This "Thing"

With Proposition 14 looming on the horizon, the incriminating photograph of Tony, and Gus was exactly the ammunition right-wing politicians, religious leaders, and Budweiser-breeder-boys were looking for. Debbie's regular customers listened as Ted read from the editorial page of the Tuesday morning edition of the Pittsburgh Tribune. "These wolves in designer clothing use money, and power to lure their prey into their Neverland-like paradises. Once caught up in the fantasy, your child then becomes the victim of the worst kind of thievery. A loss of innocence, stolen by a cunning predator….."

"Stop it, you're making my dick hard." Brian said nonchalantly.

"Shhh!" Debbie frowned.

"Mr. Bellwether then goes on to call us degenerates, pedophiles, and sodomites." Ted skimmed through the rest of the article.

"Well at least he got that part right." Brian concurred.

"What?" Justin couldn't believe what he had just heard.

Brian attempted to explain. "If you think about it, a degenerate is someone who declines from the standard of conditions set by a certain breed, and we're certainly not like breeders. A sodomite is one who enjoys ass fucking, which I think all of us here can attest to."

The other Liberty Diner patrons enthusiastically agreed.

"What about pedophile?" Justin asked.

"Well Tony, and I are both fucking you." Brian grinned.

Justin leered at his incorrigible lover. "That's not funny, Brian." he hissed. "This is so unfair. Tony didn't do anything. Since when is it against the law for a man to hug a child?"

"When the man is a faggot, and the child is a little boy." Ted closed his newspaper.

"Who is this Howard Bed-wetter anyway?" Debbie asked.

"Howard Bellwether." Ted corrected her. "He's an author, and columnist. His latest book "The Gay Gauntlet" is number three on the New York best sellers list. "The Gay Gauntlet" trashes the gay lifestyle, calling it immoral, shallow, incapable of monogamy, and undeserving of the sanctity we know as marriage…."

"Sanctity of marriage, are you kidding me? Someone married Michael Jackson." Emmett pointed out.

"And let's not forget Britney Spears. Somebody married her too." Michael added.

"Did you see that hairy beaver shot of her getting out of the car? Ewww." Emmett digressed.

"Well I know Tony, and he's not going to take this laying down. I'll bet he's already on the phone with his lawyers. I hope he sues everybody." Justin said.

"I doubt if that's going to do him much good." Melanie interjected. "Mr. Bellwether's article doesn't specifically mention Tony by name."

"But we all know who he's talking about!" Justin said.

"Do we really, and can it be proven in a court of law? No, good old Howie was very careful to make general statements about the gay community, and not to target anyone in particular." Melanie pointed out.

"So this Howard Bellwether can just write anything he wants?" Justin concluded.

"Pretty much. It's still technically a free country. Free speech, and freedom of the press." Melanie reminded him.

"Suing everybody isn't always the answer to every problem, Sunshine. Sometimes you have to just take the hit, and absorb the blow." Brian added. "I wouldn't worry about Tony if I were you. He's a big boy. He can take it."

"Oh, I'm sure he can." Emmett grinned.

"In the meantime, Theodore, you're late for work, Justin, your first class is in twenty minutes, and I have a ten o'clock presentation I have to get ready for." Brian finished the last of his coffee, then leaned over, and kissed Mikey before standing up from his seat at the breakfast counter.

"I'd better get going too." Melanie picked up her briefcase.

The Liberty Diner began to clear as its regular breakfast patrons headed out for their various morning commutes. Brian paused on the sidewalk to give Justin a quick kiss goodbye. He then briefly turned to Mel as she was leaving. "How's my kid? Is he still on lockdown?" he asked her.

"Yep, and we may have to extend that punishment. Lindsey is at the school right now. Gus got into a fist fight yesterday." Melanie informed him.

"A fist fight?" Brian's eyes widened. "What happened?"

"Apparently some of the kids' parents recognized Gus with Tony on the front cover of Saturday's paper. The kids overheard their parents talking, and began teasing Gus at school. Subsequently it came down to an altercation between them, and Gus."

"Them? How many of THEM?" Brian frowned.

"A couple." Melanie said.

"So why wasn't I called?" Brian wanted to know.

"We didn't call you, Brian, because Lindz, and I knew you'd fly off the handle, just like you're about to do now." Melanie said.

"My kid is getting jumped on at school. It's fucking time to fly off the handle, don't you think?" Brian hissed. "So who won the fight?"

"As usual you're missing the point Brian. It's not about who won the fight, it's about why the fight started in the first place. It's hard enough that Gus has to live with the stigma of being the product of gay parents. Do you have to shove your polyandrous lifestyle down his throat too?" Melanie said.

"Who I fuck is my business." Brian reminded her.

