Page 125 of The Texas Sterling Collection
“The hand of a rancher from Texas.”
“What else?” Rod led Wyl on.
“I need a manicure?” Wyl guessed.
“What else?” Rod’s voice grew impatient.
“Uh…”
“Hint. Third finger. Gold and diamond thingy.”
“Oh yes…a wedding ring.”
“Bingo! And what does that mean?”
“I’m taken?”
“That’s a question?” Rod asked, sounding like a Jewish mother.
“I’m taken!” Wyl said confidently with a big smile.
“Ding ding ding ding ding,” Rod teased. “You win the prize.”
Wyl tugged at Rod’s chin and planted a chaste kiss on his lips. “Thank you for taking me.”
“Babe, we’re going to sit in front of a group of people and talk about our relationship and love. Believe me, if anyone is taken, it’s you.”
“Can we eat lunch now? I need a drink.” Wyl used his best 'poor pitiful me'expression.
“Sure, let’s go down to Harvey’s and grab a burger or something.”
A casual walk to Harvey’s turned into an ordeal. The word had spread that they were on Castro Street. Everyone found them fascinating. In the coming week, they’d celebrate Rod’s forty-sixth birthday and Wyl’s forty-first. To the twenty-somethings that made them too old to fall in love or…heaven forbid…enjoy sex. They became theposter childrenfor older gay couples. Male couples smiled and nodded. Even lesbian couples took notice as they saw them featured onThe Advocate'sfront cover. It became increasingly evident that having a peaceful, undisturbed lunch was impossible.
The cowboys were in town, and when they reached Harvey’s, the staff seized upon them and immediately found a table. The entire restaurant fell silent for a moment as everyone briefly stared. The talking started again as people whispered,Do you know who they are? Those are the married ranchers from Texas.Wyl winked at Rod. Rod flashed a broad smile. Then Wyl leaned over and kissed him, and the entire restaurant broke into thunderous applause, complete with wolf whistles. They turned and smiled at everyone as the waiter came over to take their order.
“We’ll start with martinis, rocks, twist. Tito’s, if you stock it. Grey Goose if you don’t. And for lunch, bring a couple of burgers all the way, medium rare, with fries.”
The martinis, Tito’s, appeared almost immediately, and they toasted to their success…and again, the restaurant cheered. While Wyl thought they would garner attention, he never expected sex-symbol celebrity status. They were definitely a sensation.
The burgers arrived, and they ate fast. Partly out of hunger and partly out of a desire to get away from the crowds and back to the peace and quiet of their condo. The waiter came to check on them, and Wyl asked for the check.
“Your lunch is on the house if you’ll sign a copy ofThe Advocateso we can frame it and put it on the wall,” the manager said.
“Sure,” Wyl said, a newfound confidence emerging that was missing twenty minutes earlier.
“Who are you, and what happened todon’t let them get me,Wyl?” Rod chuckled.
“I’m wearing a wedding ring. That means I’m taken.” Wyl grinned, tapping the ring with the thumb of his left hand.
They left the restaurant sated and happy.
The walk back to the bus stop took forever. People who were enamored with Texans and Texan culture stopped them. They shook hands, conversed with people, and autographed covers. They finally got back to the bus stop and caught the bus back to their neighborhood.
The entire Castro Street adventure took four hours. They stepped off the elevator in their penthouse at 4:30.
“I need another martini,” Wyl breathed out, exhausted.
“Me, too! What a hectic afternoon. I never expected that kind of reception.”
