Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 09:25:35 -0500
From: Jeff Allen <jeff_allen15@hotmail.com>
Subject: Love of a Lifetime Part 26

This is a fictional story dealing with love and consensual sexual
activities between males.  If you are not of legal age, reside in an area
where viewing such material is illegal, or are offended by homosexuality
and/or homosexual themes, leave this site now.

The author retains all rights to this story.  No reproductions or links to
other sites are allowed without the permission of the author.

Note: I owe a special thanks to Robb for doing the final proofreading and
catching all those silly little errors that I missed.

LOVE OF A LIFETIME


PART 26

     Doc Griffith asked if I'd work for him as a research assistant over
the summer and during the next academic year.  I accepted immediately.  It
would be a darn sight better than being back in Carterville for the summer
when Andy was going to be up in Chicago.  I'd hoped Andy would invite me to
spend the summer with him, but that hadn't happened.  I felt us drifting
further and further apart.  By May we were only talking on the phone about
once a week.  At least I wasn't spending as much on long distance charges
as before.

     I made a trip up to see him right after exams were over in May.  It
was even worse than my visit at spring break.  Andy had lost weight and
there were dark circles under his eyes.  He was totally preoccupied with
his responsibilities at the bank.  He left the apartment before seven each
morning and wasn't home until nearly eight or nine at night.  When he was
home, he was too tired for talk let alone sex.  We made love a grand total
of one time during the entire week I was there.  When he was home and
awake, he was irritable and snapped at me often.  By the end of the week, I
was snapping back.  It was a long visit, and it was a long drive back to
North Carolina from Chicago at the end.

     I was glad to be back at the apartment in Adams.  The town and
university were really quiet with all the students gone.  None of my
buddies except for Sergei were going to be in town over the summer.  Justin
was living at his parents' beach place and working in Wilmington so he
could be closer to Megan who hailed from there.  I did have Larsen, Kevin
and Kathy Williams, their kids, Doc, and Matt.  All in all, Adams was going
to be a lot better over the summer than either Carterville or Chicago.  I
wasn't sure that I had anyone left in either place anymore.

     The work for Doc kept me occupied during the day.  We collected the
samples in the mornings, and then I ran the lab tests on the samples in the
afternoons.  I was by myself most evenings.  Sergei and I went out to eat
about once a week, and Doc and Matt had me out to their place regularly so
I wasn't alone every night.  It just felt like it some times.

     On one of my visits out to Doc's in early June, I met Matt's brother
and his partner.  They were coming up for a short visit from Durham where
Matt's brother, Mark, was finishing his second year of law school at Duke
and Jamal, Mark's partner, owned a sporting goods store.

     Mark Stevenson was a little taller and more muscular than Matt.  They
had the same sandy brown hair, green eyes, and friendly crooked smile that
brought out deep dimples in their cheeks.  When we all got in the hot tub
after dinner, I noticed that Mark had a lot more chest hair than Matt.
Their dicks were about the same, at least in the softened state.

     Jamal Phillips was a big man standing about six foot six with chest
and shoulder muscles that could only be described as massive.  He had just
the hint of a bit of extra weight around his middle, but the underlying
steely abdominal muscles were still very much evident.  His skin was very
dark, like dark chocolate.  His facial features were broad with full lips
surrounding gleaming white teeth.  Except for some sparse hair on his
forearms and calves, a thicker patch of tight black hair under each arm,
and a thick wiry pubic bush he had no body hair.  His uncut dick was as
impressive as the rest of his body.  In the hot tub it looked to be about
eight or nine inches long and very thick, and that was when it was still
soft!.  His heavy balls hung well down below his dick.

     I was fascinated by the contrast in skin colors as Jamal sat next to
Mark with his arm draped over his shoulder.  They made a very sexy couple.

