Date: Sat, 14 Dec 2002 13:34:18 EST
From: JuilianJ@aol.com
Subject: The Recruiter Part 1 - Military Gay

The Recruiter
By: Julien

This story is 100% fictional and is by no means depictive of the life of
any person, place or thing.  It contains sexual activities between males
and should only be read if it is legal to do so in your area.  Read at your
own risk and enjoy.  Comments are welcomed and would be very much
appreciated.  ENJOY!

	"Why do you want to join?"  I went into the Navy recruiting office
expecting to be signed up right away, no questions asked so I was more than
a little taken aback when the recruiter asked his question.  "Not expecting
that were you?" he asked reading my mind and giving me a smile that I would
no sooner forget.  " Ah, not really, I just thought that all I needed to do
was come in with my mind already made up and that would be the end of
that."  The infectious laughter that followed seemed to take away some of
my nervousness.  "You're not the only one son, I've had at least sixteen or
so guys come in here the last few days with the same attitude-wanting to
join but not knowing why."  "And is that bad?"  He seemed to pause a second
to ponder my question then leaned forward, his elbows propped up on his
desk, "Not really but I want every potential sailor to sign up knowing what
his or her purpose is.  The Navy needs well-focused sailors, not kids that
don't know what they're fighting for."  And he made me wonder if I was
making the right decision.  "Let me take a wild guess, you're here cause
you feel the need to defend your country from Terrorists and the likes, am
I right?"  I didn't even hesitate to answer, "Yes."  "Well I'd like to
applaud you for making the move to come in and talk to a recruiter but I
should let you know that this decision will affect the rest of your life.
We're in a war son and in any war, lives are changed, lives are lost.  Are
you prepared to lay down your life for your fellow Americans?"  I should
have been able to shout yes but I wasn't too sure.  This morning I had
woken up and turned on the news.  Tired of hearing about 9/11 and Iraq and
not being able to do a damn thing about it, I made the decision that I
would sign up now and after graduating from High school, I would join the
rest of the freedom fighters out there trying to make the United States a
better place to live.  A rash decision yes, but one that I would have been
willing to make.  His standing up and walking around to me broke me out of
thought.  "Here, take these pamphlets and read up.  My card is stapled on
the front so when you feel that you are truly ready to do this, I'll be
waiting right here."  I took the leaflets from him and thanked him for his
time.  As I turned to leave he called my name, "Looking to hear from you
Wallace." And then he flashed me a smile and sat back at his desk.

	"You did what?"  My father sat at the head of the table giving me a
disapproving look.  "What in the hell would make you want to go and do a
thing like that?"  "There is nothing wrong with that dad, a lot of kids in
my school are signing up, it's the honorable thing to do."  "Bull shit!"
His hard assed attitude about my decision to join the Navy cut through me
like a knife.  My dad wasn't always the best father in the world but he
could always be counted on to support the decisions that I made.  This
attitude of his came in handy when I declared to him that I was gay not
more than three years ago.  He had given me a gracious look and had hugged
me as I cried out all of my frustrations.  Now again he had managed to
shock me but for a totally different reason.  "Why?"  "Why what?" he
growled not taking his eyes off of mine.  "Why is it bullshit that I want
to defend my country?  It wasn't bullshit when you defended it."  "And this
isn't about me Stephen.  I did what I had to do out of necessity.  It was
Vietnam and I was called to duty, hardly the case here.  Why would you
throw away a potential college career for this, this crap?"  "It's not crap
dad, I want to do this and it's not your decision to make." And with that I
pushed back my chair and ran up to my room as fast as I could.  Tears
threatened to fall from my eyes as I realized that for the first time in my
life, I was prepared to defy my father and go along with a new program.
Not more than twenty minutes later there was a gentle tap at my door.  I
pretended to be sleeping but this by no means stopped my father from
entering.  "Get up Stephen, we need to talk."  Even if I wanted to feign
sleep he would have waited me out.  "Ok but I'm not going to change my
mind."  His face hid whatever feelings he had - the Army seemed to have
done a number on him in Nam.  "Why is this one thing so important, is it
the money?"  I had to admit that was a part of it but not a big part,
"Because if it is, I will get you the money you need for school. I've been
providing for you for the last eighteen years and I'll continue to do it
till the die I die."  "It's not the money dad.  I know we don't have much
and I know you feel that you must do everything to make sure that I succeed
but this is what I want daddy."  And with that he leaned down and embraced
me.  "I just don't want you to get hurt Stephen.  Too much shit can happen
and I won't be there to protect you."  I knew only too well what he was
talking about.  It wasn't all about me getting killed overseas, and while
that was a very real possibility, it wasn't what he feared the most.  He
feared for me, my safety, and my happiness.  Military and Gay just didn't
go well together.  And the fact that I would be confined to a ship for no
less than three years with a majority of males did not do much to ease his
worried mind.  But I tried my best to assure him that I would do my best,
"daddy I know why you're scared and I want to tell you not to worry ok.  Me
being gay has nothing with me wanting to defend my country and my family.
Who knows, I might actually meet your future son in law on some exotic port
somewhere.  With that he laughed and lightly punched my arm.  "Well if
you're sure, go ahead.  Do you have a recruiter yet?"  "Yes."  The look on
my face must have given away my position on that.  "Must be a hunk if he
was you blushing like that, what does he look like?"  "No can do dad,
business not pleasure."  "Ok then, keep your secrets, invite him over and
we all can sit down and talk about this seriously.  If my son wants to
become a sailor well that's what he'll be.  "Thanks Daddy!"

