Date: Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:48:04 -0800 (PST) From: Peder Pederson Subject: A tree, Chapter 3 III The Sapling Two Years ago - - - - Harish had graduated with honors from Grinnell, with a major in History and Business. The double major, along with the other requirements meant that Harish was compelled to attend summer school if he was to graduate on time. That was no problem for him as he was unable to holiday for the three months--lack of money being the reason. Besides, his scholarship allowed the extra session. History was his first love. "But," he thought, "You can't make a living in history." Business was the practical choice. He had been encouraged to apply for graduate school and an assistantship. Both were achieved. He had been accepted at the University of Wisconsin. The summer between graduation and graduate school, he had obtained through Dick a position outside of Madison at a boy's camp. "The pay's not great, but it's not a bad job," Dick told Harish, having worked there the past summer. Dick and Harish had seen each other frequently the previous year--the year of Harish's senior year--at Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring Break. Harish had been invited to the Burkhardts. He grew to love Dick's parents, and they accepted him as another son. The camp was set in the wooded, rolling hills of central Wisconsin. A hundred or so acres bordering a sapphire blue lake. Twenty cabins housing ten boys each, nestled midst the trees. A house with apartments for the director, assistant director and camp nurse also contained a small dispensary. There were a number of others "helpers" who were "locals" and came in only for the day--the cook, gardener, and sundry others. The largest structure at the camp was "The Lodge," a large rustic structure which contained the kitchen, dining hall and "The Fireside Lounge." The latter was where all gathered each evening for singing and camp generated entertainment. It was idyllic. There were two groups of high school age boys during the summer. Each group stayed for half the summer. Harish was a cabin counselor, assigned to the "Pine Cabin"--each cabin was quaintly named for a tree. Part of his duties was to insure a smooth transition into camp life for the occupants of his cabin, smooth over any problems that might arise amongst the boys, and report any major infractions of the rules to the director. His other duty was to assist the counselor in charge of sports for the camp. It was, indeed, not a bad job. The other cabin counselors were all around Harish's age, and generally all were university students working for the summer. Halfway through the first session, the "Pine Cabin" had their turn for an overnight camp-out on a small island that the camp owned in the middle of the lake. Late on a Friday afternoon, Harish assembled his charges and guided them down to the dock where four canoes were waiting. The canoes were already provisioned. Harish inspected every boy's life jacket and for the last time read to them the "Rules for an Overnight." They entered their canoes, and with gusto paddled to the island, unpacked their canoes, laid out their sleeping bags and prepared the "cook-out." All went well that night. After a spartan breakfast, they repacked and paddled back to the main camp. Most were bleary-eyed from the lack of sleep the night before having spent the time talking and "bull-shitting." Harish, too, could have used more sleep. The group scrambled out of their beached canoes and ran to their cabin, leaving Harish to make sure every canoe was safely drawn up onto the beach. While pulling the last canoe up onto the beach, Harish felt a strange pain in his lower back. "Damn, I've strained a muscle," he thought. Through the rest of the day the pain increased somewhat. At dinnertime he cautiously lowered himself onto the dining chair and just as cautiously rose after dinner. He winced as he got up. Mary Stafford, the middle aged camp nurse with whom Harish had spent many free hours talking just about things, noticed Harish's discomfort. Stopping him at the door, she asked, "Harish are you all right? You seem to be in some distress." "Thanks, Mary. I'm Okay, just strained a muscle in my back lifting a canoe." "Stop by the dispensary and I'll give you something to lessen the pain." "Thanks," and he followed her to the small dispensary where she gave him four white tablets. "Take two now, and two four hours later, preferably before you go to bed." "Okay. Thanks again," and he left. The next day, as Harish and Dick left the dining room, they were met by Mary. Again, she asked him about his back. "Just the same," he admitted. "There's a trainer, a local man who teaches