     As we sat in the hot tub sipping wine, watching the lightening bugs
out in the yard, and talking I started to feel a little down and sorry for
myself.  Matt and Doc were sitting next to each other with their shoulders
touching.  Mark was snuggled up under Jamal's arm.  I was by myself.

     Doc noticed.  "C.Z., you look like you need a hug."

     "Yeah.  I think I do."

     Jamal reached over and pulled me across the tub and under his arm.
  "I'll take care of that.  Now I've got white meat on both sides of me."

     He squeezed me into his body.  I could feel his wiry underarm hair on
the top of my shoulder.  His thigh pressed against mine, and my dick
started to rise.

     I leaned my head back against his massive shoulder.  "Thanks, Jamal.
I needed that."

     "Little Man, if ole Mark here didn't have his hooks into me, I'd be
all over you like ants on honey.  You just stay here for a while.  Maybe I
can cop a couple of feels and Mark won't notice."  His hand slid down my
side to my hip.

     Mark reached across Jamal's wide chest and pinched one of my nipples.
"Come on, Jamal.  Don't be stingy.  Maybe I'm tired of a steady diet of
dark meat and want something a bit more refined than you for a change."

     Jamal threw back his head and laughed.  "Ooo!  Sorry, C.Z.  I'd better
make sure my man over here is gonna stay with the good stuff."  He winked
broadly at me so that everyone else could see, "Maybe later."

     We all laughed, and I pulled away back to my own space in the tub.
Jamal's warm embrace had certainly lightened my mood.

     I went to bed on the couch in Doc's living room, but I had trouble
getting to sleep.  I knew that Doc and Matt were probably making love in
their bedroom while Mark and Jamal were going at it upstairs.  My
melancholy mood returned.

     I heard someone moving around upstairs followed by the sound of a
flushing john.  Footsteps came down the stairs, and Mark appeared in the
doorway.
     He was naked, smelling of sex, and still half hard.  He came over to
the couch and held out his hand.  "There's room upstairs if you want."

     I took his hand.  Upstairs, Jamal was lying naked on top of the
sheets.  He motioned for me to lie down beside him.  I climbed into the
bed, and Mark climbed in after me.

     Jamal gently pushed me down between them.  "Don't do anything.  This
is our treat."

     They began exploring my body with their hands and mouths.  I gave in
to the pleasure and moaned as they ministered to my needs.  They moved
their mouths up and down in unison on each side of my cock running their
tongues over the head of my dick with each upward stroke.  I didn't last
long.  When I started cumming, Jamal put his mouth over the end of my prick
to catch the first spasms.  He then released me as Mark dove down on my
pole to take the last of my cum down his throat.

     I slept cuddled between them that night.

                       **********

     I was getting concerned about Andy...and about our relationship.  I
tried several times to talk on the phone with him about my concerns, but he
didn't want to listen.  He said his job was demanding all of his time and
energy.  The merger between the two banks was not going well.  Many of the
employees of the northern bank resented that they had been taken over by a
megabank from the South, and that resentment carried over to the way they
interacted with Andy.  I knew he was having a tough time up there.  I felt
guilty that I wasn't more understanding and supportive, but at the same
time I felt that Andy wasn't trying to see my point of view.

     On the Fourth of July I was getting ready to go out to Doc and Matt's
for a cookout.  It was about four in the afternoon, and I thought I'd try
to get a hold of Andy before I went out to Doc's.  I dialed his number in
Chicago.

     "Hello."  It wasn't Andy's voice.

     "Hello.  Is Andy there?"

     "I don't know if he can come to the phone right now, he's in the
shower.  Can I tell him who's calling?"

     "This is C.Z."

     "Hey, C.Z. This is Luke Mason.  Andy's told me a lot about you.  Hold
on, I'll go get him."

     I heard the phone being laid down on the table.  My heart thudded at
the same time.  Luke Mason was the guy Andy had hooked up with when he was
at his two week long workshop and I was down at the beach with Justin,
Brian, and Stephen.  I didn't know they had kept in contact.  It was
obvious that they were now more than just casual friends

     "Hi, C.Z."  It was Andy's voice.

