Copyright© 2004 by Kien Reti

No story is too lowdown or ugly for me. Once I spent a night in a homeless shelter to get the skinny on that scene. Lost my wallet and came out of it with two black eyes, a fat lip, and a nasty lice infestation. I was scratching for a week. It was worth it, though. The city editor put the story on page two and I got a nice fat raise.

So now I've been assigned to write an exposé of the gay life. In-depth, detailed, the whole works. A candid, uncensored account of what it feels like to be a gay man. A homo. A queer. The particulars of everyday life, the nightlife, and the sex. Especially the sex. The editor gave me carte blanche on this one. But it's got to be hot and steamy. Circulation's been dropping lately.

All right, I figure I have to really get into the part. I'll assume the identity of a gay man for a week. I think I can even deal with the anal sex part if I have to. Maureen would have a fit if she found out. Geez, we're not even married yet, and already she acts like she owns me.

I draw the line at going into a gay bar and waiting to be picked up by an anonymous stranger. Fortunately, it wasn't necessary. An old college buddy introduced me to a real insider in the local gay scene. This guy seemed happy enough to help me out.

Mick is quite an original. He has the manner of a benevolent uncle who takes pleasure in mentoring his younger protegés. He claims he was a hippie back in the 60s. Even offered to show me the butterfly tattoo on his left buttock to prove it. I politely declined.

Mainly, I need to change my image, he told me. Dress sharper, but nothing too flamboyant. No need to flaunt what I'm supposed to be. Get my hair styled, of course. A moustache trim goes with the package. Looking younger is what it's all about. Younger. Like young meat. Meat. Merchandise.

As it turns out, I don't have to sweat the anal sex part, or so Mick says. Many gays don't even do it. If I want, I could probably get away with fondling and oral. Touching, kisses, and blow jobs, in other words. The question is whether I can get a complete picture of gay culture without learning about, and actually experiencing the ultimate form of gay sex -- anal. I have to admit that, in my heart of hearts, I am somewhat curious about it. Maybe even more than curious.

I remember that one spring morning camping out on Raccoon Hill. Strange sounds nearby woke me. I climbed out of the warm sleeping bag, grabbed for the binoculars and looked. There were two guys up on the ridge there, and... their pants were bunched down around their ankles. They were both naked from the waist down and their bare skin gleamed in the early sun. The one in front was bent over forward and... I focused the binocs on him and, yes, he was being fucked by the other guy, and down between his legs it looked like he had a hardon, so probably he was enjoying getting it in the ass. And those were definitely sounds of passion coming from the both of them. And by then I had a hardon, too, and I jerked off while watching them, thinking about what it must feel like...

My last few girlfriends, and my current one too for that matter, enjoyed taking it in the ass. And I enjoy giving it. The one time Maureen got it into her head to try a strapon and fuck my ass I liked it. I guess she felt threatened by how much I liked it because she never brought up that particular subject again. She's very insecure about gender roles.

They call it the "Service Entrance." You could almost mistake it for a regular nightclub except that all the couples there were male-male and female-female. The show wasn't bad -- a standup comedian doing political satire, then a few songs by a drag queen.

Mick took me around and introduced me to his friends. Normal-looking guys, most of them. Normal, hell, just plain nice people. People I'd never have suspected of being gay. People I could have been friends with in real life.

I ended up going home with Jack. Tall, well-spoken fellow, looked to be in his late thirties. He was a stockbroker, and his living situation showed just how good he was at it. Antique furniture and what looked like original paintings on the walls. There was some heavy-duty money at work here.

He fixed me a nice snack, but I passed on the offered drink. Got to keep a clear head. This is an assignment, after all. He was easy to talk to and I found out a few things that Mick hadn't mentioned. As recently as ten years back, 1965 in the year of Our Lord, being gay was still semi-illegal. Many gay folks stayed in the closet. Now, with things loosening up, the gay community was out in the open, and this seemed to have triggered a sort of cultural explosion. There were gay-themed plays on Broadway and even books with gay heroes. The gay life, it appeared, was almost ready to cross over into the mainstream.

Well, it finally came time to get down to brass tacks. Do I take my off clothes or not? It wasn't a difficult choice. Jack was a nice guy and I felt comfortable in his presence. In fact, I even felt a mild physical attraction. If there were hidden parts of me that craved expression, why not indulge them? It would certainly add realism to the story I'd write.

He helped me out of my pants and shirt. A true gentleman. I was too shy to return the favor. My gosh, I couldn't believe what the sight of his bare skin did to me. It freaked me out and excited me at the same time. We were alone with each other. And totally stark, bare-ass naked.

He hugged me. Just a gentle embrace. I noticed he had a full hardon. He was a good deal bigger than me, maybe by as much as several inches. The thought of how that erect penis (long, hard cock!) would feel inside me, deep inside my ass made me hard, too. Iron hard. Damn. I learned something about myself in that moment.

He asked me what my pleasure was.

"I'm new at this," I said. "What I had originally had in mind was to satisfy my curiosity, to get a gentle intro to gay sex, but now I think maybe... "

"I know exactly what you're thinking," he said. "It hits some newbies like that. They instantly fall in love, hard, with either oral or anal. In your case, I'd say anal. In fact, I can feel the vibes."

My face got hot, and I must have blushed. I nodded.

"If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say you're a bottom," he said, as he reached around to caress my buttocks. "Yep, I can feel the heat back there. Your ass is speaking to me, and it's telling me what it wants. And it wants it bad. What say we give it a go?" He kissed me gently on the lips.

"All right, Jack, I'm willing, I think. Just show me what to do."

"The first time it's especially important for you to relax. I'm good at breaking in virgins and I'll guide you. Come on into the bedroom. The bed is just the right height for what I have in mind."

He bent me forward over the edge of the bed and my chest came to rest on the multicolored quilt covering the sheets. Then he moved up behind me. The shock of his hands kneading my ass cheeks made me tense up.

"Relax. This won't hurt. You'll end up enjoying it. Most guys who try it love it. Trust me."

His voice was hypnotic. He seemed so very confident that I had to assume he knew what he was talking about. And the feel of his gentle hands massaging my ass, rubbing cream gently into my my cheeks and into the crevice between comforted me, warmed me...

"Okay, Sleeping Beauty, you're about as ready as you'll ever be."

I awoke with a start. Must have dozed off for a moment.

"Huh? Okay, well then, let's give it a shot," I mumbled as I rubbed my eyes. I couldn't believe it. I was about to be fucked.

"I've just lubed myself up," Jack said, "and now I'll do the same for you. I need you nice and slick inside so I can slide right in. Now, it might feel a little cold when I start, but it'll heat you up soon enough, and you'll enjoy the finger massage on your hole, your beautifully tight little asshole. Let me part your cheeks now to get a better look at it. Yes, it's a perfect little rosebud. Virgo intactaA, but we'll soon do something about that."

I tensed up at the touch of his finger down there. It did feel cold and wet. Then, the gentle up-and-down rubbing between my cheeks began to soothe... and excite me. I could feel my dick starting to harden again.

"To start off with, I'll push a fingertip into you. Just barely past the entrance. It might feel a little strange, but it won't hurt. Ready?"

"Jack, I have a little confession to make. I'm not really an anal virgin. I've had a small dildo inside me before." I didn't think it politic to reveal that it was my girlfriend who had put it into me.

"Hey, no problem, guy. You already know the drill then. Press out gently as I push my finger in. Good. Easy does it."