Story Seventeen.          A LIFE IN THE CLOSET  by  AARON THE AUSSIE.

 

If you are under 18 you should NOT be here, so DO NOT read on.  Just EXIT NOW.

 

"A Life in the Closet" is total fiction, but it is very largely based on my life experiences, so quite a lot of it is an attempt at recording in a slightly changed way, some of the significant events in my life.  And of course, names etc have been changed.

 

Each Story that I have written, ( and I have used that word rather than the word Chapter ) can be read quite independently of all the others, because each is a complete, stand-alone story.   Some are longer than others and some have less or even minimal, if any sex.  But, the basic Gay, Boy Lover theme is there in each story.  Just occasionally, a character will be in more than one story. In this case it is a boy named Simon. 

 

However, they are all written from my point of view and I have tried to keep them basically in an order of chronology.  So, they can be read in number order giving, an overview and flow to a significant number of the things that have happened to me over the years.

 

Being somewhat behind the rest of the world, here Down-Under, our sexual revolution and the new age of promiscuity didn't really get into full swing until the 70's and we didn't fully catch up until the 80's. Back then, things like Gay Rights meant that people could come out and flaunt it for the first time, which of course they very much did. As a result the Gay scene flourished here and it and our Mardi-Gras are now both highly regarded. Regrettably, those decades also very much represented a time when drug taking became commonplace and disasters like the AIDS epidemic emerged. During that period, I was totally involved in Scouting and very deeply hidden in the Closet. The story below and the next one, each tell of my only serious direct contacts in the 1990's with the very sleazy side of that whole scene.       

     

I have tried to make each story interesting and as sexy as possible, whilst keeping them all as REAL as I could, particularly as regards things like; the language used, the ages of those involved, the time period relevant to that particular story and the prevailing attitudes of the community at the time.  

 

All of my Stories are completed and I don't plan to make any changes to them, but I would still be very interested in your feedback. I'm sure most Nifty Authors really like to feel appreciated for their efforts and we all love positive feedback. So, please email me at: aarontheaussie@bigpond.com

 

Just a reminder too, that Nifty needs our financial support.  Please help with what you can, if you can.  Every bit helps, no matter how small.

 

So... Here goes I hope you find this story OK.         

 

Aaron.

 

THE LONG WALL – DRUGS, DROPOUTS AND HIV.

 

At nearly 18 Simon was an absolutely gorgeous young man. Along with a few other special boys I had known him briefly, but quite intimately ( just for a few months ) as a 13 year old, during the half year or so I spent living and working on a Special Project for my Firm, in the country in 1991. 

( See Story 14 )

 

He was my ongoing contact with that group of boys, but it was very low key; comprising little more than the exchange of Christmas Cards and a very occasional phone conversation with Simon about how all the boys were going. However, I hadn't actually seen Simon at all since he was 13, and I had not been in direct contact at any stage with any of those other boys.

 

So, his somewhat mysterious phone call seeking to visit me, coming out of the blue as it did, nearly 5 years later was a real surprise, a really pleasant one, but a surprise nonetheless.

 

Since my involvement with him had been so long ago, I was a little uneasy, but as he seemed unusually reserved and a bit anxious on the phone, I got the impression that Simon might be in some kind of trouble, so I invited him to stay with me, should that be his wish. He seemed appreciative of my offer and said that he would at least for a day or two initially and perhaps for longer provided that he wasn't intruding.

 

I organised a visitors car parking permit for him for the building and on his arrival, had him park his car and then showed him up to my apartment with his personal kit.  It was late afternoon when he arrived and time to eat by the time he was fully settled into the guest bedroom. While clearly enjoying the evening meal I had prepared, Simon talked quietly, mainly about the boys I had known from his home town and also about the drama of the traffic and his unbelievable driving experiences on each of the few occasions, this one included, when he had visited the `Big Smoke' since getting his licence.

 

He was every bit as nice as I had remembered him to be, which really pleased me as once again I was immediately totally at ease with him, having dismissed already any of my reservations about having him stay as long as he might wish. However, he still seemed reserved and I sensed that he was really worried about something, yet I thought he was holding back.