     "Hi, Andy.  Happy Fourth of July.  I figured you'd be home."

     "Another five minutes, and you would have missed us.  Luke and I are
going to a party, and we're late.  Let me call you later."

     "Ah, sure.  Bye."

     We hung up.  My stomach felt like someone had just punched me.  I
walked into the bathroom and puked into the toilet.

     I sat in the apartment and stared at the walls.  Larsen came and
rested his head on my knee.  I absentmindedly scratched his ears.  He lay
down at my feet.  My mind seemed to be going everywhere at once.  Where was
Andy going?  Why was Luke Mason there?  Andy had sounded happy for the
first time in months, but he clearly hadn't wanted to talk to me.  Just
what was going on?

     I sat for hours.  The afternoon turned to dusk and then to night.

     Someone knocked on the door.  I shuffled over and opened it.

     "C.Z., are you all right."  Kathy Williams stood there.  "We expected
you out at Gary's hours ago.  We thought you'd gone somewhere else, but I
noticed your car here when I brought Little Gary back for bed."

     "I...I just didn't feel like going out to Doc's tonight."

     She walked in the apartment, and turned on the lights.  "C.Z.  what's
wrong?  You look terrible.  Are you sick?"

     "No.  I just didn't feel like being around people tonight."

     She grabbed my arms with both of her's and looked at me.  "You really
look like you've lost your last friend...it's Andy isn't it?"

     I nodded.

     "I've got to go get Little Gary in bed.  Come over to the house with
me."

     "I can't leave.  Andy might call."

     "Okay, I'll come back.  Will you be all right for a few minutes?"

     I nodded again.

     Kathy returned in a couple of minutes with a bottle of wine.  Gary
Williams, dressed in Spider-man pajamas, trailed along behind her.

     "I'll put Gary down in Justin's bed, and then you and I are going to
talk."  She waved the bottle of wine at me before setting it down on the
counter and hustling Gary into Justin's room.

     Larsen was excited to see someone who showed some life (as opposed to
me at the moment) and trotted along after Kathy and Gary.  I heard Gary ask
if Larsen could stay with him, and Kathy relented with a "don't tell you
father" admonition.

     As Larsen settled into the bed with Gary, Kathy and I settled into
chairs in the living room with the wine.  I poured out my heart.  All of my
friends were aware that Andy and I were having a rough time, but this was
the first time I'd really expressed my fears of losing him to anyone except
Justin.  Kathy would have made a good therapist.  She listened.  She
quietly asked questions that made me think about my feelings.

     By the time the wine was gone, I wasn't feeling as blue.  We were also
fairly tipsy since I hadn't eaten anything since lunch and Kathy had
indulged in a few drinks out at Doc's earlier.  We had a discussion about
what to do with Gary sleeping in the next room.  Neither one of us wanted
to try to carry him down the stairs of the apartment and over to his own
bed in our slightly unsteady condition.

     "Will he be upset if he wakes up over here tomorrow?"

     "I don't think so.  He's used to going to sleep out at Gary and Matt's
or at my parents house.  Are you sure you can handle him in the morning?"

     "What do you mean?"

     "Unlike the rest of us in the Williams household, he is fully awake in
the morning.  The rest of us kind of stagger to the breakfast table and
listen to Gary chatter on.  There are many mornings that I think the girls
would just as soon that their brother had never learned to talk.  He makes
a lot of noise for a seven-year- old."

     "It'll be okay.  I'm sort of a morning person myself."

     She smiled.  "Let me know how you make out with the Energizer Bunny
tomorrow morning.  Thanks, C.Z.  I don't think we could get him in to his
own bed.  I'd have Kevin come over and get him, but I heard the girls and
him come home a while ago, so I'm sure he's already asleep."

