Chapter 12
Dan and Phil slept late the next day. Dan was the first to awaken, and then only because the telephone continued to shrill impatiently even though he tried to ignore the disturbance.
After a few groggy words, he sat up in bed wide awake. After listening for several moments, he cast a pained look toward Phil who, half awake, was listening to the conversation and trying to figure out who was calling.
Dan said little during the long conversation, although he started several times to speak.
It wasn't until the call was nearly over that he said more than half a dozen words.
"I do appreciate your calling," he finally said, "even if it's such a . . . I can't really believe it. Not that I think you're exaggerating, but it seems so out of character. Still, I think that answers the questions I've had about something else that happened."
He listened for a moment then, after commenting, "I'll see you tomorrow, then," hung up.
Without a word Dan pulled on a robe and strode out of the room. A moment later Phil followed him to the kitchen where Dan was measuring a spoonful of instant coffee into a cup.
"Who was on the phone so early, and what did he say that upset you? You are upset, aren't you?"
Without answering, Phil poured hot water into the cup and pushed past Phil to walk into the living room.
Phil took a soft drink from the refrigerator, then followed.
"It must have been something important, to call-"
"It's not early, and I haven't decided how important it really was," Dan said sharply.
"The call was from Sartain."
Before Dan could say more, Phil turned pink but said nothing.
"Why, Phil, why?" "Why what?"
Dan shook his head. "Don't play games, Phil. You know what I'm talking about. Sartain told me you visited him yesterday and offered-offered him anything for a job. Anything!"
"What did he--? "
"He was right in calling. I should have known, but why didn't you tell me? I would have understood. It would have been so much better if you'd told me and not-"
"No, you wouldn't understand," Phil said firmly. "I've tried to explain how I feel about just sitting around, but you don't seem to listen."
"I have listened, but there has been nothing I could do. There aren't many jobs that don't involve something like the union, or putting out. Don't you realize that I'd do anything I could for you?"
"It boils down to the facts you don't want me to do anything but hang around so you can show me off," Phil shouted, the veins on his neck bulging. "You're afraid I'll get involved in something myself and you'll be left out."
"That's not true, Phil," Dan said softly, "but I am responsible for you, and I only-"
"You only want me for yourself, any time you feel like it, and to hell with what I or anybody else thinks. If you really cared for me, you'd let-"
"Let you get involved in something where you'd be expected to go to bed with half the company? Is that what you mean?"
"Okay, so what's so bad about that?" he said. "You're the one who taught me to enjoy sex. Why should you be so damned hoggish. If I want to go to bed with Sartain or anyone else, why shouldn't I? It's my life."
"Is that what you really want? To go to bed, to debase yourself just for some minor job in some second-rate show that might run one night? I thought I taught you-"
"All you taught me was that fucking can be fun, and profitable. If going to bed with someone like Sartain once or twice means I get a job, so what? It's better than sitting around on my ass all day, waiting for you to snap your fingers and drag me home. Why not make the best of it? You're only young once."
"Then you're turning out to be nothing more than a common little whore, like those kids on Forty-second Street."
Phil smiled, but it was a weak smile that failed to cover the sudden hurt at Dan's cutting comparison.
"So what?" he tried to counter. "At least they do what they feel like."
"They're not involved in the theater, and that's something I think is important for you. You're being young and foolish, Phil. You've already been snubbed by Sartain. Doesn't that tell you anything?
"Sure, perhaps I've been too strict with you, but New York isn't like Tulsa. PeopleTl say what you want to hear, until they've gotten from you what they want. Then it's 'Good-bye Phil, what the hell are you still here for?' "
"That makes a nice speech, but about all you seem to do is make speeches about how fine our relationship should be, how we shouldn't be like anybody else. Hell, I'm human. I don't want to sit around all summer on my butt."
"But damn it, Phil, you can't-"
"Don't say can't to me! I can, and I bet I don't have to sleep with half the town, like you keep saying."