at the high school--keeps the athletic teams fit. We have called him from time to time. I'll contact him . . . are you free this afternoon?" "Yes, nothing scheduled for me." "Good, the be at my office at 2:30. If he can't come, I'll contact you." "Okay. Thanks Mary. I appreciate it." Dick glanced at Harish and was about to say something, but thought better of it. At 2:30 Harish walked into the dispensary. Mary was chatting to a man in his mid-thirties, dressed in dungarees, a tank top and white sneakers. He was obviously fit, about the same height as Harish, a bit heavier, mustached and good looking. "Harish," Mary said, "This is Tom Anderson," and added with a teasing grin, "our own trainer." "Hi." "Hi, Harish. I understand that you've got a little problem." "Yes, I pulled a muscle in my back yesterday." "Well, I'm sure it's nothing serious," Tom assured him. "Tom, I'm going now. Sunday is supposed to be a slack day. Will you lock up when you leave?" "Sure, see you later." Mary left. Tom took Harish into the treatment room, closed the door and said to him, "You'll find a towel on the treatment table, behind the screen. Strip down and put it on. I'll be with you in a minute." Harish went behind the screen, gingerly undressed, wrapped the towel around him and carefully tucked it in. He carefully got up and sat on the edge of the table. Tom came around the screen carrying a couple of bottles with what appeared to be oils, of some sort, in them. He placed them on the table at the foot of the table, and turned to Harish. "Now where's the pain?" Harish indicated the area on his lower back. "Okay, lay on your stomach, cradle your head in your hands and try to relax." Harish did as he was told. Tom tugged at the edge of the towel pulling it down an inch or two so that he could better massage the inflicted area. At first Harish groaned at the discomfort of the oiled hands as they massaged the sore area. Then, after some minutes the pain began to lessen. Fingers began to probe and again pain returned, but again it lessened after a time. "Tom's hand are miraculous," Harish thought as he began really to relax. Five, ten, twenty minutes passed as the hands worked their healing power. Then they moved upwards to the middle of his back and continued. Harish moaned at the relaxing massage. Then up to his shoulders where they kneaded those muscles. Harish was bordering on a deeply relaxed sleep. The hands stopped and were removed. "Thanks," Harish said as he began to sit up. "Not done yet,"came the reply as he was gently pushed back to the original position. "It's important that all the muscles be massaged . . . they are all interconnected." This time, he felt the miraculous hands on his calves as they were massaged. They moved up to his lower thighs and the kneading continued. His upper thighs were also treated, buy after the kneading he became aware that the pressure had lessened somewhat and only the light touch of the fingers were traced down the length of the outside of his thighs and just as lightly up the inside. Harish's eyes snapped open as he perceived the fingers slipping into that dark area behind his balls. But the fingers moved away, and down the outside of his thighs. This continued for several minutes. Each time probing deeper . Harish became suffused with a warmth he had not experienced before. Again the hands were pulled away for a second. Then Harish could feel the towel being shoved up to his waist, revealing his hard, muscular buttocks. Hands bracketed the buttocks and gently massaged them in ever widening circles. Soon he could feel the fingers slipping into the cleavage as they traced their circle. Harish was mildly concerned, but the warm sensation permeated his whole being. Deeper and deeper, the fingers delved into that most private cleft. Suddenly one of the probing fingers grazed his tightly puckered, highly sensitized ass hole. Harish's buttocks tensed in surprise. "Relax,"Tom purred, and then crooned, "relax . . . " His hands left that area and slid down the outside of this thighs again. This time the thumbs were on the inside of his thighs and the fingers, stretched along the top and side. They moved upward to where thigh met ass, grasped that area and rotated outwards. Harish could feel his cheeks being spread by this action. Then back down the outside, only to start again. Each time the hands reached their upward goal, the thumbs had subtly been inserted deeper and deeper, until the firm rotation of the hands was exposing his puckered hole. Harish was both slightly disturbed and enjoyed this action. Enjoyment won out! Again the hands were removed. Then Harish felt an oiled hand placed on his lower back--at that "V" where back ends and