Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2023 21:37:34 -0500
From: William Marshal <williammarshal5301@gmail.com>
Subject: Taking a Risk, part 4

Taking a Risk, part 4

Vance kissed Shelby, and said "Good Morning. How are you feeling?"

"A little sore, but very happy."

"It's 8 o'clock, and I am headed down to the casino. Meet me at the Royal
Britannia Pub at noon for lunch. Also, come dressed in tourist
clothes. We're going on an adventure after lunch."

"What kind of adventure?"

"It's a surprise. Oh, and it might help with the soreness to use that fancy
tub in the bathroom. I'll see you at noon," Vance said and gave Shelby
another kiss.

Around 9 o'clock, Shelby decided it was time to get out of bed. He decided
that Vance was right about soaking in the tub and began running a
bath. While he waited for the tub to fill, he decided to also do as Vance
suggested and take a good look in the mirror. People are often their worst
critics, and that went double for Shelby. He'd always been slender,
bordering on skinny, and lacking the muscle definition that many of the
other boys he saw in the locker room were developing. His dad had always
cut his hair, and he wasn't a bad barber, it was just his hair was never
stylish; think Ron Howard in Happy Days. Then there was that period his
freshman year when his face seemed to break out every time the wind changed
directions. It wasn't like it was even that bad, but it was just one more
flaw to hide.

However, what really affected his self image was his cock. Of course, when
it was erect it was perfectly normal--well not perfectly--more on the small
side of normal. No the problem was as the saying says: he was a grower and
not a shower. Norman Frank was a class ahead of Shelby and a real
asshole. He wasn't a bully in the classic sense. No he didn't beat people
up for their milk money, he did something much worse, he focused on a
person's insecurities and wielded them like a machete. Shelby's two
greatest insecurities were his cock and his name.

Sure, technically Shelby was gender neutral, but the two other Shelby's in
his school were girls. At one point, he'd even asked his mother to enroll
him as Sheldon, but the school wouldn't allow it. So he was stuck with
Shelby. The worst day of P.E. was the day Norman Frank combined Shelby's
two greatest insecurities into one perfect insult and referred to Shelby's
cock as `Little Shelly." For the rest of high school he would be asked
things like, "Are you taking Shelly to the homecoming dance," or if he was
in a bad mood, "Is it Shelly's time of the month."

However, as he looked in the mirror, Shelby smiled. He really wasn't bad
looking. His body was filling out. His face was handsome if still
boyish. He had a great smile. And this morning, even Shelly was putting on
a show. "Hell, I'd fuck me, but better yet a stud did fuck me. Screw Norman
Franks and all those haters back in Ohio."

Shelby soaked for almost an hour. The suite's bathroom had a TV and he
zoned out on reruns of Seinfeld, one of his favorites growing up. When he
looked at his watch, it was a little after 10 and he decided it was time to
get dressed. Shelby wasn't sure what Vance meant by `tourist clothes,' but
he noticed that Vance was wearing a polo and walking shorts when he
left. So that was the look he tried to match, and although he didn't have
as nice of clothes as Vance, he hoped his eye for style made up the
difference.

Before leaving the room, Shelby sent his cousin another text. He was
growing concerned that he hadn't heard anything.

Shelby decided to do some window shopping in the resort's Grand Canal
shops. The shops were located around a mock Venetian canal complete with
gondolas rowed by singing gondoliers. Of course, Shelby was pretty sure the
real canals in Venice were not nearly as sanitary as the one winding
through the resort.

The resort shops were all ridiculously, even stupidly, expensive. In the
Louis Vuitton shop, they had an orange, they called it cheddar, cotton
pocket T-shirt for $660. The irony was that if you got caught shoplifting
that shirt, they'd give you a nearly identical one for free at the Clark
County jail. Shelby was pretty sure that in his entire four years in high
school he'd never had $660 worth of clothes.

When Shelby met up with Vance at the Royal Britannia Pub he was hungry. "So
how did you do?" Shelby asked as they looked over the menu.

"I lost $1200 playing poker. There's an old saying: lucky at cards, unlucky
in love. It seems the reverse is also true," Vance said and gave Shelby a
wink. "Of course, with what I won the first night and yesterday, I am still
beating the Vegas odds."

