Threshold...Opening up
Amit got out of bed and walked to the bathroom, he was about to pick up his robe when the memory of last night came flooding back and he left it on the floor. Refreshed, he moved towards the electric kettle on the side board he wanted to fix himself and his companion a nice cup of tea.
It was only at times like these that he ever bothered to do these small homely acts; it gave him a strange sense of relaxation and peace. In the other world he inhabited he was the lord and master and it was unthinkable that he do anything himself, there were always a retinue of servants to do his bidding. But times like now were too personal and intimate to allow for a third to intrude.
He surveyed the messy bed yet again; his companion was still sleeping, hand thrown over eyes to shield against the light. Amit drew the curtains completely aside allowing the sun to come through and brighten up the room. He felt strangely young and full of exuberance though nothing in his measured walk and action would have shown what he felt inside.
He went over with the cup of tea and gently shook the sleeper awake and handed over the tea cup, with a reluctant grunt the guy got up and then realizing where he was gave a sheepish grin and accepted the cup.
Amit looked him over yet again; he was a beauty. Normally Amit never picked partners so rashly but this guy was different. He was working as a bouncer at a bar Amit had visited last night. Amit met him in the men’s room and convinced him to come back to his hotel room with him.
And the risk had been completely worth it, the boy was a pro at love making, he delighted and teased Amit through the night and the best thing was he didn’t ask any embarrassing questions. Amit wondered if he could risk meeting this boy ever again. He was almost falling in love with the boy and the thought of his nagging partner back in Mumbai did nothing to help matters.
The boy finished his tea and got out of bed, his strapping physique and unashamed manhood making Amit swallow hard. The boy had told him that nudity was what he loved best and he put on clothes only when it was absolutely needed.
He had taken off Amit’s clothes slowly and then made him parade around naked, even made him walk out to the balcony to make him feel the thrill of cold air on naked skin and Amit had come away with a new lightness in his heart, a spring in his step.
The boy took a long time in the bathroom, Amit waited impatiently for him to reemerge. He had already called his secretary to ask her to cancel all his meetings for the day and he wanted to plan out the rest of the day with the boy. He wanted the boy to take him around the city, show him the things that he would have never seen from the insides of his luxurious car. He wanted to be close to the boy, he wanted to get under his skin, understand how his heart and mind worked. He felt like a teenager in the first flush of love. And he waited for the boy to walk out of the bathroom.
Finally the boy emerged, freshly bathed, smelling of the hotel’s soap and shampoo. He strode to the telephone and called up room service to order a simple breakfast of bread & butter and a lot of fruits. Amit had been planning an elaborate breakfast with caviar and wine. This rude intervention in his plan made his anger flare up till the boy turned and said pleasantly ‘I am famished, you wrung out all my energy last night’ and Amit melted.
The boy quickly picked up his clothes, wore them and put the room back in order, Amit kept sitting and watched the boy move around, wondering what would the boy want to do next.
The breakfast trolley arrived and the food was gulped down in no time. Then the boy started filling up the fruits in his bag. Amit couldn’t help his quizzical expression.
The boy stopped what he was doing and then said ‘these are for my father who is in hospital, I need to go and see him and am too late to be able to stop to pick up some food for him.’
Amit’s plan for a lazy afternoon and evening vanished and keeping his frustration aside he asked the boy enough questions to understand that he was from a lower middle class family, he was studying and did odd jobs to support himself and his ailing father.
Amit began seeing last night in a different light. The boy was sure to ask for money for services rendered. He got up to write out a cheque he wasn’t in the habit of carrying too much cash on him.
The click of the door made him look up and he saw the boy leave, he was about to follow but his nakedness stopped him.
What was he to make of this? The boy didn’t ask for any money or his contact number or any other favor.
He sat at his desk for a long time wondering at the turn of events, cursing himself for thinking that he understood all that was there to understand about human beings.
