1 Chapter 1

San Jose, California, June 1970

Glad that he graduated high school yesterday, Brian pedaled his bike double-time to Mrs. Guardino’s home on 10thStreet. Once there, he set his bike on its kickstand, waved to her, and trotted up the steps to the porch, putting extra effort into an encouraging smile and uplifting tone. “Hi, Mrs. G. How are you?” There was something special about her and he enjoyed being in her presence, and he didn’t really have many other friends besides Jim.

“Old and dying.” She shook her head. Over the last few months, she’d lost her balance more often, her voice had grown progressively weaker, and the hair in which she’d previously taken so much pride now lay in flat strands around her face, untouched by a stylist. Giving him a weak hug, she added, “Nice to see you, Brian. You’re a sweet young man.”

Her eyes had also lost their luster and her wrinkles seemed deeper than last week. Maybe she was dehydrated? He sat next to her on the antique wood swing, wondering about its sturdiness. Good thing neither of them weighed much. “You take all your medicines today?”

“Don’t matter. I feel the same with or without them.”

Brian worked up his best disapproving glare.

“Fine, I’ll take the rest when I go in.”

He switched to his best smile. “What can I do for you today?”

She threw her hands in the air. “Ah, so much. The lawn, that bush, dishes in the sink, the carpet needs vacuuming, and there’s some laundry.” She wrinkled her face and shook her head again. “Better do that first. I had a small accident in the bed, but it didn’t reach the mattress pad.”

“I’ll take care of it.” He patted her shoulder.

* * * *

Three hours later, after doing the chores and playing poker with her, he hugged her goodbye. She leaned on her cane with obvious effort.

“How much do I owe you?” She coughed, having trouble catching her breath again.

“A dollar.” Brian felt sorry for her.

“We both know that’s too little.”

“Why do I need money when I have friends like you? A dollar, please.”

Opening her purse, Mrs. Guardino retrieved ten silver dollars and plopped them in his hand, then kissed it.

Brian checked them out. “And this is too much, and they’re old, over fifty years.”

She smiled and curled his fingers around the coins. “There’s a special place in heaven for people like you. It don’t matter that you’re black.” She looked him in the eye. “Or that you’re gay. God loves all of us.”

That made him feel warm inside, and he couldn’t contain a deep smile. “You know?”

“Yes, dear. For a few years. I waited for you to say it, but I’m close to dying and my time is limited.”

He threw himself into a hug with her.

Her parting words were, “Stay away from 8thStreet.”

A short time later, Brian’s peddling kept time with his churning thoughts, his friend’s wrinkled face filling his mind. She still wore a hint of beauty, and more than likely, had been pretty once. The coins rattling in his pocket would’ve helped treat her to an afternoon at a beauty salon.

The images in his mind changed the closer he got to home. With any luck, Jim would be outside. shirtless and in cutoffs. Oh, man. Gotta stop thinking about that sexy man before I cream my pants. Again, tonight while in the shower, he’d likely jack off to visions of Jim—Jim’s hands on his body instead of his own.

Maybe…maybe the time had come to confess to Jim. After all, Mrs. Guardino accepted him. Yeah, no more waiting. He nodded and vowed to come out to Jim today.

Tell the truth and let the chips fall where they may

Oh, crap! He should’ve paid better attention. How’d he wind up on 8thStreet?

He saw Robby McNamara, his two brothers, and a few other kids playing baseball in the quiet street. Brian moved to the sidewalk to give them a wide berth.

Robby, a year older and a foot taller than Brian’s five-foot, four-inch slender body, dropped his glove and raced to the sidewalk. He grabbed Brian’s handlebars, nearly toppling him to the ground.

In his southern drawl, he said, “Well, well, we got us a black boy riding in a white neighborhood.” The other boys gathered around.

Brian’s guts gurgled and his heart pounded. “Leave me alone.”

“Why are you in our neighborhood? Did someone hire you as a butler?”

The kids laughed.

With as deep a voice as he could command, Brian said, “This is public property.”

The next second, someone grabbed Brian around the waist and yanked him off his bike and onto a lawn. “Oof!”

Brian squirmed free and jumped to his feet as Robby punched. Brian blocked with his arm and took a deflected blow to his cheek. Everyone laughed, but Brian wouldn’t give the satisfaction of rubbing it.