From: FRASER@vax.library.utoronto.ca
Subject: Vampyres: Fiction: A Gay Old Time
Date: Mon, 22 Sep 1997 22:30:58 -0400
I don't think anyone will have too much trouble recognizing what brought
on this story. *smile* The recent list discussion about definitions,
and recognizing certain truths about yourself, played a large part. As
well as going to see _In And Out_ from which a couple of ideas and one
line were quite frankly stolen. This story deals with stereotypes, and
homosexuality, there is a possibility some people may be offended. No
such offense is intended, and I know lots of "Trevors", the stereotype
does exist. Sorry, no explicit or even implicit sex is involved...
___________________________
A Gay Old Time
copyright 1997 by Anne Fraser
______________________
Dr. Gillian Tenfeathers looked over her patient's record carefully. For
a man to whom she had given a death sentence two years ago, Joshua
Trevallion was doing extraordinarily well. The virus in his system had
apparently been ... contained, was the only word she could think of. He
showed no sign of sliding into full-blown AIDS. And although he tended
to fatigue easily, he was otherwise almost as healthy as a person
without HIV. He still tested positive, but he wasn't any worse off than
he'd been when she'd first seen him. In fact, he was better--he'd lost
the persistent cough.
"What the hell is your secret?" the doctor demanded. "Your platelets...
t-cells... how do you do it?"
Josh smiled. "If I say alternative medicine, will you hurt me?"
"Of course not. I'm not one of those medicos who swear by the book, you
know. If you have found something that works that isn't strictly by the
AMA, more power to you. Just for the record, though, what ARE you
doing?"
"Would you believe me if I said magic?"
"No. Although it depends on the magic. You did say there was a
healer... a witch?"
"I think that depends on your definition of the term," Josh grinned,
anticipating Pandora's reaction to that particular label. Or Michael's,
for that matter... both of them had been active in his on-going
treatment. "But it is largely herbal treatment, and a little of the
power of positive thinking."
"Hm." Gillian kept her reservations to herself. She'd seen "the power
of positive thinking" fail, had had to deal with patients who felt
guilty that they'd been unable to think themselves well. But if it was
working for Josh... she'd seen stranger things. Things that could only
be called miracles. Maybe, just maybe, this time...
"And I'm watching my diet," Josh added.
"Don't obsess," Gillian warned him. "You can't afford to lose weight."
"Not in that sense," Josh assured her. "I'm just eating healthier,
keeping up my strength."
"Lots of protein?"
"Yes."
"Good. Okay, whatever you're doing, keep it up. I don't see any reason
to change.:
"Right, chief," Josh saluted, glad she hadn't mentioned drug therapy.
Not even Gillian wanted him on the possibly debilitating AZT
"cocktail" of drugs that was having results with some AIDS patients.
Josh didn't have AIDS, not yet, and the treatment had some pretty severe
side effects.
"I'm not a chief, I'm a shaman," the Native American chuckled. "Okay,
get those cute buns of yours out of here, see you next month."
He saluted her with a grin and departed.
___________
Comments and miracle stories may be sent to:
===================================================================
BARON GIDEON REDOAK, fraser@library.utoronto.ca
Hades on the Underworld: "Well, it's dank, it's gloomy, it's full of
dead people; but hey, what can you do?" _Hercules_ (Disney)
Oakwoods home page: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/3743/
Centre Stage: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Studios/2183/
My Other Home page: http://members.tripod.com/~Anne_F/index.html
From: FRASER@vax.library.utoronto.ca
Subject: Vampyres: Fluff: A Gay Old Time, pt 2
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 1997 8:26:33 -0400
Sorry, I realize I forgot to put "part one" in the subject line last
time. I'm bending over, Laybro, be gentle... :-)
___________
A Gay Old Time
copyright 1997 by Anne Fraser
___________
When he arrived back at Oakwoods, Josh looked through the mail that
Mitch had stacked on his desk. A few letters from friends, a few
advertising circulars, two requests from steady clients, an
invitation...
He read the invitation over twice. One of his friends from the antique
world was having a party to celebrate his acquisition of a rare
sculpture, would Joshua and his partner care to come?
