Life Goes On - 43. Eye Candy at the Russian Banya (Public Bathhouse)

June 1992

The following morning, Friday, they returned to Vlad’s family. Having their own set of keys they entered the building, walked up the stairs, entered the apartment and knocked on the door of the room shared by Boris and Katrina. They could have unlocked the door and walked in but Vladek had noted the tenderness between Katrina and his father and did not want to walk into an embarrassing situation. Since there was shuffling in the room prior to the opening of the door he thought some form of intimacy may have been taking place. The plan for the day had Vladek staying with his father and brother while Katrina and Aiden would visit various concert halls and purchase performance tickets. Vladek, his father, brother and Katrina had discussed possible performances to attend. Although Aiden and Katrina did not speak a common language they would communicate as best as possible while she purchased tickets and he paid for them.

The two soon departed and took the metro to the station nearest the Bolshi Theater (Bolshi is the Russian word for Big). They were able to purchase seven tickets to a performance of Tchaikovsky’s ballet, Swan Lake the following Wednesday evening. Dimitri would attend with the others including brother Pavel and his wife.

Boris, his father, had told Vladek to let Aiden know that Katrina enjoyed walking and observing sights and people. When they left the Bolshi Theater the two began their thirty minute stroll to the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall where a performance of the Moscow Philharmonic was scheduled for Sunday afternoon. They walked up the wide Тверская улица – Tverskaya Street, one of Moscow’s most elegant streets (in 1992 hardly a Fifth Ave. but nicer than other Moscow streets). Aiden took Katrina’s arm and guided her to an American treat. Russia’s first McDonalds was on their route to the concert hall. Since Katrina appeared to be a gracious lady he assumed he would not get the truth if she was not impressed with her first Big Mac, Fries and Coke.

After purchasing tickets for the Sunday afternoon concert Aiden directed Katrina to a coffee shop where they had coffee and pastries. Noting the prices he assumed she had rarely if ever been in such an elegant place. This definitely was a place for tourists and affluent Muscovites. While she was not the best dress lady in the place she was one of the most elegant. Aiden was enjoying himself as much as she as they sipped, snacked and smiled.

Another thirty minute walk took them to their next destination, the famous Moscow Conservatory Hal, where both students and professionals performed in the concert halls of Russia’s leading music school. Tickets for an evening performance the following week in the main hall were obtained. They then sat in the courtyard of the hall relaxing and people watching.

Meanwhile back in his father’s room, Vladek, father and his brother brought each other up on life since the 1940s. Boris and Pavel were captivated with Vladek’s war experience and were amazed that their son / brother had actually attended meetings with Stalin while an aide to one of the Soviet Union’s most famous and outspoken generals. The disappearance of the general at the end of the war had always been a mystery. Only Vladek and General Valery Karasyovl knew the truth. Since it had been nearly fifty years Vladek felt it was safe to tell his father and brother what happened. The general who was famous for his war strategy was one of the only people to criticize Stalin’s war plans both at the meetings with the dictator and when talking to other leaders. During the war Stalin needed this man. But when the war ended the general knew his days were numbered as no one was permitted to question Stalin. Two months prior to the end of the war the general had taken the identity of a soldier who had died that was about his age. The deceased had no close family and was from a village in western Russia near Belarus that had been totally annihilated during the war. Since there were millions of deceased soldiers and millions more looking for a place to live when their homes had been destroyed General Karasyovl easily assumed the identity and departed for a place unknown to Vladek, probably to one of Siberia’s industrial cities. If Vladek had been questioned about the General’s disappearance he could truthfully say he did not know when he had gone. Vladek had helped the general escape down the back stairs of a military building as Stalin’s police arrived to arrest him the final week of the war.

At that point his brother reluctantly excused himself as he had offered to help a friend who sold electrical supplies from a kiosk in one of the many outdoor markets. As soon as Pavel departed the father asked Vladek about his friend Aiden. “Do you and your friend live together in America?” Vladek was tempted to lie but did not want to lie to his father and realized at some time it was likely their living together would be discovered. He answered that they did. “How long have you and Aiden been friends?” While Vladek was uncomfortable with the direction of their conversation he was not going to lie about his friendship. He told his father that they had lived together for more than twenty-five years.

“You have lived with your friend for many years and have never been married. I loved your mother very much and we had a very sensual and passionate relationship and I miss her and think of her every day. Never once during our long marriage did I look at or even desire another woman. After her death I felt a deep emptiness. Katrina had lost her husband and we lived just across the hall from each other. I do enjoy being with her and without shame I can say also in her bed. Even old men have passion. But, I also understand how two men can have a relationship. Twice in my life I have had friendships with men that were more than just sitting around drinking vodka.”