     "Go.  I'll be alright.  Thanks for listening tonight."

     She kissed me on the cheek.  "We love you guys.  We just hope you can
work through this with Andy."

     "I'm going to give it a try."

     "Good night."

     She made her way unsteadily down the stairs and over to her house.
  I watched her disappear into the other house and then checked on Gary and
Larsen before turning in myself.  Larsen was up on the bed with Gary who
had his face buried in the fur of Larsen's chest.  The dog looked at me as
I stood in the doorway.  He wagged his tail before putting his head back
down on Justin's pillow.  I could have sworn there was a smile on his face.

                       **********

     Kathy was right about Little Gary starting the morning off at full
speed.

     When I woke up, I had a screaming hangover from the wine and lack of
food.  I also had to pee.  I stumbled naked into the bathroom and was
standing there emptying my bladder into the toilet when Gary and Larsen
came in.

     "Hi, C.Z.  Can I pee too.  I really need to go."

     I about jumped out of my skin and sprayed some of my stream over the
back of the toilet.  Gary just walked up to the bowl, pulled his little boy
cock out of his pj's and started to pee.

     "Larsen slept with me all night.  Can I come over here and sleep with
Larsen some other time?  That was neat.  Your penis is big like my dad's,
but it looks like Uncle Gary's and Uncle Mark's.  My dad's penis has a
foreskin.  So does mine.  See."

     I was now fully awake and trying to decide if I could run back into my
bedroom to grab a pair of shorts.  Larsen was standing in the doorway.  I'd
have to jump over him to get out of the bathroom quickly.  I opted for a
slower but more dignified retreat.

     Gary followed me into the bedroom.  "What do you have for breakfast.
I'm hungry.  Do you and Justin have Froot Loops?  I like Froot Loops, but
mom won't buy them."

     I managed to pull on a pair of running shorts to hide my nakedness
while cursing myself for forgetting that Gary had spent the night.  I was
also beginning to appreciate Kathy's comments about the Energizer Bunny.
All of the Williams kids were really great, and Justin and I had played out
in the backyard with them on many occasions, but I needed some caffeine
desperately before I was ready to try carrying on a conversation with this
bright, talkative seven-year-old.

     "I don't have any Froot Loops, Tiger.  How about some Cheerios with
lots of sugar?  But first I need to make some coffee.  Okay?"

     He followed me out into the kitchen.  "Do you like coffee in the
morning?  My mom and dad have to drink coffee in the morning before they'll
talk to me.  They say I talk too much in the morning.  Am I talking too
much, C.Z.?"

     "No.  It's okay, Tiger.  You can talk to me all you want.  I just
might not answer until I've had some coffee."

     He seemed to find that comment to be hysterically funny.

     "Listen, Tiger, why don't you let ole Larsen out the door.  You and I
have gone to the bathroom this morning, but Larsen hasn't.  I'll bet he
needs to go, and we don't want him to go in here."

     "Larsen wouldn't pee in the house.  He's a smart dog."

     He opened the door.  Larsen headed outside giving Gary a slobbery
doggie kiss of thanks on the way out.

     I got the coffee started, found the Cheerios, milk, and sugar, and got
out some orange juice while Gary stood at the door waiting for Larsen to do
his morning business and return.  He kept up a constant chatter.  I only
half listened.

     After Larsen had returned and we were munching on sugar-saturated
Cheerios, Gary's conversation slowed down.  Even he couldn't talk and keep
milk and cereal in his mouth at the same time.  It gave me a chance to get
some coffee into my system.

     "Why do some penises have foreskins and some don't?  Justin's got a
foreskin like my dad and me, but your's looks like Uncle Gary's and Uncle
Matt's."

     I almost choked on my coffee.  "How do you know what Justin's penis
looks like?"

     "My dad and I were over here one day after a soccer game, and Justin
had to take a shower.  He was bare naked when he came out of the shower.  I
saw him then.  Why do some people have foreskins?"