buttocks start--thumb oriented towards the cleft and fingers in the opposite direction. Pressure was placed on the thumb as it moved towards the cleft, and then retreated. It moved forward again, this time a little further before it withdrew, Again, further and pulled back, and again further until it was plunging deep into the cleft. Not only was Harish being suffused with warmth, he became aware that he was becoming aroused. Then the thumb plunged all the way down the cleft and came to rest on that erotic, sensitized, puckered button and rotated once or twice. Finally, it was quickly removed. Harish breathed deeply. Tom pulled the towel back down over Harish's glistening and flushed buttocks, and said, "Back's done. Now for the front." Harish was not too anxious to turn over. He was not completely hard, but aroused enough to make a sizable impression on the covering towel. "Come on, roll over," came the quiet command. Harish complied. In a glance, Tom assessed Harish's condition. He oiled his hands and began to lightly massage the lower legs. He glanced up to Harish's face and saw that his eyes were tightly closed. Slowly he moved up to his lower thighs. Then, as with the back, the thumbs were placed on the inside of his thighs and the fingers, stretched along the top and side. They moved upward to nearly touching his tense balls, grasped that area and rotated outwards. Again and again, each time further up until each upward assault the thumbs passed under the balls, disturbing them . . . and Harish as well. Now lightly, ever so lightly, fingers and thumbs moved in consort. Finally one hand gently cradled Harish's balls while the other probed for the tight little hole behind. By this time Harish had achieved full erection. The towel was tented! His concern was overcome by the delicious sensations that coursed through his body. Tom removed the towel, gazed at Harish's significant, seven inch erection. The foreskin was pulled slightly back revealing a glimpse of the pinkish-lavender, plum-like knob. Tom gently wrapped his fingers about the shaft and drew it down. The head was revealed in all its glistening glory! Harish felt he should object, but deferred to the luscious sensation. Toms hand began to move up and down the shaft, covering the glans and then down. He established a rhythm, watching first the cock and then Harish's face as he continued to fist-fuck that large, dark, uncut cock. At the same time his other hand was also occupied. Slowly and deliberately the middle finger moved back and forth over Harish's tightly pursed, little hole. That sensation, coupled to his cock's ministration, brought deep groans from somewhere deep inside his being. Harish felt himself being propelled over the edge of sensual delight. His need for release mounted. His groans became insistent. Tom realized his state and gently pushed the tip of his middle finger against the tight little citadel. More insistently he pushed until the gate gave way and his oiled finger slipped inside. "Oh, God," Harish cried out. Tom increased the speed of his cock-fucking hand and plunged his middle finger deep up Harish's sensitized ass hole. Harish involuntarily arched his hips off the table He exploded! Spurt after opulent spurt of opalescent fluid shot from his cock-slit, arched upward and splattered against his chest and belly leaving little pools of hot lustral cum against dark mahogany flesh. His buttocks fell back onto the table. Tom slowly removed his finger from the quaking hole and released his hold on that wonderful cock. Harish was completely sated, and he recovered in that near sleep state. He could hear water running, but cared not to look as he began to return to reality. Then he felt something moist and warm on his stomach. He opened his eyes to see Tom carefully bathing his chest an stomach, carefully removing those luxurious pools of cum. Harish tried to rise up. "Lay back," Tom commanded softly, "This is my job." He watched as Tom wiped dry his chest and belly and reveled in the immediate past sensations as he wrapped the newly moistened, warm cloth about his cock. Carefully Tom cleaned the detumescent, but still substantial dark muscle. Finally, Tom wedged Harish's legs open and cleaned his little pursed citadel. "There! All finished," Tom declared, then asked, "How's your back?" "Fine," Harish said, "Don't feel a thing." "Good! You should have another treatment . . . . Are you free Tuesday afternoon?" "After 3:00, I think." Harish was not sure he wanted another "treatment." "That's great with me . . . . and by the way, don't do any heavy lifting and don't bend over too far . . . your muscles need time to recover." "Okay," was all Harish could reply as he left the