Since he had moved in with Gideon, Joshua had circulated a lot less
among his old friends. He couldn't envision explaining to them that his
new lover was a vampire; nor imperil them by introducing them to the
CotN. He still visited and called, but they often wondered why he never
invited any of them to his new home. None of his old circle had ever
met Gideon. He knew that speculation about "Josh's husband" was rife.
Well. Time and past to at least partially remedy that. He wrote an
acceptance to the invitation, then ripped up the letter and called his
friend, giving a verbal RSVP and ending up having a great conversation.
Too long without his circle, he thought; too long cooped up in this
house and the only parties gone to ones where the punch bowl and ladle
had to be chained down and you were likely to wind up in a different
dimension. Not that he didn't enjoy CotN parties, but he _was_ still
human, and sometimes he missed human company.
Gideon, he reflected, was not going to be happy. Too darned bad.
There was the inescapable fact that most of the people at the party were
going to be gay, and flagrantly so, and that alone would make the
retiring vampire upset. Gideon didn't flaunt his preference, but did
his best to downplay it. Being thrust into a party full of raging queens was
going to give him fits. This should prove interesting...
___________
Comments and maps of Fire Island can be sent to:
fraser@library.utoronto.ca
From: FRASER@vax.library.utoronto.ca
Subject: Vampyres: Fluff: A Gay Old Time, pt 3
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 1997 12:48:03 -0400
A Gay Old Time
copyright 1997 by Anne Fraser
_________________________
That evening, as Josh and Gideon played a friendly game of billiards in
the basement games room, the antiques expert carefully introduced the
subject of the party. He braced himself for Gideon's anger - or worse,
sarcasm -- when he stated that he'd already accepted. He was caught
off-guard when the dark-haired vampire nodded.
"You're right, of course," Gideon said, sighting along his cue.
"I am?" Josh replied incredulously.
"Yes." The Baron made his shot, gave a sharp nod of satisfaction, and
moved around the table for his next attempt. "It is not fair that it is
always I who takes you to parties. Of course I should meet your friends.
Long overdue, in fact. I thought you might be afraid to introduce me to
them, or I would have suggested it years ago."
The balls clacked across the baize again, and once more Gideon followed
their progress. He had a devastatingly keen eye and steady hand at this
game, Josh had never beaten him.
Joshua managed not to gape. "My friends..." he said, groping for words,
"they're not... I mean, they..."
"Are human?" Gideon looked up, laughter dancing in his dark eyes. "I
rather expected that, you know." He sent the balls off on their
appointed rounds again.
"They're gay."
Another sharp glance from those eyes. "And the problem with this
is...?"
The breather threw up his hands. "Nothing, of course. But remember how
you felt about Jeffy..."
The cue missed, nearly tearing the green cloth. "Oh," sighed Gideon.
"You mean they're _gay_."
Another problem never really resolved between the two of them was
Gideon's intense dislike of those who trumpeted their homosexuality to
the world. He eyed public outings with horror, feeling (and Josh found
it hard to argue with this) that one's sexual preference was a private
matter. This caused him to avoid any activities or mannerisms that
would label him "gay"; except of course for living with a male lover.
But Gideon could not only pass for straight, he could graduate with top
honours. And he loathed the more flamboyant members of the gay
community.
Joshua was much more comfortable and easy with his homosexuality than
Gideon would ever be. He'd known this from the beginning, of course.
It had taken him months to break down that icy reserve, to find the warm
and loving man under it. He knew he'd never get Gideon in a Gay Pride
Day parade, or anything along those lines.
"If you don't want to go," Josh said, "I'll call Trev back and tell him
I'm come alone."
_______________
Comments and Gay Pride buttons can be sent to:
===================================================================
BARON GIDEON REDOAK, fraser@library.utoronto.ca
"He was a white hand, a rouged mouth, a glass eye, a set of white teeth
and a cold heart. He was a pedestrian who walked the nights. ... He was a
leaf, a pelt, a flame, a wing." "The Undead Die" by E. Everett Evans.