 

Even as a kid, Simon had been gorgeous, really slim with those long, long legs that always particularly appealed to me sexually. Although no longer a kid, he was still slim, but much taller. His dark hair was no longer shoulder length, but still fashionably styled covering his ears and reaching his collar and he was very nicely, though casually dressed. He certainly still had sex appeal. In fact, although he was perhaps now a little older than the age I most preferred, I felt sure given the opportunity, that I could still suck and fuck Simon silly and we would both enjoy it totally. Perhaps such an opportunity would present itself so that something could eventuate while he was still staying with me!!

 

Of course, at 45 I saw myself as now being pretty old and extremely conservative.  Further, beyond the occasional visit to an Adult Shop or a public toilet, I was not at all a part of the Gay scene. In fact I had always been deep inside the closet and although I no longer had the same strong need to remain closeted, at my age I no longer had any great desire to come out either.

 

During the 70's and 80's, when we had the sexual revolution here, which brought Gay Rights to the fore and `Coming Out' was becoming the more accepted norm, I was so pre-occupied with my own commitments and the important voluntary work I did, which was what kept me so deeply in the Closet, that the new era of promiscuity all pretty largely passed me by.

 

At the same time, whilst I was very careful and there were few opportunities for sex, I took them when they did arise.  What occurred with Simon and his friends whilst I was in the country for example, was a wonderful experience.   

 

Having cleaned up properly after our meal, we sat together in the lounge room to talk further and it was at that stage that the dam broke and Simon told me in some detail about the very personal issue which brought him to the City and to me in particular, the only person he knew and trusted who might possibly be able to help him, both because he knew I was Gay and because, being a City slicker, I might have a better idea on how to proceed, than "A Country Hick like me" as he put it.

 

"You didn't ever know my young brother Troy, did you?" Simon asked.

 

"You talked a bit about him" I said, "but no, I didn't ever meet him"

 

"He was only 10 then, but he's 15 now and he has disappeared. The whole family is really worried about him and I desperately need to find him if I can, before it's too late" he said, on the verge of tears.

 

And as Simon talked the story emerged:

 

Troy had started to become rebellious at about 13 and there had been problems between him and their Parents. As a result their relationship with him deteriorated. Although they tried their best, he just became more and more antagonistic and aggressive towards them

 

There were times when he was still OK with Simon and it was at such a time that he confided to Simon that one of his teachers, a Brother at the school had been abusing him sexually for a long time in quite a violent way.

 

Earlier, when Troy had been 11 / 12, in typical Brother Fashion, Simon and he had messed about a fair bit and being quite sure himself that he was Gay, Simon while never revealing that about himself, had actively encouraged the messing about. As a result when Troy revealed this dramatic confidence, Simon then felt extremely guilty about the messing about and blamed himself for letting it happen. 

 

As if this was not bad enough, Troy further confided, that he was now quite sure that he was Gay. His problem was that he didn't know if he would have been anyway, if it resulted from the sexual abuse or if simply messing with Simon had caused it. All he did know was that he didn't want to be Gay, but couldn't change what he was.  This of course made Simon feel worse and even more responsible.

 

Then there was an unsuccessful suicide attempt and their Parents tried to get Troy into Counselling, but he wouldn't co-operate.

 

Finally there was some indication of drug taking and the confrontation with his Parents over that was the final straw. Some days later without any prior warning Troy just disappeared, simply leaving a note to the effect that he was headed to the city and planned to try and make his own life. There was a PS to the effect that he had taken some money and when their Father checked his wallet, it was empty. The family made some attempts initially to locate Troy, but it was real needle in the haystack stuff

 

Some four months later, Simon got a cryptic note from Troy, posted to him personally via a school mate of his, clearly with the intention of ensuring it was not seen by their Parents, suggesting that Hustling could sometimes be lucrative, if you didn't `Top' yourself in the meantime or get Aids, but that for the moment at least not to worry, he was still alive.  It was hand written on a scruffy piece of note paper, which had a tiny insignia in the bottom corner saying "The Purple Onion".

