Naptown 21 - Summer Internship - 1. Prologue - Junior Politics - Will

Summer Internship

A Naptown Tales Novel by Altimexis & David of Hope

Prologue - Junior Politics - Will
by Altimexis

What a life! Here I was, a college freshman at the University of Chicago, studying Pre-law, and living in a gorgeous high-rise condo that my parents bought me, right on Lakeshore Drive. I had a spectacular view of Lake Michigan that afforded me the most incredible sunrise views imaginable . . . not that I was ever up early enough to see the sun rise, mind you.

Yeah, I was living a life most people could only dream of. I had a terrific girlfriend. We went to parties every weekend and got high all the time. Man, it was great. If only . . . if only . . . well, we just won’t be going there.

I had my goals in life . . . and my ambitions. My parents were real ‘limo liberals’ and major donors to the Democratic Party, and I had worked hard on the Obama campaign. I was going to be a White House Intern this summer, and when I finished law school, if my parents had anything to do with it, I’d clerk for the Supreme Court. After that, I’d run for the State Assembly back home, and then the State House, and then Congress or the Senate, and then it’d be on to the White House itself. Yeah, my parents had it all figured out.

Hell, when I got down to it, it’s what I wanted, too. Except for that one thing . . . the one thing that could make it all fall apart. Well, I wouldn’t be the first gay politician, but no one can get elected to public office if they’re openly gay. Well, no one but Harvey Milk, anyway. Even Barney Frank waited until he was well established in Congress before he came out, and you didn’t see him running for president, now that he’s out.

No, my path to the presidency, if I made it that far, would be a lonely one. I’d have my affairs where I could find them, but I’d have to be very discrete, and have a wife and kids for appearances, like so many politicians before me. That was just the way it had to be. America would never be ready to accept an openly gay president. No-one could ever know the truth about me, and so far no-one did. I’d had a few encounters along the way, but they’d always been anonymous one-night stands. Not even my parents knew.

The sound of my cell phone ringing brought me out of my reverie. I answered it, to hear a very familiar voice. “Will, I have a big favor to ask of you.” It was Rahm Emanuel, the president’s Chief of Staff and the former Congressman from Illinois. Not only that, but he was a personal friend of the family. It was Rahm who’d gotten me the internship position for the summer. Most kids had to fight for these positions, but not me.

“’Sup, Rahm?” I asked. “What can I do for you?”

“I have a couple of kids who’ll be interning at the White House along with you that I’d like you to take under your wing this summer. Nice kids. Sharp kids. Kids who’ll give you a run for your money some day.”

“Why do you need me to take them under my wing?” I asked. “I mean, if they’re bright enough to get into the internship program, they certainly don’t need a chaperone to watch over them. I mean, we’re all adults here.”

“Well that’s just it,” Emanuel interrupted, “they’re not. They’re just sixteen years old.”

“What?” I practically shouted. “I thought you had to be eighteen to even be eligible for the internship program. Are they some geniuses or something, to be in college at their age?”

“No,” Emanuel said with a laugh, “They’re still in high school, but I suspect they could probably qualify for college entrance if they tried. Wait ’til you meet them, Will. They’re something else. Trust me. They’re exceptional, which is why I invited them into the program. They’re going to go far.”

“So you want me to babysit a couple of high school juniors?” I said with obvious annoyance in my voice.

“Babysitting is hardly what I’d call it,” Rahm spat back at me, “and it’s just as likely that they’ll be future movers and shakers in the Washington establishment just as you’ll be, so getting to know them now couldn’t hurt. Consider it another political connection that’ll serve you well in the future. They’re around your age, they’re from the Midwest like you. Hell, they’re even gay!”

My throat started to close up and I could barely breathe as the implications of what Emanuel had just said sunk in. Did he just say what I thought he’d said? “G . . . gay?”

“Will, you’re not obvious, if that’s what you’re worried about, but it’s my job to notice things, like where someone’s eyes wander. If you want to keep your secret, you’re going to have to be much more careful.

“Now David and Jeremy, on the other hand, make no bones about being gay. They’ve taken the attitude that they can make it in politics by being who they are. The surprising thing is that they’ve managed quite well . . . even in the Midwest. David’s the president of his class, and they’re both very popular in school from what I’ve been told. Of course, their personalities probably have a lot to do with it.

“Times are changing, Will. When you meet these boys, you’ll see what I mean.”

Although I wasn’t crazy about the idea of taking care of a couple of adolescents in the White House for the summer, I wasn’t about to protest any further to the man who’d gotten me the job, especially when he was a family friend and now seemingly the one person who knew my secret.

The next day, I got copies of David Reynolds’ and Jeremy Kimball’s application packets via DHL Express, complete with attached color passport photos. God, they were both real lookers. Why did they have to be so attractive? Couldn’t they have looked like geeks? David was particularly handsome, with hazel eyes, wavy brown hair and ruggedly handsome facial features that highlighted a slightly crooked smile that could melt any girl’s, or guy’s, heart. His stats listed him as six feet, four inches and only one hundred seventy pounds. This guy was simply stunning.

Jeremy wasn’t half-bad looking himself, possessing the typical ‘California Surfer’ look, with long, golden hair, blue eyes, flawlessly smooth skin, and a dazzling smile. Even through his shirt, I could see that he had unusually muscular shoulders and when I read his dossier, I quickly understood why - he was his state’s swimming champion. Measuring six feet even in height and weighing one hundred sixty-five pounds, which I imagined was all muscle; I was practically drooling at the thought of seeing him in the flesh as well.

I’d definitely have to be careful not to stare around these two. Besides which, I gathered they were a committed couple, and the last thing I wanted was to be seen as trying to steal either one away from the other. And of course I didn’t want to be found out!

Included in the packet was a DVD video interview with the two boys, and if I thought they were good looking in their photos, I was literally mesmerized when I watched them on my 52-inch flat screen TV. To say they interviewed well was an understatement. I could instantly see why Emanuel was taken with them.

Jeremy was a little shy at first, but once he got going, it was obvious that he was exceptionally smart and had an unusual grasp of political issues for someone his age. He was a tried and true liberal with a firm commitment to Democratic ideals and an extraordinary breadth of knowledge when it came to world history. Rahm was right - Jeremy Kimball could give me a run for the money, even with the two-year age difference.

David was another story entirely. He was every bit as smart as Jeremy, but although he might not share the depth of knowledge that Jeremy had, he had an absolutely dazzling personality and he had one of the fastest minds I’d ever witnessed in anyone at any age. He literally came up with answers on the spot that were clear, succinct, and often witty. When I finished watching his interview, I knew he was someone special. I had no doubt that he would be president someday. Even if he were gay, people would still vote for him. I now understood how he was elected Class President at his high school. I understood why both boys were so popular. Hell, even I might have come out if I’d had them for role models back home.

Jeremy and David epitomized the notion of what was gay and cool - I’d never met anyone like that before, much less two. They totally upended the old stereotypes. I could never pull off what they were doing. For me, I would have to stay in the closet, but Jeremy and David were definitely people I would want to have in my social network.

I would just have to find a way to keep my hard-ons under control while around them . . .

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