The Castaway Hotel - 4 - 37. Chapter 37 - Stepping Out

I let the boys sleep in a little later the next morning and then gave them even more time to relax and watch a little Saturday morning television. Around 10:00, however, they began to complain they were hungry, so I had them get dressed and took them out for brunch. After we finished eating, we walked around for a while and checked out more of the sights, before I guided them toward another Broadway theater. They looked at me questioningly, so I announced we were going to see another show. This one was geared more toward the younger boys, but it was also something I thought everyone would enjoy, as we’d be seeing the matinee performance of The Lion King.

We had plenty of time to roam around the theater first and look at the programs I had purchased, and the more the boys learned about the show, the more excited they were becoming. By the time the curtain opened and the performance began, they were eager to absorb everything there was to see.

Even though I had heard some details about this musical beforehand, I was still impressed by how those in charge had designed the costumes, so the actors could be seen, while still allowing us to recognize the animal character they were portraying. Those in the various roles either wore masks that sat above their heads or used large puppet-like figures they controlled during the performance. The songs included the Elton John and Tim Rice songs from the movie version, but there were also some new numbers, which had been written solely for the musical.

Although I’d been thinking about doing this for the younger boys when I planned it, everyone thoroughly enjoyed the musical, as it could be appreciated on various levels by nearly any age group. Everything was outstanding, including the actors, costumes, props, music and storyline, so it was well worth taking the time to see.

When the show was over, we made our way back to the hotel, where I announced we would be going out for an early dinner and then heading to Yankee Stadium, to see the Bronx Bombers in action. This drew a good response from nearly everyone, but especially the boys who were Yankee fans. However, I got the biggest and most enthusiastic response from Mark. He was so excited about this opportunity that he came over and spoke to me about it privately.

“Was this planned all along, or did you do this because of what we talked about after we went to see the Phillies play?” he asked me.

“Well, I had thought about doing this originally, just so the boys could see the legendary Yankee Stadium,” I confessed, “but I made sure to include it in our plans after our little talk. I knew this would mean a lot to you, so I wanted to do this for your benefit as well and give you something you’d always remember. We’re even going early, so we’ll have time to walk around and look at everything first, but just think of it as your dad taking you and your brothers to the game.”

“I knew you did this because of me!” he exclaimed, while energetically wrapping his arms around my neck. “Thank you so much. I want you to know I really appreciate this. I’ve enjoyed everything we’ve done on both trips, but going to a ballgame like this just fulfills all those dreams I used to have, about going to the game with my dad. It’s great having a real dad now who’s doing things for me, just like I thought he would.”

Mark took that opportunity to give me another big hug, so I hugged him back, but I nearly passed out from surprise, when he kissed me on the cheek. As I looked at him, once he’d pulled back, I noticed he was beaming and happier than I remembered ever seeing him before. It proved to be a very special moment.

Now that the announcement had been made, I had the boys dress in something more comfortable for the ballpark and then took them out to dinner. Once we got to the restaurant, the boys were already thinking ahead to the game and merely went through the motions of filling their stomachs. It was kind of strange for me to watch, knowing these guys were more excited about a baseball game than food, but it also pleased me immensely. With that in mind, it didn’t take long for us to finish up there, since the boys were in a hurry to be on their way. In very short order, we were at Grand Central Station and boarding the train that would take us to the stadium. I had a strong suspicion each of them was looking forward to seeing everything this historic landmark had to offer.

The train ride was an experience in itself, first getting everyone onto the same train without leaving anyone behind, and then trying to find a place where we could all stay together. I was grateful that some of the boys were grown, because together we looked like a formidable group, and there were some shady looking characters about who seemed to be eyeing us. Some of us got to sit, while others were forced to stand, but we all sort of swayed together, as the train rocked gently from side to side. Everyone seemed to be very quiet at this point, as I think they were assessing their surroundings and the various people in the car with us, but it was hard to miss the rhythmic thumping of the wheels hitting the sections where the different rails joined.