     "Everybody has a foreskin when they're born.  Some people have the
foreskin cut off.  That's called circumcision.  Men without their foreskins
are circumcised."

     He involuntarily reached down to protect his crotch.  "Doesn't that
hurt?"

     "It's done right after you're born.  If it hurts, no one remembers the
hurt."

     "Why do some people have their penis 'circle scribed'?"

     I had to laugh.  "It's 'circumcised' not 'circle scribed', Tiger.
Some people do it because their religion requires it.  Others do it because
they think a circumcised penis is easier to keep clean."

     "That's silly.  Mine's clean.  My dad taught me how to wash under the
skin."

     "That's good.  It's important to keep it clean under the skin.  Do you
want some more cereal?"

     "Can I, please?  These are good.  Mom doesn't ever let me put this
much sugar on my cereal."

     I thought, 'And now I know why.'

     Little Gary kept up his side of the conversation while I nursed my
coffee and ate some cereal myself.  The topic never returned to a
comparison of circumcised versus uncircumcised penises but did cover such
things as his favorite TV shows, what he was going to do when he grew up,
how much he liked Larsen, how much he wished his parents would let him have
a puppy, and how much fun it was to have picnics at Uncle Gary's and Uncle
Matt's.  It was fun just listening to him talk.

     After breakfast I left Larsen in charge of listening to Gary while I
showered and shaved.  Doc and I had made arrangements to meet in the lab to
finish running a batch of samples from his research project.  I deposited
Little Gary in the back door of his house on my way in to the lab.

     In the lab, Doc asked me why I hadn't come out to his place on the
Fourth.  I tried to get around the real reason, but he saw through my
evasive responses and just flat out asked if there was a problem with Andy.
We ended up talking about my relationship problems while we worked on the
samples.

     Andy and I talked on the phone that evening for more than an hour.
  Andy told me that he and Luke Mason had gone to a Fourth of July barbeque
put on by one of the regional bigwigs at the bank.  He assured me that
there wasn't anything going on between Luke and him.  Luke's boyfriend had
stayed at Andy's apartment while Luke and Andy went to the big shindig.
Afterwards they had all gone down to the waterfront to watch the fireworks.
I felt really small for having doubts.  Andy told me that he was too busy
to have a social life.  He hadn't even been able to get over to the gym in
a couple of weeks.  He said he was going to take a week of vacation in
August and wanted to meet me at our cabin in Carterville.  He promised it
would be just the two of us for a whole week.  No work and no school.  It
sounded like heaven to me.

                       **********

     The next week, I was working in the lab on Friday evening trying to
get some samples run so that Doc could look over the data the next day.  He
and Matt were taking off on Sunday for a two week trip with Mark and Jamal.
I was going to be staying out at their house while they were gone.

     I thought I was the only one in the science building so when I heard
someone clear their throat by the lab door, I nearly jumped out of my skin.
I whirled around and saw Ron Kestler, the campus security officer, standing
in the doorway.

     "Man, you scared me!"

     "Sorry, Mr. Johnstone.  I saw the lights on in the lab, and thought
I'd better come by to check it out.  You're working late on a Friday
night."

     "Yeah.  Doc Griffith needs to see these test results before he goes
out of town.  The data will determine what I need to do in the lab while
he's gone."

     "I've seen you and Dr. Griffith working in here all summer.  Is it
interesting work?"

     "Well, the tests that we're running are kind of routine, but we've
been getting some interesting results from the tests.  It'll be a nice
project when it's done.  It also gave me a chance to stay here this summer
instead of going home and working at the hardware store again."

     He smiled.  I took in the way his six foot frame filled out the summer
security uniform of dark trousers and a short sleeved white shirt with the
University logo and his badge on the pockets.  I caught myself wondering
what his body looked like under the uniform.

     "Summer's here are real nice.  Course I've lived here all my life so I
don't really know what it's like other places."

