Tales of Akron

[In Chapter 21, Mike made a decision about how he would answer the questions "Are you Gay? Queer?" These questions were posed by the president of his company, Horace Hardstone. That night, Mike talked about Hardstone's questions with his lover, Dan, and then they made love. Both had consumed too much wine and the sex was unsatisfactory. The next morning, Mike placed a framed photograph in his briefcase and went to work.]

          The drive from his home in Highland Square to his office in downtown Akron went fast. On cue, lights turned green. Buses and beer trucks didn't block traffic in front of Tangiers. To anyone else, the flow of the traffic, the unblocked lanes of traffic and the green lights would signal this is my day.

          Mike could feel water forming under his hands. His fingers slipped too easily on the wheel. He took a couple of deep breaths. He sighed. He squirmed.

          The parking place in the garage. The briefcase. The car door locked. A slow, purposeful walk into the building. Cross the lobby. Push the button. Step to the back of the elevator. Pat the briefcase. Hold the briefcase to the chest. Steady. Don't give in. Don't give up.

          "Hello, Mike," said Chester Jennings, his one gay friend at the office.

          "Chester, this is going to be a great day," said Mike, with a big, forced smile. "Great day, great day, great day. The sun has come."

          "You got a raise?"

          "No, come to my office. I want to show you something." Mike placed the briefcase on this desk, snapped it open and removed a framed photograph.

          "There... what do you think?" Mike placed the photograph on his desk.

          "Who is that? Your lover?"

          "Yep. Chester, meet Dan. Dan's photograph, meet Chester."

          Chester smiled, "Glad to meet you Dan's photograph. I look forward to meeting the real Dan. He must be quite a man."

          "What do you mean?" Mike asked.

          "Well, just that. He must be quite a man. If he can keep a man with the balls the size of yours happy, he's quite a man. I admire you."

          "It was the only honest thing to do."

          The two stood and looked at each other and then back at the photograph.

          "Let's go to my office," said Chester.

          They strolled down the hall to Chester's bigger and plusher office. Chester led the way into the office.

          "Look at this," Chester said, opening a desk drawer and removing a framed photograph. "This is Greg. We've been together for 10 years. He's been in this desk drawer for five years. But, thanks to you, this is the end of that nonsense." With that, Chester sat the framed photograph of Greg in a space in the bookcase. Chester could sit at his desk and see Greg's photograph.

          "Good place for Greg," said Mike. Your desk is covered with so much clutter that a photograph might get lost there. "He's visible from the bookcase."

          "Maybe it doesn't matter whether you lover's photo is on the desk, or the bookcase or a table. But, it does matter that it's in your office."

          "Well, we'll have to wait a while to find out what Horace Hardstone will say about the redecorating we've done to our offices."

          "Probably won't have to wait too long. He prowls these halls like a gay guy cruising in the baths."

          Both of the guys focused on the photograph of Greg. They smiled in pleasure.

          "Years from now, when we talk of this, and we will..."

          "We won't just be kind. We'll be happy that we were men and took a stand."

          Mike and Chester didn't move. They heard Hardstone's voice. The president of the company was on his morning prowl.

          "Mornin', gents," Hardstone said at the door. "What's going on."

          "Just a little redecorating of the office."

          "Good. Always good to keep the offices up to date."

          With that, President Horace Hardstone moved on to cruise the next office.