Jake and I kept our eyes open for our stop, so we could warn the boys in advance, as we didn’t want anyone to miss getting off the train at that point. From there it was a quick walk to the stadium, and after catching our first glimpse of the fabled exterior, it seemed to inspire us all to walk a little faster. When we reached the main entrance, I went to collect the tickets I had ordered in advance and then we made our way through the gates.

After entering the structure, I told the boys a little about the stadium, from the material I had gleaned off the Internet before we left. I explained to them that the Yankees had first played their games at the old Polo Grounds, along with the NY Giants, who owned the facility, and they remained there from 1918 until 1922. Although that arrangement worked for a while, it ran into some problems after the Yankees acquired Babe Ruth from the Boston Red Sox. Once the Yankee management changed the Babe from a pitcher to a slugger, the team started to outdraw the Giants in attendance, and this caused hard feelings between the two clubs.

The Giants initially asked the Yankees to leave after the 1920 season, but knew it would take some time for that to happen, so the Yankees began to look for a new home. In 1921, the Yankee owner purchased more than ten acres across the Harlem River from the Polo Grounds, in the west Bronx, and construction was begun on the ballpark in May of 1922. The Stadium officially opened on April 18, 1923, with over 74,000 people in attendance for that first game. Yankee Stadium is often referred to as ‘The House That Ruth Built’, referring to the fact that it was Babe Ruth’s hitting that drew in the crowds and that the right field fence, in particular, was built to accentuate his skills. It was not only the first three-level ball field ever constructed, but it was also the first large enough to be called a stadium. In that opening game, the Bambino hit three home runs and the Yankees went on to win by a score of 4 to 1.

“Do you mean to tell me Babe Ruth scored all the runs in that first game?” Mark asked, astonished, after hearing the information I had to give them.

“Well, he was responsible for at least three of the four runs,” I replied. “I’m not sure about the other one.”

“I’d bet there was someone on base when he hit one of those homeruns,” Mark countered, “so that would mean he had all four RBI’s.”

“Could be,” I agreed, before telling them even more.

Yankee Stadium has changed over the years and has undergone several renovations, with the last one being carried out between 1973 and 1976. The original right field corner was 295 feet from home plate, but is now at 314 feet, while left field foul pole was originally 301 feet out, but now stands at 318 feet. Those aren’t the only changes either. The power alley in left field went out to a very deep 395 feet, which gave the left-handed hitters a definite advantage in hitting to right field.

Center field used to be the most imposing feature of the stadium, jutting out 500 feet from home plate, and the original three monuments and flagpole used to stand on the playing surface. The monuments were located at just over 460 feet out, with over 30 feet of space beyond them, and often proved a hazard to the centerfielders of both teams. Eventually the center field fence was moved in to 461 feet, but today it is only 408 feet to dead center field, which is still a good poke, even by current standards. Monument Park is now located behind the center field fence, so we set off in that direction to see those infamous pieces of Yankee history.

The original three monuments were dedicated in honor of three of the early Yankees, who had helped establish the dominance and tradition of this organization. The first monument had been dedicated to Miller Huggins, the Yankee manager during those glory days, and then monuments were added for Babe Ruth, which was placed on his right, and for Lou Gehrig, which was added on the left. Since that time, other plaques have been added to the wall, first for Joe DiMaggio and then Mickey Mantle, but now there are also plaques for Ed Barrow, Jacob Ruppert (the owner when the stadium was built), Casey Stengel, Joe McCarthy, Thurman Munson, Billy Martin, Whitey Ford, Lefty Gomez, Roger Maris, Allie Reynolds, Elston Howard, Phil Rizzuto, Bill Dickey, Yogi Berra, Reggie Jackson, Don Mattingly and, oddly enough, Popes Paul VI and John Paul II. The Popes were honored with plaques, not because of their interest in baseball, but because both of them had celebrated a mass in Yankee stadium, while touring the United States.