 

According to Simon, beyond knowing that it meant no marriage and therefore no children, which was quite sad, he had never had a big problem himself with being Gay.

 

"On the other hand" he said, "had I been sexually abused by both an older Brother and a Teacher as Troy had, I might have hated life in just the way Troy apparently does."

 

Simon also told me that his parents were not aware of his real reason for coming to the city, as he had chosen not to show them, or tell them about the note he had from Troy, feeling that it would only upset them further.

 

"I still love my Brother" he said to me, "and I need to rescue him if I can, before something disastrous happens. I don't want him to get Aids or become a serious druggy, or to suicide, ( `Top himself' as he puts it. ) But first I need to find him and I need help, because I don't even know where to start...God, how could I have done this to my own Brother!!" he added, vehemently.

 

I asked Simon about their `Messing About' as he had described it and eventually got him to admit, not only that he, Simon had not forced Troy into participating against his will in any way, but also that back then Troy had always been happy enough to take part and had really shown no personal resistance or repugnance at all as regards what they were doing.

 

Given this I worked hard, I think with some success, on trying to convince Simon that what he and Troy had done together, was extremely unlikely to be anything to do with the current problem, which meant that there was absolutely no fault on Simons part.  Even if he was not totally convinced of this, I think he appreciated my efforts and began feeling quite a bit better about himself. 

 

During our further discussion about possible leads to get a search going, I canvassed a few possibilities. I asked Simon for example, if he recalled the family having regularly or otherwise visited a particular place or area in the City, a haunt or similar that might have been of special significance to Troy, perhaps during happier times.  He had no such recollection, suggesting that any visits to the City were rare anyway.   

 

Finally since there seemed no other remaining possibilities, we had to agree that our only lead and starting point was what we presumed to be a place called  `The Purple Onion'. We surmised that this was probably a restaurant or a private club or something similar, but we found no listing at all under a name even close to that, in the telephone book.

 

One disappointment was that Simon had not managed to find and had not therefore brought anything by way of a photo of Troy that we could use.

 

As I needed to attend my Office early the following morning, I suggested that while there, I could arrange some leave so that I could help Simon with his search, which I told him I would very much like to do. In view of the many hours I put in as a Director of the Firm, some time off was not a problem.

 

"However" I said, "If I am to do that, I will need to first tie up a few things at the Office and clear my desk, so I will need to spend most of tomorrow there."

 

Simon saw no problem with that, stating that one more day without progress was unlikely to make a great difference and I made it clear to him that he was welcome to the run of the apartment for the day, unless he chose to go out. He said he had no particular plans and would probably stay in.

 

Since he seemed really tired and said he was happy to have an early night. We each retired to our separate rooms and I had no expectation of anything happening that night, other than sleep.

 

The following day, on a pure hunch I spent a little time on my way home from the Office at my favourite Adult Shop, where I was able to acquire a current copy of the monthly magazine providing a guide to our City's Gay Scene. I checked it before purchase and was delighted to find that it did contain a small Classified, advertising `The Purple Onion'. It appeared to be a Gay Bar with an inner suburban address.

 

Simon indicated that it had taken a long time for sleep to come the night before, but he slept well when it did and didn't wake up until mid-morning. The rest of his day was quiet and relaxed, but he was glad I was finally home.

 

Without making any comment, I handed him the guide book to peruse while I went about preparing and serving our evening meal. I was impressed that he didn't take all that long to discover the Classified Advert for himself. However, once he did it took me all my time to curb his excitement enough to have him look to and actually eat his meal.

 

I conceded that the evening was probably the best time to visit such a place and that we could go immediately we had properly completed the cleaning up from dinner if he wished, which of course we did with minimum delay.

 

We went in Simon's car and found parking quite close to the address.  The street front business was a restaurant called the `Grotto Capri' and a narrow laneway beside it took us to a rear entrance, where a burley security person made a big fuss to ensure that Simon was 18 before we were allowed entry

 

Inside we found it garish even though the lighting was subdued. The disco music was loud and the Bar was quite small. However, I was surprised at just how crowded it was. We brought a drink each, at an outlandish cost and I sought to speak to the manager, but got no co-operation or help at all from him. As a result Simon was visibly upset.