"So, are you going to tell me what the surprise is?"

"No. Now let's just order." Vance went traditional with fish & chips and a
draft Guinness. However, Shelby went for what Vance thought was the oddest
thing on the menu, The Donut Burger: Double house blend burger, American
cheese, fried egg, and applewood smoked bacon on glazed donut buns."

"Seriously," Vance said, "you just ordered State Fair food at a British
style pub."

"What's wrong with State Fair food; besides, I thought donuts were like
catnip for cops."

"What's wrong with State Fair food? You're kidding me. Deep fried Twinkie's
and pork rinds covered in nacho cheese are not just a heart attack in
waiting, they are an insult to respectable junk food like pizza
rolls. Also, if I'm not mistaken, that's your third donut cop comment. One
more and you get the third degree."

"What's that?"

"It's a cop thing, if I told you, I have to kill you."

Shelby smiled and said, "I know you can't kill a cute boy with a tight
ass."

"True, but I can make an exception for a smart ass boy who is acutely
annoying."

As they ate, the two continued exchanging friendly barbs and banter, until
Vance said, "We need to finish up. We have a ride to catch in 20 minutes."
When they finished eating, Vance led the way to the Venetian entrance, and
soon a shuttle bus with Maverick Adventures on the side pulled up, and
Vance said this is our ride. The bus stopped at another hotel on Las Vegas
Boulevard S, better known as the strip, for two more people. Eventually,
the shuttle bus pulled up to the building with a sign that read Maverick
Grand Canyon Tours.

"Are we going to do this?" Shelby said, bubbling with excitement.

"Yep, I have been to the rim of the Canyon, but I have always wanted to see
it from above," Vance said.

Shelby was a bit nervous on takeoff, he had never flown in any aircraft
before, but soon the thrill and spectacle of the ride wiped out any
misgivings. Shelby was a natural adventurer, a quality he shared with
Vance.

The flight started with a pass over Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. While they
flew, the pilot narrated the trip, pointing out things of interest and
giving a history and geography lesson of the area. The pilot also talked
about the environmental issues from climate change and the overuse of the
Colorado River.

Next, the tour flew ten miles over the Grand Canyon before landing 3,500
feet below the rim on Hualapai Indian Territory. They spent time taking in
the view from a ledge 300 feet above the Colorado River. There were drinks
and snacks served, but Shelby was too interested in absorbing every bit of
the experience to waste time picnicking.

On the way back they passed through the Canyon's Bowl of Fire, formed by
red rock formations. Then for one last bit of thrill, the copter flew over
Las Vegas and the Strip. It had been an amazing afternoon that Shelby would
never forget.

When they got back to the hotel, Vance asked Shelby if he had anything he
still wanted to do. Shelby's response was, "We are going to be in
L.A. tomorrow and I'm already beginning to miss you. I just want to spend
as much time with you as possible."

Vance wrapped his arms around Shelby and fought back his emotions. He was
feeling the same way. When he could finally talk without choking up, Vance
said, "Hey, let's go walk up and down the Strip and see what's happening."
Shelby smiled and said, "That sounds like fun." So that's what they did.

The two guys had a great time people watching. Shelby had a wicked sense of
humor and kept Vance laughing with his running commentary on people,
fashion, and behaviors they saw. He was particularly brutal when it came to
analyzing the interaction between couples. On more than one occasion Vance
had to clamp a hand over Shelby's mouth so he could get his own laughter
under control.

Finally, Vance decided the only way to get Shelby to shut up would be to
stuff his mouth with food. They decided to eat at a place called Viva Las
Arepas. It served Venezuelan food and its speciality were arepas. The arepa
is a pre-Columbian dish from the area that is now Colombia, Panama and
Venezuela. It's basically a corn dough stuffed with ingredients like beans,
meat, avocados, eggs, tomatoes, salad, shrimp, or fish, and then grilled,
baked, fried, boiled, or steamed.

After swallowing a bite of his arepa filled with shredded beef, bell
peppers, and onions, Shelby said, "This is the food of the common working
man."

"Or woman," Vance added with a smile.

"Or woman, this is what I mean by mom, apple pie, and baseball cuisine."

"This isn't what most people think about when they hear that phrase."

