T-Room Trouble

Jay: Going In

"I'm going in"

"You nuts, man"

"I gotta, this is jus’ crazy"

Jay and Jerry had drank that last 40 oz that was supposed to be Tony’s, were smoking the last of those cigs but even then it was just a matter of time.

Tony hadn't come as planned, hadn't let Jay know any change of plans and now it was late, later than Jay had ever sat here in the dark waiting for something to happen, knowing he now had to make that something happen.

The usual set up was the easiest, just a quick in and out from that Park restroom in the afternoon, Tony pretending to be an innocent kid costumed in baseball hat and too tight shorts, carrying that glove and ball, Jay coming into that toilet after exactly three minutes, if necessary, as the indignant witness calling out some Spanish slurs borrowed from his Dad’s constantly changing Maintenance Crew and that stage was set, threats thrown in their face to report that pedophile to the police and turn them out to their family, that challenge to their lives and livelihood laid at their feet, their reputations carried out dead-on-arrival through this steel doorway.

Those scenes had been played out so many times it ran like clockwork, their script rarely requiring any re-writes, that fear of exposure triggering an immediate offer of a payoff but, as soon as a wallet was produced, Tony would make a quick grab and dash for that door, Jay feigning surprise and babbling nonsense in Spanish, that sucker the next out the door with Jay just behind jumping on his bike for a rendezvous with Tony deeper in that park.

Jay never questioned the split of those proceeds, tho' he had little faith that the count was ever fair, but he wasn't the one taking all the risk.

He sometimes wondered how Tony felt being the bait, but then Tony lived off any attention he got, his name whispered by those girls waiting every weekend at the local Town bars, those teammates yelling at him waiting for that reluctant give-and-go on the basketball courts, the Coach keeping him on that free throw line well after practice.

It worked in their favor that most visitors to that Park restroom were passing motorists, more curious than committed and unlikely to challenging those confrontations, not likely to soon repeat that visit after the dire threats and inflected insults, though no one in those selfish situations could claim innocence.

A pat down and slipping out a wallet from those loosened pants was always the first option for Tony in those early evenings when going in on his own as those men grabbed out for a quick feel.

A quick push and pocket rip was an option only when alone with a mark who might resist, as word got around quickly if there were witnesses.

The key to these escapades was distraction, those victims not realizing the situation until they were too far along, hopefully after Tony was long gone.

It was always better to do this earlier than later, much more chance of a single man to be waiting in that darkened toilet, but now it was too late to second guess their options as Jay needed gas money, even if any trip to Boston was now out of the question.

It was all in the timing and often, as they sat watching that doorway from this front seat, it was apparent a quick tag team was not an option. Tony often went in alone as Jay watched that door for any sign of the cops, tho' he doubted he knew what he could do if they would arrive.

It had happened only once, that squad car slowly circling the building twice, it's high beams bouncing off the eaves of that low roof, those men seizing the opportunity of that second slow circling to dash from the building, some in running gear took off jogging onto the paths, all careful to get into the cover of those surrounding trees waiting for the coast to clear, some taking up where they had left off inside that toilet in the dark recesses of those woods.

No one would park directly outside this building, these men taking pathways from the larger parking lots near the scattered ball fields officially under State Authority and rarely patrolled after hours, those paths to and from their destination another opportunity for Tony to roll another John, but that wasn't an option this late at night and certainly not alone.

“Wait"

"For what"

"He'll show I know"

"Naw, he woulda if he coulda"

Families would fill these lots every weekend during the Summer months, but Fall and Winter were another need altogether. Many men might stay put, too anxious to venture any further than behind the wheel of that family car, safely scoping out other car cruisers, circling and playing hop-scotch with other regulars on the prowl, then driving away in tandem, some slipping into that passenger seat for a quickie in the farthest reaches of that State Park parking lot.

It might be more dangerous going into those toilets alone, and Jay understood that Tony was careful without him tailing as his wingman.

There was never a time Tony hadn't come through without a fistful of cash but often it would take a longer time, that the set-up needed to be discreet as Tony felt out the best mark, sure it was safe, taking a runner only when necessary.

One evening he appeared with that fake Rolex he swore was real. A pit stop at the pawn broker in the Combat Zone in Boston was all the proof needed, but Jay could immediately tell by comparing the weight with the "real deal" that the difference was obvious.

The few bucks they got for that knockoff wouldn't cover an overnight stay at the YMCA and, after buying a six pack, they camped out in the car with only enough cash for gas to get back to Town.

If they hadn't rolled that College twerp taking a short cut thru the Boston Commons, coming back from some fag bar somewhere in the Back Bay, that trip might have been a complete bust.

They had seen him stumbling past from inside the car and too easy a target to pass up. When he suddenly turned into the park it was assured they would have some cash to play with tomorrow, starting with a decent breakfast.

"You ever do this?"

"Yeah"

"Alone?"

"Naw"

"Wait man, he’s gonna come, he always does"

It was their quick steps that twink first noticed and, for a fleeting second, he seemed to be inviting them to take a closer look as he turned and stepped aside. When he saw both come onto that wooded path behind him he turned away and was now walking faster.

Tony was first off the mark, tackling him from behind, tumbling into the bushes out of sight. Jay could hear that grunting and wrestling, staying on the pathway to watch for anyone who might come along despite the hour and the complete darkness on that moonless night.

He was amazed as that tussling went on so long, those cries for help punctuated by heavy fists thudding against that body as Jay stood anxiously waiting for Tony to emerge. He could hear that twink sniveling, even begging, then just as suddenly going silent.

Tony finally emerged from those shadows, zipping up and smoothing his clothes from the debris still clinging to him.

He brushed off those looks from Jay, smirking as he pronounced that they got what they needed and so did that kid.

Jay knew better than to ask for any details.

"Well I ain't goin in”

"Why not, man?"

"...'Cause"

Jay remembered his first time, that free-floating fear when Tony put him in this same situation, giving him no alternative but to join in “rollin' a few fags", a more playful sense than what it might mean as his wingman for those quick afternoon bump and run hits, sometimes followed by a swing and a miss from those more aggrieved victims just to be jeered by Tony, taunted with a few shadow punches if they attempted to get back up off the floor.

There was rarely any blood, those threats and humiliation enough to shut down most confrontations no matter how loud those men got in that moment of indignation. The assault by these thugs was an affront to that fragile sense of comfort, this privacy, this anonymity a necessity, now a liability as well.

This was the province of gay men, this was their meeting hall, that safe space out of view from prying eyes and all judgements, those rules of engagement codified and conveyed quickly in an insistent stare, a quick turn away or a held pose, leaving little question as to implied intent and any opportunity.

"We should just go."

"You gonna join me?"

"I mean jus’ leave."

"You can start walking, Campus is about 5 miles away."

"No, man. No way"

"Maybe you could hitch a ride with some trucker, see how that goes"

“No way man, it’s past curfew”

“Maybe Tony is asleep in the Dorm, you could throw pebbles at his window”

They had met just a few weeks ago, running into Jerry in a neighboring Town bar a few miles down Highway Nine, Tony abandoning Jay as they quickly left with two girls, dumping him as if he was an an unneeded third wheel, Tony clearly taking the option of getting a ride back to Campus from this goofy Senior who laughed at all those crude remarks about the possibilities, past playing time and preferred positions Tony boasted of with this rag-tag array of local birds who flocked to these bars every weekend.

There really was no telling what Jay might find tonight inside that doorway as he and Jerry had seen little activity, few men had shown up or had left except that big guy with a rucksack thrown over his shoulder an hour ago, but there really wasn't a choice and he now had to commit to going in for a quick grab and go.

To Be Continued