4 comments/ 26982 views/ 8 favorites Always a Country Boy Ch. 01 By: cheatingheart It wasn't Cooper's type of establishment. But he sat there in the little Northern Kentucky bar know as the Broken Saddle and drank his Bud. He knew if the people he worked with knew he liked to hang out there on Saturday night they would laugh. Cooper was tall, blonde, blue-eyed, and often appeared very city. It didn't matter he was raised in the country. It just didn't seem to stick with him. Sure he lived out in the middle of BFE as his friends like to call it. He just didn't get into the whole farming thing to the disappointment of his father. At least he had brothers to keep the farm going. Cooper preferred is desk job in advertising and his three times a week visits to the gym. He had his honey blonde hair cut weekly by a nice reputable stylist instead of the ancient barber he went to growing up. The calluses he had on his hands he was vaguely proud of so his manicure only pertained to his finger nails, which were trimmed neat and buffed. The house in the country, the callused hands, and his affection from Stetson cologne kept his roots while he struggled to find himself in his new chosen territory. So it isn't too surprising that he finds himself in a honky-tonk every week. He tried not to look too out of place by wearing a plain white button down shirt tucked into borrowed Wrangler jeans. He wore the cowboy boots that were a present from a well meaning sister. They were comfortable, expensive, and 100% leather. Not his style but they suited his purpose. He sat back towards the wall, but where he could see both the dance floor and the mechanical bull. The music was loud, played by the house band, and was actually pretty good. As he observed the room around him one long, elegant finger tapped in time with the music. Jimmy leaned on his pool stick and watched the guy sitting by his self for a moment. He had a casual good ole boy stance. One hand was loosely holding this stick. With the other he was holding his beer with his thumb hooked on the pocket of his Wranglers. He leaned had his weight sifted slightly to one side, the side the stick was on. On his head a yellow John Deere hat covered his shaggy sable hair. He didn't realize that the light from the room silhouetted his lanky body into barroom showing his lean, rangy body. Jimmy always figured he was too skinny and tried for years to put on muscle but it just wasn't to be. No matter how many hours he put in the tobacco and hay fields. He did know that his ass was prime. The lady in the bars looked, and looked hard. When he made his way to the dance floor they grab on and wouldn't shake loose. Without thought he brought the bottle to his lips and took a gulp. He found it odd that a guy would come into Broken Saddle week after week and would always be alone. He never danced. Jimmy noticed the girls asked him but the guy always refused. The guy didn't ever move except to take a leak or order another beer. Just then Jimmy's pool partner yelled at him to get his attention. Jimmy was ready to dismiss the guy and started to turn back to his game. That when he saw it. He knew why the guy was there now. Without saying a word about what was happening on the far side of the bar Jimmy finished his game and declined the next. With a slight swagger in his hips he made his way to the bar and ordered another beer. From the bar stool he watched the guy closely and waited. When he saw it again he was sure of what he saw. With the raise of one finger he got the attention of the bar maid. "What's that guy's name?" "I think it's Cooper. Why?" The bartender was a pretty red-haired girl who smiled up at Jimmy. "He's in here all the time, a real strange duck." Smiling back, Jimmy held up two fingers. "Give me a couple beers I'm going to go over. Could be he just doesn't know anybody." Cooper jerked back slightly when the fresh Budweiser got set down in front of him. He never even heard the waitress walk up. Looking up he stared into the deepest brown eyes he had even seen. They were shaded by the bill of a John Deere ball cap. The rest of the face wasn't bad to look out either. Lean and angular with a long nose and high cheek bones. A day's beard shaded hollow cheeks and brought out a full, smiling mouth. "Mind if I have seat?" The lanky man asked. "I guess so since you bought me a beer." Cooper looked away and gestured towards an empty chair. "My name is Jimmy, I've seen you around. Thought I would come over and introduce myself." Jimmy slipped into the chair and took a drink of his beer. Cooper looked at Jimmy sort of speculatively. "I'm Cooper." "So there is some pretty nice scenery around here isn't there." Jimmy's brown eyes sparkled as he reached for his bottle After glancing at some of the women on the dance floor Cooper turned back to Jimmy. "Yeah I guess so." Leaning closer