I Went Where?
I was working in my father's hardware store, one of the last family owned in the area, during the Summer between my Junior and Senior years in college. I had turned 21 this Spring, and will admit to visiting a few bars with and without friends.
I was helping Mr. Carlisle find something in the fastener aisle (screws and nails, etc.). The store wasn't busy. We (Mr. Carlisle and I) and the cashier up front may be the only ones in the store right now. My father is around someplace, but he sometimes takes a nap in his office in the afternoon. The cashier knows to buzz him if he's needed.
Mr. Carlisle asked me, "Have you ever been to the Tar Pit, Jack?"
"You mean the LeBrea Tar Pits in California?"
"No. It's a bar over on the west side. I thought that I saw you there last week."
"Not that I'm aware of. I was on the west side with some buddies last week. We hit a couple of bars, but I don't know the name of them."
"Ok. It's a gay bar. I was just wondering."
"I don't think that I was there. The guys that I was with are not gay." At least, I don't think they are.
I helped him find the correct size bolt and he headed up to the cashier.
After he left, I used the map function on my phone to locate the Tar Pit. That was the area that we were in, I think. The problem was, I don't remember much about that night. I was blitzed.
I'm gonna be honest. I had been thinking of finding a gay bar and visit it once or twice. I scored with girls on occasion, but I watch a lot of porn, and lately I've been watching more bi- content. Let's just put me in the curious category.
I was planning on playing golf this Saturday in a western suburb. Dad had plenty of help on the weekends, so he gave me those days off. The guy that I'm playing golf with always has something that he needs to do with his girlfriend on Saturdays, so I knew he wouldn't be sticking around. I decided to see what that place is like on a Saturday afternoon. I thought that was a safe bet for a start. If I got a strange vibe, I wouldn't go back.
On Saturday, I walked in the door of the bar from the back parking lot. I've been in here before. I wondered if Carl and Mike knew this was a gay bar. They live on this side of town. But... I had a bigger problem to solve. Mr. Carlisle was walking towards me.
"Jack. Good to see you. Can I buy you a beer?"
"Ummm."
"Come on. I won't bite. I was just relaxing before I head home to the missus. She and I are going out tonight. One beer."
"Okay. Thanks."
He found out what kind of beer I wanted and walked to the bar. "Lou. Could you get my friend an Ultra and I'll take a glass of water. We're going to be in the booth over there." Mr. Carlisle pointed to a corner.
Lou brought my beer over and asked me for my ID. I already had it out, and he set the beer and a glass of ice water down. Mr. Carlisle had picked up the half bottle of beer he had off of the bar.
After Lou left, Mr. Carlisle said, "So you decided to check the place out after I told you about it?"
"Well, I was over here anyway. I thought that I would stop in for a beer. Do they have burgers?"
"I wouldn't eat here Jack."
I'm glad that he was looking out for me. "Thank you, Mr. Carlisle."
"Pete."
At the store, he had asked me several times to call him Pete. I guess it was appropriate here. "Thank you, Pete."
"So. I'm thinking that you're wondering what a married guy is doing here?"
"I think that I know what you're doing here, but the fact that you're married had crossed my mind."
"Yeah. Well. That's a long story, but just suffice it to say that my wife's sex drive doesn't match mine. Sometimes I come over here looking for a horny twink."
"What's a twink?"
"Don't kid me. Even if you don't watch gay porn, there are plenty of twinks in straight and bi."
Yes. I knew what a twink was. At 5'7", 140 pounds, with so little natural hair on my body, I've decided to shave the rest. Yes. I know what a twink is. "Ok. You got me."
"That's not what I'm doing today though. I was driving near, so I thought that I'd stop in for a beer and talk to Lou. He's a nice guy."
I couldn't respond to anything.
"Are you curious, Jack?"
I couldn't see any point in lying. "Yes."
"You're going to need a wing man. I can do that for you. There are some old guys that come in here that will be all over you if you come in alone."
"And if I come in with a friend, or two?"
"Depends on the guy and the crowd."
I said, "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure. Anything that you like."
I had a lot of questions, but the biggest one was, "Did you see the two guys that I was in here with last week? Do you remember seeing them here before?"
"No. I saw you, but I didn't notice anyone with you. You're wondering if they are gay, or bi?"
"Yes."
"I would say probably. There is always the chance that they didn't know or didn't care that this establishment caters to a gay clientele."
"Thanks. Another question?"
Pete looked at his wristwatch. "I've got 10 minutes before I have to take off. Fire away. As many as you like."
"What do you do when you're with these twinks? Are they always young?"
"There are some guys in their 40s and 50s that still consider themselves twinks, but I'm usually looking for someone... younger. As far as what goes on, that depends on the twink. I can go either way."
"Either way?"
"Yeah. I enjoy being both a top and a bottom. I usually tell the guy that the biggest goes on top."
"Biggest? Height? Weight?"
"No. Dick size."
"Oh."
"How big are you, Jack?"
"7 1/2."
"We might have to do a side by side comparison in that case."