"Well, they should. This is immigrant food, and immigrants are what shaped
this country. Besides, every Latin kid I know loves his mom and baseball
just as much as every other kid. That's American enough for me."

Vance put an arm around Shelby and said, "It looks like I have a little
social justice crusader on my hands. You should call your restaurant `Food
for the People.' Give it a revolutionary flair."

"Yeah, I could feature a dish from every country that fought a revolution
for independence or freedom. The menu could be called, `Eat Free or Die."

"I think `Eat Free or Die' sounds like a way for you to go bankrupt
fast. Maybe you should adopt Orson Welles, parody of JFK `Ask not what you
can do for your country. Ask what's for lunch'."

Eventually, Vance said, "I am wanting dessert. Do you have any ideas?"

"I saw a promo for a Ghirardelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop somewhere on
the Strip. I've never been to one of those, but I've heard they are really
good." Vance smiled and said, "That's a fantastic idea. A hot fudge sundae
is just what I need." So the two kids head off to get some ice cream.

After satisfying his sweet tooth, Vance looked at his watch and said, "It's
8:30. What do you want to do now?"

"Fuck."

"Well, that's blunt," Vance said amused.

"It's just being honest. Tomorrow we say goodbye and I really want to make
the most of the time left." So they headed back to the hotel.

An hour later, Vance and Shelby were enjoying a post-orgasm cuddle. Shelby
was absentmindedly running his fingers through the hair on Vance's chest,
when Vance said, "Your turn."

"Huh?"

"It's your turn to fuck me."

"No, I can't...I don't know how."

"That's okay. You'll learn, and I'll talk you through it." Vance got up on
his hands and knees and said, "Just explore, get familiar with my ass and
when you are ready your fingers to apply some lube."

Shelby tentatively touched the two globes and then gently massaged them. He
noticed how different they were from his own. Shelby's butt was small and
smooth: however, Vance had a meaty ass covered with hair. Shelby gave it a
squeeze and then used his thumbs to part Vance's cheeks. There it was,
Vance's pink spongy hole. Shelby touched it and Vance softly moaned. Shelby
put a drop of lube on his finger and began to massage the hole. Eventually,
he added more lube and pushed a finger or two inside. He'd never felt
anything like it before.

"Now," Vance said, "feel around and see if you can find a walnut sized
bump."  Shelby did as instructed and was amazed to find a bump that when he
pushed on it caused Vance to moan with pleasure.

"You just found my prostate. It feels so good when you do that. It will
feel even better when it is your cock massaging it." It had been a while
since Vance had bottomed. However, he knew how to relax and allow the top
to take control. Shelby had paid attention to how Vance had prepped him
when he was the bottom, and was now taking just as much care lubing and
stretching Vance's hole.

Vance grabbed a condom from the box he had bought for Shelby and said,
"Come here." Before rolling the condom on Shelby's stiff cock, Vance
wrapped his lips around Shelby's it to make sure he was ready, and to taste
the little drop of precum hanging from the tip. Vance knew 18-year-old
cocks had a tendency to go off prematurely, which is why he decided to make
sure Shelby came before having him top. Vance wanted this to last more than
two minutes.

Vance asked, "Are you ready stud?"

Shelby nodded, so Vance lay down on his back and positioned a pillow under
his hips. Then he said, "Okay, go ahead and line up your cock, then slowly
push in when you are ready. Several times Shelby tried, but he wasn't
getting into the right position and his cock kept missing the target. Vance
smiled, and said, "It isn't as easy as the porn stars make it seem. Let me
help." Vance took hold of Shelby and guided him to the right spot. "Okay,
now give it a little push." Shelby slipped in and the look on his face was
almost indescribable. It was a combination of surprise, delight, and
accomplishment.

"Now slowly push some more." He did and soon he was all the way in and his
balls were resting against Vance's ass. Shelby gave a few pumps and Vance
smiled, and said, "Does that feel good."

"It feels amazing!"

"That's the way it's supposed to feel. Now lean down onto me." When Shelby
was chest to chest with Vance, Vance wrapped his legs around Shelby's
waist. "Now go slowly. We want this to last. Oh, and FYI, your cock feels
amazing." Shelby smiled and then kissed Vance.