Jimmy smirked. "I wasn't talking about the women. You're good. But I saw you." Cooper's blue eyes turned icy in an instant. "I really don't know what you are talking about." "Sure you do. I saw you checking out the tall cowboy in the red's ass a few minutes ago. And before that it was that guy over there." "Mister, I don't know who you are or what you are talking about but I think you need to get up and move on before I'll get your ass kicked." Jimmy snorted and slapped his knee. "I don't think you could. You might wear the right type of clothes but I can tell the difference in a true country boy and a city boy wannabe. Beside it's alright. So you like to check out country tail," Jimmy leaned in again, "so do I." Cooper stared down the other man. He was waiting for the trap to spring. Waiting for the group of angry rednecks to come out and stomp the queer in their mists. His brother may have accepted him, but most folks in his small Kentucky community would not. Some lines still weren't crossed at leased not in the open. After a few minutes pasted and nothing happened Cooper just sneered, ready to play the game. "Awful brave aren't ya. Admitting you gay in a bar full of half-drunk rednecks to a guy you don't even know." "Chance I'm willing to take. I guess you could say I just have an eye for details. Since I noticed what no one else in the joint has even bothered to look for. I was just thinking tonight I never see you with anyone, you don't dance. You just sit alone and drink. But then I saw you look." At the look on Cooper's face Jimmy went on. "You weren't obvious. I just have looked in that direction before myself." "I'm still not admitting to a damn thing. How am I supposed to know that when I leave here tonight you won't have five of you buddies waiting out in the parking lot for me? I know I can take you on but I know I don't stand a chance against a bunch of bigoted, piss-faced drunk, redneck, assholes." "Buddy you keep telling yourself that you could take me on and you might start believing it. I'll keep you secret since we share the same one and you aren't too hard on the eyes. But I hate to tell you the day a city slicked man like took me down would be they day they would eat cherry popsicles in Hell." Jimmy reached over tapped Coopers hands. "You've got a sissied-up manicure. How much did you drop on those clothes your wearing just so you can fit in here?" "Not that's it any of you damn business I didn't drop any money on these clothes. They are mine. Well the jeans aren't they're my brother's." "Well that explains everything but the manicure." Jimmy laughed and picked up Cooper's hand. "What the hell?" The calluses on the palms of Cooper's hands were worn smooth but were noticeable. Jimmy studied then for a moment before dropping the hand. It wouldn't be good to be caught handing another man's hand in a straight honky-tonk. He started down at his own hands that bared similar calluses. There were rougher than Cooper's but there were the same, hands that had pitched countless bales of hay and cut row after row of tobacco. His right hand was worse than his left thanks to the tobacco knife wore fresh blisters every August. Jimmy was sure that if he looked at Cooper's they would be the same. There was a faint hint of amusement in Cooper's eyes as he looked at Jimmy. "I grew up on a farm. Most all my family still lives and works it. I pitch in if they need an extra hand but it never really stuck with me. I was for an office with a nice, fat paycheck and air conditioning." "I guess there was more to you than I though. Well listen I guess I've taken up enough of you're time. Next time you're here look me up. We'll play a game of pool. See how well you can handle a stick." "Oh, I do just fine with a stick. I don't do to bad with the balls either." Always a Country Boy Ch. 02 It was early June in Kentucky and the vicious, sweaty heat was already taking its hold. Cooper pickup another bale of hay and pitched it to his brother on the wagon. The whole time he was muttering under his breath. He just came down for a visit to his parent's home in Pendleton County. Now he was stripped to the waist in borrowed jeans and his old work boots he parents never threw away sweating his ass off pitching square bales. It wasn't just hot work; it was hot, itchy work. "Hey city boy anytime you need a break we'll let you ride the wagon for a couple rounds." His brother Clayton teased. Camden chuckled from the other side of the wagon. "You know bro, you need to get a boyfriend to drag out here and pick up your slack." "Fuck off. I don't need a break and I'm not slacking." There were a few more good natured comments thrown around before they drifted quietly back onto the rhythm of their work. As brothers they had given each other hell all while they grew up. They knew not to take any of the comments made to each