dispensary. His mind raced. He couldn't deny that it felt good, but to have a man bring him to orgasm was not acceptable, at this time. He decided that he would ask Mary to call Tom and cancel the Tuesday's "treatment." As usual that night a number of the counselors had gathered in the lounge after lights out in the cabins. And, as usual their conversation was free ranging, frequently about sex. Tonight one counselor asked if the others had ever had a blow job. Some said they had, others said that they hadn't. The latter included Harish. Then he asked if any had ever had a blow job from a guy! That brought howls of derision. In defense of his question, he stated, "Don't knock it, as long as you don't have to reciprocate in kind! A mouth is a mouth, and besides a guy often knows how to pleasure another guy more than a chick!" There were snorts of ridicule. It was the expected response. Then one of the quieter, less flamboyant counselors said, "I guess you may be right, but still I'd have to be pretty hard up to let another guy get me off." Others, not all, agreed, and soon they were off on another tangent. Harish failed to contact Mary that Monday about the canceling the appointment. It was not a truly conscious act. Merely, cancellation was no longer paramount. Tuesday arrived and Harish's responsibilities took precedence. At 2:30 the intra-mural soccer game ended and Harish went back to the cabin to rest. A little after 3:00 the phone in his room rang. "Hello?" "Hello. Is this Harish?" "Yes." "Did you forget our appointment?" Instantly Harish recognized that the familiar voice belonged to Tom. Confused, not knowing what to say, he uttered, "No, I was just on my way." "Good! Then I'll see you in a couple of minutes?" "Sure," came the reply. A few minutes later Harish entered the dispensary. Mary's outer office was empty. Tuesday was her usual day off. "Hello?" he called out. "I'm in the treatment room. Come on in," came the muffled answer. Harish entered the treatment room just as Tom appeared from behind the curtain. Tom was not dressed in dungarees, nor a tank top, nor white sneakers as he was on Sunday. Today he wore only running shorts and sandals. Harish noticed his hard, muscled chest and laddered abdominals. He really had a nice body Harish thought. "Hi," Tom said lightly, "Ready?" "Yeah, I guess," came the answer. "Well, get behind there and get your towel on," he said motioning towards the curtain. Harish complied, and had just removed his briefs when Tom appeared. "I don't think you'll need the towel," he declared knowingly. Harish froze. Tom patted the table top and as an automaton Harish jumped up and turned onto his stomach. "How's the back?" "Pretty good. Actually I've felt no pain at all." "Good," was all Tom said as he started his massage. Tom paid perfunctory attention to Harish's lower back. He concentrated on his thighs, buttocks and cleft. In no time Harish felt his cock hardening in anticipation. "Time to roll over," Tom commanded and Harish complied. "Beautiful!" was all Tom said as he wrapped his fingers around Harish's thick shaft. Harish closed his eyes in anticipation of the pleasures that soon would be his. Tom allowed his hand to move town to the base of Harish's solid, unyielding cock. The purple, gleaming cock head appeared in all its majesty and glory. "What a beautiful knob," Tom whispered. Then he bent over and lightly licked the tip of the pink purple glans. The cock lurched, and Harish opened his eyes to observe what had caused that delicious sensation. He saw Tom lick the tip a second time. He closed his eyes again. Tom's tongued traced its tip all over the plum-like, fluorescent pink head. The sensations made Harish shiver and groan with delight. Then Tom opened his mouth and sucked the whole head in, all the time his tongue flicked over the captured knob. Harish groaned with delight and thrust his hips upward as if to obtain even more pleasure. Tom lowered his head even further until half the length had disappeared into his mouth. Then he slowly withdrew, dragging the velvety sheath back over the cock head. His lips gently held the puckered extension and he pulled slightly, stretching it even more. Then he released his frilled captive and his tongue shot out and probed the extravagant, frilled opening. The slack foreskin allowed his tongue to enter and he traced it all around the circumference of the head, inside that velvet lamina. Tom pulled away, went to the foot of the table and gently forced Harish to flex his knees, bringing his heels near his buttocks. Harish opened his eyes in time to see Tom mount the table and crawl up to his burgeoning cock. "What are you doing?" shot from Harish. "Relax, I just want to suck your