Switch

Ethan and Ebony took a side road off the Stuart Highway, for no real reason, other than they could.

They had no real deadline or schedule; they could pretty much do as they liked.

They were mowing down the kilometres on their central Australia trip, and they decided to get off the main highway just to see some of the desert up close and personal.

They hadn’t travelled very far off the main highway when they saw a white car in the distance.

The ute was beside the edge of the dirt road with its bonnet up way out there in the middle of nowhere.

Ethan worked his motor bike down through the gears to see if there was anything he could do to help, as he wasn’t only a lawyer, he was an avid amateur mechanic.

He pulled his Royal Enfield motor bike up with Eboni sitting on the back, and flipped up his helmet visor.

“Anything I can do to help?” Ethan asked. “I’m pretty handy with cars and engines.”

“Yeah, cheers, mate,” said one of the three men standing by the ute. He reached into the back of the ute right at that moment and pulled out a double barrel shot gun, pointing it at Ethan and Eboni. “You can both get off the bike, to start with.”

Eboni inhaled sharply.

The second and third guys pulled out hand guns seemingly from nowhere.

“Okay, mate,” said Ethan. “Sure. We’re getting off.”

Ethan and Eboni got off the motor bike on that dirt road in Central Australia.

“Take the helmets off,” said the second guy standing by the ute.

Ethan and Eboni pulled their helmets off.

The second guy wolf whistled when he saw Eboni.

“What do you want?” asked Eboni.

“Well, lookie here,” said the first guy. “We’ve gone and got ourselves a couple of models. Are you two models?”

“What do you want?” said Ethan.

“What do we want, you ask us what do we want,” said the first guy. “I want peace in the world, I want equality for all, I want a healthy planet, I want a million dollars in the bank and,” he looked closely at the bike, “a Royal Enfield motor bike, you know, probably the same things you want.”

“I want the TattsLotto numbers for next Saturday,” said the second guy.

“I want to touch you,” said the third guy talking for the first time, looking straight at Ethan.

“Get over here,” said the first guy, pointing the shot gun at Ethan, then pointing the end of the gun at his feet. “Hands behind your head.”

“What?” said Ethan.

“Mate, you sound kind of educated to me,” said the first guy. “I don’t think that instruction was too fucken hard to understand, for a smart guy.” He raised the gun up again, pointing it at Ethan. “Now move.”

“Okay, okay,” said Ethan. He walked over to the first guy. 

“Now lie on the ground,” said the guy behind the double barrel shot gun.

Ethan got down on the ground.

“Face down,” said the guy with the shot gun.

“Grab her, Wolf,” said the first guy. Indicating to the second guy to grab Eboni.

“I’m not going to do anything,” said Eboni.

“Sure, Gaz,” said Wolf.

“Yeah, well,” said Gaz, “What is that saying. It’s better to be safe than fucken sorry.”

Wolf grabbed Eboni by the arms.

“Don’t you hurt her,” demanded Ethan. 

Gaz put his foot into the middle of Ethan’s back, and point the shot gun at his head.

“Ethan!” Eboni cried out. 

“You are in no position to demand anything at the moment, buddy,” said Gaz.

“We’re in control now,” said Wolf, as he slipped his hands into the front of Eboni's jeans.

“HEY!” Ethan protested and tried to get up.

"Oh, big guy thinks he has some sort of power," said Gaz.

"He doesn't like his pretty girlfriend making it okay for us to let them go," said Wolf.

"That's okay," said Gaz. "You can take her place pretty boy."

"We cater for all, ah, sorts," said Wolf.

"Juso," said Gaz. He motioned with his head. "You're up."

The third guy, a big, musclebound guy, who had been standing back stepped forward.

"Don't mind if I do, Gaz," said Juso. He reached down and grabbed the back of Ethan's leather motor bike pants. "Fancy." He took hold of the waistband and gave them a huge tug ripping the back out of Ethan's leather pants, exposing Ethan's pristine white underwear."

"Ethan," Eboni cried out.

"Don't worry, little sister, me and Wolf can cater to you, but Juso has always had eyes for the boys."

"The pretty ones too," said Wolf. "Just like your boy here."

Just at that moment, Juso tore the back out of Ethan's undies, exposing his well exercised hairy arse. "Nice," said Juso. "Just how I like 'em." 

“What? Incapacitated,” said Wolf.

Juso licked his finger and inserted into Ethan's anus.

Ethan cried out.

"Ethan," Eboni called out again.

Juso worked his finger in and out of Ethan arsehole.

“Ethan dropped his face into the dirt and moaned in pain.

"Now you give us what we want, that's me and my mate Wolf here, or I can tell you Juso is real keen to stick something other than his finger into your pretty boyfriend."

"What?" said Eboni.

"What?" said Ethan. Pain was still in his voice.

"You can't be serious," said Eboni.

"Deadly," said Gaz.

"I'll do it, I'll do it," said Ethan exhausted.

"A real gentlemen to the end..."

"With his end," said Wolf. He laughed.

"You got a good one there," said Gaz. "It's not too many blokes who'll take the rape for their gyrls."

"Oh, but," said Wolf.

"You better get oclymatised to hairy beef curtains if you wanna see some action," said Gaz. He pointed to Ethan lying face down on the gravel road."

Wolf rubbed his crotch looking down at Ethan too and shrugged. "I've done worse."

"We've all done fucken worse," said Gaz.  He knelt down and took Ethan by the chin. "He sure is a handsome fuck, you've down real good for yourself, girlie." Gaz ran his hand over Ethan's back down to his bare arse, sliding his own finger into Ethan, next to Juso's. 

"Ah FUCK!" Ethan cried out in pain. 

Gaz looked up at Wolf. "I don't think you'd be disappointed." Gaz worked his finger in and out of Ethan, with Juso working his finger in and out of Ethan at the same time. 

“You guys are fucken fucked,” Eboni screamed out.

Ethan screamed out loudly. "OH MY FUCKEN GOD!"

"He's so pretty, I'd even consider sticking it to him."

"Ah, but." Wolf gazed at Eboni.

"Oh, come on, you've let Juso relieve you on more than one occasion, mate."

"Well, that's what gay mates are for," said Wolf. "If there are no chicks around."

Gaz pulled his finger out of Ethan and pointed at Eboni.

"Tie her up," Gaz said to Wolf.

"Okay," said Wolf.

"Hog tie him," Gaz said to Juso. "We might all park our bikes in his bike holder yet."

"Okay," said Juso. He sounded excited.

"And let’s smoke some pot," said Gaz.

"I've got some meth," said Juso.

"Nah," said Gaz. "We'll all be up him if we take meth."

"Yeah," said Juso. "His pretty arse needs our loads.

Wolf laughed.

"Hey, you guys, I've got money," said Ethan. 

"On you?" asked Gaz.

"No. Er? Take the bike, it's worth a lot," said Ethan.

"What would we do with one bike between 3 of us?"

"It's a nice bike," said Wolf.

"I bet ya he looks real pretty riding it," said Juso.

“Tie them up,” said Gaz. “I’m gonna look through the panniers on the bike before we have a smoke.”

“The what?” said Juso.

“Them bags on the side,” said Wolf.

Gaz walked over to the bike and flipped open the panier flap.

“Hey, lookie ‘ere,” said Gaz. He held up a big bag of pot. “We’ll smoke their pot.”

“Any cash?” said Wolf.

“Um, er,” said Gaz. He rummaged through the bike’s bags. “Hey look here.” He pulled out a wallet. He flipped it open. “Not bad. Hundred dollar notes.” 

“Goodo,” said Wolf.

Juso pointed two handguns at Eboni, as Wolf taped Eboni's wrists and ankles with thick, grey duct tape, the same tape covered her mouth. She was left sitting by the side of the road

Wolf pointed the shotgun at Ethan's head as Juso tied Ethan's ankles to his writs behind his back. Ethan's bare, white arse was exposed to the world, his cock and balls lying in the dirt.

"There's a good job done," said Gaz.

"Pity," said Juso.

"We'll get you something to play with on the next job," said Wolf.