other too seriously but the city boy comments always stuck in Cooper's throat. They started that when he went to UC to college and announced his intentions to go into advertising. He knew they were kidding around. That they didn't care that he wasn't like them. Cam had a degree in Ag Sciences and Clay had one in Veterinary Medicine. They both lived right there in Berry, having bought farms adjacent to there parents. Only by ten months Cam was older and he never let either Cooper or Clayton for get it. Cam worked for the County Extension office as 4-H agent. He loved working with the kids, helping them with their activities. The biggest project the 4-H had was the live stock classes. Every year kids raised steers, lambs, and hogs to show at the county fairs. So late July, early August nobody saw much of Cam unless they ventured near the barns at the fair grounds. Cooper's younger brother was Clayton. He was thirteen months younger was the baby for eight years before their sister Cathryn came into the picture. And as it turned out he was the smartest of the group of boys, much to his dismay when he was younger. Having a quick mind and photographic memory may have been great in school where he was able to jump a head a grade into his brothers' class. But at home in was like having a kick me sign tattooed on your forehead in flaming neon colors. Later on Clay was able to use his smarts to slick though college and vet school in only five years. He took extra classes every semester and a full load every summer but it was worth it to be free of school and working with the animals he loved so much. Cooper looked up at the sound of a diesel pick up approaching the field they were working. The driver jump out of the cab and started towards the field. It was his sister Cat. Great, was his only thought, now he had his whole family there to torment him. At sixteen, Cat was the perfect imagine of the totally hot, but untouchable farmer's daughter. Untouchable because she had a daddy and three older brothers that out intimidate or just out right pound any guy they got close enough to breath on her. She was had long legs, blue eyes, and blonde hair like her brothers. Today he was earning a skinny tank top and jeans over her voluptuous figure. All three of her brothers were glad they were the only ones in the field with their dad driving the tractor. Cat pulled on a pair of gloves and went to work on Cam's side of the wagon. Cam of course took mock offense to this. "Hey, I don't need your help, the city boy on the other side of the wagon does." "Yep, maybe then we can pick up the pace, if the city boy and the little girl can keep up." Clay quipped. If Cooper disliked being called a city boy, Cat loathed having being a girl thrown in her face. She worked extra hard to be as good as the boys, then better. Cooper smiled at her as she came over to his side of the wagon. "Don't mind them. We such just thank God that the jack ass genes skipped over us." Cooper could tease Cat until she turned red and was ready to beat him black and blue, but he was her favorite. It was him that would usually call an end to the torment and tell the others to back off. She could talk to him about personal matters and he wouldn't laugh. He trusted her first with the news that he was gay and she didn't tell a soul. "Thank God. I don't know were the genes came from, Mom and Dad is normal." "Well, remember Great Uncle Robert, he was a nut job, probably filtered down from there." Cooper said just loud enough for the others to hear. "You know your right. I can see a lot of Uncle Robert in those two. It's a good thing we don't have sheep." By the time Cooper got back to his house he felt like someone tied him up a burlap sack and beat him with a tobacco stick. Not only did his muscles hurt he was pretty sure his bones were aching too. He took a shower at his parents before changing back into his clothes and pouring himself into his Mercedes to drive home. At his home in Campbell County he pulled off his clothes and got into the shower in hopes of working loose some more kinks. After the shower Cooper looked briefly at his bed but then saw the clock on his night stand. It was only 9:30. He cursed to himself. He was only 25 not 95. There was no way he could justify going to bed at 9:30 on a Saturday night. Moving carefully he crossed to his closet and started pull out clothes. He would just head over to the Broken Saddle and see what was going on. He hadn't been there in a few weeks having to be out of town on conferences. It didn't take long for Cooper to get there but by 10 the place was already starting to get packed. He worked through the crowd with ease and made his way to the bar. Having caught the attention of the bartender he waited for his beer. After passing over his bills he started to head over to his favorite table when someone stepped