Chapter Forty-Nine - On the Road
B.J. promised that his engagement would change nothing, but of course things changed. He wasn't home every night and he always smelled of Susan when he did come home the next day. He didn't say anything, and I didn't ask; but obviously they were having a sexual relationship whether or not the marriage actually came off. He kept telling me it was only a maybe, nothing for sure.
“We haven't even set a date, Racer. All I can tell you is the PR guys say fan reaction is positive when we appear together at high school functions. It's not just the kids; trheir parents like us, too. We're positive role models.”
“High schoolers are your biggest fans?”
“No, but they're future fans and, as a couple, we say to the guys: be a football fan and you'll get laid a lot by someone like Sue.”
“So she's a big deal and you're not. Beauty and the Beast? Is that the scenario?”
“Kind of … I guess. I don't appeal to guys.”
“You do to me, B. J.”
He liked that and we had a great night together; but he didn't come home the next day. It wasn't so much that he didn't come home; he didn't even call. I know I'm sounding whiny about this, but when you're looking forward to a long night together and you just wait and wait …
George Brightwater called me the next day and I pretended I didn't understand him on the phone. I wanted something to do, like go see him. He didn't so much turn me on as just pay attention to me. Something B. J. wasn't doing.
“See, if you participate in the consortium, Racer, it gives you exposure to residential real estate as well as retail. In a safe way, of course.”
“Safeway? You sound like a grocery store. You got any pictures?”
“Sure. I made a slide presentation. Come on ...” He took me to a conference room I hadn't seen before and projected computer images onto a screen. The shots showed a rolling field and an animated grid of houses placed on it.
“Big houses, George. So close together ...”
“Yes, but arranged so they don't look into each others windows. That's what people want: mansions in the country without any of the countryside thy have to take care of. Oops!” A shot of one of Tommy Lynn's cars, the old Chevy, with somebody polishing it – just the way I polish it. “Sorry. Don't know how that got in here.”
“Somebody new take my car washing job?”
“It's YOU, dummy! Looking very good I might add. Hope you don't mind. Tommy Lynn had me get it blown up and mounted for his office.” George looked around as if somebody was listening and whispered, “I caught Euie looking at it and jacking off.”
The picture didn't look like me. It looked like somebody older. More mature. I told him so. He showed me a few other shots and, sure enough, it was me. I was naked, but the shots were almost G-rated. You had to look to notice it, and nothing much showed. Just me in profile, reaching across the hood and the roof of the Chevy. Ok, nude, but not lewd.
“You're not pissed, are you? I should have told you I was using my phone camera. It's just that one shot that Tommy Lynn really likes; I'll delete the rest.” I shrugged; worse things have happened. “That's it? That's your reaction?” George shook his head. “You're so laid back about everything, Racer. The first time somebody took a nudie of me I tried to kill him.”
“I got other stuff on my mind. B. J. is engaged.”
“Don't you mean B. J. and I are engaged?”
“He's engaged to this chick he works with. He says it's all bullshit for the press and public; but he's fuckin' her a lot.” That shut him up. He just looked at me and didn't know what to say. “Yeah, George, so here's my last check and the house deal sounds ok, if Tommy Lynn agrees.”
“Sure, Race ...” George sounded deflated, as if I had ruined his day.
I drove back to home and hated being alone, which was something new. I never used to mind a little solitude. Time to think. Time to plan. Time to arrange my life; but at this moment I wanted some company. Paul, or Otis, or B. J. Anybody, but not Jared.
“Hey, Racer! Is B. J. here?”
“He's in town working, Jared.”
“I texted him I was coming over. Brought a couple of sandwiches. You want his?” I nodded. “Inside or out?”
“Let's eat on the porch,” I said.
“You're looking very serious,” Jared noted as he spread out as array of sandwich pieces and a couple of Cokes. “B. J. likes mustard, but if you don't these ...” He pointed at two pieces of sub closer to him. “ … have mayo and vinaigrette on them. Some peppers are in the cup. I like 'em. B. J. doesn't.”
“I know. How do you know?”
“Sometimes I come over and we shoot the shit. Mostly about how HARD it is living with his brother. And I don't mean hard in a good way.”
“What does D. J. stand for?”
“He won't tell me. I'm fuckin' him regular and he won't even tell me his name. I lifted his wallet once and looked at his driver's license. No help. It just says D and J with quotation marks around them.” Ok, I admit it. He made me laugh. “And he's so fuckin' huge!”
“His dick?”
