue:
     I'm not a writer the way Zachary was.  He was always
thoughtful, caring and excited about each story, while all I
wanted was to finish this story for you.  Almost two months
passed and Zach's health got progressively worse.  He
couldn't eat and his eyesight began to fail. I saw the fear
and pain in his eyes but he refused to complain, it passed
the point where Morphine no longer helped. Sunday night as
we lay in bed, Zachary lay in my arms and after looking up
and me, he told me he loved me and died, it was very
peaceful.  I held him until morning before calling an
ambulance as the doctor had instructed. They moved him into
the ambulance for an autopsy and further transfer to the
undertakers.  With all the necessary funeral arrangements
completed, there was nothing more for me.  I'm lying on the
bed fully dressed and I've injected a syringe filled with
Morphine into my arm the same way I'd injected Zach hundreds
of times. I always knew nothing would keep me from Zach, we
will camp together throughout eternity, I believe God
understands. I'm getting very tired, my eyes will barely
stay open, my hand barely writes. I see Zach, he's pulling
me to him, I feel his arms around me, he's kissing me and.

---The end---