Excerpt:
“It would have scared me though. Victor, would it have scared you?”
“Not really. In High School I was quite capable of shoving someone’s head in the toilet if they pissed me off.”
Jack said, “I had forgotten about that part of it. You did do that. Didn’t you? More than once you made clear to people that if they picked on me that they had better be prepared to fight. But I had forgotten about you putting his head in the toilet. And now he is a TV wrestler but you handled him like he was nothing.”
Novelette: Envy Is A Terrible Thing
By Charles Peters
Copyright 2019
All Rights Reserved
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Chapters
This story is fiction.
Any resemblance to any real people or places or things is not intentional.
Chapter 6
With their ice cream cones in hand, Stewart and Harry sat at a table in one corner of the Ice Cream Shop. With her strawberry milkshake, Judy joined Victor and Harry at a table in the center of the shop.
Judy said, “You scared us. Especially Stewart even though he is sitting over there and pretending otherwise.”
Victor said, “Sorry.” Victor took his foot and shoved out a chair at the table for Judy. “You can sit at the cool table.”
Judy smiled. She nodded. She sat down. “There is no doubt that Jack is cool. But you are a total nerd. I haven’t figured out how you two became friends.”
“Victor protected me from the bullies and at the same time gave me self-esteem when I seriously needed it. Also, I probably would not be into music if not for Victor cussing out the music teacher who wouldn’t let me in her class. She wouldn’t let anyone take her class if they didn’t have an 85 average or better in other classes.”
“His grade average was 82.”
Judy said, “I hated music but the counselor made me take the class. That teacher was always so mean to me.”
“That is because she disliked Victor with a passion.”
Victor said, “She wasn’t too crazy about Stewart either. But she did know music and she helped Jack with a little push from me. So I will always like her for that.”
Judy said, “Jack, I like your music but I think you should change the name of your band.”
Jack exclaimed, “You do!
“Yeah. The Jack Minx Off’s just does not have a good ring to it. Also it sounds like you are trying to remind people about masturbation.”
Victor laughed. “I think that is kind of the idea.”
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Jack said, “It was. The name works but Judy, what name would you give us?”
“Jack Minx and the Jack of Diamonds or maybe Jack Minx and the Diamonds.”
“I guess maybe you also want me to fire Selby James and hire you as our manager.”
Judy said, “It is true, I don’t like Selby. But no, you can keep him.”
Jack asked, “Are you around Selby much?”
Judy said, “He has eaten with us at our house some.”
Jack asked, “Why?”
Victor said, “After he and Sally broke up he started hanging around me more. He does similar with Sally’s brother Sam. Sally has made it clear that she and Selby are still friends. Still, I think he mainly wants to be friends with me because he knows that Sally is my friend and being more friendly with me is a way for them to stay close. The three of us would do things together when he was dating Sally so I guess it is not totally weird.”
Jack said, “I am not sure I like you and Selby being friends. I think I should be your only token gay friend.”
Victor said, “You are not a token.”
Judy asked, “So Selby is gay?”
Victor said, “Selby cheated on Sally. He had an affair with David Losovito. It made me angry. I mean, very angry. I cussed Selby out for betraying Sally. I then went over to the Losovito Antique Store and I had it out with David. But he was hurting so bad. I ended up feeling sorry for him. And I became worried that he might do something stupid. Now he and I are closer; friends. Go figure.”
Judy said, “I did not know about any of that. I was at the beauty shop with mom and I did hear someone say how Lilly had divorced David but they didn’t say why.”
Jack asked, “So Victor, are you friends with Lilly? She is really nice. And beautiful.”
Some child sitting with his mom said, “And totally out of Victor’s league.”
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Victor turned and gave the chubby kid a grin. Victor nodded. “So Laurie, you have Junior working for Tender now, giving dating advice.”
Laurie laughed. “Junior has a major crush on Lilly.”
Jack asked, “Junior, isn’t Lilly your aunt?”
Junior said, “Jim is my dad; not Johnny.”
Laurie said, “I was well divorced from Johnny before Junior or Janet were born. Jim is their father. But we are close to Johnny and Lilly so I know that confuses some people.” Laurie said, “So Victor, why don’t you know Lilly?”
Victor said, “I don’t really know why we haven’t ever met. We know the same people. I’ve seen her of course but our paths haven’t ever crossed in a way where we would meet.”