out in front him. He started to side step the person but then he looked up into familiar brown eyes. "Hey didn't think you were ever coming back for that game of pool." Jimmy said with his usual shit eating grin on his face. "Been busy." Cooper started to move on toward his table. "Come on city boy. You owe me a game. I won't hurt you too bad I promise." Jimmy started to walk towards the pool room. "Unless you just don't know how to play." "Fuck." Cooper muttered under his breath and followed Jimmy in the room. "Fine loser buy the winner's beer for the rest of the night." "Hope you brought your pocket book." Cooper let Jimmy break and stood back to admire the way the denim stretched over his firm ass. In one pocket a can of Skoal formed a ring. The legs of the jeans were snug all the way down to the worn work boots. Jimmy knew that Cooper was looking so he lingered over the table a little longer than necessary then stood slowly back up. He turned and smiled at his competition. "Looks like I'm got solids." Cooper's eyes jerked up to Jimmy's face. "I guess so." Jimmy smirked before turning back to the game at hand. He sank another before blowing the next shot. He knew he could run the table if he wanted to but he wanted to see Cooper play. Have the same advantage that Cooper had. He stood back and gestured for Cooper to move in. With a shrug Cooper walked around the table and took note of the placement of the striped balls. Then slowly and systematically he worked the table. Between shots, Cooper stood back and studied the table and considered the angles. Not once did he look up at Jimmy. When he sank the eight ball in a nearly impossible shot he stood and smiled at Jimmy. "I told you I know my way around the felt." "Shit." Jimmy watched it but he wasn't quite sure he could believe it. "I've never been beaten here. How the hell?" Cooper walked over to the door and got the attention of a waitress. After placing his order he turned back to Jimmy with a smirk. "I guess your buying. That was the deal right. Maybe I should have mentioned we had a pool table in the basement all while we were growing up." "You hustled me." "No, I never said I didn't play. You just assumed you were better." The waitress appeared at that moment with the beer. "Well pay the lady." With an unspoken agreement both guys turned back to the scarred green felt table to play another game. For the first few pockets neither man said a word. The music throbbed into the room from the band. The chatter of people was just a roar with snippets of conversation floating in. Occasionally you could here people cheering on the man or woman who paid the money to climb up on the back of El Toro the mechanical bull. "So city boy, what have you been so busy doing?" Jimmy asked and fished a cigarette out on the pocket of his western shirt. Cooper waited until Jimmy lit his Marlboro. "You know that stuff will kill you." "Yeah, but I can't have a drink without a nice smoke." After considering the glowing tip of the cigarette Jimmy put it to his lips and bent over the table. "So? You've been busy keeping cool in you air conditioner." "I've been in New York and then Pittsburg. Meeting clients, conferences, you know work shit." Cooper watched Jimmy circle the table. The man was light on his feet. He moved in a slow, lazy pace. He imagined that he could move quickly if the need arose. "Hell, give me one of those cigarettes." Jimmy pulled the pack out of his pocket and shook a cigarette up to the filter. He replaced that pack and dug his lighter out of his front pocket. When Cooper held out his hand for the lighter Jimmy took note that his manicure was shot to hell and back. "You've been doing more than just pushing papers." "My dad's haying, I was home so I gave them a hand. Or more precisely I was pushed into helping." Cooper leaned against his stick and inhaled the Virginia tobacco. "It wasn't too bad. I got to harass my brothers and I get to go home at the end of the night." The finally gave up the table about an hour later to sit and listen to the music. Around one o'clock they got up and walked out of the bar. With a quick look around Jimmy cursed under his breath. "What's up?" Cooper shot Jimmy a look. "I road in with a buddy and apparently he ditched me." Jimmy turned and started to head back onto the bar. "I guess I'll go in and call a cab." "Fuck that. I'll give you a ride." "I don't want to put you out. You probably live across the river in Cincinnati." "No I live near Silver Grove. If you know were that is." Jimmy laughed. "We're neighbors. I live in Melbourne." "So you're not putting me out. Come on." Jimmy walked along with Cooper through the still crowded lot. He figured Cooper for the sports car and was surprised when he kept walking. When Cooper hit the fob to unlock the black Mercedes were chuckled and shook his head. Never in his life did