Another Ordinary Guy - 15. Chapter 15

‘Tessa’s Kiss’ opened to rave reviews. All of Ricky’s friends wanted to celebrate with him after the curtain fell, but he and Joey wanted no part of it. They went home, kissed each other good night and went to sleep. The show opened on a Saturday night. The second performance was not scheduled until Monday evening. When the box office opened on Monday morning, there was a waiting line two blocks long to purchase tickets. Advance ticket sales assured a six month run, but the demand for tickets went beyond a year and, as of opening night, tickets were printed for only one year in advance. That would have to be remedied quickly.

Mama and Papa had come in for the opening, but were staying at a hotel. Ricky’s sisters and husbands drove back to Philadelphia that very evening.

Larry made a brunch reservation at the Plaza Hotel for Sunday morning at 11 AM. He invited (besides him and Red, Ricky and Joey) Bill and Teddy, Joe and Tim, Sven and Brett, and of course Mama and Papa Alberto were guests of honor.

When Papa saw Red, he grabbed him in a bone crushing bear hug, and kissed him on both cheeks. “You know how much I love you,” he said, “but I had to restrain myself not to jump up on the stage and strangle you with my bare hands. You are such a good actor, mi amigo.”

“Thank you, Papa. Coming from you, that’s a better compliment than any critic could give me.” Red was blushing, something he rarely did.

Whoever came into the restaurant recognized Ricky immediately, and he was beset with requests for autographs. Several patrons even recognized Red and asked for his autograph as well. Ricky was growing more and more miserable. So much for being an ordinary guy. He couldn’t wait for the brunch to come to an end.

At the first opportunity, he got a cab for his parents to take them to the airport for their trip back to Florida. He excused himself, and asked Joey if they could please go home.

“You might at least thank Larry first,” Joey whispered in his ear.

“Hey guys,” Sven yelled after Mama and Papa were gone, “how about we all meet in The Village tonight for the drag show?”

Everyone thought it was a great idea, but Ricky excused himself saying that he was just too exhausted.

“Why don’t you go along, honey?” Ricky encouraged Joey.

“No. I don’t want to leave you alone. You’re tired and it’s my job to take off your shoes, and put on your slippers.”

“Why thank you Eliza.”

“You’re welcome, Professor Higgins.”

As the crowd started to break up, Sven said, “If you change your minds, fellas, you know where you’ll find us. Ricky, Babe,” he added, “You really should try to have some fun once in a while. I think that getting killed on stage every night is going to exhaust you. Leave the emotion behind you on the stage.”

Good advice, but Ricky was in no mood to accept anyone’s words of wisdom. When they got home, Ricky collapsed on the sofa. “I’m so tired,” he said. “I’m sorry about tonight.”

Joey sat down next to Ricky and put his arm around Ricky’s shoulder. Ricky’s head fell on Joey’s chest. “I never wanted this,” he sobbed. “I just want peace and quiet.”

“You would slowly die if you couldn’t perform on a stage, so don’t give me that bull shit.”

“I’d be so happy if I could perform, and then go home unrecognized, without anyone making a fuss over me. Performing is simply my job, like welding or driving a bus. Why don’t people leave me alone? I just want to lead an ordinary life.”

“Ricky you are not an ordinary guy and you never will be. Do you realize what an extraordinary gift God gave you? Do you have an inkling of how many people you make happy every single day? For the time they sit in your theater, or at your concert, or listen to one of your recordings, you take them to a better place, and make them happy. I’m no philosopher, but maybe your cross to bear is to make the world happy, at the expense of your own happiness.”

“Are you trying to convince the jury, Counselor?”

“No. Just you. Grin and bear it, my love. It’s your destiny.”

“Joey, honey. I need you to make love to me all the rest of the day and into the night until we fall asleep totally exhausted.”