Laurie said, “I may have to introduce you two.”
Junior said, “Over my dead body.”
Laurie said, “Well come on Junior. We need to pick your sister up from ballet.” Laurie stood up and put her trash in the garbage. She turned back to Victor. “It was good seeing you all. Jack I saw your band the other night in the park. You all were wonderful.”
Jack said, “Thanks.” He joked, “I didn’t see you putting any money in our hat.”
Laurie gave a face. “I was broke. I am sorry.”
Jack said, “That is cool. I was just teasing.”
Laurie touched Victor’s shoulder. “I am glad you are okay Victor. You scared us out there in the lake.”
“I am sorry that I scared you all. I am okay.”
Laurie said, “David and I were talking about you the other day. Those days in the park were so much fun. You and Jossette. Those are good memories.”
Victor asked, “How is David?”
“You are not wrong to be worried. I am worried about him also.”
“I will make a point to go see him. We will think of something to do. We may get Jim to go with us over to the batting cages.”
“I will tell Jim to be expecting your call.”
“Good.”
“I’ve got to run get Janet. If I am running late she is going to have a fit. She is even more high strung than I am.”
Judy said, “That is hard to believe.”
Laurie slapped at Judy. “Don’t be mean.”
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Judy laughed. “Sorry. I can be kind of high strung myself. Just ask Steed.”
“I gather Steed is your stud muffin boyfriend. God. I saw you two the other day at the grocery store with your mom. He is such a hunk.”
Jack said, “He is good looking.”
Victor said, “If he was just a better mechanic.”
Laurie said, “Yeah, well not everyone can be as good as you and Sam. I have to get out of here. Bye.”
They all said bye to Laurie Toro and Junior. Junior turned and stuck his tongue out at them as he left the Ice Cream Parlor.
Judy punched Victor on the shoulder. “Laurie never talks to me.”
“She just did.”
“Only because you and Jack were sitting with me. And she was totally ignoring me until I insulted her.”
Victor said, “Laurie is okay.”
Judy asked, “How is she connected to David?”
“She is his stepsister.”
Jack said, “I did not know that.”
Judy said, “Neither did I.”
Jack said, “So you know all these people who are connected to Lilly but you don’t know Lilly. You know her cousins Sam and Sally who work for her at the Bare Detective Agency when they aren’t doing other stuff. You were friends with Donny Maxton; Lilly’s first husband. You are friends with her now x-husband David. How could your paths not cross?”
“I don’t know. Gosh. Think about Donny. Donny was older than me and basketball was not really my sport but I did enjoy shooting hoops with him. He would tease me and Jossette.” Victor batted his eyes and cleared his throat to control his emotions. “But Lilly was never around when we would play. I don’t think Jossette knew her either.”
Judy said, “I think it is awful the way Jossette dumped you. She just moved off and acted like you were dead to her; like we all were dead to her. And Roger was good friends with Stewart and then no calls. It was weird. I loved Jossette like a sister and now I hate her for the way she did you.”
Victor said, “Don’t ever hate Jossette. She will forever be the love of my life.”
Judy stared at Victor. She could see he was starting to tear up. “So Jack, are you a top or a bottom?”
Victor moaned, “What a thing to ask someone.”
“Judy, do you even know what those terms mean?”
“A bottom likes to get rear ended. A top likes giving the bottom what he wants. So?”
Jack said, “I am mainly a top though I have gotten off on being a power bottom.”
Judy asked, “What does power bottom mean?”
Victor said, “It means he is an alpha male. Regardless of whether he is on top or bottom, he is the one who is in control. For some reason and I have no idea why, Selby explained that to me.”
Jack smiled. “Maybe Selby wants to get into your pants.”
“No. He has never made a pass at me.”
Jack laughed. “Man. You are sometimes so oblivious to people, I am not so sure that you would even know if he was coming on to you.”
Judy asked, “So Victor, if you were gay, and I know you are not, but would you be a top or a bottom?”
Jack laughed. “What a thing to ask your brother. You are so silly.”
Victor said, “I think most straight men would say top.”
Jack said, “You are wrong. If they are being honest, they would say bottom. With women they are straight. And that is who they are. But when they have the gay fantasy they are usually the submissive bottom who wants to be dominated. Even if they are total alphas with women, their fantasy is to be forced because they don’t really sexually desire men. They are straight. The idea of being dominated is the attraction.”