“Do you remember when you were a young child and you would come to work with me some days? You would ride along as I operated a tram. At the end of the day the operators would sit around in the tram depot, have a beer and talk as men do. Do you remember the shower that poured cold water from pipe high on the wall? We all enjoyed using that shower as many of the operators lived in dwelling with no running water and a toilet outside while the lucky ones, like me, had a room in a larger apartment for our families where we shared one indoor toilet and bathtub with other families. One day as I showered I saw one of the operators, Anatoli, standing naked waiting to shower himself. He was looking at me. At first I was annoyed and then I suddenly realized I enjoyed having this handsome man starring. We were the only men still there. He walked over to me and taking a bar of soap began washing my chest. We looked into each other’s eyes. He turned me around and washed me from my shoulders down my back to my feet. By the time he finished my feet I was hard. Still on his knees from washing my feet he turned me to face him. I was embarrassed until I looked down and saw that he was as hard as me. He washed my dick and balls. Then he stood and handed the soap and rag to me. He turned around and I washed his back. When he turned to face me I was in a total state of lust. He kneeled, placed his mouth on me and kept it there until I shot my load. He then stood and finished himself off with his hand. While we never spoke of it we were often the last to leave work. While I never put my mount on his dick I certainly enjoyed his doing me. Sometimes when there were men still there he would give me a discrete smile and walk to the far corner of the tram depot. I would always follow him.”

At that point Vladek told his father his adventure and thoughts in the tram depot on the days he observed the men showering.

From Chapter One of the previous book of this trilogy, Russia My Home:

“Even at the young age of six I realized one should not stare at naked men. But I wanted to and I did. I sat at a small table near the shower and drew pictures on scraps of paper. I would pretend to be concentrating on my art work while actually I was sneaking peeks at the men as they showered. Even today, many years later, I remember some of their bodies. My favorite, other than you, handsome father, was Anatoli, a tall thin man. I don’t remember his age or face but I can describe in detail his beautiful khuy (dick). His was the longest of all. His big balls hung low. When he showered he used a rag to gently soap his body and then wash. He always stroked the khuy a few times. He would pull the skin back and carefully clean the head. One day he caught me looking. He just laughed and said in a voice no one else would hear, ‘So you think I have a nice khuy? I hope that someday yours is as handsome as mine and that it gives you the enjoyment mine does.’ This was confusing, how could a khuy give you pleasure? With that he stroked it a couple of times and continued to wash. It seemed to be bigger than when he started his shower. From that day whenever he showered he would smile at me, carefully wash his khuy and balls and when finished with a bigger khuy wink at me.”

At that point Vladek and his father chuckled as they realized they had both enjoyed the same man, father with his dick, son with his eyes.

Then Vladek continued without embarrassment (from Chapter One of Russia My Home😞

“The man I remember best was you. Papa. You were and are a handsome man. You always had a smile. Everyone liked my papa. When you showered I was spellbound by your fine-looking body. You were tall, almost six feet (1.8 m) tall, had just a small amount of hair on your chest, under your arms and around your khuy. You had strong arms, legs and chest and a small waist. Your khuy was not the biggest and your balls did not hang the lowest but they were perfectly formed. At six years of age I looked at you and hoped someday I would have a body and khuy like yours. I heartily thank you, my father, as I did inherit your body and fetching khuy and I have certainly learned what Anatoli meant when describing his khuy he said, ‘I hope that someday yours gives you the enjoyment mine does’.”

Papa laughed as he said, “I remember you sitting there at your little table diligently drawing pictures on any scrap of paper you could find. I thought you were hoping to be an artist. Never did I think that at the age of six you were spying on naked men and concentrating on how your dick would develop.”

Then papa told about his army experience. “While there were enjoyable times while in the army it was mostly hell. I was stationed on the western front someplace neat the border of Poland. Sometimes we were on our own to find a place to sleep. One of my friends was a musician from Omsk (A city in Siberia). He played violin in the Omsk Symphony Orchestra. While you might think a musician would be delicate he was tall, strong and fearless. Most of the men in our unit talked about nothing but fucking, drinking, the need for cigarettes and gambling. I was not into fucking any peasant I could trap and had none of the other needs. Mikhail and I became friends, mostly to escape the others. At one point we were sleeping in a deserted peasants’ home. It was a luxury to sleep in a real bed even if it had a straw filled mattress and mouse eaten bedding that I had to share it with another man, Mikhail. Sleeping with another man was not considered odd in that situation since real beds were few and in winter the warmth of another body was necessary. In the privacy of that farmer’s bed in the loft we eventually did more than sleep. I will say I enjoyed it. Actually, I began to look forward to sleeping with this very sensuous man. For two years we arranged to sleep together in tents, bunkers and abandoned houses. At one point the men of my unit were sleeping in a wrecked passenger wagon of a train. Finding a dry and warm place to sleep was usually a challenge and if it required someone to share a bed that is what you did or in our case wanted to do. The warmth and comradeship of Mikhail kept me sane doing that horrible time. One of the saddest times of my life was the day he died in battle.”

