We have all had encounters that we remember as well as those we want to forget, and this particular one has stuck in my mind, even though I have for so long tried to erase it. However, periodically I find myself remembering this eventful time in my life and as I slip back to when it all happened, it becomes as vivid as if it had just happened. Maybe I wish it would somehow happen again or that I could somehow go back and relive the experience.
I have mixed feeling about what happened and when it creeps back into my thoughts, I end up examining what actually took place, and I end up taking myself back to that fateful time in my life, reliving it. But then I wish to forget it ever happened.
I had turned eighteen and a senior in high school but being somewhat of a delinquent, skipping classes, I would end up hanging out at the local game room by the high school. I was a rather shy young man and I had had several girl friends over the years, but I was still a virgin, even though I had plenty of opportunities.
Anyway, I was spending a lot of time at the game room during the day with friends, instead of going to class, and had started to become good friends with a man that worked there, that I soon discovered was the owner of the game room. His name was John, he was probably 10 years older than I was, had dark skin and dark hair, and he was very friendly.
Everyone at the school liked hanging out up at the game room during the day and sometime, even into the night, and weekends. There were pinball machines that lined the walls, foosball machines in the middle, as well as selling records and cassettes.
At first, I really did not take notice of John too much, but I think he must have been watching me and noticing how much time I was spending at the game room and at some point he must have decided to see if he could encourage me to have a relationship with him.
At the time, I had no idea John was gay but it would soon become quite evident, but at first I thought he was just being friendly because our interactions were all very innocent. Conversations were nothing more than the casual, "Hello" as I entered the game room or me asking for change to play some of the games. However, it soon progressed to where he would give me free games on the pinball machines when I was hanging out there and there were even a couple times when the attendants working at the game room started giving me pot and pills.
My friendship with John grew and soon he was asking me to go out for breakfast and lunch with him, which at first I was reluctant to do, but eventually John convinced me it would be okay. I actually enjoy skipping classes to hang out at the game room, even though my grades were hurting, and I did liked the attention I was getting.
Going out for breakfast or lunch, became more and more frequent and our conversations were innocent, at least on the surface, but I am quite sure he was always looking for an opening, a way to feel out the situation, and at the same time, trying to build me up, create a friendship that would hopefully get me to sleep with him.
There was one particular day that stands out and when I think about what happened, it was a turning point in our friendly relationship. We were out for breakfast on day, and our simple conversation turned to a conversation about girls and sex. John asked if I had ever been with a girl and at the time, I had been with several girlfriends, however I had not gone all the way, but I wasn't going to tell him that, so I simply told him, "Yea."
We talked about what color hair we liked, boobs, asses, etc., and we even laughed a little, but John then asked me when was the last time I had sex. After a short pause, I inadvertently let it slip that I had actually never had sex before.
He was shocked a little and asked, "Why not," and continued by saying, "Maybe you like guys."
I paused but quickly told him, "No, I like girls, not guys."
He quickly said, "Then why haven't you done it yet?"
I told him that I just hadn't had the chance.
The conversation paused for a little bit and then he asked, "Do you ever think guys are attractive?"
I quickly said, "No," and John continued the questioning by asking, "So, when you're watching a movie and there's a guy in the movie, you never say to yourself, Hey, he's good looking."
I again said, "No, I never thought that."
John chuckled and quickly tried to calm me down by agreeing that he knew I only like girls, which kind of put me at ease and our conversation returned to a more innocent level. However, it was about to take another turn as the conversation paused again. I could sense John was looking at me and as he asked if everything was ok, I looked up and nodded my head.
John quickly said that he really enjoyed my company and told me it was really nice to have someone like me to talk with. Agreeing, I nodded my head, which gave John a little time to gather his thoughts, looking for a way to steer the conversation in a direction that would not only calm my thoughts, but provide him a way to find out if he could get me to go with him to his apartment.
He subtly told me he was sorry if I was embarrassed, and as I nodded my head and told him it was ok, John smiled and said, "Good," and proceeded by again saying that he understood that I only like girls, and as I nodded my head again, the conversation paused. John then casually mentioned that he was bisexual, and looking up at him wondering what he meant, the conversation paused again; I had never heard that term before and sense I was naive about what he was telling me, he asked if I know what that was.
I simply told him, "No, I didn't," and as I looked at him, he smiled, seeming relishing in the opportunity to explain what it was.