     "You grew up here?"

     "Yup.  My family's been here for at least five generations.  My dad
works in the Physical Plant and my mom works in Housekeeping.  They think
I've got it made working for Security."

     "Are you going to stay here?"

     He shrugged his shoulders.  "I don't know.  I've been working on my
degree in Criminal Justice part time.  I've still got a couple of years to
go.  Maybe I'll move somewhere else once I've finished the degree.  It's
kind of hard being a single person in this town.  Most of my friends from
high school are married or have moved away or both."

     "You must have some friends from your classes?"

     "A few.  Working full time, going to school, and living at home
doesn't leave a lot of time for socializing.  Besides, a lot of the
students here kind of look down on us 'townies'."

     "I know some of the students here feel that way, but not everyone.
  I grew up over in Carteville.  This is a big city for me."

     He smiled again and stepped further into the lab.  "Guess this would
seem big after Carterville."

     "Sit down, and we can trade stories about how small our hometowns
are."

     "Thanks, I'd like to, but I've got to continue on my rounds.  I would
like to talk to you about the gay bashings and vandalism.  Our
investigation has gone no where, and I don't think the State Police have
done any better.  I'd really like to solve those crimes, and I think the
only thing to do now is start from square one with the whole investigation.
The first incidents were directed at you so I want to start by talking with
you."

     "Sure, anytime.  I want to get the son of a gun too."

     He smiled again.  "I get off duty at nine.  Will you still be here?"

     "No.  I'll be finished here in just another couple of minutes.  I
could stay around if you want."

     "No.  That's okay.  Say, would it be okay if I came over to your
apartment later?  That might make things a little more informal."

     "That'd be fine.  What time?"

     "How's nine thirty?"

     "You got it.  Do you know where I live?"

     "Yes.  You're up next to the Williamses, right?"

     "Yeah.  I'll see you at nine thirty."

     He stuck out his hand and smiled.  "I'll look forward to it, C.Z.  My
first name's Ron, by the way."

     I took his hand and returned the smile.  "See you later, Ron."

                       **********

     It was about nine forty-five when Larsen barked.  I walked over and
opened the door just as Ron was about to knock.  He had changed out of his
uniform into a pair of cargo shorts, blue tee shirt, and sneakers.  His
legs were strong looking and hairy.

     "Come on in.  Meet Larsen, my early warning system."

     Ron handed me a six pack of beer as he bent down to greet Larsen.
Larsen's tail started going a mile a minute.  That was a good sign.
Larsen's an excellent judge of character.

     I pulled two beers off the plastic ring before sticking the others in
the refrigerator.  I handed one of the beers to Ron.

     "Thanks for the beers.  You didn't have to do that."  I indicated for
him to sit down on the couch.

     He sat.  Larsen sat on the floor next to him pleading for a
continuation of the earlier attention.  "You're welcome.  I wanted to talk
to you about the gay bashings, but I also wanted to talk to you about being
gay."

     I sat in the chair opposite him.  "Which do you want to cover first?"

     "Let's talk about being gay.  I know the vandalism and the attack on
you in the shower kind of pushed you into being known around campus as a
gay person.  How did your friends and family react?  What about your
parents?"

     I took a long pull on the beer before answering.  "I lost some
'friends' but most people didn't care one way or the other.  I was still
the same person after I came out as I was before.  As for my parents...I'm
an only child.  My father left us when I was twelve.  I haven't seen him
since, and I don't even have any idea where he is.  He couldn't deal with
my mother's illness.  She died the summer before my senior year in high
school.  Mom knew I was gay.  I think it bothered her at first, but she
never told me that.  I met my lover and partner when I was sixteen.  Mom
liked Andy.  She knew about us and approved.  She even put it in her will
that Andy would be my guardian after she died."

     "I didn't know about your mother.  I'm sorry."

     "Thanks.  It's been three years, but I still really miss her."