cock from this position!" Harish could see that Tom had removed his jogging shorts and his cock hung downwards. He was about to refuse more when Tom lowered his open mouth over the whole substantial length of Harish's cock. The sensation of having his whole cock down someone's hot, moist throat drove any thought of refusal out of his mind. Slowly and rhythmically Tom raised and lowered his head, disgorging and conversely jamming that big cock back into his throat. Harish began to reel upwards in a miasma of sensual pleasure. His dark mahogany cock achieved its full length and girth and bluish veins expanded just under the satiny cock-skin. Simultaneously, Tom deposited a dollop of K-Y upon his middle finger and smeared it over Harish's exposed asshole. He drug his fingernail, lightly back and forth over the darkened, puckered opening. Harish gasped in delight. Involuntarily, he brought his knees towards his chest as if to give easier access to that tight hole. Tom exerted enough pressure to cause that muscled opening to give way and his lubricated finger slipped in. Head bobbing, finger fucking, Tom increased the rhythm even more. The pleasure of his cock being so expertly sucked and his asshole being finger fucked was indescribable. Harish grabbed his knees with his hands an opened his thighs as far as he could. He reveled in the sucking-mouth-fucking-finger! Tom could feel the pinkish-purple, mushroom cock-head throb in his mouth and it swelled even larger. He knew that Harish's release was close. So, he increased the speed of his sucking mouth and fucking finger, plunging the latter deeper and deeper into that tight, muscled opening, probing or that spot he knew would bring delicious sensations to Harish. On the downward plunge, Tom's nose was buried in the silky, musky cock-hairs. He inhaled deeply their musky, lascivious aroma. Likewise, he shoved his finger all the way in that hot, steamy opening and massaged that channel. Quickly Harish began to spiral upwards out of control into that nether region of no restraint and absolute urgency. From deep in his loins grew a delicious pain that began to rush outward. Pinpoints of light exploded against his closed eyelids. His brain reeled in uncontrolled ecstasy. He gulped for air and then the inevitable happened. One huge electrical wave exploded forth. "Arghhh," exploded from deep in his throat. The intense tremors began to build and grew into the rhythmic spasms of unrestrained, magnificent climax! He flooded Tom's mouth with his cum and his muscle, ringed asshole contracted about the inserted finger. The throes of orgasm subsided, Harish released his imprisoned knees and he legs dangled on either side of the table. Tom withdrew his mouth and his finger at the same time, sending another little shock wave through Harish's being. He breathed out a deep sigh of relief and raised his head to see Tom kneeling upright between Harish's spread knees. Tom had his own cock in his hands and was rhythmically jacking off. Harish watched with unabashed interest! Tom's cock was not as long as Harish, but it was significantly thicker! It could be considered as huge! Tom's pistoning hand increased its speed. His hips thrust forward and his back arched. Suddenly he threw his head back and groaned as a shower of cum shot from his cock, landing partly on the table and on partly on Harish. Harish gazed in rapt attention as he watched Tom's body relax. His head dropped forward and his eyes opened. He returned Harish's gaze and smiled down at the prone, satiated figure warmly. "That was great," he said swinging off the table. He walked to the wash basin, took a wash cloth, dipped it in warm water and returned to Harish. As the last time Tom bathed that lavish, mahogany body, removing every trace of the treatment. Then he returned to the sink where he bathed himself. Harish sat up, watched Tom for a few seconds--running his eyes over the muscled back and the twin muscled orbs of his ass. He slipped off the table, dressed and left without a word. Later that night Dick and he were talking outside Dick's cabin. After a few minutes, Dick commented, "You seem unusually mellow tonight." "Oh?" was all Harish answered. But in side he knew why, wondering if it was so obvious! That Sunday afternoon, Harish was in his room doing some necessary paperwork when his phone rang. "Hello?" "Hi, Harish." Instantly Harish recognized Tom's voice. A shiver passed through his body. "How about another treatment . . . Tuesday?" "Okay," was all Harish uttered. "Good! See you then," and Tom hung up. Tom acknowledged that their association was physical, purely sexual, no passion, only lust! He noted that barely a dozen sentences passed between them in