Date: Sat, 25 Feb 2006 05:25:50 -0800 (PST)
From: Mickey S <njmcmick@yahoo.com>
Subject: Coy Boy, Chapter 3

This story is set in the fictional city of Trenton, New Jersey. Yes, there
is a real city by that name, but other than being a state capital on the
Delaware River, it bears little resemblance to the city in this story. This
is a work of fiction.

If you are under age, or live in an area where reading stories that include
sex between males is illegal, or if you're not into this type of story,
please leave. The author retains all rights.  No reproductions are allowed
without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at
NJMcMick@yahoo.com.

Chapter Three

I had no idea how I was going to get through the weekend without any
money. Too late, I realized I should have tried to borrow a few bucks from
Betty or Luann before leaving work. The way Lucille had acted about the
rent I knew there was no way I could ask for any of it back. Before I went
to bed I counted the change I had left. Fifty-two cents. If I found a
vending machine I could get a small bag of chips or pretzels. Not much to
get through two days on. I decided I'd try to hold out until sometime on
Sunday to do that if I could.

It occurred to me that sleeping as much of the weekend as possible would be
a good way to not think about being hungry all the time. After several
nights of bad sleep I thought that was doable. I turned in early and fell
asleep right away. Three times I woke up in the morning, turned over and
made myself go back to sleep. The last time I woke up in a pool of sweat. I
looked at my watch and it was a little after eleven. It was obviously going
to be another hot summer day. I wrapped the towel around my waist, grabbed
my toothbrush and went down the hall to the bathroom. It wasn't empty this
time. There was an old black man at the urinal and a slightly younger white
man at the sink. Someone was in the middle shower stall as well. I nodded
at the two men who had turned to look at me, hung up my towel and jumped
into the end stall, pulling the curtain shut behind me.

While I showered I tried to think of some way to productively spend the
afternoon for free. It didn't take me long to think of the library. That
was one of my favorite escapes back home. When I got back to my room I
looked through my meager wardrobe. The only thing clean that was left was a
t-shirt. I wanted to save the clean shirt for work on Monday so I put on
the one from the day before. From the three days before,
actually. Fortunately, one of the few toiletries I'd brought from home was
deodorant. I hated the idea of putting on dirty underwear after a shower
but I had no choice. I was afraid it would be obvious if I went commando. I
decided that when I got in later I'd wash my underwear and socks in the
sink, using the body shampoo for detergent.

On my way out I stopped to ask Lucille where the library was.

"Library on a Saturday afternoon? You must be one of them bookworms."

I blushed. "Well, I do like to read but I thought I'd use their computer
for the Internet. And besides, they've got air conditioning."

"You youngsters and your Internet." She shook her head and smiled, but gave
me the directions.

I spent a couple of hours enjoying the coolness of the library. I managed
to spend some time online and found there was a local gay organization that
met once a month and held several special events a year, a bar on Broad
Street, a website for a festival that was coming up in September and a
couple of gay AA groups. While the special events and festival looked like
fun, none of the resources looked like they were of any immediate use to
me. There was no gay community center, not that I expected one in such a
small city.

When the library closed at three, my stomach was already rumbling. I'd only
been up four hours but I hadn't eaten since lunch the day before. It was
brutally hot on the city streets and I figured it had to be cooler in the
park by the river. There might even be a breeze down there. As I walked I
got hotter and hungrier. As soon as I crossed the highway into the park I
pulled off my sweaty t-shirt and tucked it in the back of my shorts. There
were a couple of guys hanging around the cruising area and they looked me
over as I walked by. With my shorts hanging low on my hips, I felt
practically naked. I continued on by without slowing down, trying to stay
in the shade as much as possible as I walked through the park.

When I got to the bench I'd been sitting on when I met Norman and Dixie it
was in the shade, so I spread my shirt over the back of it, hoping it would
dry, and sat down. My stomach was feeling hollow at that point and I had no
idea how I was going to get through the rest of the weekend. I swiveled
around, brought up my feet and lay down on the bench. I closed my eyes and
tried to think of something to take my mind off my hunger. From out of
nowhere, Manny's naked body standing in front of my shower stall the day
before popped into my mind. At the time I'd been embarrassed and a little
scared so I hadn't been too aware of him. But my subconscious must have
been paying attention, because all of a sudden I remembered every detail.