He jerked the crumpled slip of paper from his pocket and waved it at Dan.
"Sartain already has recommended me for a job, and he didn't even want me in bed. So what do you think of that, huh? You're just afraid I'm going to run out on you and you won't have any little puppy dog to keep you company at night. Well, the puppy is growing up. He wants to get away from his bitch now and fend for himself."
"I'm sorry, Phil, but I can't let-"
"You don't have much to say about it. I'm going to go get that job."
"Not-"
"I'll get my own place, if you're so afraid I'm gonna ruin your precious reputation," he snarled. "Everybody in the show knows what's been going on between us. All your talk about Greek love is a lot of crap. All you've ever wanted from me is a nice young hunky body to fuck. Why don't you quit kidding yourself? Nobody can really live like that any more. This is the twentieth century. It's an 'I'll-sleep-with-you-and-then-maybe-help-you' world."
"I'm sorry," Dan said, his voice hardly more than a whisper. "I'm sorry that you feel this way. Someday, when you're older, you'll remember this and, I hope, feel ashamed that you ever said-"
"No, damn it, I won't," Phil shouted. "I'm tired of all this talking. It's time for some action. I'm going out this afternoon and get that job, and there's nothing you can do to stop me."
"If you'll just sit down and talk about this calmly, perhaps-"
"No, damn it, I'm sick of talk. That's all we ever do. If you're gonna be so bitchy, then I'll pack my stuff and leave. I'll get a room somewhere."
"Phil, please listen to reason."
"When are you ever going to learn? Are you going to let me go or not?"
Dan shook his head.
"Then I'll move somewhere where I can do what I want," Phil said, and stormed out of the living room, slamming the bedroom door behind him.
For several moments Dan sat stunned, trying to realize what was happening. He finally decided it was best to let Phil go his own way for a few days. It would only take a few days for him to realize that life was not as easy as he thought. If Sartain recommended the producer in the Village, he must be all right.
Phil barely nodded at Dan as he came out of the bedroom, his suitcases in hand, and without a word walked out of the apartment.
Dan sighed; the affair was not progressing at all as he had imagined. But then, that was life. Deep down, he knew that the concepts he had tried to instill in Phil were still alive, even if suppressed by youthful zest.
As he sat in the silent room, the telephone rang.
It was Sartain again.
"I've set up everything with the director. He will definitely give Phil a job, and keep a fatherly eye on him for you. Don't worry about the director, he's happily married although he understands and is sympathetic. You can call him any time to see that Phil's doing the right sort of job."
Dan choked as he explained what had happened, "Well, I'm sorry he's skipped, but he won't get into trouble at that theater, anyway. I'm sure hell be back. He's not the sort to break off a friendship so quickly, I think. He's just angry. Give him a couple of days to cool off, if he can in this damned heat. And you, I suggest going out and having a fling yourself. Keep your mind off worrying about him. He's a big boy now."
Dan thanked Sartain, and then after hanging up fixed himself a drink and sat down somewhat numb over the angry scene that had flared.
He continued to sit and drink for some time. His reverie was interrupted in the middle of the afternoon by a call from a young cast member with whom he'd had coffee several times.
"I'd like to invite you over for supper this evening, and maybe we can talk about my scene in act three," the actor said. "I'd like to have your ideas on how you wanted it played."
Dan chuckled to himself; the scene was going quite nicely. No doubt Sartain had suggested the boy call Dan in an effort to get his mind off Phil.
Dan accepted.
The boy's apartment was a small studio, but tastefully furnished, and he was a surprisingly good cook. After dinner they talked for an hour or so, and then the boy suggested that Dan accompany him to the baths.
"I always hate to go by myself. I feel so decadent," the boy said and giggled.
Dan protested, but the boy insisted. They had talked briefly of Phil, and he also suggested that it would do Dan good to forget the boy briefly.
After another drink they walked over to the baths and, after waiting for several minutes, each took a room.