“After the war I returned to your mother’s bed and never had need for companionship with anyone else as long as she lived. We were both very passionate and no matter how poor we were we had our love.”

But, having said that I will confess that I do enjoy looking at a beautiful woman or handsome man. It is an inexpensive pleasure.

Vladek then spoke, “While we are confessing I have something to share. I knew you and mother had a very loving relationship. Now that I am too big to be punished I admit that after I learned about men and women from the older boys when we smoked, drank beer and messed around in the attic I sometimes spied on you and mother. It was a pleasure to see my parents in such a loving way.”

“Son, now I have a confession. I also spied on my parents, your grandparents. It certainly was an education when the entire family lived and slept in one room. And another confession. I knew you were spying on your mother and me sometimes when we made love. That was my way of giving my son a lesson in sex between man and woman. I was very careful to do it in a very loving way and make sure your mother had as much pleasure as I. Maybe I was wrong to let you see it but in my mind you needed to know how wonderful it could be for a loving man and his wife. And, I also wanted to give you the same educational experience I had from watching my parents.”

“Papa, you told me you enjoy looking at beautiful women and handsome men. When you go to the banya you visit on pensioners’ free day. Probably the only handsome man you see is yourself. Let’s visit the banya when full price is required. They will be no poor old men. You will enjoy time with younger men. We could go as soon as Katrina and Aiden return. I am sure he would want to go with us.”

“It would be my pleasure.”

Vladek placed his arms around his father and while he hugged him he kissed him on the cheek, not like one would kiss an elderly aunt but with tenderness for the father he had not seen in years.

Following their conversation papa was resting while Vladek read Russian magazines when an exuberant Katrina and Aiden returned from their ticket buying adventure. For her visiting McDonalds and an upscale coffee house was a rare if ever to happen experience for an elderly Russian. Obviously she had had a grand time with the young man with whom she could not communicate. As she chatted she bounced over to Aiden kissing him on the cheek. Over tea and cookies they discussed the ballet and other performances they would be attending. Then his father reminded Valdek that they planned to go to the banya when Aiden returned. Vladek had been concerned that such an excursion when combined with the other excitement of the day might be over tiring for his father. Obviously he wanted to go or he would not have reminded him.

Near the entrance to the banya they purchased three boughs of white birch from a street vendor. Vladek and Aiden also bought felt hats to wear in the steam room. Boris had brought his. The hats were necessary as the steam rooms can reach a temperature of 200 F (93 C). The birch boughs would be used to hit themselves or companions to improve circulation while in the hot room.

The banya they visited had a banya for women on the second floor and one for men on the third. There was a kiosk on the first floor (which is the street level floor in Russia – same as USA) where one paid a small fee and received a ticket. Upon entering the banya the attendant took the ticket and gave a bath sheet if purchased with ticket. There were about 50 lockers in a large room. Each metal locker was about 1.7m (5 feet) high and had a seat in front of the double doors. The men stripped, hung their clothes in the locker and remained naked throughout their visit only using the bath sheet or towel from home for drying. The next room contained showers, benches, and a cold water barrel high and wide enough for one brave man to jump in between steam room visits. The next room was a sauna type room with a wood furnace that heated to as much as 93 C (200 F). Many men wore felt hats to protect their heads from the extreme heat. There was a cup size scoop to take water from a barrel and throw it on the fire to create moist heat. Most men brought mats or towels from home to sit on the hot wood benches. The men would strip, shower, go into the sauna, swat themselves or friends with the birch boughs, shower again and then sit naked at their locker resting or talking to friends. After sitting awhile most would do the shower, sauna, swat, shower routine again.

Vladek and his father found adjacent vacant locker / seats and Aiden located one directly across from them. All three stripped naked, and walked to the next room wearing only shower slippers and carrying their birch boughs, a bar of soap, loofas / sponges and mats to sit on in the hot room. This room contained the showers and benches where men washed themselves. The three were pleased with the eye candy. Without shame Boris checked out his son and Aiden. He was proud that Vladek had developed into a handsome man and while his dick was not the biggest and his balls did not hang the lowest the package was perfectly formed. Checking out Aiden he inspected one of the few cut dicks he had ever seen. While the dick was not large it was a pleasing sight on this handsome young man. Both Vladek and Aiden checked out Boris. Vladek was happy that his father’s body, not just his dick, was as handsome and strong as one would expect for someone in their 90s. He noted that his father’s dick was just as he had remember it from the shower experiences in the tram depot over sixty years earlier.