“No, I mean he's way taller than I am. His dick's average I guess. So if I'm kissing him, which he really likes, MY dick is poppin' out of his ass half the time. Which he ALSO likes. He likes it when our dicks rub together. I'm starting to think he only tolerates getting fucked so he can rub against my dick.”
I laughed again. “Do your red pubes turn him on?”
Jared had a mouth full he needed to swallow before he could answer. “I don't know. I'm not sure he knows what I look like. We do everything in total darkness. I've never seen him completely naked. Most of what I know about him depends on my sense of touch.”
Jared's domestic life story was improving my mood. “B. J. loves being naked,” I volunteered.
“I know,” Jared said and then regretted it. “I mean … well … there was a time when you were out of the picture … and ...”
“No need to explain.”
“You're lucky. I'm telling you B. J. is so uncomplicated compared to D. J.”
“You think? Then why did he get engaged to this chick Susan?”
“Engaged??? Really!! D. J. said he was working with somebody. That was all.” Jared shook his head in wonder. “Man, these Carteret dudes … And that other brother … T. J. … he's another head case. Or should I say he LIKES head. One time I was suckin' his dick and he groans, 'Oh, suck me, A. J.' That family is like one big queer ZOO!! And by the way DO NOT EVER let A. J. suck your dick.” Jared took another big bite of his sandwich and chewed carefully as if he had been discussing the weather.
I was amazed. “You've had the whole family?”
Jared swallowed and took a gulp of Coke. “Not the Mom.” He let out a small burp. “I gotta eat slower,” he said with emphasis and started stuffing what was left of lunch into the bag he brought it in. “A pass on the peppers? You want to keep them for later?”
“Thanks, no. I'm leaving in a couple of days. They'd go to waste.”
“Ok. And thanks, Racer. You always were level-headed. I think it helps to talk about these things.” He left, walking back toward the Subway, tossing the carefully-collected bag of trash into the street. Call me compulsive. I retrieved it and threw it in Mrs. Luckett's dumpster.
When in need, wash the truck, I always say; the work that was a pleasure for me. It required just enough attention to half engage my mind. This day the other half comtemplated the cluster-fuck that was the Carteret family. I should have asked him about the father. What had Jared done with the father?
While I was working a car I didn't know pulled in and the new guy, Lonnie, got out. I waved and said hey. He came over and introduced himself.
“Lonnie Calthorpe, with an 'e' on the end” he said. “I work in a warehouse this side of Charlottesville.”
We talked a little and then he went inside. He seemed perfectly normal, dressed maybe a little formally for a warehouseman; but so what? Not everybody has to be a slob. I was concluding Otis must have come to the wrong conclusion when he came out onto his doorstep to check his mail wearing a towel around his waist. Ok, I guess; nobody was around and he's be outside just a couple of seconds. He turned to go back inside and the towel fell to the step. He snatched it up and quickly went inside, without a glance at me. Ok, not your everyday event, flashing a nice ass at the world, but it could have been an accident. Right? Right???
I finished up the truck as B. J. pulled into the parking lot. He looked very handsome in what must have been a new suit. It was medium gray showing off his body just right. I followed him inside where he embraced me.
“I'm so glad to see you,” he said before kissing me. He didn't smell of Susan.
“Let me get cleaned up. I'm all dirty from the truck.”
“Ok, meet you on the porch.”
I did hurry. A quick shower and a shave – I didn't want to scrape my beard all over his face. Well, yes I did; but I didn't want it to hurt him. Or leave scratches. He might need to be on TV or something. I pulled on a pair of sweats and a t shirt and went out to the porch.
“Crumbs all over the table. I cleaned it up before we get ants,” B. J. said. He had changed his clothes also and held up two icy glasses.
“Jared came by with some sandwiches,” I told him, explaining the crumbs.
“Whoa! I was hearing all about him at lunch today. Coincidence, huh? D. J. was in town and we grabbed something at a deli. DGS. It's a good place. You should try it.” He sipped the cold vodka. “Ahhh!” he said with satisfaction. “D. J. says they're having problems.”
“Really?” I played innocent.
“Yes, really. He said Jared has turned into a pathological liar. Or maybe he never noticed it before. Or something … Anyway, he got all these fantasy stories about having sex with random people. D. J. doesn't know what to believe … Isn't that weird?”
“Well, at least he didn't announce he's engaged to the chick who works mornings at Subway.” I was sorry the minute I said it.
“Racer,” B. J. sounded weary. “Don't start ...”