"Promise?" said Juso.

"Promise," Gaz and Wolf said together.

Gaz slid 3 ready rolled joints into his mouth and lit all three. He handed one to Wolf, one to Juso, drawing heavily on the last one which he kept for himself.

"Don't mind if I do," said Wolf.

"Ta," said Juso.

The three guys smoked the joints enthusiastically, as if they hadn't tasted pot in a long time.

Gaz dropped his smoked joint on the ground and ground it into the dirt with his shoe.

Wolf flicked his smoked joint high into the sky with a flick of his fore finger and thumb.

Juso tossed his smoked joint aside with little to no care.

“That’s good shit,” said Wolf. “Trust a fancy pretty boy to have more than home fucken grown.”

“Blown my head,” said Juso. “I wanna lick his arse.”

“No way,” said Gaz. “We’d better get going. We’ve been here long enough.”

“Aren’t we going to…”

“Nah, Juso, we’re no gonna...”

“You have to get a fucken room for that shit,” said Wolf. “Jesus fuck.”

“Come on, we gotta go,” said Gaz.

“Ah, but…” said Wolf.

“But what?”

“What about her?” said Wolf.

“What about her?” said Gaz.

“She sure is pretty,” said Wolf.

“No way,” said Gaz. “Let’s go.”

“But you let Juso…”

“Let Juso what?”

“Let Juso touch him.”

“He’s a guy, it doesn’t matter…”

“What?”

“It doesn’t matter with a bloke, they’re okay, but touching a girl is way different,” said Gaz. “Now get in the car and let’s go.”

“But,” said Wolf.

“You are not touching her, not while I’m ‘ere, no way,” said Gaz. “Now let’s go.”

Gaz walked to the driver’s side of the ute. 

“Fuck it.” said Wolf looking from Eboni to Gaz getting into the driver’s side of the ute. “Come on.” Gaz demanded of Juso. “You are in the middle, faggot.”

Juso walked over to Ethan. He exhaled loudly as he looked over the prone man. “Another fucken time.” Then he ran to the ute and got in, in front of Wolf.

Ethan thew himself sideways to try and catch the number plates of the ute before it drove off, only to see for the first time the ute didn’t have any number plates on it.

“Eb?”

Eboni grunted.

“You okay?”

“Eboni grunted again.”

“Can you come over here.”

Eboni got to her feet. She hopped over towards Ethan. She lost her footing and fell heavily on the dirt. She groaned loudly.

“Eb!” Ethan called out.

Eboni groaned again. She got back up on her feet and hopped the rest of the distance to Ethan.

“Lean down here,” said Ethan.

Eboni grunted in a question.

“Get down here, and I’ll try to get the tape off your mouth with my teeth.”

Eboni grunted in a question a gain.

“It’s all we’ve got Eb,” he said. “Get your face up against mine.”

Eboni got down to her knees carefully. Then she lay down with her face against Ethan’s.

“I’m sorry, Eb…”

She grunted as a question again.

“I’m sorry this happened.”

Eboni grunted dismissively. She pushed her face up against Ethans.

“Yes, like that. Bring the corner of the tape to my lips.”

She did.

“Yes, now hold still.” Ethan grunted. Then he grunted again. He got hold of the corner of the tape and ripped it from Eboni’s mouth.

“Oh, Ethan,” Eboni said. She kissed him. Then she kissed him some more. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, Eb, I’m okay.”

“OMG! I can’t believe that this has happened.”

“Eboni, bring your hands up to my mouth. I’ll try to do the same with the tape around your wrists.”

Eboni rolled around onto her side and brought her hands up to Ethan’s mouth.

“There’s an end piece that is sticking up, put that in my mouth.”

Eboni put the end piece of tape in Ethan’s mouth. Ethan took hold of it with his teeth. Eboni pulled her hands sideways until the tape started to unstick from her wrists.

“Yes, good,” said Ethan. “Keep going.”

Eboni put the end of the tape back in Ethan’s mouth and pulled it from her wrists some more. They continued the process.

“Ethan, I’m exhausted.”

“I know, I am to babe. Keep going, though.”

It took a long time. There was more and more grey tape. Ethan would bite down on it, Eboni would pull more tape from her writs. The longer the tape got, the harder the process become.

“We’re nearly there,” said Eboni.

“Yes, we’re nearly there,” said Ethan.

Eventually, Eboni was able to pull her wrists apart.

Eboni let out a yelp as her wrists became untangled.

“Oh, thank god,” said Ethan.

Eboni quickly pulled the thick grey tape from her ankles.

“Eb, believe it, or not, but I have a Swiss army knife in one of the paniers, get that, it will be quicker.”

Eboni quickly got the knife from the motorbike and got to work on Ethan’s tied legs and arms across his back. She cut the ropes, it wasn’t easy, but she seemed to find a steely resolve to cut those ropes free.

“I hate those guys,” said Eboni.

“Yeah, me to.”

She kept cutting.

“I want them to pay.”

“Yes, me to Eb.”

She kept cutting.

“What they did to you…”

“Don’t worry, I’m fine,” said Ethan.

She cut and cut and finally the ropes cam apart. Ethan was able to roll around onto his arse and sit up.

Eboni untied his hands.

“I love you,” Ethan said.

The ropes around his wrists came apart.

Eboni burst into tears. Ethan wrapped his arms around her. “It’s okay, it’s over now.” They held each other tight.

Ethan rubbed Eboni’s face. “Come on, we’re okay. We need to get going.”

“I know, you are right,” Eboni said.

Eboni stood up.

Ethan untied the ropes around his ankles and stood up to. His torn leather pants and underwear fell to the ground.

They hugged again. “I love you,” said Ethan.

“I love you too,” said Eboni.

They kissed tenderly.

“We’re okay,” said Ethan.

“Yes,” said Eboni.

Ethan walked over to the motor bike and pulled a pair of jeans from one of the paniers and pulled them on.

“Ah,” he groaned. “I think my arse is a bit sunburnt.” 

Eboni laughed for the first time. “It hasn’t seen the light of day since Mykonos a year ago.”

“I won the shaved butt competition,” said Ethan.

“I was thinking of the beach,” said Eboni.

Ethan grabbed his and Eboni’s helmets. “Here, we’ve got to go.” The two of them got back on the motorbike and road off.

They rode to the Barrow Creek police station, nearby. They pulled up outside the police station and ran inside.

“How can I help you good people,” said the desk sergeant.

“I’d like to report a robbery,” said Ethan.

“More than a robbery,” said Eboni. “A sexual assault, as well.”

“A robbery. A sexual assault?” said the desk sergeant.”

“Were you sexually assaulted, miss,” said the desk sergeant.

“No, he was.”

“He was?” asked the desk sergeant.

“Yeah, I guess.

“They tore his leather pants off…”

“Leather pants?”

“And they digitally raped him.”

“They what?”

“Two of them,” said Eboni.

“Two, you say.”

“Yes, I guess,” said Ethan.

“Yes, then they tied us up…”

“Tied both of you up?

“Yes,” said Ethan.”

“Yes,” said Eboni.

“And they stole our money,” said Ethan.

“And our…” Eboni stopped herself.

“They stole from you?”

“Yes,” said Ethan.

“They tied us up and left us for dead,” said Eboni.

“In the desert,” said Ethan.

“They, um, sexually assaulted him, not you?” asked the desk sergeant.

“Yes,” said Eboni.

“Then they stole your money, tying you up and leaving you in the desert?”

“Yes,” said Eboni and Ethan together.

“Okay, who and where?” asked the desk sergeant.

“There were three of them,” said Ethan.

“They had guns,” said Eboni.

“We were riding on the back roads,” said Ethan.

“Where?” asked the desk sergeant.

“Oh, um, er… out on the back roads, kilometres south,” said Ethan. “I tripped the counter on my motor bike as we rode here.

“His ripped leather pants mark the spot,” said Eboni.

“Ripped leather pants mark the spot?” questioned the desk sergeant.

“And his underwear,” said Eboni.

“His underwear?” said the desk sergeant.

“Yes, designer. Calvin Klien, I think.” said Eboni

“Yes,” said Ethan.