he ever expect to ride in a Mercedes. It was a classy ride; heated leather seats, CD, MP3 player, dual climate control. You ask for it this car had it. And the engine purred like a well contented cat. The ride down Route 8 was a quiet one for both men. They seemed lost in there own thoughts. Both were thinking the same thing. As different as they were they couldn't possibly get along. They had very little in common. Cooper was running from the past that shaped him, one that Jimmy lived and breathed everyday. And no matter how much Cooper denied it he loved the life he came from, he just didn't want to live it everyday. As they got closer to Jimmy's place he guided Cooper to the proper turn offs. In his mind he already decided that there couldn't be any romantic involvement. They could be friends. Watch out for each other if they were both in the same bar. Any think else would be ridiculous. They were two different people, who were looking for two different things. The Mercedes pulled into the drive way to a two story farm house. They had arrived at Jimmy's. Cooper put the car into park and turned to bid Jimmy farewell. He never expected to meet someone at the Broken Saddle. Not anyone that was gay anyway. But now he didn't really think it would be a good idea to pursue the issue. He didn't want Jimmy's sort of life. He needed a man that was working towards the same goals as he. Had the same interests. Jimmy smiled at Cooper. "Thank for the ride." "Not a problem, I'd do it was any friend." The message was transmitted loud and clear. Not a chance for anything more. Jimmy started for the door. "Well thanks. I guess I owe you another beer." It happened all at once. Without any thought both Jimmy and Cooper leaned towards each other. Their lips met tentatively at first. There was only a brief hesitation before they tilted there heads for a better angle. Jimmy could smell Cooper's cologne and was surprised his was Stetson. Cooper could feel the scrape of Jimmy's growth of beard. Slowly they opened their mouths to each other. It was brief, tracing each others lips with their tongues, the gentle probing into the others month. They parted with a light nip to each others lips. Jimmy once again placed his hand on the door handle. He looked over at Cooper before getting out of the car. "I guess this sort of changes things." Cooper nodded and watched as Jimmy climbed out and headed into his house. After he went in Cooper leaned back in his seat and placed both hands on the steering wheel. He never expected one kiss to rock him so much. He had been kissed before, but never before has it jolted him down to his toes. Always a Country Boy Ch. 03 For about the millionth time Jimmy caught himself staring at the door of the Broken Saddle. With a snarl he turned on his bar stool and stared vacantly at the stage. He cussed himself for hoping that Cooper would walk through the door looking for him. It had been nearly a month since Cooper dropped him off at his house and the coward hadn't shown his face since. In one swallow Jimmy finished off his Bud Light. Since his mood was about as welcoming as a pile of cow shit he decided to take his self home before he got into trouble. A redneck bar was no place for a black mood spoiling for a fight. As it was his buddies were starting to give him odd looks because of his strange behavior lately. Cooper sat in his Mercedes with his hands still gripping the steering wheel. He had been avoiding the Broken Saddle for awhile now, telling himself that he was just too busy to go. For weeks he stayed late at work, throwing his self into any project he could. But tonight it was only 9:30 when he finished the last of his work. It was much too early for bed so he found himself getting dressed and driving to Wilder. He enjoyed going to the Broken Saddle so there really was no reason to stay away. The bottom line was he couldn't avoid Jimmy forever. Releasing the steering wheel, Cooper took a deep breath and rehearsed what he would tell Jimmy if he saw him. Before he could chicken out he opened the door and stepped out of the car. The humid night stole the air from his lungs. So he sucked in a deep breath and leaned against the car for a moment. He knew he was stalling but hell he was out of the car wasn't he. Cooper repeated his lines yet again in his head as he walked to the bar's double doors. Suddenly a man accidentally ran into him in his hurry to leave. The side view mirror of a pick-up caught Cooper between the shoulder blades. The man made a grab for him and Cooper found himself looking into Jimmy's deep brown eyes. "Jimmy," Cooper paused for a moment to gather his thoughts, "I was just looking for you." "I just bet you were." Jimmy sneered. "You were probably looking to see if I was in there so you could run back out the door." "No, I need to talk to you." Cooper rolled his shoulders