 

We were about to go when I was stopped by the barman who touched my arm conspiratorially, clearly indicating that he wanted a word, but not while the manager was around.

 

"The kid you're looking for" he said quietly nodding at Simon, once the Manager had gone, "he's the spitting image of this one, only younger looking, isn't he?"

 

"We do look a bit alike" Simon said.

 

"I know him" said the barman, "He used to come in here and try to hustle with our customers, claiming to be 18 when he's obviously not. So the boss beefed up the Security and when he couldn't get in anymore, he tried to hustle out in the lane and even on the front footpath. In the end to get rid of him, we threatened him with the Police, but also gave him the address of a Brothel for Gays, where I thought he might get some work. Haven't seen him since, so perhaps he did, who knows!!"

 

"Can you give that address to us?" I asked.  And he did.

 

The address for the `Randy Rent Boys' suggested that they were actually located no more than a few suburbs away from where we were, requiring perhaps a 15 minute drive, but despite Simons enthusiasm I didn't want to just charge off there right then and there.  I wanted to check them out and thought that a visit perhaps the next afternoon would work better, particularly as it was already nearly 10pm. Simon was not real happy, but accepted my decision.

 

We found them listed in the phone book, suggesting that despite the nature of their business, they were presumably not operating, at least technically beyond the letter of the Law, so I phoned them. However, I left it until nearly lunch time the next day as such a business would obviously not use normal office hours, and I arranged to see the manager that afternoon.

 

Once again the entrance to the premises was off the main Street down an alleyway and it was in an area where we had great difficulty finding a place to park the car. However, once we were admitted we were impressed with the way in which we were received and the décor of the place. Further, the Manager this time was friendly and helpful, although clearly not impressed with young Troy.

 

As had happened the night before, as soon as he saw Simon the Manager knew that our enquiry was about Troy and he remarked on their likeness. However, he explained that he had entered into an agreement to employ Troy as one of his Rent Boys and had gone to quite some expense with photos, etc. as they normally did, so that a portfolio on him could be prepared for presentation to prospective clients seeking to select one of their boys. However he then discovered that his proof of age evidence was forged and that he was a lot younger than the required minimum age of 18.  He said that he was personally shattered as the kid was so seriously gorgeous that he thought he had signed up a real gold mine for whom the punters would clamour. But he wasn't prepared to risk using someone under the legal age and so the kids' employment was over before it got started and the business was out of pocket.

 

"Any idea what happened to him?" I asked.

 

"There was another young kid I signed up named Matthew" he said, "Who I'm sure was genuinely 18. He was one of my Rent Boys for about 6 months and he was a nice kid who did quite well and had a good reputation with the punters. But after about 3 of those 6 months I discovered that he had a drug problem and it got worse as time passed. By the end of the 6 months it was so bad that he had to go.  That was about 3 months ago and at about the same time as I was having the trouble with Troy. I don't really know what happened to either of them, but I did hear that they became good, perhaps even better than just good, mates and don't quote me but, rumour has it that they may be both doing `The Wall' together!!"

 

We thanked him for his help, resisted his attempts to have us sample a couple of his Rent Boys, at a slight discount on their normal but to me, quite outrageous prices and started to leave, when I had a further thought.

 

"It would be good to have a photograph of each of the 2 boys" I said, "Since they have both gone from here now, would you sell me the portfolio you spoke of for both Troy and Matthew? It would after all help reduce the out of pocket costs you said you incurred"

 

He Ummmed and Ahhhed a bit but eventually agreed, and both portfolios turned out to be really good, although each one cost me an arm and a leg'. Still, we now had some good pictures of 2 very good looking youngsters.

 

As soon as we were back in the Car, Simon asked if `More than just mates' meant that the 2 boys might have become sex partners or even lovers? and I agreed that I had interpreted the comment that way. He also asked me to explain `Doing The Wall together'.

 

As I was not a part of the Gay Scene myself, my knowledge was limited, yet I had to try to answer Simon as truthfully as I could, whilst being careful not to upset him too much.