“His designer underwear?” questions the desk sergeant.

“Yes,” said Eboni.

“You’re not from around here, are you,” says the desk sergeant.

“We’re from Melbourne,” Ethan and Eboni said together.

The sergeant took a deep breath. He left the desk for a moment. He returned with an incident report pad. He selected a pen from a pen holder on the counter.

The desk sergeant started to fill out the details asking Ethan and Eboni questions.

“Okay,” said the desk sergeant. “You are on a motor bike, you say?”

“Yes.”

“How did they, um, stop you?” asked the desk sergeant.

“They had a ute…”

“Can you describe the ute?”

“It was white.”

“White?”

“Yes.”

“Make. Model. Number plates?”

“It was a white ute. It had no numberplates.”

“No number plates?”

“No.”

“Okay.”

“They pretended to be broken down on the side of the road,” said Eboni.

“We stopped to see if we could help,” said Ethan. “I’m a bit of an amateur mechanic.”

“Then they pulled guns,” said Eboni.

“Pulled guns?” repeated the desk sergeant.

“Yes, all three of them,” said Ethan. “A shot gun and two hand guns.”

“So, they were armed?”

“Yes,” said Ethan and Eboni together.

“Did they use names to speak to each other?” asked the desk sergeant.

“Yes,” said Ethan.

“Gaz and Wolf and Juso,” said Eboni.

“Gaz and Wolf and Juso,” repeated desk sergeant. He looked from Eboni back to Ethan.

“Yes,” said Etan and Eboni together.

“They stole your money,” said the desk sergeant. “How much?”

“About $500.”

“$500.”

“Yes,” said Ethan.

“After which they tied you upp and left you out in the desert.”

“Yes,” said Ethan.

“And they sexually assaulted you?”

“Yes,” said Ethan.

“Not you?” asked the desk sergeant. He looked at Eboni.

“No,” said Eboni.

“So… when did the sexual assault happen?” asked the desk sergeant.

“Oh, um,” said Ethan.

“First up,” said Eboni. “As soon as they held us at gun point. Before they robbed us.”

“Before they robbed you?” said the desk sergeant.

“They ripped his leather pants and underwear off. From behind,” said Eboni. “And two of them digitally raped him. The younger musclebound one was said to be into men.”

“Who said that?” said the desk sergeant.

“Gaz and Wolf.”

“The other two?” said the desk sergeant.

“Yes,” said Ethan and Eboni together.

“And they never touched you?”

“No. Well. Kind of threateningly, at the beginning but it was nothing,” said Eboni.

“I think Wolf wanted to,” said Ethan. “But Gaz stopped him.”

“Gaz was the leader,” said Eboni.

“Something about girls being off limits…” said Ethan.

“Oh yes,” said Eboni. “Something about it didn’t matter with guys, but it did with girls.”

“Okay,” said the desk sergeant. He rubbed the sweat from his forehead. “Um, ah, well, Jees. Was anything else stolen other than money?”

“Well, to be completely honest,” said Ethan. “And a bag of pot.”

“You had a bag of pot?” asked the desk sergeant.

“Yeah, just for complete transparency,” said Ethan. “You know what I mean.”

“Had you smoked any of the pot today?” asked the desk sergeant.

“Oh, well, what can I say?”

“Have you two consumed any other drugs today?” The desk sergeant’s attitude seemed to change ever so slightly at this point.

“No,” Ethan and Eboni said together.

“Just a joint for the ride,” said Ethan. “You know, to enhance the experience…”

“Ethan?” said Eboni.

“But that was hours ago.”

“They smoked some of the pot,” said Eboni.

“They? The robbers?” asked the desk sergeant.

“After we were tied up,” said Ethan.

“Before they took off in their ute,” said Eboni.

“The robbers stopped to smoke a joint…”

“Three,” said Ethan.

“Three?” questioned the desk sergeant.

“They had a joint each,” said Eboni.”

“The robbers tied you bother up, they stopped to smoke a joint each, before taking off in the white ute, of undisclosed make and model with no rego plates attached to the vehicle.”

“Yes,” said Ethan and Eboni together.

“And this was after sexually assaulting you, but not you, before all of that?” questioned the desk sergeant.

“Yes,” said Ethan and Eboni together.

“I see,” said the desk sergeant.

“Yes,” said Ethan.

“It is a pretty incredible story,” said the desk sergeant.

“Yes, I guess it is,” said Ethan.

“But that is what happened,” said Eboni.

The desk sergeant wrote more information down on the pad in front of him

“Had you two consumed any other drugs?” asked the desk sergeant.

“No,” said Ethan and Eboni together.

“But you admit to smoking cannabis before taking charge of your motorbike?”

“Well,” said Ethan. He laughed. “It was just…”

“It’s a yes, or no question,” the desk Sergeant stated.

“Yes,” said Ethan.

“So, you would say you were impaired?”

“No,” said Ethan.

“Where were you two headed, when this robbery” he made parenthesis in the air, “took place,” asked the desk sergeant.

“Oh, nowhere in particular,” said Ethan.

“No where in particular?”

“No.”

“Oh, really.” The desk sergeant sounded suspicious.

“Possibly Darwin?” said Ethan.

“Maybe Darwin.”

“Yes, maybe.”

“We’re just touring,” said Eboni.

“Nowhere in particular?” the desk sergeant sounded doubtful. “You say.”

The desk sergeant made notes on the paperwork.

“Do you know any perps by those names?” asked Eboni.

“No.”

“And a trace on the white ute?” asked Ethan.

“Jees, do you know how many white utes we have?”

“No,”

The desk sergeant read through what he’d written.

“So, you’ve taken no other drugs?” he asked.

“No,” said Ethan and Eboni.

“No alcohol?”

“No,” said Ethan and Eboni.

“Okay,” said the desk sergeant.

“We’re the victims here,” said Ethan.

“So, you say,” said the desk sergeant.

“No,” said Eboni. “We don’t say, we are.”

The desk sergeant looked at Eboni and raised his eyebrows.

Ethan looked at Eboni. Eboni looked at Ethan.

“Okay,” said the desk sergeant. “We’ll be in contact.”

“Okay,” said Ethan. “Do we need to stay around?”

“No,” said the desk sergeant. “We’ve got your contact numbers.”

“You don’t need anything further from us?” asked Eboni.

“No,” said the desk sergeant.

“You’ll keep us updated?” asked Ethan.

“Updated?” questioned the desk sergeant.

“On the investigation?” said Ethan.

“The investigation?” questioned the desk sergeant. “Oh, yes, the investigation, yes, of course.”

Ray Sinclair

“Gin!”

“Again!”

“You betcha!”

“You are too good for me!”

“Read ‘em and weep. Ha Ha!”

“I don’t know if I will ever…”

“Oh! Oh?”

“Are you alright?”

“Oh? God! What’s happening? 

“What?

“Suddenly, I don’t feel so…”

“You don’t look…”

Thud!

“Beth!”

“Police? Fire? Or Ambulance?” asked the nasally voice on the other end of the phone.

“Ambulance, Ambulance! Quick! Ambulance,” Ray pleaded.

“I’m so sorry, Ray.”

“Thanks, Leo. Such is life. Hey?”

“It was a beautiful service,” said Leo.

“As far as funerals go, hey,” said Ray. "I haven't seen you since then?"

"No, not since the service."

"Oh, Leo."

“So, Ray… er… mate, what, um?”

“What?”

“What? How? I never asked?”

“A stroke. Then a second stroke.”

“Beth didn’t deserve that.”

“No.”

“Still… what was…um?

“What was what?”

“Er… the age difference?” said Leo.

“Forty years,” said Ray. “But, I never felt it. Never.”

“No?”

“No.”

“No one would have ever picked Beth for 75,” said Leo.

“No, no one ever did.”

Leo ushered Ray into his lounge room.

“What are you going to do with the house?”

“I’m not going to do anything with the house.”

“Don’t you have to…”

“The house is mine. Beth left it to me. I don’t have to do anything with it.”

“It’s going to be expensive…”

“Beth left me everything.”