He was a couple of inches taller than me and had a compact body. His skin
was light brown and perfectly smooth. He was really built and didn't seem
to have an ounce of fat on him. He had no hair on his chest or abs, and
even his pubic hair seemed very short, as if he cut it. His cock was a
shade darker than the rest of his skin. Even as hard as he had been, the
foreskin completely covered the head. Just thinking about it made me
stiffen up. I slipped my hand down inside my shorts and gently squeezed my
hardon. I groaned but just then another hunger pang made me half sit up.

I thought about Manny again, this time in connection with food. Maybe I
could ask to borrow some money from him. He was just about the only person
I knew outside of work. But I just barely knew him. I was hoping we'd
become friends, or at least friendly acquaintances. Borrowing money wasn't
the best way start a friendship. Besides, from the way he'd looked me over
and the things he'd said, I though he might be interested in me
sexually. If he gave me money then I'd feel like I owed him something. Or
he might feel that way. He was hot and I thought I'd love to fool around
with him, but I wasn't sure I was ready for that. And sex could probably
screw up a friendship as much as money.

There had to be something else. I thought of the guys down the road in the
cruising area and what Norman had said. He said some were there for fun and
some for money. Maybe I could find a way to make a little money there. But
how? If there were guys over there making money, that was like they were
like hookers. Sex for money. And I'd never had sex and didn't even know
what to do. And if I wasn't ready to try something with Manny, how could I
do something with a complete stranger? Of course, that black guy on the
train had been a stranger and I'd followed him, kissed him, gotten hard and
loved it without thinking about whether I was ready or not. I'd probably
have done more with him if I'd had a chance. But then he'd stolen my
money. God, I hadn't let myself think about that all week and all of a
sudden I felt like crying again.

I pushed him out of my mind and forced myself to think about the guys down
the road instead. I wondered what they did for money. I wondered what I
could do for money. Maybe someone would pay to just look at me naked. Or
just touch me. I really didn't like people touching me but maybe I could
put up with it, just once, just to get enough money to get through the
weekend. I only needed to do something once for a few bucks. But they'd
probably want to have some kind of sex if they were paying -- a handjob,
sucking, maybe even buttfucking. Man, the thought of buttfucking always
turned me on so much even though it seemed like such a physical
impossibility. If somebody was paying for sex he'd expect it to be
good. And I was a total virgin, a complete amateur. Even if I could get
through something there's no way I'd be any good. Oh god, what was I even
thinking about that for? There was just no way I could or would do that.  I
wouldn't even have the balls to go up to someone to get started. But what
was I going to do?

When I'd first thought of the guy on the train and the way he kissed me, my
dick got harder than ever, until I remembered how he'd ripped me off, and
then it went down again. But then as I thought about the sex the cruising
guys were probably having I got all worked up again. I still had my hand in
my shorts when all of a sudden the whole side of my face was wet. I opened
my eyes and there was this huge red tongue lapping at me.

I swung myself up into a sitting position and Dixie half-leaped into my
lap, her front paws jammed against my hardon. I looked up and Norman was
grinning at me. I blushed.

"Looks like you were having a nice dream, Jerry. I'm sorry Dixie
interrupted you."

"That's okay. My mind was just wandering." Sitting up my stomach began to
ache even more. It gave out a loud rumble.

Norman smiled. "It sounds like someone is hungry."

"Yeah, I got up late and skipped lunch. I'll have to get something to eat
soon."

"It's not good to skip meals, Jerry, especially at your age. I know it's a
cliché and I don't want to sound like an old fart, but you're a growing
boy. You need to pay attention to your nutrition."

His concern touched me and I felt like I was about to break down and cry. I
struggled to hold it together and decided that maybe it was time to swallow
my pride and beg. I had no other choice.

"Norman, I know I have no right to ask you this, but is there any way you
could see fit to lend me a couple of dollars until next week?"

I guess my question caught him by surprise and he didn't say anything for a
minute, just looked at me.