 

As I understood it, `The Wall' was a long unbroken section of the high outside back wall of what in our Cities very earliest days had been the original Colonial Prison, which for many years in modern times, had functioned as a Further Education College.

 

( It had in fact been the College I had attended on leaving school, to complete my professional qualifications – See story 9 )

 

Then and for quite some years, `The Wall' and the street on which it was located, had continued to have a very unsavoury reputation as the place to find a Hustler at a cheap price when all else failed and one was really desperate, or when one just wanted a really quick and nasty suck or fuck with the dregs of the Gay community. It was usually occupied by dropout kids who were too young or too off their face with drugs to hustle anywhere else.

 

Explaining all this to Simon was difficult, but I did the best I could and on the way home we actually drove by The Wall.  As it was not yet dark, he got some feel for what the area was like, but there was as yet very little evidence of the activity which would normally occur there later, at night. 

 

Because it could be quite a dangerous place at night, I understood that most punters cruised The Wall very slowly from the relative safety of their cars and I proposed that I do just that on my own and in my own car, later that night after we had eaten our evening meal

 

Simon of course wanted to come, but I was concerned that his presence, if we found Troy might scare him off and we could lose him. I was someone he didn't know and my plan was to lure him by acting the punter with a fairly expensive car and a cash offer he would find difficult to refuse, just for coming to my place to spend the night.  Once there I was happy to let Simon confront him.  Although still unhappy that he would have to hang around on tender hooks at home, Simon accepted my strategy as sensible.

 

Cruising, at `The Wall' or anywhere else for that matter, was something I had never done and initially I actually found it quite scary. However, having made 3 slow passes, I was fairly sure that neither Troy nor Matthew was there. So I parked and actually walked the length of `The Wall', with the 2 portfolios in hand, speaking to a number of the boys and young men. Now that was really scary!! A couple were obviously affected by drugs, alcohol or both and a few were just total derelicts in no state to help anyone at all with anything.  However, I was eventually able to find a couple of boys who did know the 2 boys I sought.

 

They were both a bit reluctant to say much. But once some money changed hands, one said that they were both in a pretty bad way because each of them had a major drug habit, so needed money and spent time on `The Wall' when they were capable of doing so.  The other said that they had both teamed up with an older bloke who was a serious `Wino' called Kevin and all 3 lived together in a derelict `Squat' located at the dead end of Digby lane, down at Potters Point.

 

Despondently I went home, wondering what the hell I was going to tell Simon as it all sounded as bad as it could possibly be. Ultimately however I felt that I had to tell it like it was and although he was very upset, I felt that Simon handled it much better than I had expected him to. Nonetheless, he needed some TLC and before retiring to our own rooms that night, we got close on the lounge for the first time and I held him in my arms and petted him for a long time, while he allowed some silent tears to flow.

 

The next day I spent quite a bit of time on the telephone talking to Police, Social workers and quite a number of rehabilitation type organisations.

 

The clear message from them all was that lots of services were available and the Police were prepared to help, but even though it is possible to hold an offender against his will If he is considered incapable of managing for himself, holding offenders and treating them effectively in the longer term, without their agreement and co-operation, rarely works.

 

Those who agree to treatment and actually co-operate, first need to go through the very difficult process of Detox before beginning the longer term process of rehabilitation.

 

I was also advised against or at least if we did, to be very, very careful should we consider approaching the Squat.

 

So I did some investigation into the ownership of the derelict `Squat' property and found that there was a re-development application submitted by the owner, for consideration by the local government authority.

 

I knew it would be very difficult, if not impossible to deter Simon from wanting to go to the Squat to try to find the boys and decided not to oppose him on this, but emphasised the advice I had been given about how careful we needed to be.

 

In the event, whilst it was a bit scary and the place was absolutely awful and disgusting, occupied as it was by quite a few derelicts, some of whom we had to try to get some sense from, nothing bad actually happened.  However, we didn't find the boys. But, we did find their friend Kevin.

 

Kevin was an extremely dishevelled alcoholic, but not what I expected in that he was not that old, being perhaps in his early to mid-  twenties. We were lucky too because he had just awoken, which meant he was capable of talking to us in a reasonably coherent albeit rough way.