Before we made our way back to our seats, we also learned the Yankees had won 25 World Championships thus far, and that Yankee Stadium has also hosted numerous other activities. In addition to the Popes’ masses, other religious gatherings have been held there, including several Jehovah’s Witnesses Conventions. It has also been the setting for college and professional football games, with Army and the New York Football Giants having played there for a number of years. These games also included the first sudden–death overtime game, which took place in the 1958 NFL championship contest, which was won by the Baltimore Colts. That game has been widely referred to ‘the greatest game ever played’ and helped to establish professional football as a major sport in this country. Yankee Stadium was also the scene for several professional boxing title fights, including the Joe Louis-Max Schmeling fight, in June of 1938, and the Mohammad Ali-Ken Norton bout, in September 1976.

The boys were still talking about all we had seen, but suddenly decided they wanted to take some time to run down near the field, so they could get autographs. They talked me into purchasing programs and drinks for them, as we made our way back from Monument Park, and now they clung to those programs with their hot little hands, looking for players to sign them.

While they were doing that, Jake and I went to our seats, since we preferred to sit and chat while the boys went in search of their priceless treasures. We contented ourselves with each other’s company and watching the teams take batting and infield practice. Mark was the first to return and join us, again clutching his program as if it were the Publisher’s Clearing House winner’s check. He sat down beside me and showed us the autographs he had been able to collect, but he was most pleased at having garnered Derek Jeter’s signature. After showing Jake and I his prized possessions, he decided to thank me again.

“Pop, I don’t know if you realize how much all of this means to me, and I don’t even know if I can describe it to you,” he began. “You’ve done so much for me in just a short time and you’ve really taken the place of the dad I never knew. You’ve managed to erase many of my insecurities and regrets, and in return given me the confidence I need to be successful and provided me with memories I shall always cherish. I’ve decided that when I get out of college, I’m going to look for a job on the east coast, and I’ll move my mom out here too, so we can all be together. I want to be close to you and your family, so I don’t have to go through all of that stuff again. It’s like I finally have a dad and brothers, and I just love the way that feels. Of course, I also have a girlfriend here too, so that kind of adds to my wanting to live around here too, but I know Mom will love it and she’ll like all of you nearly as much as I do.”

“Mark, I don’t know what to say,” I stammered. “I feel honored you think that way about us and we’d love to have you around, but do you think your mother would truly be happy moving all the way across the country?”

“I really do,” he assured me. “We don’t have a lot to hold us there, and mostly it’s just been each other. I was going to mention the idea to her when I went back home before going back to college, to start getting her use to the idea, so I’ll know then, for sure. I do think she’ll do it though, so we can be close to each other again. I don’t think she wants us to be too far apart, so I’m pretty sure she’ll go if I decide to.”

“That’s fine and I can understand her not wanting to be separated from her only child,” I confirmed. “I’ve gone through being separated from my children before, as they moved to other parts of the country, and I know I’m going to go through it again, when these boys go out on their own. I am really flattered by the way you feel about all of us, and I’ll try my best to always be there for you.”

“I know you will and that’s why it’s so special,” he added, with a wink. “You’ve done all these little things for me already and I’ve really enjoyed these past two weekends with all of you. Even if you didn’t do anything else for me, the memories I have now would help keep me going for a long time to come.”

“Believe me, this won’t be all we do for you and I look forward to having you around for many more years,” I confirmed.

Mark started to say something else, but at the moment the rest of the troops returned and took their seats around us. He just looked at me and smiled and said ‘thank you’ once more, then we waited for the game to begin. Just as we had at the Phillies game, the three of us attempted to outguess the coaches, but this time Danny and Brandon joined in the strategy talk as well. We all had a good time and it was a heck of a game, eventually going eleven innings before someone won. Unfortunately for my Yankee fans, it wasn’t their team. It was fairly late by the time we got back and we were all pretty tired, so we just went to our rooms and turned in. Basically this was our last full day in the Big Apple, but we had done quite a bit and I think we all really enjoyed ourselves over the few days we had been there.

