"Hey Mr. Longo!"
I had been tidying up the garage, so the voice from the driveway startled me, but I recognized it immediately as belonging to my son's best friend, Sean Farrell. He had been a fixture at our house for many years, and he was always unfailingly polite and respectful, qualities that seem to be in short supply these days, so he was always welcome.
"Hi Sean. Long time no see," I responded as I turned to face the lad, who with his bright red hair and multitude of freckles, reminded me of Alfred E. Newman of the old Mad magazine, because of the hair and freckles and the fact that he was often smiling.
With my only son off to college, I hadn't seen Sean in months, and after we shook hands I asked him how he was doing in the studies, with him having decided to stay in the area.
"Doing okay," Sean informed me. "How's Scott doing?"
"When he bothers to call, he seems to be doing well," I said. "Sure is quiet around here without him and you though. What brings you around these parts?"
Turns out he had lent Scott a book over the summer and my son had forgotten to return it. Not surprising, I replied, and told him he was welcome to look in my son's room for it.
"If you can't find it, give me a yell and I'll help you look," I said. "Almost done here anyway."
I watched Sean go up the back porch, his red hair almost glowing in the sunlight, and his presence made me realize how lonely it was around her. My wife had divorced me four years ago, and now with Scott gone the house was like a morgue.
A few minutes later I was finished with the project, and I was wondering whether Sean had found the book and just left, but that wasn't like him. Besides, his bike was still in the driveway, so I went into the house to see if I could help the boy out.
"Any luck?" I said after going down to hall to Scott's bedroom, but my sentence was cut off from the shock of seeing Sean, who was in the bedroom but was not looking for the book.
Sean was just standing there facing me, but the smile was gone. He was also naked.
***
"I don't understand," I said, trying not to look at the boy, who looked even smaller than his 5'6" and 130 pound frame did when clothed.
"Didn't know how else to do this," Sean said nervously.
"Do what?" I asked while trying not to look at the naked form.
"Always had a crush on you," Sean mumbled.
"You're..." I started to say, and after Sean nodded, I added, "I didn't know."
"Are you and my son..."
"Scott? God no. He's as straight as they come, dammit. He doesn't even know about me," Sean said.
"Tough secret to keep."
"It is, isn't it Mr. Longo?" Sean replied. "You can look at me, you know. I want you to, or at least I hope you do."
I had been staring at the wall behind Sean, trying like the devil not to look at the boy, but after he mentioned the secret part a shiver went down my spine.
"Scott doesn't know about you either, Mr. Longo," Sean said.
"Sorry?"
"I always suspected it about you, but a couple of nights ago I saw you go into The Fuse Box," Sean said. "Sometimes I can get in when the right doorman is there, but since I'm only 18 they usually keep me out."
"Don't you like me?" Sean asked after a moment of awkward silence. "This was probably a dumb idea. I'm sorry. I was hoping - always fantasized that you would see me naked and want me, but you won't even look at me."
"You're a very handsome boy," I assured him.