"You see, I really messed up. I haven't been on my own very long and I'm
still trying to get the hang of handling my finances. I missed a day of
work this week and then my rent was due. I just didn't plan ahead." It was
easier if I stuck as close to the truth as possible. I'd never been a good
liar and if I totally made up a story I was sure he'd see right through
it. I couldn't face him as I admitted how I'd screwed up, but then I turned
to look him in the eye. "You don't even know me but I swear I'll pay you
back when I get paid next Friday."

He looked at me skeptically. "You're broke a week before payday and all you
need is a couple of dollars to see you through?"

"It's just to get me through the weekend. Once I get to work on Monday
everything will be fine."

He smiled. "Well, I don't bring my wallet with me on these walks with
Dixie, but if you want to come back to the house I think I can help you
out."

I nearly jumped with excitement except another big rumble worked its way
though my belly just then. I grabbed my still wet shirt and walked
alongside him, Dixie dancing circles around us. As we got near the end of
the park all of Mom's warnings about not talking to, taking candy from or
getting into cars with strangers popped into my head. I'm sure she would
have added going home with one if she'd thought I might ever do that. But
this wasn't a stranger; it was Norman.

A residential street dead-ended at the edge of the park and we started up
it.  I pulled on my still-wet shirt. It looked like a very well-to-do
neighborhood. Dixie ran across the lawn of the third house we came to and
Norman led the way up the sidewalk. It was a huge brick colonial. Or maybe
it wasn't, 'cause I knew nothing about architecture, but I always
considered anything older than me a colonial. And this house looked like it
was older than Norman. He unlocked the door and stepped aside as I went
into a large front hall ahead of him. He led me past a stairway and into a
huge kitchen.

"Wow, is this all yours? You live here alone?"

"Yes, for a couple of years now. I'm a widower."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

He nodded and opened the refrigerator. "I'll bet you're thirsty after being
out in the sun all afternoon. Can I get you a Coke?"

Actually, I was dying of thirst and I quickly agreed, but as soon as the
soda hit my stomach I erupted with more rumblings.

"Damn you're hungry," he laughed as he lifted the lid off a slow-cooker on
the counter. The whole room instantly smelled like an Italian restaurant,
which didn't help my stomach any. "I made meatballs and sauce this
afternoon. How about staying for spaghetti?"

The suggestion and the smell were both a whole lot better than anything on
the dollar menu at McDonald's, but I was hesitant. If he gave me some money
I could get something to eat tonight and again tomorrow. If he gave me
food, I'd be stuck again tomorrow.

"Please? I eat alone all the time. It would be so nice to have some
company." His soft voice and the aroma won out and I agreed to stay. He
took lettuce and stuff from the refrigerator and put me to work making a
salad, while he put some water on to boil for the pasta and popped a frozen
loaf of garlic bread in the oven. The house had central air and though it
was better than the heat outside, I found it a bit chilly. My sweaty shirt
felt cold on my skin and I shivered. He looked me over.

"Your shirt and shorts are both soaked with sweat. Why don't I throw them
in the washer and dryer while we eat?"

Okay, now I was nervous. "Um, it's all right. You don't have to do that. I
can wash them when I get home."

"It's no bother. I'll get you a robe." He turned and left the room before I
could say anything else. I decided not to worry about it. Norman was a nice
guy. Besides, he wasn't gay. He said he was a widower. I was not only going
to have a great meal, but I'd get my clothes washed as well -- two things I
desperately needed.

He came back with a long white terrycloth robe and draped it over the back
of a chair. He opened a set of double doors, exposing the washer and dryer.

"Okay, kid, strip!" I cringed when he said that, remembering the order
Ralph had given me only a week before. But Norman was smiling and his eyes
were twinkling. He was teasing me, not ordering me.

Very self-consciously, I pulled my shirt over my head and handed it to
him. Then I kicked my sneakers off, unfastened my shorts and let them
drop. I quickly pulled off my boxers and my socks and grabbed for the
robe. I noticed Norman look me over as he took the last of my clothes. He
was staring, but not in a threatening way.

"Damn, you look like a little kid. How old are you, Jerry?"

I wrapped the robe around me. It nearly dragged the floor. "Eighteen."

"You don't look it but I guess you must get tired of hearing that."

"Yeah, I'm small, which doesn't help. Maybe if I ever start shaving I'll
look older."