They experimented with several positions until they finally ended up in the
cowboy. Vance began riding faster and hard while squeezing his sphincter
around Shelby's cock. "You're going to make my cum!" Shelby said almost
panicked.

"Yes I am. So just enjoy it." Shelby's body tensed, and his hips bucked
wildly as he came for the first time as a top. As he watched Shelby in the
midst of a wild orgasm, Vance remembered the first time he topped his
college buddy, Jerry. Initially, Jerry had resisted bottoming, but when he
finally gave into Vance's begging and demanding it was one of the best
moments of Vance's college experience.

Vance always knew he was more a top than a bottom, but Jerry was older and
had a way of asserting himself that made Vance submissive, so at first
Jerry was in charge. However, once Vance got his cock into Jerry's ass, the
power dynamic changed. It wasn't like they were into any overt dom/sub
roles before, but once they flipped positions, they were also equals. And
the equality went beyond sex. Jerry had always subconsciously treated Vance
as just an underclassman, while he was a grad student. However, after that
day Jerry seemed to treat Vance as an intellectual equal, as well as a
sexual equal.

So watching Shelby's face in mid orgasm, and feeling his cock deep in his
ass, was like he was welcoming the boy into the brotherhood of men. To
complete the ritual, Vance grabbed his own cock and began furiously
stroking. Soon, warm volley's of cum were firing out of his cock like
21-gun salute on the Fourth of July.

Vance collapsed onto Shelby, and the two spent several minutes kissing and
savoring the moment. "I need a beer and a hot bath," Vance said. "Do you
want to join me?" Shelby responded with a hug and a kiss.

Between the cold beer, the warmth of the tub, and the hot boy sitting
between his legs, Vance couldn't imagine any better way to end the day. "Do
you want another beer?" Vance asked.

"Yes, but I don't want to get up and get it," Shelby said. "This feels too
good, and well..."

"I know, let's not think about tomorrow. There's just tonight, and just us
in this bath." Vance wrapped his arms around Shelby's body and pulled him
back into a loving embrace. It wasn't until the water started to cool that
they finally headed to bed.

The next morning, Vance couldn't resist waking Shelby up with one last blow
job. As they were packing up, Vance tossed Shelby the condoms, lube, and
plugs, and said, "Something to remember me by." Shelby started to tear up,
and Vance pulled him into a hug and said, "A month from now, you will have
made some great new friends, you'll have started your career, and you will
wonder why you even gave the old guy a second look."

Shelby smiled and said, "Nice try, but we both know that isn't
true. However, I'm not going to ruin our last day with a bunch of crying."

"Cry is okay, as long as there is also plenty of laughing. I wish somebody
had told me that when I was your age. Now let's hit the road. I want to eat
breakfast in Barstow. It's about two hours away."

Once out of Vegas, the real Nevada surrounded them for miles. "I can't
imagine what it was like around here before the automobile."

"From what I know," Vance said, "there really wasn't much in this part of
Nevada. The wagon trails, railroad, and most of the mining was in the
northern part of the state. Down here there would have been some
ranching. What really made southern Nevada was the building of the Hoover
dam and the legalization of gambling in the 30s. The workers building the
dam would drive over to Las Vegas after payday for a little G&G, gambling
and gals."

"So who decided that Vegas would be a gambling town?" Shelby asked.

Vance laughed, "Actually it was a crooked cop. The guy who ran the Los
Angeles vice squad, Guy McAfee. Actually, McAfee was from Winfield, Kansas,
and there is family lore that he is one of my relatives.  He was running
gambling saloons and brothels in L.A. and when California decided to crack
down on gambling and prostitution, he moved his operation to Vegas. Since
it's less than 300 miles between L.A. and Vegas, his old clientele could
come out for a weekend of sin and sun."

"So you may not be a crooked cop, but you are related to one."

"First of all, Guy McAfee died before I was even born. Second, family lore
is about as reliable as the Kansas weather in March. If you believe the
stories my family tells, I am also related to Wild Bill Hickok, Winston
Churchill, and Amelia Earhart."

"I know what you mean. My family claims we are related to James MacPherson,
the Scottish robber and musician. Supposedly he played his fiddle and sang
a song he wrote just before they hung him. The song is called "MacPherson's
Lament.' I've actually listened to it on YouTube. The legend has it that
after he finished the song he asked if any of his family would play at his
wake, but no one stepped up. So, he broke the fiddle in half and threw it
into the crowd."