Mark was still walking on air when he reached the room he had been sharing with Brandon and Danny, but tonight he felt bold enough to broach a subject he had been avoiding up until now. “You know, you guys don’t have to stop being affectionate or curtail your sexual activities just because you’re sharing a room with me,” he informed the startled pair.

“It’s nice of you to say that, and we appreciate it and all,” Danny responded, after a brief hesitation, “but we just wouldn’t feel right leaving you out of the fun.”

“You know I’m straight and kind of have a girlfriend at the bank,” Mark replied, “but I won’t interfere if you two want to have some fun.”

“Danny’s right,” Brandon agreed. “We just couldn’t do something, if you weren’t going to join in. It would be too awkward, but thanks for offering.”

“Look, maybe we could work something out,” Mark offered. “I could leave for an hour or so, if you guys want to have some fun.”

“Nah, that’s okay,” Danny told him. “We can wait until we get back home, it’s not that big of a deal.”

Mark seemed confused when he heard Danny’s replay and sat quietly for a few minutes, as if he were trying to come up with another option.”

“Okay, you know I’m not gay and I don’t do things with other guys,” he offered, “but I guess instead of making you two suffer for letting me share a room with you, we could maybe jack each other off. I did that a couple of times with one of my friends, when I was a lot younger.”

Both boys smiled, impressed by Mark’s effort to try to make them comfortable and fit in. After talking it over quietly amongst themselves, Danny and Brandon finally made a counter proposal. “What if Danny and I get you off first,” Brandon told him, “and then we can do something with each other? That way, you won’t have to do anything to either of us and we’ll all get off.”

“Okay, what exactly did you have in mind?” Mark asked, looking slightly apprehensive about what they might have planned.

“Well, Brandon and I agreed we could take turns sucking you off,” Danny told him, “and then we could do the same for each other. Would that be okay with you?”

“You’re telling me you’re willing to give me a hummer, but I don’t have to do anything in return?” Mark asked, just to make sure he had heard them correctly.

“That’s was our offer,” Danny reiterated.

“Shit, yeah,” Mark beamed. “I hope you guys didn’t expect me to turn down a blow-job?” Mark asked, rhetorically, as he grinned from ear-to-ear. “The girl I’m going with is really sweet and all, and I love her deeply, but she doesn’t want to have sex before marriage. That’s been really rough on me and I’ve had to whack off on my own and take a bunch of cold showers over the past few weeks, so this sounds really great to me.”

Danny and Brandon nearly burst out laughing hearing Mark admit this, but they were also excited about finally sharing this hunk they had first become attracted to on our vacation in Arizona. Once the three of them had undressed, they stood staring at each other for a few seconds, admiring each other’s body.

“I can see why you two are so attracted to each other,” Mark told them. “You both are really good looking and have good bodies to boot. I guess if I were into guys, I’d be after one or both of you too.”

Hearing this helped to lessen the tension, but Brandon had an admission to make as well. “I guess you’ve probably figured out that’s why Danny and I were so attracted to you when we first met. I guess we’d both hoped to be able to do something with you and were a little disappointed when we discovered you were straight.”

“Yes, I kind of knew that,” Mark confessed, “but I was really grateful neither of you tried to put pressure on me to do anything. I guess that was my first surprise. I guess I’d always been led to believe that gays would try to force guys into doing things with them, even if they didn’t want to.”

“That’s so not true,” Danny quickly responded. “We’re no different than straight guys, except in whom we love. I guess there are a few gay guys like that, who would rape an unwilling person, but there are straight guys like that too, so it doesn’t just happen because they’re gay.

“I know that now, and have since I got to know you guys so well,” Mark confirmed, “and I’ve been quick to point that out to others, whenever I’ve heard them make such outrageous comments. Sometimes, it got them thinking I was gay too, but I didn’t care. They could think what they wanted, but I couldn’t let others believe their crap.”