He set the table with plates, silverware and glasses that were a lot nicer
than anything we had back home. I had to stop thinking of Chester as home,
but it was hard thinking of a rooming house that way. He put the food on
the table and poured two glasses of red wine.

"I know you're not old enough, but it's only wine and you're not driving
anywhere."

I'd never had wine before and it tasted kind of weird at first, but after a
few sips it got better. Norman took a block of hard, white cheese and
scraped it over a metal grater, shredding it onto the spaghetti. I'd never
seen Parmesan cheese come any way except in a green shaker can. The food
was absolutely fantastic and that wasn't just because I was
starving. Norman asked me lots of questions about myself as we ate and I
answered them as close to the truth as possible. When he asked, I said I
was from 'down south', which was basically true. Since I'd said I was 18 he
assumed I'd just graduated from high school. I told him that I had no real
family and had decided it was time to strike out on my own. I filled him in
on my job and the rooming house but made it sound like I'd been at both
places for several weeks. He didn't talk much about himself but I found out
that he'd been a high school history teacher for lots of years and had
recently retired.

After supper I rinsed the dishes and put them in the dishwasher while he
put my clothes to the dryer. Then he poured us each a second glass of wine
and we sat on a couch in a little den off the kitchen and talked some
more. It was one of the nicest evenings I could ever remember having. I
knew I'd never had a good a time like that with Ralph, not even close.

When my clothes were dry I got dressed and decided I should get
going. Norman offered to drive me into town but I was in no hurry. There
was nothing waiting for me in my room. He walked me to the door and handed
me a twenty dollar bill.

"Oh no, this is too much. I only need a few dollars."

"Take it just in case. You never know what may come up."

I took the bill, put it in my pocket and looked up at him. My eyes started
burning.

"Thank you,' I said trying to swallow the big lump in my throat.

"Anytime, Jerry. Please know that I'm your friend if you need one."

That did it. The tears started flowing. Norman took me in his arms and
hugged me to his chest. I lay my head on his shoulder and sobbed. I finally
got myself under control and stepped back. He handed me a handkerchief and
I wiped my eyes and blew my nose.

"Are you sure you're all right? Is there something you want to talk about?"

"No, I'm fine now, really. I guess I had a lot building up inside me and I
needed to get it out. Thank you for being my friend."

 As I walked back through the park I felt better than at any time since I'd
arrived in Trenton. I was determined to make it on my own, and knew that I
could, but it was so comforting knowing that I had a friend, someone I
could turn to if things went wrong. I had been so scared all week but I
hadn't let myself think about it. Now I had a job, a place to live and a
friend. Everything was going to be okay.

I slept in again on Sunday, this time not because I was trying to kill time
but because I was relaxed and happy. And still thrilled to be sleeping on a
real mattress. I got up, showered and went out to buy toothpaste. Now that
I had money in my pocket, I wasn't brushing my teeth with liquid soap
again. I decided not to spend all of the money Norman had given me. I liked
the comforting feeling of having a few dollars in my pocket for
emergencies. I did buy the local Sunday paper, though. I usually read the
paper at home and I thought it would be a good way to get a feel for my new
hometown.

I was lying on the bed reading the paper, wondering how long I could take
the heat before I would have to escape to the park again when there was a
knock on the door. I figured it had to be Lucille since no one else there
knew me. I was surprised when I opened the door and Manny was standing
there.

"Hey, bro, how you doin' today?"

"Pretty good. What's up?"

"I was just gonna get in an early workout before the heat gets to be too
much and wondered if you wanted to join me."

Spending an hour lifting weights in ninety degree heat didn't sound like
fun and I was sure it wouldn't do me any good anyway, but after finding a
new friend in Norman the night before I was hopeful of making another.

"What the hell, why not?"

I followed him up to his room. The bench was along the foot of his bed and
he dragged it out into the middle of the room. I noticed he had several
different sized weights piled in the closet area of the room.

"I work on a different set of muscles each day. Today is chest. You'll
obviously have to start with lighter weights than me, but you'll work your
way up in no time. Just watch what I do and try to copy it exactly. Let's
get started."

He pulled off his shirt and tossed it on the bed. Then he startled me by
dropping his jeans and kicking them into a corner, which left him standing
there in his boxers. I guess my shock must have shown on my face.