Oakwoods home page: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/3743/
Centre Stage: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Studios/2183/
My Other Home Page: http://members.tripod.com/~Anne_F/index.html
From: FRASER@vax.library.utoronto.ca
Subject: Vampyres: Fluff: A Gay Old Time, pt 4
Date: Wed, 24 Sep 1997 21:33:13 -0400
Well, can't let my fans down, can I? Thank you, Edouard. :)
___
A Gay Old Time
copyright 1997 by Anne Fraser
___
Gideon had pulled himself to his full height of five foot six, and
looked Joshua in the eyes. "You will not," he said.
Josh knew that tone, Gideon's Lord Of The Manor voice. Usually he
tried to get his lover back down to normal when he talked like that.
But in this case, whatever worked...
"Fine," he said. "I'm glad. You might surprise yourself and have fun."
"I doubt that sincerely," came the dry response. "Your shot, I
believe."
*******
They arrived on the doorstep of Trevor's house in a suburb of New York
shortly after dark on the day of the party. Gideon was as relaxed as
the average bowstring at Agincourt. Joshua had given up trying to get
him to calm down. He glanced at his husband to make sure that Gideon
wasn't going to bolt, and rang the doorbell.
The strains of Sondheim rolled out into the street as the door opened,
as well as a wave of "Oscar" cologne. A thin man with short hair and a
mustache in nondescript brown opened his arms and grabbed Josh in an
effusive hug.
"Joshie, darling, it's been AGES!" he exclaimed, kissing his guest on
the cheek, leaving a trace of lipstick.
"Hello, Trev," said Joshua, who hated being called Joshie.
"Oh, you came! You darling! And is this the new husband? Oh, he's
shy, isn't that cute? Come on and let Trev see you, darling, I won't
bite."
Struggling with himself, swallowing the reply that readily came to mind,
Gideon stepped into the light that streamed out onto the porch. He was
dressed in a burgundy sweater, white shirt and dark blue pants, at
Josh's insistence. A suit would have been horribly out of place at this
party. He felt ridiculous, even though the clothing was conservative by
anyone's standards. Compared to Trevor's "Bette Midler is a goddess!"
t-shirt and tight jeans, Gideon's clothing looked downright formal.
Joshua was also wearing a sweater and casual pants, his choices being a
multicoloured knit and black pants.
Trevor took a couple of steps back. "Oh, goodness, Josh, you never said
you'd found such a treasure! No wonder you've been keeping him to
yourself! So _you're_ Gideon. You're delicious! You must come in and
meet the girls, they'll be salavating with jealousy!"
His expression speaking volumes, at least to the one who loved him,
Gideon followed Trevor and Joshua into the house. "Into the Woods"
swirled around them as they were ushered into the living room and a sea
of sound. The mostly male assemblage were draped around like so many
mannikins, talking, sipping drinks, or listening to the music. A few
women were scattered here and there for variety, and a couple of the men
were looking self-concious or nervous.
thought Josh with sympathy, . It was
a stereotype, he realized. And he himself had fallen into it from time
to time... usually when he was out shopping with Sofi, he told himself
with a grin. That time in Nordstroms, when he'd followed her into the
dressing room and asked the clerk if they had another one of those
dresses in his size...
_____________
Comments and the lyrics to "Into the Woods" can be sent to:
===================================================================
BARON GIDEON REDOAK, fraser@library.utoronto.ca
"He was a white hand, a rouged mouth, a glass eye, a set of white teeth
and a cold heart. He was a pedestrian who walked the nights. ... He was a
leaf, a pelt, a flame, a wing." "The Undead Die" by E. Everett Evans.
Oakwoods home page: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/3743/
Centre Stage: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Studios/2183/
My Other Home Page: http://members.tripod.com/~Anne_F/index.html
From: FRASER@vax.library.utoronto.ca
Subject: Vampyres: Fluff: A Gay Old Time pt 5
Date: Thu, 25 Sep 1997 7:43:40 -0400
Contains one slightly rude anatomical reference.
________
A Gay Old Time
copyright 1997 by Anne Fraser
_____________
Trevor clapped his hands for silence. "Girls! Girls!" he called out.
"And boys, for the few of you who are." Giggles. "Look who's here!