Their stories and laughter made the mile roll past quickly, and soon they
were in Barstow. Vance wanted to eat at the Black Bear Diner in
Barstow. Usually Vance tried to avoid chains, but the Black Bear Cafes were
a western phenomenon and he had never eaten at one. Like a Denny's or an
IHOP, you go to the Black Bear for breakfast. When the waitress came to
take their orders, Vance said, "I want `The GRIZZ' with hash browns, orange
juice and coffee."

Shelby said, "I'll have the same."

When the waitress left, Vance teased Shelby, "Coffee? You'd better watch
it. That stuff will put hair on that baby smooth chest of yours."

"Ha, ha."

"No, I'm serious. Before I started to drink that tar they called coffee at
the station, my chest was just as hairless as yours. Hell, I barely even
had any pubes."

"Now I know you're lying. The next thing you'll tell me is that it will
stunt my growth as well."

"Now that you mention it..."

"You can stop right there old man. I don't need to hear whatever poppycock
you're about to pull out of your ass."

"Ouch! Old man, that's hitting below the belt. Besides, your's is the only
poppycock that's been up my ass recently."

"What the hell is poppycock anyway."

"Senseless or foolish talk. It's another word for balderdash, bunk,
hogwash, rubbish." Vance said. "It's also a snack made with candied popcorn
and nuts, kinda like Cracker Jacks."

"Cracker Jacks!" the waitress said as she put down two plates filled with
sweet cream pancakes, eggs, slices of thick-cut smoked bacon, sausage links
& a smoked ham steak. "I used to love Cracker Jacks until I got this damn
partial. I'm telling you, don't either of you go getting old. It sucks."

Vance said, "Well, the kid just called me old."

The waitress slapped the back of Shelby's head and said, "Listen here honey
pie, I bet your daddy can whoop your ass any day of the week, and twice on
Sunday." Vance kicked Shelby under the table knowing that some smart remark
about ass whooping was hanging on the tip of his tongue.

Vance jumped and then said, "Yes ma'am. You have that right."

When she was out of earshot, Vance and Shelby both burst into laughter.

After breakfast, Vance decided he'd fill up the Mustang before heading into
L.A. When the tank was full, he told Shelby he was going to take a piss and
pick up some snacks. Shelby decided to wait in the car. It took Vance a
while before he returned, and when he got back in the car he noticed tears
streaming down Shelby's cheeks.

"What's the matter?" Vance asked very concerned.

"I'm so screwed," and then he played a message on his phone.

"Hey Cuz. I just got your message. Fuck kid, I just thought we were
bullshitting around about you coming out here. Since we talked my life had
fucking turned upside down. My girlfriend is pregnant, and she says it's
mine. Her family has thrown her out, and we're moved to Tillamook, Oregon
to live with her aunt and uncle. He's given me a job on his fishing boat,
and for the last week I've been out fishing for squid. It sucks, kid. I
know your family is messed up about you being gay, but man go home. You
don't want to do the kind of shit I have had to do. I'm telling you, go
home!"

Shelby tried wiping away the tears as he said, "Why would I do something so
stupid? Why would I think it was a good idea to just head out for Las
Angeles? Why would I ever listen to anything my fucking cousin said?!"

Vance started the car and drove to an isolated spot across the parking
lot. When they were parked, he said, "Listen to me Shelby. The one thing I
know is that I am not, repeat--NOT, dropping you off on some street corner
in L.A., do you hear me?"

Shelby nodded.

"Good! I promise, you are not alone. Do you believe me? Do you trust me?"

Again Shelby nodded as he tried to regain control.

"We don't have to figure it out right now. We're going to get back on the
road and go to the hotel where I have a reservation for tonight. Is that
okay?"

Shelby again nodded, and softly said, "Thank you."

It wasn't long before fatigue brought on by his emotional crisis caught up
with Shelby and he was asleep. Vance looked at the sleeping young man and
hated himself for that small selfish part of himself that was secretly glad
they wouldn't be saying goodbye just yet.

Shelby was still asleep when they got to the Holiday Inn Express. Vance was
able to get an early check in and they headed up to their room. The minute
they were in the room Shelby crawled onto the bed and curled into a fetal
position.

