I read every word. Then I read it again. "This is to certify that ----------- has been Honorable Discharged from the United States Navy, etc., etc., etc." My sea bag was packed, I was wearing my dress blues and my shoes were shined. I headed for the quarterdeck one last time. A snappy salute to the Officer of the Deck and a salute to the flag, my sea bag on my shoulder, I descended the gangplank to the pier. I turned around and looked at the ship once more, the ship that was my home for the past three years. As all sailors do, I had a great affection for my ship. We were in battle together. We survived. I was proud to have served aboard her. I saw Pete waving to me from the hanger deck.
"Let's have one last drink together at that local bar," he yelled.
"OK," I yelled back, "I'll wait for you there."
I toted my sea bag (all I had in the world) to the bar, just off the base. When I walked in it was as if I were experiencing a de'javu. Same bartender, another baseball game on the same TV. I plopped my sea bag at the far corner of the bar and slid up on a stool. The bartender turned and said, "Bud Light?" He remembered.
"Yeah, one for the road," I said.
"Being transferred or discharged?" he asked, looking at the sea bag.
"Discharged," I replied.
"Goin' home."
"You know, I really don't know. I haven't made any travel plans yet. I may stay with some friends here for a while (thinking about Larry and Moe), I like San Francisco."
"Good idea," he said. "Don't make any rash decisions. You're still young, lotta livin' to do yet."
I sucked down three beers waiting for Pete. My mind wandered. I silently talked to myself. "Myself." I said, "What are you gonna do? Your family wants you to come back home. You've tasted cock and can't get it out of your mind. Think about it."
I was absently watching TV. A commercial was on. It showed a sexy woman with a red dress, low in the front showing lots of cleavage. I was turned on! What the fuck was I, a freak? I would still like to get my dick in a nice warm, wet pussy, but I couldn't stop thinking about that cock in my mouth, that sperm shooting into my throat, the feel of a man's balls in my hand, that amazing blow job I got from that guy in the car, and I had Pete on my mind.
I knew if I went to Larry and Moe's I would be totally into the gay society. I would be meeting many gay guys. I'd be into the San Francisco gay scene. Did I want that?
While drinking my fourth beer, Pete came in.
"Hi short timer," he said. "I was hoping you wouldn't shove off without saying goodbye."
He ordered a couple of beers and, while we drank, the bartender went back to his ball game.
"So," Pete asked, "made up your mind? Are you gonna visit our friends before you travel east?
"I want to," I said, "but, I'm not sure it's a good idea. I still like cunt you know."
"So do I," Pete said. "The way I got it figured, we didn't leave one world and go into another. We just found another way to get off."
"You know," I said, "I didn't think of it that way. You're right. I guess we're bisexual?"