"In case you haven't noticed, it's hot as hell in here. We're gonna be
workin' up a sweat, so there's no point in starting out overdressed."

I took off my shirt but then hesitated.

"Oh, I get it. Lucille warned you about me, probably said I'd be tryin' to
get into your pants."

"Well, she did say you were gay.'

"I'm sure that's not the word she used, but don't worry, I'm not gonna rape
ya. Sure you're hot and I'd love to get it on with you, but only if you
want it, too. I hope you don't mind if I stare, though, 'cause like I said,
you're a hottie.'

I wasn't sure what to say to that. No one had ever called me hot before. I
was a little runt, not a stud. I was thrilled that he said he wanted me,
but that didn't mean I was ready for that. I wasn't even sure I was ready
to tell him I was gay.

"Um, I'm flattered, but if you don't mind, I think I'll just stick to the
weights."

"I was afraid of that. That's okay, at least I can watch."

He led me through several sets of five different exercises. I was trying to
concentrate on the workout but it was hard with a nearly naked hot man
standing over me. I kept getting glimpses up the legs of his shorts and now
and then the fly spread open. I tried to be discreet looking at him. He
didn't try to be discreet at all. With each exercise the temperature in the
room seemed to go up five degrees in spite of the window fan. After an hour
we were both dripping with sweat.

"Okay, enough of that. Let's go for a little walk to cool down."

"Cool down? I don't think a walk's gonna accomplish that."

"Probably not. We'll have to take a shower for that. But a half hour brisk
walk is a good cardio workout. In this weather we'll take it slower,
though."

Outside we talked as we walked, getting to know one another a little. I
gave him my usual vague story. Until I was eighteen and out of danger of
being sent back to Chester, no one was going to find too much about
me. Manny was from Elizabeth, somewhere up in northern New Jersey. He'd
moved down to Trenton when his family found out he was gay.

"They didn't freak out about it or anything, but they don't like it and
don't want to hear about it. So I just got tired of keeping my mouth shut
all the time. Here I can be who I want and they don't have to be
bothered. And I can go home for holidays and we all pretend and put up with
each other for a few hours."

"That doesn't sound like fun."

"Oh, it's not so bad. There's lots of other things to talk about and it's
only a few times a year." He stopped walking. "Hey, you like porn?"

I gave him a funny look for the change in topic, but he pointed to the
store we were in front of. There was a triple x neon sign in the window and
a warning sign on the front door, saying that there was adult entertainment
inside and no one under 21 was allowed.

"I can take it or leave it. I haven't really seen that much." The truth
was, I'd never seen any. The library had a block on Internet porn sites and
though I knew Ralph had some, I hadn't been allowed in his room.

"They've got all kinds of porn and toys and video booths in the back. Lotsa
action, too, if you're into that."

He seemed determined to feel me out to see if I was gay. I was just as
determined to keep it to myself until I got to know him better. I really
wanted to talk to someone about it, but I was afraid all he'd want was sex
once he found out. So maybe if we got to be friends first, then we could
talk.

I shrugged. "It doesn't really matter. I'm not old enough."

We continued on down the block.

"Okay Jerry, I got a game for you. If you were a porn star, what would your
name be?"

"I don't know what you mean. Am I supposed to make something up?"

"No, a friend told me about this. It's cute. You take the name of your
favorite pet and the street you grew up on. In my case, I had a dog named
Daisy when I was a kid and we lived on Dayton Street."

"So you'd be Daisy Dayton? Sounds like a porn name but the wrong sex."

"Yeah, I'd have to either be a trannie or a total bottom."

"You lost me there. I don't know what that means."

"A trannie is a transvestite or transsexual. You know what those are, don't
you/"

"Yeah, I've heard of them. What's a total bottom?"

"A guy who only gets fucked. I mean, I like it up the ass as much as the
next guy, but I like to do a little plowing myself, too."

I was pretty blown away, hearing him talk so casually about what he liked
to do in bed. I loved hearing it, but I knew I was blushing.

"Okay, what about you? What's your porn star name?"

I laughed. "Sorry, it doesn't work for me. I've never had a pet and I grew
up on Eighth Street.'