the two times that they were together. Tuesday, he arrived at 2:30. The dispensary door was unlocked. Harish entered, closed the door and locked it. "Hello," he called out as he went into the treatment room. He saw Tom's silhouette behind the curtain and the answer, "I'm back here. Are you ready?" "Yes," Harish answered as he walked around the curtain. Tom was arranging some things on the table at the foot of the table. Harish stripped perfunctorily and hoisted himself up on the table letting his legs dangle down. Tom moved facing Harish and gently pried his knees apart. He reached down and fondled the dark, soft, relaxed cock in his hands. With finger and thumb he gently pushed back the velvet, sheath exposing the head and carefully, almost clinically examined the whole length and breadth. Harish watched with mounting interest as Tom studied his cock. With a certain detachment he observed his cock lengthening, moving from a drooping state to more rigidity. Soon his cock was erect, proud, upstanding, upright. He anticipated the feeling of Tom's warm, moist mouth enveloping his cock. As if by telepathy, Tom bent down and sucked the rigid pole into his mouth. Harish leaned back, supporting himself with his hands clutching the opposite edge of the table. He arched his hips foreword. Tom lowered his mouth until the whole luscious, heavenly seven inches impaled his face. The lascivious feeling of that mouth infused Harish's whole body. Harish watched his cock being sucked by Tom. The sight added to the feeling and Harish began to rhythmically thrust his cock into Tom's mouth with short fucking motions. And, he watched. Tom released that delicious tool and positioned Harish in a prone position on the table. He removed his shorts, climbed up into the table and straddled Harish's knees. He then bent over and again continued his sucking. Soon Tom brought Harish to the verge of orgasm. He stopped, gently massaged Harish's thighs and trunk, lightly pinching his blue-black nipples to erection. Again he returned to his sucking, only this time more languidly than before. It was as if he wanted to savor every luscious second. Tom stopped again. Harish was wild with lust. Tom reached behind him and laid an object on the table. His hand contained a small packet which he opened. Harish was immediately aware that it was a condom. Tom stretched it and carefully rolled it out, down the length of that rigid pole. He reached for the other object and squeezed a liberal amount of K-Y into his hands and slathered it over the length of the encased shaft. He grasped the condom covered cock and manipulated it, squeezing as he descended its length. Harish loved the feeling almost as much as when it was being sucked. Tom shifted his weight, moved upwards and straddled Harish's hips. Harish's eyed flipped open. "What . . . ." was all that escaped from his lips as Tom lightly covered them. "Just enjoy," was all he said. Tom reached behind and grasped Harish's cock and positioned it at the opening of his tight, hot asshole and bore his weight downward. The hard, throbbing, plum-like cock head strained at the closed gate. Suddenly it gave way and the knob slipped in. Harish gasped at the inexpressible feeling. Tom took a couple of deep breaths and bore down again. Harish's cock sank deeper into that dark, tight, hot hole. Again Tom breathed deeply and sank all the way down 'til his balls nestled in Harish's cock-hairs. The feeling of his cock buried deep into Tom's gut was ineffable. He only knew that it was awesome in its singleness. Slowly Tom rose up and fell back, again and again. His action sent shock waves through both men. He continued his action and with a free hand he began to fondle his cock to thick erection. The feeling of that dark, hot fuck-tunnel moving up and down his turgid cock as well as the sight of that action, coupled with Tom's thick, heavy cock being jacked off was fantastic. Without knowing why, without volition, Harish reached over and tentatively touched that thick, fisted cock. Tom released his cock and nodded to Harish to feel it. Without words Harish's fingers encircled that thick member, marveled at its heat and the feel of its pulsing power and then released it. That was the first time Harish had ever touched another guy's dick! Tom continued his pistoning on that hard dick shrouded in his ass. Beads of sweat broke out on his face. Then, quickly, he disengaged himself from the monstrous muscle and jumped down on the floor. He motioned for Harish to do the same. Then he turned and bent over the table. Harish was aware of what was expected of him. He stepped behind Tom, grasped his taut hips, positioned his glistening, quaking cock-head and thrust deep into that