Now that all of the talking was out of the way, Danny and Brandon positioned Mark between them and went to work on his manly, hairy body. Brandon got to start at Mark’s thighs and work his way northward, while Danny suckled on Mark’s breasts, quickly bringing each of his brownish nubs to rigid attention.

Mark was quite surprised at how his body was responding to this attention, as he didn’t think he’d be turned on at all by having two guys giving him enjoyment. However, the total opposite was true. Mark was amazed at how good Danny’s attention felt on his tits and he was shocked that a guy could get such pleasure from these ministrations. Now, he understood why girls enjoyed having a guy fondle and suck on their titties.

Not only that, but he was also delirious from the feelings he was receiving from Brandon’s tongue, as it roamed over his thighs and then lathed his ball sack. This caused Mark to ponder how such simple actions could elicit such overpowering waves of pleasure, as his penis became so hard that he felt he could pound nails with it. Mark’s body was awash in a multitude of sensations and he began to see flashes of light, in varying colors, as his two friends brought him to a peak of sexual euphoria.

As Brandon brought his mouth over Mark’s rigid mast, Mark thought about the times a girl had given him oral sex, but it was never like this. Yes, it was good and brought him off, but he never felt the total body stimulation and tingling throughout his nervous system that he was now enjoying. He was rapidly approaching the point where he would spew forth his seed, but suddenly Brandon squeezed the base of his cock and around his testicles, temporarily ending the surge.

“Sorry about that,” Brandon teased, “but it’s time for Danny and me to change places.”

Mark tried to nod in response, but he could barely move, since the stimulation had also apparently zapped him of all of his strength. It was then that he felt Danny taking over, bobbing up and down on his blood-filled erection, and he suddenly lost all connection to time and space. His brain was on complete overload from all of the wonderful sensations coursing throughout his body and he couldn’t get over how wonderful this truly was. As his glands built up toward an overpowering climax, Mark’s frame started to stiffen, in conjunction with his penis, when his mid-section suddenly arched upward, on its own volition, and his hot man lava began to erupt from his dickhead.

At this moment, time seemed to stand still, as his body floated in another universe, this one of total pleasure. He could see nothing, hear no sounds and felt only the overpowering relief that a sexual orgasm can bring. As his body twitched spasmodically, while releasing every ounce of nectar it had produced, Danny drained his tool of its fluids, until Mark’s body fell back upon the mattress and went completely still.

Danny had been mildly surprised at the forcefulness of Mark’s ejaculation, but didn’t back away. Instead, he stayed with it and enjoyed a slightly more pungent offering than he was used to, which didn’t go unnoticed. Mark was amazed that Danny had willingly swallowed his seed, as no girl had been willing to do that for him. Either they pulled off early and jacked him to completion or they spit it out afterward, and then rinsed their mouth out with mouthwash. The fact that Danny had been willing to do it had made it even more enjoyable than it already was.

As Mark was coming done from his sexual high, Danny and Brandon got into a sixty-nine position and began taking care of each other’s needs. When they were about halfway through their own pleasure seeking, Mark recovered and stared intently at their actions. He was amazed at how gentle they were with each other and how they sought to bring the partner as much pleasure as they were able, even if that meant ignoring their own needs. Mark was even more impressed as they climaxed almost simultaneously, as they had learned to read the other’s body signs and were able to delay themselves or their partner until they were both ready to explode. Once they had finished, they collapsed on their own bed, side-by-side, and Mark gave them a minute or two to recuperate, before he spoke to them.

“You know, that wasn’t anything like I thought it would be,” he informed the pair, as they slowly came back to their senses. “It was wonderful and I wasn’t repulsed at all. I hate to admit it, but I feared I might be, and then watching you guys get off on each other was really hot. I’m still straight and all, but you know… I might want to see you guys do more… and I might be willing to try more too… maybe even doing something with one of you.”

Danny and Brandon looked in each other’s direction and secretly exchanged winks, after realizing that Mark might be coming to grips with the idea that he might even be bi-sexual.