It's our long-lost Joshie and his husband! This is the Gideon of whom
we've heard so much! Isn't he precious?"
Feeling decidedly less than precious, unless that was an apt description
of a deer caught in the headlights, Gideon felt every pair of eyes in
the party focus on him. He was unused to being the center of attention,
and he didn't like it. Every instinct shrieked at him to get out of
here, to fade into the woodwork, to be safe...
"Where DID you find him, Josh?" asked one of the "girls", a pretty young
man leaning on an older male who was rubbing his hand up and down his
companion's jeans.
"In an antique store," Joshua replied. "He was right next to the old
Victrola and had a sign saying "Will you give this bear a good home?"
around him."
They all laughed, and even Gideon managed a tremulous smile, and the ice
was broken. Trevor fetched drinks for the newcomers, spots were found
for them amongst the mounds of humanity, and the party began in earnest.
The Sondheim was cranked up, people were dancing, a couple were passing
around a joint that Josh and Gideon both refused. Josh was drawn into
shop talk by several of his friends from the antique world, and he
entertained them with stories of triumphs on the auction floor.
Although Joshua threw himself into the spirit of the party, he couldn't
help but notice that Gideon remained uptight and unhappy. He wasn't the
only one who spotted that, either. Trevor drew the guest of honour away
on the pretense of looking at the statue that was the ostensible reason
for the occasion while Gideon was trying to listen politely to a
conversation about the relative merits of knee pads. He was managing
not to look horrified.
The host pulled his guest of honour into a nook lit with a yellow spot
focussed on a bronze statue of a naked boy strumming a lute.
"Cellini," said Trevor off-handedly as Joshua admired the bronze. He
sounded like he bought Cellinis every day. "Joshie, darling..."
"Trevor, I adore you, but don't call me that."
"Sorry. Habit, you know. Josh, then, if you must be macho about it.
What is with that husband of yours?"
"What do you mean?"
"Why does he have such a poker up his ass?"
"Gideon's a very private person," Joshua replied. "He's not an outie."
"Not one of the girls? Pity. He'd look darling in Chanel."
"Don't even think it, Trev. He's having a lot of trouble dealing with
this, don't push him."
"Wouldn't dream of it, sweetie. But I can't speak for the girls."
The "girls" were indeed circling Gideon once he'd lost the protective
colouring of his husband. The pretty young man who'd spoken earlier
came and leaned against the vampire.
"Want to dance?" he cooed. "Rafe, be an angel and put on some ABBA."
Rafe complied, and disco music began smothering the room with the
unmistakable beat of the Australian group.
"Come and dance," urged the young man, pulling on Gideon's hand.
"No, thank you," replied the Baron coldly. He cast his eyes around
furtively for help, but everyone was waiting for him to dance with his
new acquaintance. Gideon, close to panic, couldn't even remember the
boy's name.
"Not even to ABBA?" asked the boy, whose name was Robbie.
All eyes were on him again, Gideon realized. Was he failing some kind
of test? What was an ABBA?
"To whom?" he asked, and knew it was a mistake.
Jaws dropped. Even the women looked shocked. Someone stopped the tape
right in the middle of "Dancing Queen" and the silence that filled the
room was terrible. Joshua and Trevor re-entered, too late to save
Gideon.
"Whom?" several voices squeaked. And then the inquisition began.
"Do you like flowers?"
"Are you a friend of Dorothy's?"
"How do you feel about Bette Midler?"
"Have you ever seen _Kiss of the Spider Woman_?"
"What's the title of Barbra Streisand's fifth album?"
All of which Gideon could not answer.
"Josh, honey," Trevor turned to his guest. "Are you _sure_ he's gay?"
___________________
Comments and the title of Barbra's fifth album can be sent to...
===================================================================
BARON GIDEON REDOAK, fraser@library.utoronto.ca
"He was a white hand, a rouged mouth, a glass eye, a set of white teeth
and a cold heart. He was a pedestrian who walked the nights. ... He was a
leaf, a pelt, a flame, a wing." "The Undead Die" by E. Everett Evans.