 And that's how it began.  I didn't realize how fast the process could go.
It was like one minute he was meeting my father for the first time and the
next, I was anxiously waiting my shipping date.  In the meantime every
Tuesdays and Thursdays I would join Marcel (my recruiter) as well as other
sailors to be at these meeting held at a nearby Army base.  This was to get
us connected to the reality of life in the military and to get us prepared
for Boot Camp.  I was like a little boy, excited at seeing everything there
was to see and experiencing everything there was to experience.  All of
this had put my dads' mind to ease, not to mention the fact that Marcel
would place weekly phone calls to my father to update him of my progress.
By this point I found myself holding a new found respect and attraction for
the man that had gotten me this far.  Every time he would touch me with his
muscular hands or hold me with those chocolate colored eyes I would about
spring a woody.  About a week before I was due to be shipped out I confided
into my best friend Lillian about my feelings for my recruiter.  "So what
does Mr. True Blue look like?"  "If I tell you, promise me you won't
freak?"  She gave an awkward look and nodded, "Ok, tell me what's so hot
about this one."  "Ok," and taking a deep, deep breath, I spilled the beans
about Mr. Navy Man, "he's 6'2, nicely trimmed mustache, smooth complexion,
hard chest and...and.... and he's black."  Her eyes all but popped out of
her head.  "What, he's not white!"  "That's what I said Lil and you
promised you wouldn't freak out."  "I know Stephen but it's not everyday
that my best friend declares that he's in love with a black guy, not that
there is anything wrong with that, I just didn't know you were interested
in all this interracial craze."  "I'm not but I really, really like him."
"And is that why you're going through with this, so you can spend time with
him?"  The question caught me off guard and I must admit that I was a
little hurt.  "Why would you even think that Lil, you know how much I love
my family and my friends.  Why would you even imply that I'd leave you guys
for four years just to spend time with a straight man that probably has no
tolerance for homosexual sailors."  She leaned over and hugged me, "I'm
sorry Stephen, I'm just being a bitch today.  I know how much this means to
you, protecting us from the outside and I want you to know that I
appreciate and love you for it."  With that she kissed me on the cheek,
"and if Mr. sailor man has a problem with that, he isn't worth your time."

If I said my leaving went off without a hitch I would have been lying.  My
father for the first time broke down and cried in front of Marcel and
continually told me that he loved me.  Embarrassing? Yes.  How I felt?
Like I couldn't be more proud to know that my father, a big time Nam
veteran wasn't ashamed to let everyone know how he felt about his only son.
I hugged him back and told him that I was going to make him proud, "You
already have son, you already have."  And when I turned to Marcel, I held
out my hand expecting him to shake it but instead, he pulled me into a hug.
My woody made like a tree and sprung to life, hitting him I'm sure where he
could feel it the most and my face must have turned a shade brighter but he
didn't say anything.  When I pulled away from him he shook my hand and told
me to be safe and to do my best to which I replied, "I'll do my best SIR!"
He laughed ay my attempt to place him in rank but told me to save my
enthusiasm for the DI's at camp.  And as I boarded the plane, I had to
smile because I knew what I was fighting for and maybe down the line, a
who.

TO BE CONTINUED?
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