"No you don't," Vance said and pulled Shelby up. "You're not going to spend
the day wallowing in self-pity. You're going to spend it with me, and we're
going to go explore Weho."

"What's Weho?"

"What's Weho!? West Hollywood, and only the gayest place in Southern
California."

"Can't I just stay here?"

"No way, I need you to keep me safe from all twinks looking to snare
themselves a hot sugar daddy."

Well, I suppose, if you need protection I would be a bad friend not to go,"
Shelby said with a half smile.

However, as reluctant as Shelby was to go out to explore Weho, it wasn't
long before he was totally into the experience. Vance smiled as he thought
about the country band Alabama's song, `Can't Keep a Good Man Down." Yes,
Shelby was a good man.

 It also turned out Shelby liked art. They visited several art galleries,
and Shelby seemed to know something about the techniques used in the
pieces. Finally, Vance asked how he knew so much about art.

"I took several art classes in high school. Next to food, art was what
interested me. Also, I was a student aid for the art teacher and we would
talk a lot during his planning period about various artists while we mixed
clay or restocked supplies. I'm not sure, but I think he was gay, and that
he suspected I was as well. It wasn't like he tried anything; instead, it
was like he gave me and a couple of other guys a safe space during the day
where we didn't have to be constantly on our guard."

"He sounds like a really nice guy."

"Yeah, so far I have been lucky to have been helped by some really nice
guys." Then Shelby kissed Vance, then quickly said, "Shit, I shouldn't have
done that out in public."

Vance laughed and said, "Don't worry, 40 percent of Weho is gay, lesbian,
bi, or other, and the rest don't give a crap."

Vance also took Shelby to Circus of Books, the iconic adult book store at
the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and La Jolla Ave that catered to the
gay community. While the store has changed owners and has gone upscale, as
much as an adult store can be upscale, its history remained.

Vance said, "When I was in college, I heard stories about Weho and the and
this book store, but I never made it out when it was the epicenter of gay
life in Southern California. Of course the story isn't rainbows and
unicorns. For example, behind the store is what became known as Vaseline
Alley, a pretty dangerous place during the early days of the AIDS
crisis. Also the Reagan Administration tried to prosecute the store for
sending adult materials through the mail. The case went all the way to the
Supreme Court before the government finally dropped it."

"How do you know all this stuff?" Shelby asked.

"I've been planning this trip for a while. Part of the fun has been
researching the things I want to do and the places I want to see. I suppose
you think I'm pretty pathetic, sitting at home, searching the internet, and
making plans for some grand retirement gaycation."

"Now who's wallowing in self-pity. From what I can tell you haven't had
such a bad or lonely life. Besides, there is nothing wrong with planning
your vacation for maximum fun."

"I guess, but there is one thing I forgot."

"What's that?"

"I didn't think about how boring it would be gaycationing
alone. Fortunately, the fates provided me with a sexy, funny, and enjoyable
travel buddy." Then it was Vance's turn to kiss Shelby.

It was getting close to supper, and Vance said, "Unfortunately they won't
let you into the clubs to get the real feel for Weho, but I've got the next
best thing, Hamburger Mary's."

When they were seated at Mary's, Shelby was wide eyed and taking everything
in. Vance chuckled and said, "I guess you've never seen drag live."

"No way. I've never seen anything like this."

"Well take a look at your menu so you can order when the server comes
back." Shelby ended up ordering the Barbara-Q Bacon Burger, and Vance
ordered the Black and Blue Boy Burger.

Shelby seemed totally mesmerized by the drag queens, and was having a great
time. Vance got as much entertainment from watching the boy, as he did from
the performers. When Vance asked if he wanted dessert, Shelby jumped at the
offer, as much to stay and watch more of the show as for the sugar
high. Vance ordered a slice of Peanut Butter Pie and coffee, and of course
Shelby went for the Twinkie Treat: deep-fried Twinkies, raspberry sauce and
whipped cream.

Before leaving, Vance said, "We need to get T-shirts. Why don't you pick
out one for each of us." For himself, Shelby picked a red T that had a
hamburger with a face saying `bite me.' For Vance, Shelby picked out a
black T that said `Best Gay Uncle Ever.' When Vance saw what Shelby picked
for him, he chuckled and said, "I'm not sure I will be wearing this around
Kansas City, but I like it."