     "Is Andy the fella that was with you at the hospital and at the dorm
when your room was vandalized?  He's a good looking man, and he seemed
really nice."

     "Yes.  That's my man, and he is nice.  He got transferred to the
Chicago area last January so we haven't seen very much of each other this
year."

     Ron's last comment about Andy being good looking ricocheted like a
bullet in my mind.  "Ron, are you gay?"

     He looked down at the beer clasped in his hands.  "Yes."

     After a long pause he looked up at me.  "Yes.  I'm gay.  You're the
first person I've told.  I've watched you over the past two years.  You're
a real class act.  I knew I could trust you.  When you said tonight that
you'd grown up in a small town, I figured you'd understand why I've never
told any one."

     "I do understand.  I think several folks back in my home town have
figured out that Andy and I are a couple.  I know my minister and a couple
of buddies from high school have it pegged, but so far we haven't had any
problems.  The only problems have been here."

     "That's encouraging.  I'm just not sure what my folks would do if I
told them.  We go to a real conservative church.  Our pastor has condemned
homosexuals as evildoers.  I also hear a lot of queer jokes from the other
guys on the security force.  I think one of the reasons the investigation
into the gay bashings hasn't gone very far is because the commanders don't
think it's too important."

     "Yeah, I got that impression from what's-his-name, the guy that was
with you when I was in the hospital."

     "You mean Captain Combs.  He's one of the worst.  He was really pissed
when that state trooper showed up.  If the State Police hadn't been
involved, I don't think he would have done anything about the attack on
you.  Can I have another beer?"

     "Sure thing.  They're your beers."  I went to the fridge and returned
with fresh cans for both of us.

     "You were saying that you wanted to start over with the
investigation..."

     He popped the top on his beer.  "Yeah.  I'm going to talk to all the
guys involved again, and I've got an appointment to meet with Trooper
McMillan next week to discuss it.  There has to be something that we
overlooked.  This guy has gotten bolder with each attack.  I'm afraid he'll
kill someone next time."

     "I've thought about that too.  If it's been the same person all along,
they've gotten a lot more dangerous.  Because the last attack was a rape,
do you think the guy could be a repressed homosexual?"

     "I've thought about that too.  Seems to me that a real straight guy
would just deliver a beating.  The rape was a whole new element.  Let's go
back to the beginning.  Tell me about Jason Sherman and Brad Miller."

     I sighed.  "Well, Jason and I started out as roommates.  His dad's a
Baptist preacher down in Charlotte.  I haven't told anyone except Andy, but
Jason and I messed around together a couple of times.  The big blow up came
after Jason got drunk one weekend and said too much to Brad and a couple of
other guys on the football team.  He had to get rid of me as a roommate to
protect himself.  I think he's a guy struggling with his sexuality, but
even with that I don't see him having the meanness necessary to beat
someone or destroy their room and stuff.
  He may be confused about who he is, but he really is a nice guy
underneath."

     "What about Brad Miller?"

     "Brad's another story.  He and I have never hit it off, and I do think
Brad's got a mean streak.  The problem is that when some of the first
things happened he was either out of town or asleep in his dorm room.  Brad
snores like a 747 on take off.  Everybody on the floor could tell you that
they heard Brad sawing logs when the first two things happened with the
stuff sprayed on the door to my room."

     "Miller's had some run-ins with the local police and with Campus
Security.  Mostly drunk and disorderly types of stuff...a couple of barroom
brawls here and there.  He apparently has a quick temper, and that kind of
makes us wonder.  The problem is that he has an alibi for every incident.
None of the other guys we've looked at come anywhere close to having alibis
for every time.  I just..."

     Ron's statement was interrupted by Larsen standing up and barking at
the door.

     "Like I told you.  He's an early warning system."

     I walked over and opened the door.  Jason was standing there, and he
looked awful.

     "Hi, C.Z.  Can I talk to you?"


(To be continued)