against the throbbing pain. "You know what happened shouldn't have." Jimmy opened his mouth to reply but the door opened to the bar spilling music and people outside. The parking lot of a straight county bar was not the place to get into their relationship issues. Anyone could wander outside to get some air. And although drunks were pretty slow witted Jimmy figured they would be quick enough to pick up on the conversation. "Not here." He turned and started through the crowed lot. When he didn't hear Cooper behind him he stopped to look over his shoulder. "You wanted to talk, so come on." Cooper watched him for a moment before following him to a 06' Flatbed Chevy Silverado HD. The blue paint was polished to a shine and the chrome stacks behind the cab shined in the moon light. When the door unlocked Cooper found the inside just as clean. "Nice truck." Jimmy just cast Cooper a sidelong look before bringing the diesel engine to life. Cooper watched him reach down and shift the truck into first. Apparently they were going on a road trip. They pulled out onto the highway and headed towards the river. The only sound in the cab was the diesel engine as Jimmy worked in through its gears. It was clear that he didn't want to talk yet. So Cooper kept his own council and let Jimmy set the pace. The route that Jimmy was taking was familiar to Cooper even in the darkness. It would have been the same one he would have taken home. When they came to Route 8 Jimmy turned right and headed east towards Silver Grove. He only drove until he got out of town. There he turned on a gravel lane that crossed the rail road tracks and went toward the river. He stopped the truck in a clearing that was obviously used for camping. Jimmy still didn't speak as he killed the engine and climbed out of the truck. Cooper assumed that he was meant to follow so he opened the door and got out. He could make out Jimmy's silhouette sitting on top of a picnic table about twenty feet away. He walked over towards the ancient table and stood before him. "So you want to talk." It was a statement not a question said in a snide fashion. Jimmy paused and flicked his lighter. Taking his time he touched the flame to the tip of the cigarette dangling from his lips. "Took ya long enough didn't it." "I was working." Cooper sat on the table and leveled his gaze on Jimmy. "But I don't see where I have to explain my whereabouts to you." "I don't guess you do." Jimmy pondered the glowing tip and took another drag. "But as I see it you were hiding from me. Or more importantly you were hiding from us." "Shit Jimmy there isn't an 'us'." Cooper shifted and looked out at the river. "It was a mistake. I'm not interested." The conversation wasn't going the way that Cooper had envisioned. In his mind he would just tell Jimmy that he wasn't looking for a relationship at this moment that the kiss was a mistake and it would be over. Jimmy would be fine with it. Hell they were guys not a bunch of girls looking for a double ring ceremony in every man they meet. Jimmy watched Cooper as Cooper watched the river. "You're lying." Cooper turned his head quickly back towards Jimmy. "You don't know me. You don't know anything about me. So you can't know my mind." "Fuck it. I know you. You are a county boy just the same as me. You just try to hide it for some reason. But guess what. You don't do a very good job of it." Cooper stood up quickly and glared down at Jimmy. "I'm nothing like you. I might have grown up country but that's not what I am. I live my life the way I want. I have a nice house, a nice car, and one hell of a job." "No, you are running from yourself." Jimmy stood nose to nose with Cooper. "I don't know why but you are. You might have a fancy car and job but your still country through and through. You haven't completely turned your back on it. You never will." Jimmy watched as Cooper spun away and stared out at the river again. In the distance the train whistle sounded. Across the river was the tinkle of lights in people's houses. Jimmy let the silence stand. He didn't mean drag all this up. All he wanted was for Cooper to admit there was an attraction. The train blew its whistle again, this time it was closer. In a matter of moments they could hear the steady sound of it moving down the tracks. Cooper still had his back to Jimmy when he started to speak. "All my life I was expected to work hard on the farm and be like my father and brothers. I was supposed to love it. Sure I was expected to get good grades and have a life outside the farm. But in the end it was the crops and cows. I wanted more. I didn't want to slave my ass off for nothing. We weren't poor growing up but you know how it is." Jimmy nodded. He knew that the weather and the market made all the difference in the world when it came to farm life. For years the market had been dropping. Many farmers