Michael Rupured Until Tranks Giving

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. He and your mom get along? No.They divorced when I was in grade school.Mom died ofcancer a few years after I graduated from college.Dad didn t evencome to her funeral.126 Michael Rupured Ouch. Ed slammed on the brakes, barely missing the back of astopped Metro bus. I can take you to pick him up at the airport if you like. Edswerved across three lanes of traffic to make a turn, eliciting raisedmiddle fingers from three taxi drivers and a soccer mom driving aminivan full of small children.Josh tightened his seat belt and clutched the edge of his seat. Uh,that s nice of you, but I can take the Metro. You sure? I don t mind, Ed said, hitting the gas to clear theintersection as the light turned from yellow to red. Yeah, I m sure. Josh wondered if his face was as white as theknuckles clenching the armrest. The Metro station is just a couple ofblocks away.I ll be fine. If you change your mind, just let me know.Hold on! Ed yankedthe steering wheel hard to the left, whipping a U-turn across three lanesof traffic and another forest of raised middle fingers.Horns blaredwhen he stopped suddenly before backing into an empty space at thecurb. We re here!Josh relaxed his grip on the armrest and waited for his pulse toslow back down to something closer to normal before unfastening hisseat belt and exiting the car. Thanks, Ed.You re too kind.They walked half a block up U Street to the entrance of Sala Thai.The aroma of ginger and garlic greeted them at the door, followed byan elegant hostess dressed in a royal-blue silk, floor-length dresscovered with an ornate gold print. Pierson s the name.I have a reservation for two at eight fifteen.The hostess smiled and consulted her reservation book beforeinviting them to follow her to a linen-clothed table.Josh took a seat and looked around. Wow.This place is a lotfancier than the Chinese restaurants where I ve eaten.Ed settled into his seat and picked up the menu. It s a lot fancierthan most Thai places too.I wouldn t take you to a dump for oursecond date, especially since you re paying. How thoughtful of you. Josh gave Ed a teasing look.Ed looked over the menu. Any idea what you want to eat? UNTIL THANKSGIVING 127Josh picked up his menu and scanned across the listings.Nothingwas even vaguely familiar to him.He latched onto the one dish he dheard of before. I think I ll try the pad Thai.The waitress materialized by the table, pen in hand.She wasnearly as elegant as the hostess and wore a red silk dress, nodding andsmiling as she wrote down his order.Ed closed his menu. That s as good a choice as any.I always getthe Pad Prik Khing.I have no idea what it is but love the name.Josh laughed. At least you re consistent.The waitress, still smiling and nodding, but apparently obliviousto the joke, wrote down Ed s order, backed away from the table, andheaded toward the kitchen. So how s Thad? Ed asked. Same as ever.He s such a nice guy.Philip is a lucky man.Ed shrugged. I ve always thought Thad was the lucky one.Josh was taken aback by the comment.Was Ed kidding? Thadwas at least half Philip s age, with great looks and an even betterpersonality.Sure, Philip was nice and obviously had a lot of money, butof the two, Thad could have about anyone he wanted. Why do you saythat? I can only imagine the difference having a gay uncle would havemade when I came out.My father kicked me out when he found outabout me. You re kidding! Josh exclaimed.Thad is Philip s nephew? Hismind raced, trying to recall if either of them had ever said anything tosuggest they were relatives rather than lovers. Nope.Told me he wasn t about to share his house with afaggot.Josh didn t have the heart to clarify that his shock stemmed morefrom the relationship between Thad and Philip than from Ed s fatherkicking him out. I m sorry.How old were you? Sixteen still in high school. Oh my God! What did you do?Ed sighed. I was homeless for a while.Sold my ass on the streetto get enough money to buy food.128 Michael RupuredJosh was speechless.His own coming-out experience and all thedrama with Linda and with his parents had been a walk in the parkcompared to Ed s experience. I m sorry.That s horrible.How did yousurvive? Philip, Ed said. He picked me up one night and brought meback to his place.I thought he was just another dirty old man, butunless you count hugs, he never touched me.The waitress arrived with their food.Josh barely tasted what hewas eating as Ed continued with his story. Philip took me under his wing and let me live with him.He gotme back in school, pulled some strings so I could graduate, and evenpaid for me to go to the University of Maryland.I stayed with him untilI finished college and could afford my own place.I don t know whereI d be without him.He s the most generous man I ve ever known.A lotof gay men in this town could tell you stories about how he helpedthem turn their lives around.Now Josh understood why Ed thought Thad was the lucky one.He wondered how many of the other party guests were Philip sprot�g�s.No wonder everyone loved him so much. I thought Thad and Philip were lovers.Ed laughed. No, Thad s mother and Philip are brother and sister.Thad s parents are great, and as far as Philip is concerned, Thad s asmuch his child as theirs.Josh couldn t stop thinking about Thad. How long have youknown Thad? Since he was thirteen.He came out to his parents while I wasliving with Philip and spent a lot of time at the house.Thad was alwaysa sweet kid.Philip adores him.Everyone does, but as far as I know,he s never had a lover. Why not? Josh asked. I don t know.My personal theory is that it has something to dowith the unconditional love Philip and his parents rain down on him.Ina lot of ways he s been sheltered maybe even a little spoiled.He snever really needed anybody else to make him feel loved.Lots of guyshave tried to land him, but nobody has ever succeeded. UNTIL THANKSGIVING 129 He s never even dated? Oh, yeah.He s gone out with lots of guys and probably evenslept with a few of them.But he s never been seriously involved withanyone.They d have to get by Philip first, and so far, that hasn thappened.Josh thought back to the party and Thad s excitement about Philipliking him [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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