BLACK HANDKERCHIEF - WHITE HANDKERCHIEF

Enough had been said so far and in a limited way they understood each other. The wine flowed. Phillip was quite heady by the time Marcello served the fresh pineapple and his head lolled a couple of times. Perhaps he had dropped off to sleep for a moment. He sat bolt upright, embarrassed by his behaviour. This will never do, he thought, as he shook his head sharply. “I think the wine was too heavy for you, Phillip, why don’t you lie down on my bed for a while, it will soon go.” Marcello’s voice was persuasive but he didn’t need to persuade me at all, Phillip thought to himself, the idea of lying down appeals greatly and is just what I need at this moment.

To Marcello he replied, “Yes, that’s a good idea, just for half an hour”, he could hear the slurring of his own words as his head lolled forward once more and he felt himself being helped up from the settee. Very gently, arms were around his waist, he could feel the strength and the action of the muscles working to support the weight of his body. Phillip’s legs were uncoordinated, some sort of movement was taking place he decided because when he next opened his eyes and looked about him, the first thing he saw was an enormous bed and he was being perambulated towards the haven on which he could lie. He felt the cool linen against the side of his face as he lay his head down on the pillow. He was falling through cotton wool clouds, his eyes closed as he reached the centre of the cotton wool and he drifted into unconsciousness. He was disturbed by some movement of his own body which he could not at first understand in his dreamy state, the deep sleep lifted and he rubbed his feet together to correct a tickle on his left foot. His feet were bare and his legs too, that’s a bit of a shock he thought, realising that he had been undressed, he could not finish the thought as the folds of his cotton wool cloud enveloped him once more.

A small click woke Phillip from his drowsiness, there was no telling from where it came, maybe a lock or a key has been turned, but he lay there still with his eyes closed. Small beams of light filtered through, a soft electric light, certainly it could not be daylight yet, he reckoned, there must be a lamp on nearby. The coverlet which had protected him began to strain against his back, a heavy weight was being lowered on the other side of the bed, Phillip turned his head to see the blue dressing gown of Marcello move closer to him. “And how do you feel now my friend?”, Marcello was leaning on one elbow, his face concerned, just a foot away from Phillip’s reposing features. “Are you in the land of the living once more, would you like a glass of tea, or do you just want to carry on as you are and I’ll leave you alone?”

Phillip stretched his arms above his head and as he turned to look at Marcello, the hairs on his fore arm were the first hairs he saw, even before he saw the bushy eyebrows of Marcello. His arm went down like a soldier presenting arms, he turned back the coverlet, he was naked, his body warm and protected, he replaced the cover and spoke. “No, no Marcello I am fine now”, he uncurled his body noticing that Marcello made himself more comfortable on his elbow, adjusting his dressing gown which had twisted around him whilst trying not to disturb Phillip. Marcello heaved himself up on his elbow a couple of times until he adjusted his body and the silk. “Let’s talk Phillip, shall we? What are you into, anything special?”

It was a question Phillip had heard many times in his life and one which he had asked of many men, in many different situations in various parts of the world. Looking at Marcello there was no way Phillip could tell what his sexual appetite would be or what deviations he might enjoy. Phillip was willing to please his companion, whose company he had enjoyed thoroughly. He had spent a most interesting evening with his new found friend and he could further enjoy himself and satisfy his starved body.