“Everything?”

“The lot.” Ray laughed self consciously, even he heard it.

“What?” quizzed Leo.

“What? What?” said Ray.

“That laugh. What was that?”

“I don’t know what you mean?”

“You don’t know what I mean?”

“No.”

“How long have we been best friends, Ray?

“Since school.”

“Yes, since school.”

“Twenty years?”

“Longer,” said Leo.

“Okay, longer? So?”

“There is something, that laugh gave it away. I know that laugh.”

“You are talking shit, Leo.”

“No, no I’m not.”

Leo lit a cigarette. He offered one to Ray, which Ray took. They smoked in silence.

“Beth, um, had left half her fortune to me and the other half to her children, except I, um…” Ray stubbed his cigarette out in a dish on the side table between the two of them. “I? Ah? Did a new will.” Ray smiled at Leo waiting for Leo’s reaction.

“Did a new will?” Leo creased his forehead in a question.

“Which left, er, me, um, all the money…” 

“And her children? 

“Well…” Ray held Leo’s questioning gaze and found he couldn’t help but smile.

“And?”

“Nothing.”

“You stole from her children?” asked Leo. 

“No,” said Ray. “Of course not. What kind of person do you think I am?”

Leo raised his eyebrows. 

“It wasn’t theirs,” said Ray. “It was, um.” He tilted his head for effect. “Beth’s.”

“So, you did?” said Leo.

“Did I?”

“Yes, that is what I am asking?”

“That is what you are asking?”

“Yes, that is what I am asking.”

“I took what was mine.”

“Ray?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Ray?” Leo’s voice went up pitch.

“Well, you asked.”

“Didn’t she have a lot of money?” asked Leo.

“Yes. Yes, a lot.”

“Enough for everyone?”

“Well, um, define enough.”

“Plenty for you and her two children to live on for all of your respective lives.”

“Well, that’s a definition.”

“That’s what you just asked for.”

“And you delivered.”

“And the answer would be?”

“Well, yes, yes there is.”

“So wouldn’t it have been fair…”

“Fair?”

“It means…”

“I know what it means.”

“Wouldn’t it have been fair?”

“I do think fair is so over used, don’t you?” said Ray. “Cancel culture and everyone being outraged today.”

“It is the only thing that separates us from the animals…”

“Oh, Leo.”

“The only thing that defines us as a civilised society.”

“Civilised, smivilised.”

“Oh Ray?”

“What?”

“Did you do it?”

“Yes, I pinched the kid’s money. So, kill me.”

“Ray, I will never be able to look at you in the same way again...”

“Do you want a Mustang?”

“Well, yes.”

“A black one?”

“Oh, yes.”

“Well, tell me you still love me.”

“I will always love you, Ray.”

“The kids won’t starve.”

“They won’t?”

“No, Beth gave them plenty of money while she was still alive.”

“She did?”

“Yes,” said Ray. “I’m not a complete monster.”

“Not a complete monster,” said Leo.

“Besides, neither of her kids did what I did for her in the last 15 years of her life.”

“You don’t expect her kids to do that, do you?”

“No, I don’t mean go face down in their mother…”

“Euw!”

“It wasn’t euw!”

“Didn’t you do it for the money?”

“No, I never did it for the money,” said Ray. “I liked her, I really liked her.”

“Careful, you are sounding like whoever that actress was.”

“She was different and interesting and smart and amazing and funny and more than once she took my breath away. I miss her so much.”

“You didn’t do it for the money?”

“No, I never did it for the money.”

“Never?”

“No!” said Ray. “It doesn’t mean I want to lose the money now that I have lost her.”

“I think that much is clear,” said Leo. “So, how?”

“How what?”

“How did you get away with it?”

“I made up a new will.”

“Yes, I know you did that, but how did you do it?”

“Well,” said Ray. “I knew what was in her will, and how she wanted her estate to be divided, despite on numerous occasions how she complained about her kids and how she had provided for them only to be thanked by them being too busy to spend any time with her.”

“Wasn’t that because of you?” said Leo.

“Was it because of me?”

“Didn’t they state on more than one occasion that they weren’t okay with their mother taking up with a younger man?”

“Where did you hear that?”

“From you Ray, from you,” said Leo. “So, wasn’t it?”

“I’m younger than them,” said Ray. “And, they just couldn’t put their mother’s happiness above their own.”

“It was all so sudden, so how?” asked Leo.

“She had the 1st stroke and was put into hospital,” said Ray. “She had a 2nd stroke three days later which killed her.”

“A three day window period?”

“So, after the 1st stroke, I decided just to ask her to sign a new will.”

“So, you did?”

“Yes, I put it in front of her in the hospital and asked her to sign.”

“Which she did?”

“Yes,” said Ray. “Then I took it to my lawyer John Walker and he witnessed her signature.”

“In his office, quite separate to Beth?”

“Yes.”

“It kind of plays with the definition of a witness?”

“Oh, John Walker does anything for me, since I found him a,” Ray made parenthesis in the air with his fingers, “girl, who’d let him dress up in a school girl’s outfit for sex.”

“Is this the same guy who was mayor?”

“Yes, he was mayor, what is your point?”

“Isn’t he married?”

“Happily.”

“You don’t see any problem with that?”

“Um, what? No. We used the same pen, don’t worry.”

“I meant,” said Leo. He waved his hand as if to say never mind. “He was in a position of power based on honesty…”

“Yes, I think the fact that he was mayor worked positively towards believability.”

“Then you lodged it?”

“John did all that.”

“And it was accepted?”

“No drama,” said Ray.”

“Did the kids try to fight it.”

“No, not a peep. I guess they are used to me.” Ray shrugged. “By now?”

“They didn’t suspect?”

“Not for a minute,” said Ray. “And the previous will had stood for 10 years. Longer. They missed out on millions.”

“Where did you two meet?” asked Leo. “You and Beth.”

“I’ve told you that.”

“No.”

“On a golf course,” said Ray. It was a glorious day.”

“On a golf course?”

“Beth was my grandma’s golf buddy,” said Ray. “I used to caddy for gran from time to time.”

“You were caddy?”

“For gran.”

“Golf.”

“Yes, a sexy young caddy towards who Beth made several inappropriate suggestions.”

“What did your gran think?”

“Oh, she didn’t hear.”

“And it went from there, from the golf course?”

“No, not exactly,” said Ray. “Sometime later gran had a dinner party and I offered to be waiter?”

“So, a sexy young waiter now?”

“Dressed up in a waist coat and tight black pants," said Ray. "Beth got drunk and told me she was Mrs Robinson.”

“Did you understand the reference?”

“No, not immediately, but in one of those coincidences that happen all the time in life, the film came on TV and I watched it with mum.”

“So, I am assuming it didn’t lead on from the dinner party, if it took until later to get the Mrs Robinson reference?”

“No, by chance we met in a service station in Nicholson Street sometime after the dinner party, when she was filling up her Mini Cooper and I was putting $5 worth in my big old Mercedes.”

“Just by chance?”

“We laughed at the ridiculousness of our fills.”

“Was that serendipity?”

“She asked me if I was interested in mowing her lawns.”

“Is that a euphemism?”

“No, it’s the house in Victoria Road, you know the lawns it has.”

“Oh, yes?”

“And I mowed her lawns,” said Ray. “She made me coffee and cake afterward, and we got chatting. And I found I liked her. She had interesting things to say.”

“Ah, the young lawn boy.”

“Her husband died in a car accident,” said Ray. “Eventually, a long time after, she told me she hadn’t had sex for 10 years, not since her husband.”

“And your relationship developed from there?”

“We had fun, we laughed,” said Ray. “Sure, she treated me to things. But I liked her, I liked spending time with her. We saw plays, we saw movies, we went bush walking with our dogs, we went on a cruise. She had always wanted to go on a cruise, and she could with me.”

"You and Beth, hey?"

"She was lonely. She was happily married. She was devastated when her husband was killed.” 

“He was killed?”

“In a car. Head on. The other driver was drunk, veered onto his side of the road.”