Oakwoods home page: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/3743/
Centre Stage: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Studios/2183/
My Other Home Page: http://members.tripod.com/~Anne_F/index.html
From: FRASER@vax.library.utoronto.ca
Subject: Vampyres: Fluff: A Gay Old Time, pt 6
Date: Thu, 25 Sep 1997 10:29:18 -0400
A Gay Old Time
copyright 1997 by Anne Fraser
_____________________
The couple fled to their hotel shortly afterwards. Gideon was nearly
speechless, but Joshua couldn't bring himself to apologize. He didn't
have anything to apologize for. Trevor and the "girls" were his
friends. On the other hand, the years at Oakwoods, in Gideon's company, had
changed Joshua's perspective on the gay life. One didn't have to be
quite so outrageously out of the closet, he knew. It was partially an
act. But Trevor, at least, had been playing the role so long that it
had become his personality.
Yet there was more to being gay than wearing make up, having limp wrists
and calling people "darling". You could be gay without being a
stereotype. Josh had been sort of hoping to bring Gideon a little out
of his discomfort at his own sexuality, but now he was afraid he'd gone
too far in the opposite direction. Such an immersion had hardly been
gentle, and Gideon needed gentle treatment.
Was nothing in this relationship ever easy? Joshua sighed. Maybe he
had made a mistake. Gideon's reserve was an integral part of him, and
if he loved Gideon, he should love that aspect, too. Just as Gideon
needed to come to terms with Josh's mortality and illness, Josh needed
to come to terms with Gideon's hangups. They'd worked a lot of things
through in the years they'd been together, but there was still a lot of
ground to cover.
"You aren't like that." They were the first words Gideon had spoken
since leaving Trevor's place.
"No," Joshua said, not having to ask what he meant. "I can be, if I
want, but usually it's too much work. Sometimes I'm bad, though. Sofi
brings it out in me."
"But not all the time," Gideon went on. "Is that all... necessary? To
be a "real" homosexual, do I have to learn to like Barbara Sondheim and
Stephen Streisand?"
Josh managed, with a valiant effort, not to either laugh or correct his
lover. "No, of course not," he said. "You don't have to give a damn
about either of them, or about interior decorating, hair dressing, Bette
Midler or _Kiss of the Spider Woman_. They have no right to define you
by their standards."
"Just as I have no right to define them by mine?" Gideon asked softly.
"Of course you are right, and I am as guilty of being judgemental as
they are."
"Definitions are always difficult," Josh said. "The very word 'gay' has
undergone a radical transformation. It used to mean 'happy'. Just as
'queer' meant 'odd' and 'faggot' meant 'bundle of wood'. The last two
are considered prejoratives if used by outsiders, yet gays use them to
take the sting from the words. Much like some blacks now use the word
'nigger'."
"And the point of this lecture, Professor?" Gideon asked mildly.
His husband threw a slipper in his general direction, missing by a foot.
"The point is what's important is how you define yourself, and if you're
comfortable with that definition. Do you define yourself as gay?"
Gideon thought about it, then shook his head. "No," he said. "I don't.
I am a person who just happens to be a homosexual vampire. I don't make
either one my ultimate definition, they're facets of who I am, not what
I am."
"Oh, well said," Josh applauded.
"All the same, even though it was something of a disaster, I am glad we
went tonight. It opened my eyes somewhat."
"Mine, too," Joshua replied, putting his arms around his husband. "I
realized again how much I really do love you."
"Will you give this bear a good home?" Gideon asked, eyes dancing.
"Without a second of hesitation." Josh ruffled the dark hair within his
reach. "But... are you _sure_ you're gay?"
"Would you care for a demonstration?"
____________________________
The er, End
Comments and cries of "Oh, shucks, don't we get the demonstration?" can
be sent to:
===================================================================
BARON GIDEON REDOAK, fraser@library.utoronto.ca
"He was a white hand, a rouged mouth, a glass eye, a set of white teeth
and a cold heart. He was a pedestrian who walked the nights. ... He was a
leaf, a pelt, a flame, a wing." "The Undead Die" by E. Everett Evans.
Oakwoods home page: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/3743/
Centre Stage: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Studios/2183/
My Other Home Page: http://members.tripod.com/~Anne_F/index.html