The boy disappeared into his, after promising to come back to visit Dan if they found cruising dull.
Dan stripped, wrapped the cotton gown around his hips and explored the hallways. It was fairly busy, although not all that many were attractive. Dan didn't really find much interest in any of them. He kept thinking of Phil.
Finally he went back to his room and stretched out on the cot.
Soon he was joined by the actor, Jerry Jackson, who sat on the edge of his cot. They talked and finally Jerry reached over and slipped his hand beneath the thin cover Dan wore and gripped his cock. It immediately began to harden.
"God, why would anybody give this up," Jerry breathed as he leaned over and began sucking Dan's now stiff cock.
Dan lay back quietly as Jerry sent shivers through his body with the expert cocksucking. The actor's hands also were busy tantalizing his thighs and slipping beneath to grip his firm buns and to tease his winking asshole.
The door was slightly ajar, and another young stud soon slipped into the room, fondled Jerry's ass for a moment and then aimed his stiff prod at the fuckhole. Jerry shivered momentarily as the boy's hard cock slid deep within his bowels, then resumed his frantic sucking of Dan's cock.
Somebody else came into the room and reaching over Jerry, felt between Dan's legs until he could plunge a finger deep into his asshole. Dan did not protest, and he crawled onto the bed and lifted Dan's legs so he could slip between them.
Jerry moved around someone's cock still buried in his asshole, so he could suck Dan's dick while the newcomer drove his long, thin rod up his ass.
The man's cock slid into Dan's fluttering asshole with one plunge, although it hurt for a moment as it pushed through the tight opening, then the stranger began frantically corkscrewing his dick deep into Dan. Quickly he reached a climax and, after gasping and crying out, fired his load of cum into Dan's ass, then withdrew.
He was replaced by somebody else, who plunged a fat, short rod into Dan's ass and also started pummeling it.
Dan lost count of the number of strangers who came into the dark room to fuck his willing asshole as Jerry steadfastly sucked on his cock. The first stranger had finished fucking the actor, and others now were taking their turn plugging his ass as Dan's was being plugged.
The wild ass fucking and cocksucking continued for perhaps half an hour until at last Jerry was able to bring Dan to a climax by fondling his balls and burying his cock completely down his throat.
Dan shoved his hips up and moaned as he fired his heavy load of hot sticky mancum into Jerry's hot mouth and throat. The actor sucked frantically to take every drop of cum Dan had to offer.
At almost the same moment the two strangers fucking them also reached climaxes and slammed their cocks deep into their well-lubricating asses.
Finally Jerry slipped off the glistening, softening cock and chased the other strangers from the room.
"What a workout," he sighed as he gingerly sat down on the edge of the cot. "Yeah," Dan said moodily. "But you're still thinking of Phil, right?" "How could you guess?"
Jerry grinned. "It's easy. I've sucked hundreds of cocks, and I can tell when they've got then-heart in enjoying it and when they're just getting their rocks off. You'd much rather have had Phil sucking your dick, right?"
Dan nodded and sat up. "I think I better go."
"You'll be okay? I don't want you to go away mad."
"I'm fine, but I won't be able to sit down for a week. God, I haven't had an orgy like that in years, I guess. Not since I first came to New York."
"Does you good, once in a while. Makes you forget all your problems."
"Yeah, I guess so."
Dan dressed quickly, and after thanking Jerry for the dinner, left the baths.
He walked aimlessly for a while, and at last found himself in the Times Square district strolling through the side streets with their theater marquees casting bright lights across the sidewalk.
How vividly he remembered his first walk down those streets, and how only a few weeks ago he had again enjoyed the thrill of theatrical discovery when he had introduced Phil to the area.
He wondered where Phil was now, what he was doing. God, how he missed that kid. He wondered how long it would be before he would return, admitting that their relationship was more important than a one-night stand. Or would he come back? Dan sighed. He would just have to wait, and hope.