“She said that I reminded her of him. I think that’s what drew her to me.”

“Not your 20 year old loins?” said Leo.

“Her husband’s name was Ray. And her first boyfriend she dated at uni was Ray too. She said she is a Ray kind of girl.”

“You were made for that role.”

“She kept me while I finished my law degree.”

“Have you always fancied older women?” asked Leo.

“I don’t know, maybe,” said Ray. I always remember thinking Joy Behar was a good sort and was shocked to find out she was nearing 80 years old.”

“Joy Behar off the TV.”

“Yes, from that talk show where all the chicks yap on.”

“So, what happened to Beth? When she got sick?

“We were drinking Mojitos and playing Gin Rummy…”

“Gin Rummy?”

“It’s a card game. You have to get a certain combination of cards that gives you Gin Rummy. And when you get them, you call out Gin!”

“I’ve never heard of it,” said Leo. 

“It’s exciting. Beth screamed out gin! Then she keeled over,” said Ray. “I thought she was kidding, messing about, playing a prank, lying on the floor, but she wasn’t.”

“She’d had the stroke?”

“The first one.”

“So how did you forge her will.”

“John Walker…”

“Your lawyer?”

“Yes, he wrote it up for me.”

“So, what did you tell him?”

“The truth?”

“That you were forging Beth’s will…”

“So, I got everything and the kids got nothing.”

“He didn’t have an ethical issue with that…”

“No, I paid him, he was okay with it.”

“With forgery?”

“He didn’t care, besides, it wasn’t a forgery, not really.”

“How can you say that?”

“John wrote the will. Beth signed it. It’s a real will.”

“But Beth didn’t know what she was signing.”

“Erm...she knew it was a financial document.”

“How did she know that?”

“I told her.”

“What, sign this financial document.”

“Yes, that’s what I asked her.”

“What were her children like?”

“Fiona and Robert.”

“Just the two?”

“They were spoilt, she spoilt them.”

“With a sense of entitlement, no doubt?”

“Oh, um, kind of,” said Ray. “They are just into themselves, and their lives, making money, working the corporate ladder and buying bigger houses and bigger beach houses, the latest cars, sending their kids to private schools.”

“That seems pretty normal.”

“Robert is a big time lawyer with a stay at home wife, Prue, who is so vacuous I feel like I lose IQ points when I have a full conversation with her,” said Ray. “And Fiona is the mayor, or do they call them CEOs now? Of River Council, where her main achievement seems to have been to triple her salary all the while managing to stay in office despite mounting, damning criticism.”

“River Council has been riddled with allegations of corruption.”

“Because she is only there for her own benefit, not unlike the rest of her life. Or the rest of the councillors, for that matter.”

“Just what we need from our public servants.”

“I don’t think that they are, actually, capable of thinking about anyone else.”

“Which cost them?

“Which cost them big time, in this last election.”

“So, what do they think happened to Beth’s money.”

“They think Beth left it all to me.”

“So, you just made the reality fit the perception of reality.”

“Yes, I guess I did.”

“And they were none the wiser?”

“They didn’t approve of me,” said Ray. “But, were happy for me to look after Beth so they didn’t have to.”

“What are you going to do now?” asked Leo.

“I don’t know,” said Ray. “I don’t know.”

“Find another Beth?”

“Ha ha. As if.”

“You shouldn’t lose hope.”

“Live happily ever after,” said Ray. “That’s all that’s left.”

“What else is there to do?” said Leo.

“What else, indeed,” said Ray.

“At least you have Beth’s money to keep you warm,” said Leo.

“You know, it was never about the money. It was always about nothing changing. I just wanted life to go on as unchanged as much as I could make it.”

“Without Beth?”

“I can’t change that,” said Ray. “But I could change the rest.”

“Or stop it changing?” said Leo.

“I’d give up all of it to have Beth back,” said Ray. “Like that.” He clicked his fingers.

“I know you would, Ray.”

A Fit Lad With A Basket Of Fruit

The photo was of Will naked holding a fruit basket in front of him with his cock and balls in the basket like they were fruit.

The caption read, “I love it when my fit lad brings me a basket of fruit.”

And there was Will, smiling, seemingly appearing to be offering up his genitals to the photographer.

Will’s dad was surprised and really taken a back when he opened the image from the email he’d just received titled A Fit Lad With A Basket Full Of Fruit. Will’s dad didn’t know what to make of it, seeing his youngest boy as naked as the day he was born, well, not quite the same naked as that.

“Hey Will, can you come here for a minute?” Will’s dad called out to his son.

Will entered the room. “What is it?”

“Oh, um, I just got this photo of you…”

“You what,” said Will. “What do you mean?” Will says as he walks around the desk.

“From someone named…”

“Oh Jesus,” said Will. “Otto,” he said.

“Yes, Otto,” said Will’s dad. “Who is Otto? Why does he have this photo of you? And why has he sent it to me?”

“I um…”

“You are his fit… lad?”

“Well, dad…”

“You are offering your…”

“I was his… um?”

“You were his?”

“Yes, dad. Otto and I were… um… boyfriends.”

“Boyfriends?”

“We split up because I hadn’t told you and mum.”

“That you were boyfriends?”

“Yes?”

“For how long.”

“Oh, um, a year.”

“A year?”

“Otto wanted me to tell you and I hadn’t and he was pissed off about it…”

“You didn’t tell us.”

“No,” said Will. “And I guess this is his way of getting back at me.”

“For not telling us… um… er…”

“Yes.”

Will and his dad gazed at each other silently and with stillness.

“That’s okay,” said Will’s dad. “I still love you. Whatever makes you happy, Will.”

He took Will in his arms and hugged him.

“It’s a modern world, Will. It’s not such a big deal now.”

Will didn’t quite understand his father, and his father must have seen the look on Will’s face. “I mean. You’ll be okay in the world now. The world is okay with it.”

“Gay dad,” said Will. “Gay, you can say it.”

“Yeah, Will, Gay. I get it. You like boys.”

“Men,” said Will. “Men.”

“Yeah. Sure. I meant…” His dad smiled at Will. “I’m on your side.”

“Yeah. Sorry. Thanks, dad.”

“It’s okay,” said Will’s dad.

They gazed at each other, Will and his dad. Will wanted to say more, but his head was spinning.

“So… okay?” said Will.

“Yeah,” said Will’s dad. “As long… ah… as I don’t hear that you are going,” he made gestures in the air with his fingers, “‘girl’ for the lads in the area.’”

“What?” said Will.

“I know what the lads are like.” Will’s dad laughed, rather self-consciously Will thought. “They don’t care.”

“Don’t care?”

“You know, a hole is a hole.”

“Dad!”

“Well, you’re not, are you?”

“Not what?”

“You know… letting the lads… have their way.”

“But I want them to,” Will made gestures in the air, “‘have their way’ that’s how we… get together.”

“But not all the lads,” said his dad. “You know, doing it to you.”

“Dad!” exclaimed Will. “What sort of opinion do you have of me.”

“I just know what lads are like when they go sniffing around for it.” His dad pulled a face. “They don’t care… except for themselves. I’m sure… ah…”

“Gay?”

“Gay lads are the same.”

“Dad?”

“You’ve got to look after yourself,” said Will’s dad. “I’ve got to look after you, you’re my son.”

“Do you ask the same of Sam or Jon?”

“Well, no,” said Will’s dad. “But your brothers are hardly going to be over powered by women.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Oh Will, they are fit strong boys.”

Will questioned his dad with a look.

“All three of you are, but you are dealing with other men, and men can be physically brutal. Look at what they do to women. Why wouldn’t I worry about them hurting you.”

“I’m not a woman, dad.”

“Oh Will, I know that. Can’t I worry about you without you getting all bent out of shape. Guys are tough.”

“I’m tough.”

“They hurt each other.”

“I’m not some weedy kid.”

“Oh Will, you’ll always be my little boy.”

“Dad.”

“Come here.” He held out his arms. Will naturally fell into his dad’s embrace, just like he always had.

“I’m on your side, buddy. Don’t fight it.” Will’s dad rubbed his hand through the hair on the back of his son’s head. “I’m cool with whatever makes you happy, Will.”