 

He claimed to have more or less taken the boys under his wing and that he was trying to look after them as best he could. However, he didn't know where they were at that moment!!   What he did tell us was that they were very much a couple, who wanted to stay together for better or for worse, both having said about the other, that they had never had anyone so wonderful to care for or who cared about them, like they now did for each other, giving them both something worthwhile to live for, for the first time in a very long time.

 

He also claimed to have been doing his best to convince them to give rehab a go, simply for the very reason that they could have a future together, if they could break with living rough, like they were doing now, which is not living at all. He said that they understood just how hard it would be, but he was sure that he was close to convincing them.

 

He added, that they both had a major heroin dependence, but at least as yet, they had not succumb totally to alcohol addiction and to the best of his knowledge neither of them had yet managed to get Aids, which on both counts, was more than he could say for himself.

 

He then proceeded to lament his desperate need for a drink, literally ending up on his knees begging for money in return for his efforts to help the boys and in return for what he had told us.

 

"I will give you the price of a drink" I said, "if we can reach an agreement. And" I added, "I will give you my solemn word of honour, that there will be a lot more money for you for grog, if you successfully do what we agree"

 

"Anything" he said, "I just need a fuckin drink right now"

 

"OK" I said, "let's go" and we left the Squat, headed for a pub I had seen just up the main road. Kevin found the effort required to get there rather taxing, but he was motivated by his need and more or less kept up.

 

"What do you like to drink?" I asked.

 

"Depends on what I can fuckin afford" he replied, "If it's a good day whisky, but mainly cheap wine and if necessary, I've been known to make do with shit like Metho. Not real good for ya, but anything is better than goin without"

 

I went into the Bottle Shop and purchased a bottle of reasonable whisky and we crossed the road and sat on a bench in a park. Kevin struggled a bit getting there as he was too busy eyeing what might be in the brown paper bag, to concentrate on where we were going.

 

"Before I give this to you" I said, "Do you still remember why I got it for you and are you still willing to do your part"

 

"Um" he said, "I had to agree to some fuckin thing, but I can't remember just what".

 

"We were going to agree to a deal to hopefully help the 2 boys" I said.

 

Yeah, yeah, yeah" he responded, "that's right, anything, anything, come on, just gimme the fuckin bottle for chrisake!!"

 

Somewhat reluctantly, I did and we watched Kevin shake uncontrollably as he unscrewed and removed the top and took his first sip. Miraculously, this was transformed into a guzzle and when he lowered the bottle from his lips a good one third of its content was gone. "Oh Jesus" he sighed, "I really needed that, but don't worry, I'll nurse the rest of it and something this good'll last me for at least 24 hours."

 

"So, I've done my bit" I said, "do you think you can concentrate on your side of our agreement now?" I asked

 

"Look ya stupid bastard" he said, "I'm a drunk and much more, but while I may be headed that way, I'm not a total fuckwit idiot yet. If I say I'll do somethin, I'll do it... if I can remember to!!  So what the fuck is it ya want me to do anyway?".

 

Simon and I looked at each other with some concern.

 

"Has Troy ever mentioned his older Brother to you?" I asked, "This is Simon" I added with a nod at him.

 

"Shit yes" said Kevin, "and I didn't even make the connection, even though I see now that they're very alike, aint they?  Well, Troy is always sayin his Brother Simon was the only person in his old life worth a pinch a shit, G'day Simon... Christ help me...You aint by any chance his fuckin Father are ya?" he added with some alarm.

 

"No, no" I said, "just a friend trying to help Simon as best I can. Call me Dusty, as in Dustin"

 

"OK Dusty, so let's get to it, what do you want me to do?" Kevin said, visibly relaxing again.

 

"Basically, get the 2 boys to agree to meet with Simon and me and then later on with a Rehab Worker we'll organise, to talk face to face about Rehabilitation, with a view to having them commit to it."

 

"Shit, it's a tall order" said Kevin, "I can only say I'll try. I'd like it to happen, but I can't promise anything you understand."