On the way back to the hotel, Vance asked, "Do you like cherry Dr. Pepper?"

 "Yes."

 So Vance stopped at a liquor store and bought a six of DP, a bottle of
Amaretto and a jar of Maraschino Cherries.

Back at the Holiday Inn, Vance handed Shelby the ice bucket and told him to
go find some ice. It took Shelby a few minutes to get the ice, and when he
got back, he found Vance was wearing his Best Gay Uncle Ever T-shirt, and
nothing else. "Oh fuck, that is so hot," Shelby said, and Vance did a
little twist to make his half-hard cock slap against his thighs. Soon
Shelby was wearing nothing but his new T-shirt as well.

While Shelby found something to watch on TV, Vance made them each a
drink. The `Cherry DP' was something he started drinking in college. The
receipt was simple: ice, Dr. Pepper, a shot of Amaretto, a couple of
cherries and a splash of the cherry juice.

Shelby took a sip, and said, "Oh, this is good. I am going to want a couple
more of these."

Vance laughed, and said, "They may taste like soda pop, but they will sneak
up and hammer you if you don't watch out."

They crawled onto the bed, to drink and watch the movie Shelby had found,
an old John Wayne movie called `Big Jake.' "Before we get too far into the
movie, I should tell you the plan for tomorrow. The Royals play the Dodgers
in the afternoon and I called this afternoon to get another ticket. I
exchanged the ticket I had pre-ordered so we could have seats
together. After the game my plan is to drive to Palm Springs. I have
reservations at a clothing-optional gay resort for three days. If you are
not comfortable with that, we can figure out something else."

"Clothing optional? Will everyone be naked?"

"There will be guys who are naked, and there will likely be some guys who
are wearing swimsuits or shorts. I plan to be naked around the pool."

"So will they be having sex?" Shelby asked.

"This is not a sex club. There will be some guys that may be looking to
hook up, but there aren't like orgies around the pool, and no one is
expected to do anything they don't want to. It's like any other resort,
except it's full of naked gay guys."

"Count me in. Oh, and can I have another one of these," Shelby said with a
big grin and holding up his empty glass.

About an hour into the movie, Shelby was asleep. The combination of the
alcohol and the roller coaster emotions of the day took its toll. Vance
covered Shelby, then turned off the TV and turned out the lights. He then
slid in behind the kid so he could hold him in a comforting snuggle. Shelby
sleepily said, "You're the best Uncle."

The next morning, Vance woke Shelby and said "You need to get showered and
dressed so we can make it to the game."

"What time is it?"

"Eight o'clock."

"Why so early?"

"The Royals have to travel to New York to play the Yankees tomorrow. So the
game is scheduled for noon."

"Aw, I was hoping we could...you know..."

"Yeah I know, but think of it this way. The early start to the game means
we will get to Palm Springs earlier, and with plenty of time for all the
`you know' your tight ass can handle. Now get out of bed, because if I miss
the first pitch, there will be no `you know' for you tonight and maybe
tomorrow."

In a flash Shelby was on his way to the shower. While Shelby got showered
and dressed, Vance packed up his and Shelby's bags. Shelby had everything
stuffed in an old backpack that had seen better days. Vance made a note to
get him a new backpack.

When everything was loaded in the Mustang, they headed to the hotel's
breakfast. As usual, Shelby wasn't shy when it came to an all you can eat
`free breakfast.' Vance on the other hand got his money's worth in coffee.

While they were eating, Vance said they would be heading to Palm Spring as
soon as the game was over, so they could get to the resort and get checked
in. "I figure we will eat enough crap during the game that we won't have to
eat until we get to the Springs."

The gates at Dodger Stadium opened two hours before the game started and
Vance wanted to get there at least an hour early. First, because wasn't
sure how easy it would be to find parking, and second, because he wanted to
explore the stadium. He had gone to games in a number of different cities,
but this was his first time seeing the Dodgers in L.A.

Parking was a pain in the ass, but name a major league sporting event where
it isn't. However, once they were parked, Vance was ready to go. Shelby had
to laugh because now it was Vance that was acting like the kid.