“Thanks dad.” Will started to sob.

“There, there, now we all know, it will be much easier,” said Will’s dad. “I am assuming Sam and Jon already know.”

“Yeah, they do.”

“What did they say?”

“Nothing. No big deal.”

“Oh,” said Will’s dad.

“Jon wants to hook me up with his mate Jack’s gay brother Luke.”

“Luke Kennedy’s gay?”

“Yep. Luke’s gay.”

“Oh.”

“Jon thinks we’d make a nice couple.”

“Jon does?”

“Yeah, dad.”

“You and Luke?”

“Yep.”

“Er… do you like Luke?”

Will shrugged. “Maybe?”

“Luke?”

“Maybe, he’d be good for…” Will couldn’t help but smile at the thought he was sharing the fact that he fancied Luke Kennedy with his father.

“Oh, I see,” said his dad. “You… just… want to sleep with Luke.”

“Ah… um… well, not so much sleeping.”

“Yeah, sure,” said Will’s dad. “So…um?”

“So… um?”

“Do you ring him up? Do you make a date? I’m guessing you probably don’t take him flowers?”

“Maybe,” said Will.

“Do you wait for him to be drunk at a family BBQ?”

“Dad.”

“Well, I don’t know how these things work. How does Luke know you are… um…?”

“Interested?”

“Up for it?”

“I guess I have to tell him.”

“So, Luke Kennedy hey?”

“Maybe.”

“With girls and boys there is some basic thought that they could be interested,” said Will’s dad. “But, I guess, with you, and let’s say Luke, you have to really start from scratch.”

“Something like that,” said Will. “But kids of the same age usually know who’s gay and who isn’t more so that their parent’s generation.”

“What has Sam said?”

“Not much,” said Will. “But when does Sam ever say much?”

“I thought he might say more to you and Jon, even if he doesn’t say much to the rest of the world.”

“He said, so you like hairy bums, do you, or something like that.”

“That’s all he said?”

“Yeah, well, pretty much.”

“So do you?” asked Will’s dad.”

“Maybe,” said Will. “I… mean… depends who…” Will smiled, he couldn’t help it, “Yes, fuck it, yes I do.”

“Okay,” said his dad. “There’s something.”

Sam walks into the room.

“So, are you guys still having the fag talk?”

“Sam!” scolded their dad.

“Oh, you know, the gay talk?”

“Yes,” said Will.

“About time,” said Sam. “I don’t know what the big deal is?”

“That’s because you’re not gay,” said Will.

“Not gay, are gay, what’s the difference,” said Sam. “Just come out with it, why has it taken so long?”

“Why? How long have you guys known?”

“Oh, um?” stuttered Will.

“Years,” said Sam. “When did I catch you sucking off Jimmy Little?”

“Jimmy Little?” questioned their dad.

“Shut up,” said Will.

“Both with their pants around their ankles,” said Sam. “Jimmy’s dick in Will’s mouth.”

“Seriously?” said Will. “Piss off!”

“Both as hard as you like,” said Sam.

“Fuck you, Sam,” said Will.

Jon comes to the door. “Don’t forget the cow eyes for Liam Rogers.”

“Oh, come on,” said Will.

“Remember Will following Liam about,” said Jon.

“Oh, yeah, I forgot about that,” said Sam

“Seriously, I hate you two,” said Will.

Sam laughed. “Jesus, you get all bent out of shape over nothing,” he said. “We’ve known for a few years.”

“So, is that how long you have taken to tell me and your mum?”

“Yeah, I guess,” said Will. “Longer, I guess, I’ve known for longer than these big mouths have known,” said Will. He was indicating Sam.

“How long have you known?” asked Will’s dad.

“Since, I was a kid? I’ve always known, I guess.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” asked Will’s dad.

“Why didn’t I tell you?” said Will. “I’ve got to tell myself first.”

“Yes, I guess,” said Will’s dad. “Well, you better go tell your mum.”

Will’s mum was in the kitchen making lunch.

“Mum?” said Will from the door.

“Yes, honey.” Will’s mum looked up momentarily from the salad she was preparing. 

Will stood in the doorway.

Will’s mum stopped what she was doing as she gazed at her youngest son. “Will?”

“Um?” said Will. His voice clagged in the back of his throat.

“What is it, darling,” said Will’s mum in a soft, soothing mum tone, holding a knife in one hand and an avocado in the other.

“I’ve got something to tell you?” said Will.

Will’s mum put down the knife and the avocado, she picked up a towel and wiped her hands.

“I’m…” said Will.

Silence.

“Your?” said Will’s mum.

Silence.

“I’m gay,” said Will.

“Oh, Will,” said Will’s mum.

“I think I have always been gay,” said Will.

“Yes, Will,” said Will’s mum.

“It’s something I want you to know,” said Will.

“Yes, Will,” said Will’s mum.

They walked towards each other. Will’s mum took her youngest son in her arms and hugged him.

“Do you want to say anything else?” said Will.

“Oh, Will, I don’t know how to put this, as I’m sure this is hard for you,” said Will’s mum. “But, just now, I thought you were going to tell me something was wrong, really wrong with you, and I don’t want to lesson what you are going through, but, to tell you the truth, I am relieved there isn’t something wrong with you. Darling.”

“Oh mum.” Will pulled his head back and looked at his mum with tears in his eyes. “Thanks mum.”

Will’s mum ran her hand through the front of her 18 year old son’s hair. “Darling, gay, straight, trans, oh, no, not trans. Oh, yes trans, if you were trans…”

“Mum!” said Will.

“Darling, gay or straight, you are still my boy, and I love you just the same.”

“Mum.” Will hugged his mum.

“And I’ll love your boyfriends, is there a boyfriend?”

“No,” said Will.

“I’ll love them just the same as I would love a girlfriend.”

“There was a boyfriend…”

“Oh.”

“He dumped me because I hadn’t told you and dad.”

“Have you told your father?”

“My ex sent him a naked photo of me, that’s how dad found out.”

“Is that revenge porn that I have been reading about?”

“I guess. He may have sent it to you too.”

“Oh, well nothing I haven’t seen before.”

“Mum.”

His mum smiled at her son. She shrugged.

“So, any emails from Otto.”

“Got it.”

“Just don’t open it.”

“Do Sam and Jon know?”

“Yes, those two clowns know.”

“Those two clowns?”

“Oh, they are telling dad stories.”

“That’s what bother’s do, darling.”

“Gay stories about me.”

“How long have they known?”

“They’ve known for a while.”

“Sam and Jon?”

“Yes,” said Will. “They never thought anything of it until this morning when they got to tell dad stories about me.”

“Oh well, darling, you’d miss them if they weren’t around.”

“No, not really.”

“What stories did they tell.”

“Oh, that doesn’t matter now,” said Will. “I’m sure dad will tell you.”

“Will he.” Will’s mum laughs self consciously.

Sam entered the room. “You guys done?”

“Sam?” questioned Will’s mum.

“You done with the gay talk,” said Jon, entering the room. “What’s for lunch.”

“Can you two give us a minute.”

“It’s okay,” said Will.

“It’s okay,” said Sam.

“It makes no difference,” said Jon.

Will’s dad entered the kitchen. “Darling, I have a great new shot to show you of your baby boy.”

“Dad!” said Will.

“It’s okay,” said Will’s mum. “I probably don’t need to see Will naked.”

“Sorry, I couldn’t resist,” said Will’s dad.

“When are we going to stop all the gay talk about Will?” said Jon.

“Yeh, come on, we’re starving,” said Sam.

Sampling Moonlight

It was the end of first year uni. I never really thought I’d get there, but I did. We did. It had been a long couple of years.

So, I went away with some friends. Some of my friends were friends from uni, some of them were friends from school. We all met up together, flew out together for a week. A couple of people met us there, we were staying at a nice hotel on the beach in Cairns.

The first day we were there we all landed in the afternoon, it wasn’t too long a flight so we weren’t that tired. We get in, we check in, we put all our stuff, our bags, our luggage and everything, into our hotel rooms. We spent some time just kind of getting adjusted, shaking off the ‘getting there,’ thing. 