“If you are trying to punish me for making you look at yourself in the mirror, it won’t work. Not only is it a pleasure, but it’s a privilege for me to make love to the most extraordinary man in the world. You will never be ordinary as far as I am concerned.”

As Joey said that, he put his lips on Ricky’s lips, and he put his hand on Ricky’s crotch.

“You know what?” Ricky asked. “I think we both need a shower.”

They made love all the rest of the day, starting in the shower. They fucked each other using gentle Ivory Soap as a lubricant. Then they took it to the bedroom, where they went back and forth sucking each other’s cocks, until finally they could not hold back any longer. After a little rest, it was back in the shower. This time they washed and soaped each other, but there was no sex play. Then back in bed again, for a little rest.

Joey woke first and Ricky stirred right after him. It was 6 PM.

“Are you feeling better, Mr. Extraordinary?” Joey asked.

“Much better.”

“Then let’s dress. I’ll treat you to a fine dinner, and then I think we should join our friends in The Village. Darling, I love you to death, but until you get over this crazy idea that you want to be an ordinary guy, and begin to accept the fact that you are anything but ordinary, you will not find peace.”

“Intellectually, I know you’re right, but emotionally, I’ll have to work on getting used to fame.”

“Please work on it, for me.”

They went to a small neighborhood restaurant, out of the public eye. If anyone recognized Ricky, they didn’t invade his privacy. Ricky was glad that they could dine in peace for a change. Joey called Sven from the restaurant, and told him that they would meet the gang at the gay bar.

They all had a ball at the drag show, and were generous in shoving dollar bills into the performers’ G-strings. A few of the patrons recognized Ricky, but didn’t bother him. They just nodded. They were true New Yorkers, not tourists. Tourists would have besieged him. Ricky was grateful for the restrained way these people reacted to seeing him, and he really began to relax. He had a wonderful time, and in the end, he was glad that he came. Maybe he could tame the curse of fame, after all. But he knew it would take a long time.

His first test came Monday evening after the show. There was a private limo at the stage door waiting to take him home, but as he walked out on the street, he was overrun by paparazzi. Ordinarily, he would duck and make a bee line for his car, and hastily retreat out of there as quickly as possible. Not today. He chatted cordially with the reporters and photographers, and allowed them to take as many pictures as they wanted. He even mugged for the camera.

Sitting in the limo afterwards, he thought to himself that he had actually had fun with those pests. More amazing, they even seemed to be very friendly. He always considered them to be a rude bunch. Ricky was beginning to feel much more relaxed about being famous. Best of all, he knew that when he got home, Joey would be there.

Joey was the man he loved. Joey never looked at Ricky as an idol. Nobody saw Ricky the way Joey did. To Joey, Ricky was the ordinary guy, he always wanted to be. When he was cumming in Joey’s mouth, Rick always yelled, “Don’t stop, Love. Please don’t stop. I’m almost there.” That’s what ordinary lovers say.

When Joey’s cock was ramming up Ricky’s ass he always yelled, “Harder, honey. Give it to me harder.” That’s what ordinary lovers say.

They kissed like ordinary guys with open mouths and dueling tongues.

They had busy schedules, but they always had breakfast at home. They alternated who cooked, and then the other cleaned up. That’s what ordinary lovers do.

Ricky rarely ate dinner before a performance, so whenever he could, Joey met him after the show and they had a late snack together. They shared their lives as ordinary lovers. They shared their friends just like all the other gay couples they knew.

Joey never stopped telling Ricky how extraordinary he was, but in their private lives, he treated Ricky like any other loving guy would. For that, Ricky was grateful, and he loved Joey more every day.

The limo dropped him off in front of his apartment building. As he stood facing the building, a strange feeling came over him. This feeling, or maybe it was an emotion, was foreign to him. He felt such serenity throughout his whole body that he started to cry. In a moment, he would open his front door. Joey would come running, embracing him and kissing him passionately.

For at least the evening and the night, until the rat race resumed in the morning, he would be just another ordinary guy.