"Not any more, Brian." Melanie challenged him. "Never in the history of the world have gay people been under such scrutiny. We're in the fight of our lives, demanding that our relationships should be considered just as healthy, and loving, and worthy of the institution of marriage, while you on the other hand continue to perpetuate the myth that gay men are unable to sustain loving, monogamous relationships. This "thing" you've got going with Tony and Justin. Is it worth sacrificing everything that we're fighting for? When are you going to grow up, and stop being lead by your dick, Brian?"

Brian lit his cigarette, and took a long drag. "I've got news for you Mel." he began. "Gay, or straight, men have always been, and always will be lead by our dicks. The difference is that gay men have a better grasp of the male sexual appetite, while straight men are forced to pretend that they're only attracted to one partner. If you, and your dead from the waist down cohorts over at the Gay & Lesbian center want to emulate breeders, then you go right ahead, but don't ask me to compromise my dick for your cause."

Brian flicked his half smoked cigarette butt onto the ground, then turned, and walked away.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Over at The Plaza Hotel, Kenneth Davenport was having a difficult time reasoning with his number one client. Anthony Massey was livid.

"SON-OF-A-BITCH, I WANT THIS ASSHOLE, BELLWETHER'S BALLS ON A SKEWER! I WANT HIM DEAD TO THE LITERARY WORLD! DEAD! DEAD! DEAD! DO YOU HEAR ME?" Tony paced his office floor.

"Take it easy, Tony." Kenneth said calmly.

Tony flung his morning paper onto his lawyer's lap. "DON'T TELL ME TO TAKE IT EASY! THAT BASTARD CALLED ME A PEDOPHILE!" he bellowed.

Kenneth Davenport folded the newspaper, and placed it neatly on Tony's desk. "Mr. Bellwether did not specifically call you a pedophile. He made a general statement about gay men, and their often involvement with underage boys. Tony, as your lawyer and your friend, I advise you to sit back, and allow this shit to quietly blow over. This is obviously a political ploy that Stockwell wants to use to pass Proposition 14." Kenneth said.

"Political ploy, my ass! I don't give a damn about Proposition 14. My reputation is on the line. I can't have the label of pedophile associated with me!" Tony barked. "What?"

"Nothing." Kenneth said.

"Bullshit, I know that look. You were about to say something." Tony insisted.

Kenneth took a deep breath. "You're right boss, your public image is extremely important." he began. "That's why I don't understand why you're so willing to throw it away for a piece of ass. This "thing" you've got going with Brian and Justin, and now Brian's kid is involved…It looks bad Tony. Maybe you should consider backing away from Kinney, and his boy-toy. They've been nothing but trouble since you've become involved with them. I don't understand it. They're not even in your league."

Tony stopped pacing, and looked over at Kenneth. "Not in my league?"

"That's right, especially Kinney." Kenneth continued. "He's a dime-a-dozen pretty-boy, nothing more than well dressed, backroom trash, and you know it. You deserve better."

"Better, as in you." Tony surmised.

Kenneth paused for a moment before he replied. "What the hell happened to us, Tony? You and I, we were good together. We made a great team." he said.

"We're still a great team, Ken, but there was never any you and I. What we had was a brief affair that turned into a damn good working relationship." Tony said.

"That was your idea, Tony, not mine." Kenneth reminded him. "I wanted more, and it could have been so much more if you had just allowed it to happen. It's not too late, you know."

"That's where you're wrong." Tony begged to differ. "It's definitely too late. You know way too much about my money to be my lover now." he said.

"So what you're saying is that while you trust me with your money, you don't trust me with your heart." Kenneth concluded.

Tony didn't respond to his lawyer's last comment. Instead he rounded his desk, and sat down in his oversized executive chair. It was back to business now. He put on his glasses, and began sifting through the stack of papers Kenneth had stopped by that morning to deliver to him.

Kenneth Davenport picked up his briefcase, and headed for the door. "I'll get back with you on those contracts as soon as I talk to my brother Bishop." he said.

"Ken, one more thing before you go." Tony stopped him.

"What is it?"

"In the future, I don't ever want to hear you utter the words backroom trash, and Brian Kinney in the same breath. Do I make myself clear, Mr. Davenport?" Tony said.

"Yes Mr. Massey." Kenneth said.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Justin pretended not to notice the discrete glances, and whispers of his fellow classmates at P.I.F.A. It was common knowledge that the little blonde, with the pool blue eyes, and the bubble-butt was the boy-toy of the implied pedophile who had graced the front page of Saturday's edition of the Pittsburgh Tribune newspaper. Justin resolved that the self-righteous hypocrites could all kiss his sweet, round ass. Not one of them knew anything about Tony, or the circumstances that lead to the incriminating photograph that was now the local talk of the town. Indeed, photograph or not, Justin was certain that every single one of the high moral bastards would leap at the chance to get their hands on the pot of gold known as Anthony Massey.