It had taken a little while to check in, they hadn’t lost our reservations, or anything, but they were kind of like slow, the hotel was a little crazy, so it took them a little while to find everything and get us prepared, there were a few of us in our group, so we are really happy to be at our rooms. 

We drop everything off, get unpacked a bit and then decided we weren’t there for very long so we just kinda wanted to get started on our holiday, time away, so we get changed, put our bathing suits on and we head out to the pool and we’re at the pool in under 30 minutes after checking in. So, I guess it didn’t, actually, take too long.

So, we are all hanging out playing around the pool, we had had a few drinks, we went to the bar got a few drinks, and headed over to the massive pool. It was a pretty big hotel. They had different pools, but this was the biggest, and we all meet up, gathered around, there is a bunch of those like little like banana leaf cabanas. I don’t know what you call them just like a thatched roof with a bunch of beach chairs underneath, there is a ton of those everywhere, so we grab a couple of the free ones. We all set our towels out. We chat for a bit, everybody is in their bathing suits, it’s a good time and once we get all kind of settled in a few of our friends decided that they wanted to go swimming so they’re swimming in the pool. A few of my friend’s headed over to the bar so they’re going to get a few more drinks. I already had a couple, so I wasn’t really feeling like more, and it was just me and one of the other friends and we just decided we wanted to hang out so we’re just sitting under the cabana and chilling. 

It was pretty peak summer, the middle of summer, so it was bright and sunny and I am not about to get sunburn and risk skin cancer, so me and my friend decided that we were just gonna lather up in sunscreen, even though we were sitting under the umbrella, we wanted to go on a walk later and eventually the sun was gonna start setting, so we just didn’t want our vacation to be ruined on the first day we were there by getting sunburn, so I decided to help lotion us up. We got our arms and legs. I got his back and shoulders. And then he spent a few minutes getting my back and shoulders.

And I remember sitting on the beach chair under the cabana in my tiny little swimsuit and my friend was rubbing lotion into my shoulders and I looked up and a group of these really hot guys walked by, they’re about my height maybe like 185 centimetres, tall, lean, muscles, ah, they’re all walking by I just caught a glimpse of them, a couple with dark hair and one with this kind of shaggy blonde hair. I didn’t think too much of it at the time, but definitely like some eye candy. There were a lot of really attractive people there at the hotel. 

I finish getting sunscreen and then me and my friend just kind of sat and hung out there and chatted for maybe a couple hours chilling. Sun glasses, banana lounges, and nothing to do. Watching the world walk by.

Everybody meets back up and decided that it’s time to get dinner, so we go and eat together. We go back to our rooms, after dinner, we shower off, get changed, I stay in my swimsuit and then we all meet back out by the pool and by this time the sun had set, it wasn’t quite dark but it was kind of getting dark, but still warm in the tropics. So then we’re all just kind of sitting by the pool chatting, there’s a lot less people there, which I really like, it was pretty crowded earlier, so there’s a lot less people and we’re just kinda hanging out chatting, whatever. Then some of our friends are going back to their hotel rooms. Some of them are just staying, it was a pretty chilled vibe. You know that holiday feeling, you know that first day of holidays, you know, when you feel like you have all the time in the world, and the night stretches out, and it just keeps stretching out like it’s never gonna end.

So, it was at this point, there was a kind of a lull in the conversation, and I decided to log into a few of the apps, scroll through them, check around see who’s at the resort. You know, as you do. Some friends were saying good night. Maybe, I was getting a little bored talking to my friends, by this stage, the vibe had lulled, like I said before some of them were already heading back to the rooms, getting ready to sleep. I’m such a night owl, I wasn’t gonna be going to bed. So, I’m looking at the app, scrolling through, getting a few messages, sending a few messages. Seeing who’s out there.

I get a message from this profile that was basically just a headless torso and we start chatting. He was a pretty attractive torso, chuckle, as far as torsos go. He had some abs, that was kind of what caught my attention, were the abs in his profile picture. He had a nice chest, he was toned. We were messaging back-and-forth, he was also studying to be a writer, like me, we talked about our gym routines, what he did, what I did. We were both at the same hotel so we decided that after chatting for a while we wanted to meet up. He wasn’t feeling like calling it a night. First it was the abs and then we study the same thing and I’m like I’m not gonna miss the opportunity to hang out with a gym boy who writes at a beach in Cairns like I’m just not gonna miss that opportunity.

So, after chatting, we decided we’re gonna meet up and I told my friends that I’m getting tired and I think I’m just gonna call it a night, so I get up, and leave. They’re all kind of chatting so they don’t even really notice me getting up and leaving, which is good, because if they were paying closer attention they could obviously see that I wasn’t walking back to my room, that I was walking towards the beach and the hotel was right on the beach so it wasn’t like some long walk. The night was still, just the rumble of the waves as I walked towards the beach. The moon was bright in the sky. The beach was kind of long out the front of the resort stretching in each direction. 

I see that the guy was already waiting for me, it had to be him, I never thought that it wasn’t.

I go up to him.

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

It’s clear we are nervous. I hold out my hand. He holds out his arms. We both pull back.

“Andy.”

“Jack.”

We hug, he initiates it. I’m wearing my swimsuit he’s wearing his swimsuit, we’re already shirtless, hugging, so there’s like a spark there, well for me there was.

“Who are you here with?” 

“Mates. You?”

“Yeah, mates too. The end of year thing.”

“Yeah, me too, end of year.”

“I’ve had a good time.”

“I just got here today.”

“Where are you from?”

“Melbourne.”

“Yeah, me too Melbourne.”

He smiled. I felt my face crease into a smile too.

And pretty quickly I realise that the guy looked kind of familiar.

“We’ve all being hanging out all day.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“I just needed to stretch my legs.”

“Get the blood flowing. Walk off the booze.”

“Yeah, me too.”

Then it clicked, that he was one of the hot guys who was walking by me while I was getting lotion applied by my mate, and it was the guy with the shaggy blonde hair and he was very good looking. Like I said, he was just in his swimsuit. It was a little bigger than mine but you could definitely see like he had the abs going on. His hair was a little wet from having been swimming. He was just a great looking guy. He was my height, maybe like 180/185 or something, but he definitely, ah, he definitely had some more muscle than me so he’s a pretty good looking guy. 

“You wanna go for a walk?”

“Yes, sure.”

“Down the beach?”

“Yeah.”

It was really nice. It was kind of romantic, the moon was out, it wasn’t quite full, but it was pretty full, so it was bright, there weren’t any lights on the beach. Nobody else was on the beach, just the moon lit glow of the night, which was just fine, it was light enough that we could see, but dark enough for some privacy and there not being many people there was kind of perfect.

“So, what do you write?”

“Um, fiction.”

“Yeah, I assumed that, but what kind?”

“Oh, ah, science fiction, I like to write science fiction.”

“Oh wow. Create your own worlds and that kind of stuff.”

“Yeah, sure. I find it easier, making everything up.”

“They say that science fiction writers are trying to escape from their own lives…”

“Who says that?”

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe I just made that up,” I said. “Maybe I just wondered if that was the case.”

He laughed. “What do you write?”

“Oh, um, I’m the least likely to succeed?”

“You write romance?” He said questioningly.

“No!” I said.

“I guess romance writers can make a lot, all those angst filled teenage girls.”

“I’m a poet.”

“Ah, the most noble of the writers…”

“Who says that?”

“Maybe, I just made that up myself?”

We weren’t looking for anything specifically, like I personally, wasn’t looking for anything too intense. I was pretty new to this whole thing. First year out of school, first year out. I was just looking for someone to hang out with and that’s kind of the vibe he was giving off so we’re having a nice time chatting, walking on the beach.

“What uni you going to?”

“Melbourne.”

“Oh, the Hoi polloi,” I said. I laughed.

“Shut up?” he said.

“Oh, I’m just stirring you,” I said. “Just jealous, I guess.”

“Where are you?”

“RMIT.”

“Good writing school at RMIT I hear.”