In the second room, the shower room, Vladek followed his father to one of the open shower stalls. While holding the loofa under the running water he rubbed soap into it. He then proceeded to wash his father’s back. There was nothing unusual about the sight of one man washing another’s back. However, the friend washing was limited to the back. Never would they stand facing each other, dick to dick, and wash the other. Stepping back his father continued to wash himself. Vladek then stepped to the next stall and taking the loofah from Aiden and washed his back. While they washed each other Boris sat on a bench watching them. When they joined Boris he said, “Washing and being washed by your friend must have resulted in a very special feeling. It sure felt good when you, a strong man, washed my back. At least now I do not have to worry about showing my excitement when a handsome man washes me. When I was your age and someone offered to wash my back I had a very difficult time not showing my happiness. At age 94 it takes more than a back wash to get it up.”

“Papa, you embarrass me with your sexy talk. But I do enjoy being with you and hope when I am your age I am as healthy and horny as you.” Aiden laughed and gave the old man a thumbs up (a universal sign) when the conversation was translated.

The men donned their felt hats and entered the hot room through the door at the back of the shower room. They each carried a birch bough that had been soaking in a plastic container while they showered. This wood lined room had a three tier seating section to the left, a platform with built in benches straight ahead and an open furnace to the right. The higher one sat the hotter the temperature. They chose seats on the second tier and after placing mats on the extremely hot wood bench sat. There were three men on the bench of the platform. One stood and swatted himself with his birch bough. Each swat sent out a spray of sweat with some landing on Vladek and the other two. The man sat and the other two stood. One began swatting the other on the back, ass stomach and legs. As he was pummeled the man receiving the beating held his hands over his cock and balls for protection. Changing positions the swatting continued with sweat spraying around the area. While being sprayed with sweat was not pleasant, looking at these two Russians was VERY pleasant. They were both about forty with trim bodies. Both dicks were impressive and the cock of the swatter swung over bouncing balls as he beat his friend. While watching gave Vladek and friends erotic thoughts it did not appear to be erotic to the two men, just something that Russians did for each other.

Another man entered the room. He walked to the open furnace, dipped a ladle in a pail of water and thrust the water into the furnace. The room suddenly felt even hotter as a puff of steam came out of the furnace opening. The man then sat on the top tier, the hottest area in the room, behind Aiden.

Vlad stood, stepped down to the floor and told Aiden to join him. He then swatted his lover as Aiden held his hands over his cock and balls willing them to behave. The beating by his lover not only felt good to the body but also erotic to the soul. Luckily his dick behaved and he returned the favor beating his Russian lover. When Vlad offered to swat his father Boris motioned him to lean in. He then whispered into his son’s ear, “Watching you two hitting each other was enough stimulation for this old body.”

Following quick showers they returned to the main room and each sat on the metal bench in front of their locker. Vladek purchased three bottles of beer from the attendant and the three drank their beer while resting and most important observing. There was a smorgasbord of ages, sizes and body fitness. There was even a fit looking father with two young sons probably about eight and ten years of age. The three enjoyed clandestinely checking out the many mostly naked men. Boris whispered into his son’s ear, “See that man at the end? Look at him from the shoulder down. Does he remind you of someone?”

After checking out the handsome man Vladek replied, “That tall thin guy has a beautiful dick, it is the longest of all hanging over balls that hang low. I remember a similar sight from over sixty years ago. That body from shoulder to toes resembles Anatoli.”

Father replied, “I agree.”

Following a return to the showers, steam room and whacking with birch boughs, back to the showers and then relaxing they departed the banya refreshed and relishing the delightful views of the 25% of the men at the banay who were fit and appealing. Back at the apartment Vladek and Aiden visited Pavel and his wife in their room to give father an opportunity to rest as he appeared exhausted.

Back at the hotel that evening Vladek called ‘rainbow man’. Aiden assumed the conversation that he did not understand was pleasant as his love smiled and laughed during the fifteen minute chat. Vladek finally hung up, “That was certainly interesting. When Andrei, or ‘rainbow man’ as we have called him discovered we are Americans he insisted that we visit his place for dinner. He will invite a few friends, some of whom speak English. I accepted a dinner invitation for Sunday after the Moscow Philharmonic concert at the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall with my family. I told him that our Russian friend, Dimitri, might come along. Andrei asked me questions about our backgrounds. When I told him we were university professors of political science and finance he told me he would invite friends to our party with similar backgrounds. He is a chemical engineer and his partner is an administrator of a high school. Americans would call a person with a similar job a ‘school principal’.”

Aiden laughed as he again stated, “So many men. So little time.”