My Uncle's Lover

“Hi there, Erich. Haven’t seen you in awhile.” Erich liked the bartender, Joe, at the bar that he frequented most weekends. “It’s harvest time, Joe. You know how it is.” Joe poured Erich a light beer, and stopped to talk with him for awhile. He leaned over the bar, and lowered his voice. “There’s a man who has been asking about you, Erich,” he said quietly. “Really? Is he here now?” “No, not yet anyway. Seems nice enough, but there’s something about him that I can’t quite figure out. He knows your last name, too, which strikes me as odd.” Erich tried to think of who this man could possibly be. “I don’t give out my last name, Joe, at least not until I really know the guy. You think I should be concerned?” “Can’t say, Erich. I’ll let you know if he comes in here tonight.”

Erich thanked the bartender who he had known for years, and then swung around on the bar stool. It was early yet, and the night’s crowd was just beginning to trickle in. Erich was soon approached by a nice looking college man, and Erich bought him a drink.

“Excuse me for a minute,” Joe said, taking Erich aside. “I will have him back in a few minutes, Rick.” Rick blushed, and Joe led Erich around the corner. “He’s here, Erich.” “Who? Oh, you mean the guy. Where?” Joe very discreetly pointed out the man who had been asking about Erich, but Erich didn’t recognize him. “You sure? It’s pretty dark in here. Look again.” Erich glanced the man’s way several times as discreetly as he could, and tried to think of where he may have met him. “I guess maybe he looks a little bit familiar. Let me think.” Joe walked back to the bar, and Erich stayed where he was, trying desperately to remember if or when he had met the man who had been asking about him.

“Joe, should I go talk to my mystery man, or what? I honestly can’t place him.” “Up to you, Erich. Just be careful.” Erich walked to the far corner of the bar where the man was sitting alone. His head was down, and it was dark in the corner. “How’s it going? I’m Erich.” The man motioned for Erich to join him. Then the man looked up at Erich. “What the fuck?” Erich said, not one to cuss much. “Keep it down, Erich. Don’t make a scene.” “What are you doing here, and how in the hell did you know that I came here?” “Hey, stop the attack, okay, Erich? I’m not out to get you.” “Like hell.” “Look, Erich, you may think that I am one big son-of-a-bitch, but I’m not. Believe me. You have no idea what I am feeling right now.” The hate was clearly evident in Erich’s eyes.

******

After Bill had helped Erich walk to his house, he helped him to the sofa. “You know, Erich, I seem to remember a bratty kid who couldn’t get enough of me, always tagging along, getting into my stuff.” “Well, then, I guess you replaced me with those bratty kids of yours. They are horrible, bratty kids, Bill, and you are a horrible father.” Now Erich had gone too far. Bill grabbed his face. “You punk. Those are my kids you’re talking about.” Bill let go of Erich’s face with such force that Erich fell over. Erich grabbed onto the side of the sofa to keep from hitting the floor. “The truth hurts, doesn’t it, Bill? Guess they won’t be staying with you much after the divorce. We can’t have impressionable young children hanging out with a fag.”

That comment earned Erich a slap across his face. “Next time it will be my fist, so just shut the fuck up.” “Okay, okay, I get it, Mr. Sensitivo.” “Come on, Erich, you need to get to bed. It’s late.” “Not so fast, my good man. First, you need to tell me why you have been stalking me.” “I have not been stalking you, Erich. I wanted to talk to you, away from here.” “Well, looks like you are too late for that. Guess you’ll just have to spill your guts right here on the farm.” Bill began pacing back and forth. He took his jacket off and tossed it on a chair. “And why are you staying with me, anyway? Your brother is just five kilometers from here. It’s that way. I’m sure he’s home.” Erich gestured emphatically to emphasize the direction to Bill’s brother’s house. Bill sat down. “I don’t need another lecture on leaving my kids, and I certainly don’t need another lecture about going against the Catholic faith, which is what I would get from my brother.” “Dad doesn’t know about your sexual adventures?” “Very funny, Erich. It’s not an adventure. It’s who I am.” “Why don’t you tell him, then, Bill? Why don’t you tell your big brother that his baby brother is a fag? Are you ashamed of who you are, Billy Boy?”