"Well, that sucks. Maybe you could use your middle name. What's that?"

"Coy."

"Coy? That's a name?"

"Yeah. I think it comes from my mother's family."

"Coy. It's cute and kinda suits you. You could be one of those stars with
just one name, like Cher or Madonna. Coy."

"Yeah, it does suit me, but it's hardly a porn name."

"I guess you're right. Give me time. I'll come up with something for you."

I started going up to Manny's room for an hour-long workout every afternoon
as soon as I got home from work. His regular job was cleaning offices in
one of the government buildings and he had to be at work at five, so we
didn't have time for a walk afterward, but the hour together was the
highlight of my day. I wasn't used to having a friend to hang out
with. Manny kept telling me the exercise was good for me but at first all
it accomplished was to give me a different set of sore muscles each
day. Manny was appalled when I told him what I was eating at the
restaurant. I didn't have much choice; it was really more of a greasy spoon
than a restaurant. He made me promise to try to avoid carbs and fried food
and eat fewer burgers and more chicken. He also suggested a protein bar for
an evening snack. Since I had my two big meals at work I didn't need much
at night and the bars were cheap, one of my main criteria for food.

Friday, I got my first full paycheck. Gert cashed it for me and I went back
to the house and paid the rent to Lucille. Even after setting aside the
twenty I owed Norman, I still had over thirty dollars for myself. I was
rich! After my workout and a shower, I left the house to see if I could
find Norman in the park. As I walked toward the river I made a mental list
of things I wanted to buy. An alarm clock and window fan for the room, and
a few more t-shirts, socks and boxers. That was going to come to a lot more
than thirty bucks but I'd buy some each week. Once I had the basics I could
think about trying to save some money.

When I got near the cruising area there were no cars around and only two
guys on foot. They disappeared together into the woods as I walked down the
hill toward them. I turned up the road toward the field where Norman walked
Dixie and a car that was coming toward me slowed down. It came to a stop
alongside me and the window lowered. The driver was an average looking guy
around forty.

"Want your cock sucked?"

I blinked, not quite believing what he'd said.

"Excuse me?"

"I said, do you want your cock sucked?"

"Uh, no thanks, not today."

I turned off the road and decided to find my way to the field through the
woods. There was nothing threatening about the guy or what he'd said, but
the situation made me nervous. I was sitting on the bench looking out over
the river for about fifteen minutes when I saw Dixie racing across the
field toward me. She greeted me like an old friend, although that's pretty
much the way she'd acted the first time I met her. Norman came along a few
minutes later and sat on the bench next to me. I reached in my pocket and
pulled out a twenty dollar bill.

Norman shook his head. "You don't have to pay me back, Jerry. I'm sure you
need it more that I."

"I said I'd pay you back and I meant it. I'm a man of my word." It felt
weird referring to myself as a man, but saying 'boy of my word' wouldn't
have sounded right at all.

"All right," he sighed. He slipped the bill in his pocket. "But how about
coming over to the house for dinner again tomorrow night? I really enjoyed
last week. Besides, that way I can be sure you're getting at least one good
meal."

"I'm eating better now, but thanks. I had a good time last week, too."

He asked me about my week and there wasn't much to tell him about work, but
I told him about Manny and the workouts. It was starting to get dark when
he got up to leave.

"See you tomorrow at seven, then. You remember how to get to the house."

"Sure, it's easy. See you then."

Norman and Dixie headed off to the north and I went south. When I got to
the cruising area it was nearly dark. I hung back and watched for a
while. There were several guys on foot now. Some, like the two earlier,
went onto the woods together. Others just stood around. A few cars drove
by, slowing down when they got to the ones on foot. Now and then a car
stopped and there was a brief conversation. Sometimes the car then drove
off, sometimes the guy hopped in and they rode off together. I noticed the
same few cars go by several times so they must have been using the highway
to circle around. The scene fascinated me but bothered me as well.
Fascinated, because they were hooking up for sex. Bothered, because they
were strangers and it all seemed so impersonal. After a while I got
self-conscious, afraid someone would notice me watching, so I went up the
hill to the highway and headed home. By the time I got back to the house
I'd decided that I wanted to talk to Manny after our workout the next day.

To be continued.