Finally he pulled himself up and walked to the bathroom for a bath. The answer to all his queries was there, the boy had left a note saying,
‘You looked so lonely last night I couldn’t let you stay that way.’
It was only at times like these that he ever bothered to do these small homely acts; it gave him a strange sense of relaxation and peace. In the other world he inhabited he was the lord and master and it was unthinkable that he do anything himself, there were always a retinue of servants to do his bidding. But times like now were too personal and intimate to allow for a third to intrude.
He surveyed the messy bed yet again; his companion was still sleeping, hand thrown over eyes to shield against the light. Amit drew the curtains completely aside allowing the sun to come through and brighten up the room. He felt strangely young and full of exuberance though nothing in his measured walk and action would have shown what he felt inside.
He went over with the cup of tea and gently shook the sleeper awake and handed over the tea cup, with a reluctant grunt the guy got up and then realizing where he was gave a sheepish grin and accepted the cup.
Amit looked him over yet again; he was a beauty. Normally Amit never picked partners so rashly but this guy was different. He was working as a bouncer at a bar Amit had visited last night. Amit met him in the men’s room and convinced him to come back to his hotel room with him.
And the risk had been completely worth it, the boy was a pro at love making, he delighted and teased Amit through the night and the best thing was he didn’t ask any embarrassing questions. Amit wondered if he could risk meeting this boy ever again. He was almost falling in love with the boy and the thought of his nagging partner back in Mumbai did nothing to help matters.
The boy finished his tea and got out of bed, his strapping physique and unashamed manhood making Amit swallow hard. The boy had told him that nudity was what he loved best and he put on clothes only when it was absolutely needed.
He had taken off Amit’s clothes slowly and then made him parade around naked, even made him walk out to the balcony to make him feel the thrill of cold air on naked skin and Amit had come away with a new lightness in his heart, a spring in his step.
The boy took a long time in the bathroom, Amit waited impatiently for him to reemerge. He had already called his secretary to ask her to cancel all his meetings for the day and he wanted to plan out the rest of the day with the boy. He wanted the boy to take him around the city, show him the things that he would have never seen from the insides of his luxurious car. He wanted to be close to the boy, he wanted to get under his skin, understand how his heart and mind worked. He felt like a teenager in the first flush of love. And he waited for the boy to walk out of the bathroom.
Finally the boy emerged, freshly bathed, smelling of the hotel’s soap and shampoo. He strode to the telephone and called up room service to order a simple breakfast of bread & butter and a lot of fruits. Amit had been planning an elaborate breakfast with caviar and wine. This rude intervention in his plan made his anger flare up till the boy turned and said pleasantly ‘I am famished, you wrung out all my energy last night’ and Amit melted.
The boy quickly picked up his clothes, wore them and put the room back in order, Amit kept sitting and watched the boy move around, wondering what would the boy want to do next.
The breakfast trolley arrived and the food was gulped down in no time. Then the boy started filling up the fruits in his bag. Amit couldn’t help his quizzical expression.
The boy stopped what he was doing and then said ‘these are for my father who is in hospital, I need to go and see him and am too late to be able to stop to pick up some food for him.’
Amit’s plan for a lazy afternoon and evening vanished and keeping his frustration aside he asked the boy enough questions to understand that he was from a lower middle class family, he was studying and did odd jobs to support himself and his ailing father.
Amit began seeing last night in a different light. The boy was sure to ask for money for services rendered. He got up to write out a cheque he wasn’t in the habit of carrying too much cash on him.
The click of the door made him look up and he saw the boy leave, he was about to follow but his nakedness stopped him.
What was he to make of this? The boy didn’t ask for any money or his contact number or any other favor.
He sat at his desk for a long time wondering at the turn of events, cursing himself for thinking that he understood all that was there to understand about human beings.
Finally he pulled himself up and walked to the bathroom for a bath. The answer to all his queries was there, the boy had left a note saying,
‘You looked so lonely last night I couldn’t let you stay that way.’
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