When the game started, they were sitting in the middle of some Dodger
fans. At first it was a bit tense when the Royals went up by three on a
Salvador Perez home run, and Vance and Shelby were the only ones
cheering. However, Vance used a combination of situational deescalation he
learned on the force and Midwest charm to ease the tension. Soon he was
making friends with some of the Dodger fans, and even found out a couple of
them were on the L.A.P.D. Shelby also found a friend, one of the L.A. cops
had his son along and soon the two were trading stories of school. Of
course, Shelby was careful not to reveal much about his current situation
and simply said, his uncle Vance was celebrating his retirement and he was
just along for the ride.

In the end, the Royals won easily, and by the end of the game, Vance and
Shelby were pretty much sitting alone. "So do you want anything else to eat
or drink?" Vance asked as the Royals came up to bat in the top of the
ninth.

"Absolutely not," Shelby said, "If I have one more Dodger Dog, peanut, or
soda, I'm going to bust."

Vance chuckled knowing that in three hours Shelby would probably be
starving. "Oh to have the metabolism of a teenager," Vance said to himself.

As they left L.A., Shelby said, "Can I ask you a question?"

"You just did." Vance said with a smile.

"Nice dad joke," Shelby said sarcastically.

"Ouch."

"It could have been worse, I could have called you Boomer."

"Watch it sonny, I'll have you know I am a card-carrying, dues-paying
member of Generation X."

"I'm so sorry. It's just that everyone over the age of 30 looks alike us
Gen Z'ers."

"Now you're going to pay for that..you... you... little whippersnapper,"
Vance said while shaking his fist in the air.

Shelby was laughing hard at Vance's mock rage. "So you think it's funny to
disrespect your elders," Vance said. "Why, I ought to... I ought to throw
you over my knee and take a switch to that smart ass of yours... Yes,
that's just what I should do."

"Okay...Okay," Shelby said, "You can stop now. You've made your point. I
was just going to ask why drag is so much a part of some gay guys'
identity?"

"Well, not all Drag Queens are gay. Yes, most are but not all. I don't have
an answer for the motive of every guy doing drag, but some I know do it to
give themselves a voice they couldn't have as their regular selves. Back in
the day, royal jesters could get by with saying things to the king that
others couldn't. It's like a ventriloquist, the dummy can get by saying all
kinds of things that the performer couldn't say in his own voice. Like I
said, I don't have any science to offer that this theory is true, but it is
something that seems to make sense, at least to me."

"I can see that. Have you ever thought about doing drag?"

"Not really," Vance said thoughtfully. "If I were putting myself into one
of the gay subcultures, I would say I am more the Gay Jock that was aging
toward becoming a Bear."

"What about me?"

"Oh you are definitely a Twink, but I could see you drifting toward Art
Fag."

"What's an Art Fag?"

"They are those guys that are cooler, at least they think they are cooler,
than everyone else. They sit in the corner at parties, sipping "special
blend" coffee or drinking cocktails made with Absinthe. While many are into
the most current, and expensive fashions, there are others that go for the
curated thrift store look. That's you. Also, after watching you in the
galleries yesterday, I can definitely see you in that circle. Maybe as an
Andy Warhol-esque pop culture chef. I could see you reimagining spam as the
working man's Wagu, or creating a gourmet deconstructed Ho Ho dessert. I
can see it now, Shelby McPherson, creator of the Vegan Haggis."

Shelby snorted, "I don't think I'm very cool."

"No, that's what makes you authentically cool. While you haven't developed
the outer cool persona, you've got inner cool. Just wait, someday you're
going to be the guy that everyone wants to hang around in the hopes that
some of your cool rubs off on them. And you know what?"

"What?"

"I'm going to be that guy who says, `I knew him before he was Mr. Cool. I
fucked him while he was still just a hot, shy, horny, little twink."

"I think you're just blowing smoke up my ass. However, if it does happen,
I'm going to be pointing a finger at you and say, `That's the hot stud that
fucked the cool into me."

Again the conversion made the miles fly by, and in no time Vance was
pulling the Mustang into the parking lot of the INNdulge Resort in Palm
Springs.

******************

I hope you enjoy Taking a Risk, part 1. If so check out my other stories.
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