 

"Sure, just do your best, that's all we ask" I said, "and don't forget my earlier promise to keep you in grog, if you can pull it off for us"

 

"So, Where and when?" Kevin said.

 

"There is a McDonalds about a block further up from the pub across the road. What say Simon and I spend half an hour there between 7.30 and 8.00 starting tonight, every evening for the next ... say, 2 weeks.  If they don't show within that 14 night period, we'll assume that they're not going to. How's that?"

 

"Yeah OK, sounds like a plan" Kevin Said, "I'll do me best"

 

Simon was ecstatic with what we had achieved and really excited for the first time, at our prospect of success.  My priority was to set something up with the best possible Rehab service, so that we were ready to follow through in the event of success and in that regard, I was happy with the arrangement I was able to make with a Rehab Worker named Josh.

 

I insisted that we have a proper meal at home and leave in time to get to the McDonalds for coffee by 7.30 and we did that for 4 nights before Simon started to get discouraged again.

 

"I suppose" he said, "I shouldn't have placed such faith in the word of a stupid dero like Kevin".

 

"I'm sure" I replied, "That in his way, Kevin was genuine enough, but he's certainly not someone on whom anyone could absolutely rely"

 

Then miraculously it all fell into place, when on the 6th night Troy and Matthew turned up.

 

I'm sure that Simon was shocked at the state Troy was in, but they hugged and hugged and hugged.  Eventually we sat down to talk and it became clear that Matthew really wanted to commit to Rehab and that Troy would do whatever Matthew wanted him to. Nonetheless, they both admitted to being `Scared Shitless' at the prospect of Detox.

 

I proposed having the meeting with Josh, the Rehab worker I had organised, the following morning and suggested that they stay with us at my place that night.  Matthew rejected that saying that they would stay with Kevin one last night at the Squat, giving his word that they wouldn't abscond.

 

"We've just had a fix and we've got enough "Shit" left to have a final shoot up in the morning" he said, "Then we'll meet you here again and put ourselves into your hands. But I don't want to commit to a time, you'll just have to be here and wait till we get here"

 

Which is pretty much just what happened, we waited nearly 2 hours before they showed. But, they did show and the process of having them placed into Detox, went without problem, thanks to Josh who was totally caring and just great, even though it took most of the rest of the day.

 

That night Simon was extremely emotional and no words were necessary when, after we had each showered and readied ourselves for bed, I put my arm around his waist and led him into my bedroom.  He was so gorgeous and so full of appreciation for the help I had given him and the success we had ultimately achieved, that he was like putty in my hands and as a result, the beautiful sex we had together that night was euphoric.  We fell asleep in each other's arms and awoke the next morning to enjoy even more sex and intimacy.  During the nights that remained before he finally departed for home, Sex with Simon got better and better. In fact it became just about as good as it had been with him as a 13 year old.

 

During the only further in depth discussion we had about everything that had happened, the one sobering fact I made very clear to Simon was that Rehabilitation was a long and agonising process and that, whilst the signs were good, there was no guarantee that either boy would get through it or even if they did, that a future relapse might not happen.  That was the nature of such a difficult addiction.

 

 

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We only ever saw Kevin at the Squat once more, when as promised I told him of the arrangements I had made with the local pub, to permit him regular access to sufficient grog for his personal needs.  Unfortunately, his condition deteriorated quickly and I cancelled the Account I had established with the pub when I heard that his Aids had forced him into Palliative Care.

 

I visited him once only in the hospital just before he died. But, more about that in Story 18 which is my next Story.

 

Troy and Matthew both eventually came out of Rehab Clean and through my work contacts I was pleased to be able get each of them basic but still worthwhile, gainful employment with the prospect of progression if they were prepared to work at it.

 

I also helped them with accommodation together and they have remained happily together. In fact, they are now doing so very well together as a couple, that any form of relapse is very unlikely.

 

Although Troy remains estranged from his Parents, He, Matthew and Simon have become very good friends. Simon stays with me whenever he comes to the City and as I also have a good relationship with Troy and Matthew, they often also stay over at my place when Simon is down. I won't go into the detail of the sleeping arrangements on those occasions. Suffice to simply say I enjoy them immensely.