Grump II - 4. Chapter 4: Car Talk

Chapter Four: Car Talk

Two confused boys sat in the car together. Each thinking about the twilight zone.

“I need a moment Sam.” Jack said as Sam put his key in the ignition. “Well, that makes two of us then.” Sam responded. Parents. Sam still couldn’t get over it. Jack had told his parents all about their strange date and they were happy about it, so it seemed. What had Sam expected? That Jack would tell his parents that Sam was picking him up and they were going on a double date with two girls? That the candy and flowers were to pay off some stupid bet. Or some other reason, but not a real date between two guys.

“My parents think I’m experimenting with my sexuality.” How did they come up with that explanation?

“What? Experimenting? Oh, no. None of that is going to happen. This is about being friends.” I hope.

“Oh, come off it, Sam. What did you expect? After the stunt you pulled. First everyone in school was talking about it. Then everyone in the neighborhood. My parents heard about it and wanted to discuss it at supper that same night. I mean, two hours of it‘s okay if you are gay or just curious or maybe bi.” Shit.

Tom had teased Sam this afternoon about it. Again. Wasn’t he good enough anymore and so on. Jeff said it was a good way to meet and influence people. Sally asked about a life insurance policy. But Tom did say Jack was getting teased bad. That was until Jack turned the tables by asking a simple question. “What are you going to do when Grump asks you out on a date? He will you know. You know the stories. Anyone who messes with Grump pays. And you guys have been talking trash all day about Grump.” No one teased Jack again. But there was still a lot of talk. About being asked out by Grump. What a date with Grump would be like. All kinds of talk. Especially dirty talk.

“The thing is the parents think this is some new trend. That boys will be asking other boys out on dates now. They are all talking about it. The parents. Some guys are thinking of dating other guys just to piss off their parents.” Honest to god, why me?

“You have got to be kidding. One date is not a trend. One date can’t start something like what you are describing.” Hell this isn’t a real date anyway. It’s just two guys sorting out their shit. So what if Jack is… None of that. Stop. Now.

“It can when the person doing the dating is you.” I bet I know more about Grump than he would believe. Every day for years people have talked about him. Told stories. And every day I have seen Grump. But I never talked to him. But everyone new about him and talked about him. And the funny thing was people were mesmerized by him. Especially, this year.

“And why is that. I’m nobody.” Only four people know him and Peter is gone.

“You are only Grump. The baddest ass in Evermore.” Yes, in the last week Grump had become the one. The mysterious cool one. The boy girls liked. The boy the boys wanted to… Best not to think about what some of the boys were saying.

“I thought I was pussy boy? Isn‘t that what you called me. Jack this is dumb.” And that was a mild name. He had heard much worst.

“I agree. But try and tell that to half of the football team. We are not the only two boys out on their first date tonight. It all started out as a joke in the locker room. Asking the guy next to you in the shower for a date. But the next thing you know guys were asking and other guys were saying yes. I know of seven couples going out tonight. All guys on the football team. Some of these guys even have girlfriends.” I wonder what they are doing tonight?

“But why.” This is some messed up shit. I know why I am doing this. It’s to face who I am unafraid. But why would others copycat me?

“I don’t know why. Maybe because asking girls is so hard.” Maybe because guys think with their dicks.

“You think asking guys is easy?” Well asking Jack out actually was the easy part. The date was proving to be more of a quandary.

“Hell, I love hanging out with the guys, always have. It’s fun. It’s easy. But girls have something I want.” Not just sex.

“Do you have a girlfriend now? Are you dating someone?” I didn’t think about this. But I don’t think I’m stepping on toes.

“No.” Here it comes. Truth time. Maybe this date will end in the driveway.

“Why not?” With Peter gone, Jack was the new king. He could pick and choose.

“I’m kind of stuck on someone at the moment. I’ve asked girls out before. I’ve gone on dates. I’ve been to third base lots of times. But no further. What about you?” Can you believe I have been waiting for someone special all this time.

“Me?” No one would believe the truth.

“Yeah, you been all the way with a guy?” Asking a guy about his prowess with girls was a common question. Strange to ask about a guy’s score card with the boys.

“Only in my mind. I’ve kissed and touched everything, but no, in this world I haven’t gone all the way.” That’s honest, isn’t? How do you explain that mind sex beat physical sex in some very incredible ways. But he still thought of Peter’s touch.

“So we are almost not virgins. Both of us.” Can I really be talking about this with another guy?

“Who are you stuck on?” Well, in a way the date was working. We are talking about stuff. That’s what friends do, right?

“Sally. First there was always that other guy with her. I can’t remember his name. And now that he is gone, she is all over you. I was jealous I guess. About the name calling, I’m sorry.”