"Justin!"

A familiar voice stopped Justin in his tracks. "Dad?"

Craig Taylor sandwiched his way through the crowded hallway of students scurrying to get to their next classes. "Your mother said I could find you here." he said.

"What's wrong? Has something happened to Mom, is Molly ok?" Justin immediately asked.

"No, no, nothing's wrong." Craig attempted to catch his breath. "I just wanted to see you son, that's all. I thought maybe we could go have a bite to eat or something."

"I have another class in 45 minutes." Justin said.

"We don't have to go far. We can grab something here in the cafeteria." Craig suggested.

It had been over 4yrs since Justin last saw his father face to face. That meeting lead to an altercation between Brian, and Craig Taylor that ended in a fist fight in Craig's office, and a permanent parting of the ways between father, and son. That meeting also triggered the end of the Taylor marriage, when Jennifer took Justin's side over her husband's. And so it was with great reservation that Justin sat down with his estranged father to a plate of dry hamburger, cold French-fries, and watered down cola in the Pittsburg Institute of Fine Art's cafeteria. At first the two made polite chit-chat. Justin was still maintaining his 4.0 grade point average, and looking forward to his senior year. Craig's construction company was doing well, he was no longer seeing the brunette he met at the housewares convention last year, and he was thinking of surprising Molly with a car for her 17th birthday. Justin waited for the arc in the conversation that would give away the real reason for his father's sudden appearance. He didn't have to wait very long.

"Your mother tells me that you have a new boyfriend." Craig began.

"No, I'm still with Brian." Justin said.

"What about this other guy, Anthony Massey?" Craig asked.

"Tony, and I are just friends." Justin lied.

"That's not what your mother tells me." Craig pressed the issue.

"When did you talk to mom?" Justin asked.

"That doesn't matter, son. What does matter now is that your mother and I are worried about you." Craig said.

"And why is that?" Justin asked.

Craig took a deep breath, and proceeded with caution. "Justin, this "thing" you've got going with Brian, and now Mr. Massey…."

"You don't have to worry about me, dad. I'm fine." Justin interrupted him.

"Fine?" Craig begged to differ. "Justin, how can you say that after you were nearly killed because of Brian. Not only that, your mother tells me that you were also sexually assaulted because of him. Now you've fallen into the clutches of an even older man…"

Justin took a sip of his watered down coke. "Dad, could we please change the subject?" he sighed.

"Justin, I may not agree with your lifestyle, but you're still my son." Craig continued. "I know I'm not good at showing it all the time, but I still love you, and I worry about what happens to you. Do you have any idea how much it hurts your mother, and me, to watch you being passed from man to man like some kind of male whore?"

"I'm not a whore, dad. Brian and Tony both love me, and I love them." Justin tried to keep his voice down.

"That's what scares me son." Craig confessed. "Why do you love men who use you? Brian was bad enough, but this Anthony Massey…this pedophile…"

"Tony is not a pedophile, and nobody is using me!" Justin glanced over his shoulder at nearby prying eyes.

Craig continued. "Justin, I can't help but wonder if this affinity you have for older men is my fault. I know I worked long hours when you were growing up, but I needed to do that to provide for you, and your sister, and your mother. Maybe if I had spent more time with you…"

"I'm no one's fault dad. I am who I am, and I happen to love who I love. That's all there is to it." Justin insisted.

Craig moved in for the kill. "I've been reading about Proposition 14." he began. "Of course your mother is gung-ho to defeat it, but I can't help but wonder why. Even if Proposition 14 doesn't pass, how will that benefit you, son? I've always envisioned my children as married, and raising healthy families of their own, even you, Justin. These years I've spent away from you, and Molly, and your mother… I've grown, son. If I have to, I can accept your lifestyle, but I cannot sit by, and watch my gay son compromise himself, and dismiss all of the values that his mother, and I have taught him. This "thing" you've got going with Brian, and Mr. Massey…Is that really what you want, Justin, to be a perpetual boy-toy for two men old enough to be your father, until you become too old, and they tire of you, and toss you aside for another, younger plaything? Is that the kind of life you've always envisioned for yourself, son? Does either one of the men that you profess to love care enough about you to marry you, and give you the commitment that you deserve?"

Justin sat back in his seat, and stared across the table at his father. Talk about a bombshell. Their first meeting in 4yrs, and Craig drops this one in his son's lap. It wouldn't have been so bad if Justin hadn't asked himself those exact same questions during his most private moments, when Tony and Brian were fast asleep. If Proposition 14 was defeated, which one of the men lying next to him would commit to be his partner for life? Better yet, once committed, would Justin be able to give up the other one?

"I really should be getting to my next class now, dad." Justin said.

NEXT WEEK: A Question Of Manhood

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