“Yeah, it’s why I wanted to go there, I’d heard good things”

it was a nice time, we’re getting along. He’s funny, I’m laughing. He has a really nice smile. It was really great to feel so free. We are walking for about 20 minutes, so we’re chatting for all that time, not too many silent pauses, he’s telling me about his life. He was from Park Orchards. He went to a really nice eastern suburbs private school. He was in one of those kind of rich old boy’s schools, he was telling me. No wonder he got into Melbourne Uni. I was commenting on his muscles and he was telling me how he got those muscles from sailing and rowing, which are like kind of rich private school sports, which like, obviously, I wasn’t into, because that was not the background I came from, so he’s telling me all about that and I’m kinda like envious at this point.

We stop and we gaze out to sea. The moon is bright in the sky, reflecting across the water. We turn and head back. And when we’re pretty close to the hotel he takes my hand and leads me over to one of the beach cabanas which is kind of the same thing as around the pool. It’s basically like a huge umbrella with beach chairs under it except these ones were actually on the beach rather than at the pool, so it’s pretty dark, it’s light enough because of the moon but the cabanas were big enough that it was basically pitch black out of the moon light, so he leads me to one of those.

We’re just kind of chatting. We sit down on beach chairs, just kinda of, whatever, going back-and-forth, we start holding hands. It was pretty cute, 

“So, what do you wanna be?”

“What? I said. “When I grow up?”

“When you finish uni?”

“A writer, of course.”

“The great Australian novel.”

“Poetic novel, sure, why not.”

“Yeah, why not,” he said. “Me too.”

“Can you say that to anyone, that you are a writer?”

“No,” he said. “How about you?”

“Not a soul,” I say. “Truthfully, you’ve been the only one I have been brave enough to say it to.”

“Do you think that it is delusional?”

“What is it they say, if only 10% of actors ever make it as actors,” I said. “The statistics for writer’s are 100 times worse.”

“Don’t say that.”

“That’s what they say.”

“I don’t have a plan B.”

“Me either,” I said. “No plan B.”

“I’d rather be broke and happy doing what I want to do, than miserable doing something I don’t like.”

“Yes,” I said, as inadequate as that was. I wanted to do what I love, I wasn’t so sure about being broke.

“Besides, I’ll have a degree, and I’ll be in my early twenties, I reckon I’ll have plenty of time. And, I just have to give what I love a shot.”

Doing what you love. Isn’t that what they say, do what you love and the rest takes care of itself?

I gazed out at the silvery stripe stretching out to the horizon.

“What are you writing?” I asked.

“A 3 generational saga called The Search.”

“3 generational?”

“Yes, The God Bokaious, The Great Bokkar and Little Bok, grandfather, son, and grandson. They intergalactic warriors.”

“And what are they searching for?”

“The truth, of course.”

“What truth?”

“I haven’t worked that out yet.” He laughed. He had a great laugh. “What are you writing?”

“Poetry.”

“Well, give us some.”

“Oh, okay.”

I remember

your mouth,

the sparkle in your eyes?

Your intoxication

of me

I remember that the best.

Your desire

of my mind,

less than of my body,

as it should be,

with your spit

on my skin.

Your mouth on mine.

Your face.

Such a handsome face.

I remember it well

– do you remember mine?

Would you remember me fully clothed?

Passing by

in the street?

I remember the feel

of your hand,

on my heart,

your breath,

the saliva on your lips.

Your sweet taste.

Your groans,

and spasms so strong.

The mess you made,

when you were done.

And then saying good bye,

wondering what you think?

Would I ever

see you again?

There is joy 

and there are tears in

one night stand.

“Wow,” he said.

“One Night Stand,” I said.

“Yours?”

“Oh, um?” I could feel my face burn with a blush, which of course, he couldn’t see.

You could hear the ocean in the background, we had sand between our toes, neither of us were wearing shoes, neither of us were wearing shirts. 

“I’ve got a joint,” he said. Just suddenly, which is not really a big deal for me now, but back then then it was kind of a big deal ‘cause I was still pretty new to it all, it was pretty early on in uni, I hadn’t done it very much so I was really hesitant to like smoke with a guy, especially in public at a beach but I think that’s kind of what got me so caught up in the moment was all the stuff going on, interesting stuff, ideas, me, him, I’d never really chatted writing to a stranger before.

“Why not,” I said.

I was out of my home state, we were on a really nice beach. The moon was full, it was gorgeous outside, we were in this really cool setting, it felt good chatting to this guy.

He lit it up. He took a succession of puffs then handed it to me and I just like did the same thing, puff, puff, puff, then I handed it back to him.

“Do you worry about the future?”

“The future of the planet?”

“Nah, we’ve got no control over that,” he said. “No, our future? How can we know what we’re going to be, um, successful at?”

“At which…”

“We’re going to be successful.”

We both laughed.

“I’m gonna be a bloody great success,” I said. I wondered where that was coming from, was I stoned already. My eye lids felt heavy.

“Good for you,” he said. “Can we hang out together so I can share in some of your positivity? Ride your coat tails…”

“Oh, I’m not normally the positive one…”

“Well, you certainly sound it.”

“It must be the pot.”

“Oh, don’t say that.”

“Why not?”

“’Cause then it’s not real.”

“Unless, you smoke more pot.”

“Maybe, it’s the company.”

“Yeah, maybe it is.”

We both laughed.

“We can hang out together, though,” I said.

I heard something and I kinda look over in that direction and I see the silhouettes of like two people walking on the beach. They may be like 15 metres from us, but they’re walking in our direction and my muscles kind of tense up, because I’m thinking, oh no we need to scramble, before they catch us, but like I guess the guy I was with basically just read my mind because he tapped me on the arm and he said, “If we’re quiet. It’s dark enough here, that they’re not gonna know where here.”

As I said, under the cabanas, it’s like pitch black, so at that moment I don’t know how this guy… like he had some magic powers because normally I’m pretty reserved and not willing to take such a risk, but with him I was just like…

“OK whatever,” I whispered. “Won’t they smell the joint?”

“Give it to me,” he whispered back. “If we don’t puff on it, it will just go out.”

“But, won’t they smell it?” I whispered.

“Nah, too much fresh air here for that.”

So, I just kept still and we made it a point to be quiet for the next 30 seconds. I heard the footsteps approaching. I’m kind of listening behind me and I heard the footsteps get closer and closer until they were about 5 metres away. I could hear these people talking, I could clearly hear what they were saying. 

“I’ve never done this before,” whispered the female. And she laughed kind of self-consciously.

“Don’t worry, babe, I’ll take good care of you,” said the male.

And then they passed by us and they started walking away and pretty soon they were out of ear shot and I couldn’t see them out of the corner of my eyes any longer. It was of kinda hard to explain because my back was turned to them, but when they were far enough away I could kinda of see their outline against the sky out the corner of my eye if I looked over, but yay, they’d walked away, we didn’t get caught, but they had gotten a lot closer than I probably should’ve been comfortable with but I was just kinda in the zone. I would’ve done anything he asked me to that point. 

We laughed conspiratorially like we’d just got away with something, both clever in our deception.

And at this point, after almost getting caught, he flick, flick, flicked the lighter and re-lit the joint.

As he puffed on the joint, I was thinking that I’d never done this before, which like I actually hadn’t because, as I said, I was very new to this whole thing so this situation was very new to me.

We both just sat back up. We sat in the beach chairs in which we were chilling for a bit. I told him how it was my first night there he was telling me it’s his last night there. We had kind of brought that up before but we were just kinda talking like it’s a shame we can’t spend more time together, but like it’s not that big a deal, as that’s like the nature of vacations.

But, it was a big deal, at least to me.

We wished we lived closer to each other, not that we live so far apart, either side of the city, so we swap numbers anyway. We talked a bit more and then at that point it’s probably like maybe 2am in the morning, it was late and he walked me back to my room. 

We faced each other and said good night at my door and there was a noticeable pause.

“I guess this is where I kiss you,” he whispered. And he kissed me and we promise to catch up. And I went to bed and wondered if I will ever see him again.