Judy asked, “So have you done a study on the topic or something?”
Jack said, “Victor. Now be honest. If you were in a porn movie that was gay for pay, which part would you play. Would you be the top or the bottom. Now think about it.”
Victor said, “Well. I don’t sexually desire men. I am not turned on by men. So I doubt my dick would get hard for a man. I guess I would have to be the bottom.”
Jack said, “Exactly. The first time someone came on to me in the locker room wanting me to suck them I was like I am man enough if you are gay enough. If their dick gets hard for a man, then they are gay. I don’t care how straight they are pretending to be. They called me queer and there they were standing with their dick hard.”
Judy laughed. “God. I would be horrified if something like that happened to me in the locker room. Did you report them?”
“No. It wasn’t really a big deal. The metoo movement is stupid. If you don’t know how to say no to someone or kick them in the balls if necessary, then put the blame on yourself where it belongs. Some actor or actress sucks someone’s dick thinking they are going to get some movie part and then they don’t get the part, that is not sexual harassment; that is being a whore too stupid to get the money up front.”
Judy said, “I disagree with you. You don’t put the blame on the victim.”
“I do. You listen to some of these supposed cases, it is unbelievable. ‘I was naked in their bed and they jumped on top of me.’ Well, what the hell were you doing naked in their bed. Use some fucking common sense. Don’t be naked in the bed of someone you don’t really know or trust.”
“Okay, but some of the cases are actual rape.”
“That is obviously different. I am talking about where someone wanted me to suck their dick and I said no. That was the end of it. It wasn’t really a big deal and there was no point in me making it a big deal and trying to play the victim or trying to ruin their life.”
“It would have scared me though. Victor, would it have scared you?”
“Not really. In High School I was quite capable of shoving someone’s head in the toilet if they pissed me off.”
Jack said, “I had forgotten about that part of it. You did do that. Didn’t you? More than once you made clear to people that if they picked on me that they had better be prepared to fight. But I had forgotten about you putting his head in the toilet. And now he is a TV wrestler but you handled him like he was nothing.”
“It was a day later after you told me about it, but yeah.”
Judy asked, “Who? Which TV wrestler?”
Victor said, “I am not saying. It is not important.”
Jack said, “No. He is a good guy now. He is still totally in the closet though.”
Judy said, “Victor, how much has happened in your life that I know nothing about?”
Victor said, “I am a simple man with a simple life.”
Jack and Judy both saw the sadness in Victor’s eyes.
Harry and Stewart walked up. “Mom called. She is about to have dinner ready. Jack, she is setting a plate for you.”
Harry said, “And by the way, we heard parts of your conversation. Everyone in the place did.”
Stewart said, “Yeah, bottom boy, let’s get home.”
Victor laughed as he stood up. “Come on Jack.”
Victor looked around the ice cream parlor. Different people waved at him. He waved back.
As they left the ice cream parlor Judy asked, “Why are you and Stewart so popular and no one even knows who I am?”
Jack said, “Of course they know who you are.”
Harry said, “Yeah Judy. They know who you are. You are the sister of Stewart and Victor.” Then he quickly added, “No one knows me either.”
Jack said, “Judy, you are a beautiful girl. You may intimidate people and make them afraid to approach you, but they know who you are.”
“Do I intimidate people?”
Stewart said, “Sort of, but I do that also. We get that from mom. If I hadn’t played football no one would know who I am. In a few years no one will know who Stewart Duddley ever was. I will be totally forgotten.”
Harry said, “I play football and no one knows who I am. They couldn’t even tell you what position I play. But Stewart, I think you underestimate how popular you are, even without football.”
Jack said, “Harry you are totally well known. Everyone knows that you are that wide receiver who fumbles the ball way too fucking much.”
Victor said, “Yeah, Harry, why did you drop so many balls in that last game?”
“Stewart made running the plays and catching the ball easy. He made me look good. Wallace Walgrave sucks as a quarterback. He makes me look bad.”
Stewart said, “He is a good running quarterback. I will give him that.”
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Harry said, “Maybe but I want him back in his old position as a running back. I need a quarterback who knows how to pass the ball with precision timing like you used to do.”