had to seek outside employment to keep their heads above water and keep food on the table. It was a hard life but in Jimmy's opinion there wasn't one better. "I figured out that I was different than my brothers and my daddy when I was about thirteen. I worked out on the farm because I had to; it was what was expected of me. They worked because they loved it. By then I was already starting to figure out I was gay. Of course that scared the shit out of me." Cooper turned around and looked at Jimmy. "When did you figure it out?" "I was a little older. I was sixteen. I'm sure I had an inkling before then but I wasn't going to admit it. Of course I knew it after I wrestled the clothes off a girl in my first truck. It didn't do a damn thing for me." "Yeah I've been there. After all no decent redneck is going to admit to being queer. Not in the area, definitely not to their friends. I dated this girl that asked me out. It was god awful. I dumped her after a few months. I went through several girls before I just gave up. I kept hoping I would like it with just one of them." "I've been there. So when didn't you try a guy on for size?" Cooper walked back to the picnic table and sat down. He waited patiently for Jimmy and held his hand out for a cigarette when Jimmy offered one. He lit his Marlboro and waited for the on coming train to pass by. While he waited he gathered his thoughts. He could remember high school like it was yesterday. It was pure hell. When the last car passed and the noise subsided Cooper started talking again. "It was a new guy to the school. He was different, a skateboarder type, you usually don't see that kind around here. Well he wasn't a school very long before the rumor started that he was fag. Daily pounding soon started since he wouldn't deny it. Of course he never admitted it either." "I waited for him after school one day. I followed him in the truck for a while and waited until we were away from the school. I pulled up along beside him and told him to get in. He looked terrified. You could tell he figured I was going to kick his ass. But in the end he got in. Too afraid not to I guess. So I drove a while, neither one of us saying a word. Then I pulled off on a back road and parked the truck." Cooper paused in his story and flicked the cigarette away. He wished he had a beer to wash down the sandpaper in his throat. It was easy to remember Jason, the terrified look on his face when the truck stopped, how he put his hand on the door handle so he could make a quick escape. He wasn't a bad looking guy. His body was thin as a tobacco rail but short. He was well past puberty but still hadn't hit that last growth spurt. "I turned to him then and point out asked him if he was gay. He stuttered and tried to tell me he wasn't. I shook my head and told him I was, but of course that if he repeated it to another living soul he would wish that he were dead by the time I was done. Then I kissed him. It was awkward and very weird but it felt right. Do you know what I mean?" "Yeah I know. I kissed my nerdy Math tutor. I knew he had a thing for me, he was always checking me out whenever he thought I wasn't looking. I didn't say a word I just laid one on him. God he was shocked my then he got into it. It was nice. He wasn't really my type but like you said rednecks don't admit they are queer." Jimmy leaned back on his hands and stretched out his long legs. "I still don't see where we are that much different." "I don't fit into your life, just like you don't fit into mine." Jimmy considered for a moment before answering. He could see what Cooper couldn't see or more accurately what Cooper didn't want to see. "You still help out around your dad's farm right? You still live out in the country right? You go to the Broken Saddle and check out the men right?" "Yeah," Cooper said defensively, "what's your point?" "It's not that your aren't a country boy. It's that you are more than that." "Since when did you become a shrink?" "I have a degree in Pysch." "You do not." Jimmy chuckled to himself. "You aren't the only one that went to college. I got the fancy degree and three days a week you can find me at the Children's Home talking to the kids. I have to pay for the farm somehow." Cooper sat in silence and stared at Jimmy in disbelief. "Why didn't you tell me this?" "Because you were too caught up in our differences, you just wanted to see me as some redneck farmer." Jimmy poked Cooper in the chest. "But you know your right. We are different. I'm comfortable with who I am. I'm not afraid of it." With that Jimmy got up and walked towards his truck. He didn't turn to see if Cooper was following him this time. He figured that either he would or he would have one hell of a walk back to his car. Maybe he could have a chance with Cooper if Cooper would only admit to himself who he really was deep down inside.