hot, love tunnel. Tom groaned and reached down to grab his own cock. Harish had never fucked before, but he did what came naturally. He luxuriated in the feel of that tight ringed muscle as moved over his substantial, veined shaft while his cock plunged in and out. The hotness of that dark tunnel, even to the depths of his penetrations was breathtaking. Faster and faster, deeper and deeper, harder and harder, he fucked Tom's ass. He glanced down and watched his thick dark cock disappear into that stretched pink ass. His cock's girth seemed to make that ringed hole turn in on itself. Then when he withdrew, the opening was forcefully extended outward by his glistening and rigid pole. For several seconds he watched as his mahogany cock slid in and out of that pink-white ass. The sight of his fucking cock was unbelievably erotic to him. So much so that he slammed his dick into that ass with a ferocity that caused Tom to steady himself on the table. Harder, deeper, faster he fucked Tom until . . . . "Arghhh!" He exploded deep in Tom's ass. He held that position for a minute and then slowly withdrew and stepped back. He was covered with sweat. Tom turned smiling to Harish. He too was sweat cloaked, and from the tip of his softening cock the last drop of cum oozed out. Harish glanced down to the cum splattered floor over which Tom had stood. Tom performed his much loved task of bathing his partner. As usual, Harish dressed and left quietly. The experiences of the last three weeks with Tom weighed on Harish's mind. He could not deny that they were highly pleasurable, incredible stimulating, but the fact that they were with another male bothered him. "Am I turning gay?" he questioned himself. True, he had never had a sexual encounter with a woman, not even with a prostitute, which would have been acceptable. Not because he was turned off by them, the opposite was true. There had been a number of girls that really appealed to him. But, he was a Tamil Hindu from a traditional family, and it was accepted and expected that his family would find a suitable girl to introduce to him, with the prospects of marriage. Marriage came after one had established themselves in a job or profession, and with a socially, religiously and economically suitable partner. There would be a short time for them to meet prior to marriage. After marriage, they would get to know each other, learn to love each other, and, maybe, develop a passion. Yet he wondered. Sunday, during his paper work, the phone rang again. Harish picked it up, knowing who the caller would be. "Hello." "Hi, this is Tom . . . . how about Tuesday? I'd like to give you another "treatment." "Sorry, can't make it. I've made other plans," he lied. It was not that he had decided not to go, but that he didn't want to go. "Ohh. I'm sorry! Well . . . . Okay, maybe later." "Sure. Bye then," and Harish hung up. He never had another "treatment!" Towards the end of the summer Dick, Harish and a couple of other counselors had remained talking after dinner one night. They were getting up to leave when Harish noticed that Dick got up and groaned slightly. "Problem, Dick?" he asked. "Yeah, I pulled a muscle this afternoon . . . . kinda sore," was the response. One of the other counselors said, "You should see Mary. She can contact this guy who is a trainer. He can help." "No thanks," Dick snapped a little too quickly. Harish and Dick walked out of the dining room together. "You were a bit harsh, back there," Harish admonished. "Yeah, well, I don't need a trainer." "It might do you some good," Harish said, only thinking of his friend's pain. "I don't need it . . . . don't want it," he said, a little aggravated. Then he mellowed and smiled. With veiled meaning he continued, "You've had a treatment from Tom . . . . you know what they're like!" Harish didn't answer. "Luckily the darkness conceals my blushing," he thought. Then Dick snorted, "I had a couple of "treatments" from him last summer. That was enough." Harish's eyes widen in recognition. Then he too snorted, "Only a couple, Huh?" "Yup," Dick answered. "Well, it took me three!" "Three? You must be a glutton for punishment!" "Yeah, I guess . . . either that or I'm a slow learner." "Fat chance of that!" Dick laughed, and added, " "You're just a horny Malaysian." They both laughed and walked to their respective cabins. When Harish looked back on the "treatments" he viewed them as valuable learning experiences. Tom had carefully guided him into part of an alternate life-style; and at times he wondered that if he had continued, how far they would have gone? But, between Harish and Dick, The issue was never raised again. It didn't need to be. It was inconsequential to their friendship.