Page 129 of The Texas Sterling Collection
“The first question is: how old are you?”
“I’m glad someone asked that question, Joe. Rod turns forty-six next week, and I turn forty-one. We’re here as testimony that age has no bearing on finding true love and having a great sex life.”
The audience applauded, including whistles and catcalls.
“We’re celebrating our birthdays, one day apart, here in San Francisco. Can you think of a better place to celebrate birthdays?” Rod asked. The audience applauded.
Joe selected another slip of paper from the box. “What is sex like for you two?”
“Incredible,” Wyl said with a grin. Chuckles flowed through the audience. “Everything about Rod is sexy. His focus with those seductive, hazel eyes excites me. Our lovemaking involves a lot of foreplay, not because we old people need extra time to get turned on,” the audience laughed. “But because we get such pleasure from touching, kissing, and fondling, we want those feelings to last.”
“A little story about our trip here will amuse you,” Rod added. “We bought ball caps at Pier 39, needing to protect our heads and faces from the sun and to go incognito since we were being featured on the cover ofThe Advocate. We put on the ball caps, and Wyl found me incredibly sexy. I felt the same way. He blew in my ear on the bus back to our condo, and I could barely get off the bus without my excitement showing. In the private elevator to our condo, we started shedding clothes. We were naked before we got to the bedroom, clothes strewn everywhere. I even found a sock fifteen feet away by the balcony door. Age has nothing to do with it. We turn each other on, and our sex life is incredible.”
“We’ve never reached orgasm individually. It’s always been simultaneous. Not because we try to make it happen, but because we feed off each other’s expressions and words, and orgasm is the ultimate expression of our love.”
The audience applauded as Joe picked another question from the box.
“Do you ever fight?” Joe asked.
Rod responded. “We’ve been through a few heated discussions, but nothing that could be described as a fight. When Wyl gets pouty, I cup his face, tell him I love him more than life itself, and kiss him. We always worked through any misunderstandings we encountered.”
“Rod and I bring our individual strengths to the relationship, and we recognize and embrace the differences. We’re not trying to be twins…”
Rod interrupted, waving his hand back and forth between the two of them, “Pssst…Wyl…notice the way we’re dressed?”
The audience roared with laughter.
“Good one,” Wyl laughed. “What I mean is, neither of us changed. Neither of us tries to be something to please the other. Neither of us expects the other to be someone other than who he is. We totally accept each other and find little reason to fight.”
The audience applauded.
They spent another twenty minutes answering questions before Joe stood to end the session. “I want to thank everyone for coming tonight. And for anyone in the audience who has questions or is troubled by any aspect of gay life or knows someone who is, consider joining our support group. We’ve helped many people. Now, you are welcome to join us in the Fellowship Hall to meet Wyl and Rod. Thank you for coming.”
The audience stood and applauded. After waving their cowboy hats, Rod and Wyl followed Joe off stage.
“Great session, guys,” Joe smiled. “The audience loved you. Let’s go down to Fellowship Hall for the meet-n-greet.”
* * *
The crowd packed the Fellowship Hall. Joe guided them to a small stage at one end of the room. A line formed, and attendees came up to greet them. They chatted briefly with many, shook hands with more, and signed copies ofThe Advocate.
Suddenly, a man stood before them, and an eerie sense ofdéjà vuwashed over Wyl. He felt like he should know the guy. Then it dawned on him. “Stewy?” Wyl asked, a broad smile across his face.
“Hi, Wyl. Yeah, it’s me.” Stewy grinned and offered his hand.
“Rod, it’s Stewy.” Wyl shook Stewy’s hand and turned his attention to Rod. “Stewart Snowdon.”
Rod looked at Stewy, then offered his hand.
“Stewy.” Rod drew out the name. “It’s nice to meet the invisible man.”
Stewy stood about Rod’s height. He had the same stocky build Wyl remembered from high school, although with a bit more fat and a little less muscle. He sported a goatee with a smattering of gray, and his full head of salt-and-pepper hair included more salt than pepper. His eyes sparkled when he smiled, even though his handsome face showed the effects of too much sun.
“Wyl, Rod, meet my partner, Matthew,” Stewy motioned to the handsome guy beside him.
“Hi, Matthew. It’s nice to meet you.” Wyl extended his hand, trying to hide his surprise that Stewy was gay.
“Me too,” Rod said, extending his hand and shaking Matthew’s. “And that solves that mystery.”
