So Cal Summer 69
by Flip McHooter
Chapter 6
A few minutes later, Jake and I were headed down the hill towards Colorado Boulevard. I was taking him to Mike's Burgers for the best cheeseburgers and shakes in town. It's a little hole-in-the-wall place, but it was yummy, and we had been going there since I was a tiny kid. When we rolled up, we chained our bikes to one of Pasadena's old ornate street lights on the sidewalk out front, next to the locked-up newspaper racks that sold titty papers and the L.A. Free Press. Don't know why they call it that since it wasn't free any more. There was a head shop down the block that my friend Coop said had some bitchin glass pipes and neon posters and stuff, but I didn't know much about it since I had never been there and I was kind of scared to go by myself. Don't know why, exactly. Anyway, this part of town had definitely seen better days.
"You sure this place is good?" Jake asked me. "It looks to me like it's kind of cruddy. Not much different than the shit-holes we had in our old neighborhood."
"Of course it's better. This is Pasadena. That's why everything tastes so good. They mix the crud into the burgers. That's why it's so great."
"If you say so," Jake said, walking inside.
"I must, I must."
When we went in and reached the front, Mike was standing at the counter waiting on a few people ahead of us in line. He looked like this part of Pasadena. Old, scraggly and sort of spaced out. But, damn, his food was trippy good!
When it was our turn at the front of the line, I ordered our food and paid for it with some of my allowance money. I couldn't wait to get my driver's license next year, so I could get a part-time job and make some real money. I'd be getting my learners permit real soon, and I could hardly wait! Jake and I settled into a red waxy booth way in the rear, and after wiping someone's leftover mustard stain and wayward french fries off the seat, we sat down to wait for our number to be called.
"I thought Pasadena was supposed to be all fancy and glamorous and shit. This area doesn't look any better than where I used to live. Isn't this the street where all of those people line up to watch the Rose Parade?" Jake asked.
"Yeah, this is the right street, but the parade doesn't come all the way down here. It's up at the other end. Sometimes we camp out on the sidewalk on New Year's Eve and hang out with everyone all night. It's like a huge party, and nobody sleeps. There's bonfires, beer, and sometimes, guys in cool cars cruise by squirting mustard and throw tortillas at folks before they close the street at midnight. It's crazy fun! Maybe you and I can go this year when it turns to 1970. That would be super-cool. Anyway, the parade makes a turn so the floats can go park over by Victory Park, next to the high school. I'll show you where later."
"Number fifty-three. Order up!" Mike called out over the loudspeaker.
That was us. I got up, grabbed our grub and brought it back to the table.
"This looks good. Thanks, buddy," Jake said.
"You bet. I like these cheeseburgers because they put lots of pickles and mustard on them, and they grill the onions. The shakes are real outasight, too. They get their ice cream from a factory here in Pasadena that's been around since the early 1920's. They make all kinds of really cool flavors like peppermint chip and chocolate banana split. I tried an avocado one once, but it wasn't very good. My dad took us to the factory one time, and we got to see how it's made. We tried so many different flavors that Jordy barfed all over the car on our way home."
"That's funny. I can see him doing that. We didn't have anything good to eat around our old apartment where we lived before. There were just a bunch of old dive bars. I was stoked when Lisa got her driver's license, and we could get out of town. I really hated living in that place."
"I don't think living in an apartment would be much fun. Isn't it noisy? And doesn't everybody know your business?" I asked, after slurping up the rest of my chocolate mint swirl shake.
"Yeah. All of the neighbors could hear my dad and mom fight. It was really embarrassing. I used to get into fights with some of the kids and especially this one fat kid who always made fun of us. He called us white trash once, so I hauled off and punched him in the nose, even though I didn't know what he meant by that remark. That was kind of cool because blood started pouring out everywhere, all over his clothes. He ran back to his mommy crying. I guess I just had enough. After that, everybody pretty much left me alone."
"Right on! I guess I better not piss you off," I said, finishing up the last few bites of my cheeseburger and fries.
"Damn straight. I sure would hate to kick that pretty little ass of yours," he said with a smile. Then he surprised me by slipping off his shoe and moved his bare foot under the table and up into my crotch.
Locking his eyes on mine, he ground his toes into my rapidly inflating boner and then started rubbing it. I had to take a quick look around to make sure no one could see what was going on. Luckily, we were in the back, and the lunch crowd had already thinned out, so no one noticed us. He continued rubbing my stiff cock with his big toe on one side and his smaller toes on the other. It felt weird having sex with a guy's foot, but it also felt kind of sexy-good, too. It was even more exciting doing something like this out in public, even though no one could really see us.
He started rubbing for real now, pushing his foot deeper and grinding it into my crotch. That made me tense up and start breathing faster, and I could feel my dick juice starting to seep under my foreskin. Finally, I had to stop him because I was about ready to blow. Just then a lady walked by on the way to the restroom.
"Jake, you gotta stop that," I whispered, pushing his foot off me. "I can't shoot my load in here. It'll be too messy, and we've got other things to do. C'mon, let's blow this joint." I stood up and pulled my t-shirt down to cover up my still raging hard cock.
"Okay, but that was totally cool, don't you think? Where are we going now?" Jake asked.
"Let's check out the high school so you can see where you're going to go in the fall. Then we can ride around Victory Park for a while and then head for Wiggy's. It's a pretty nice school. They've got a deep pool with cool diving boards, and a larger one for swimming laps," I told him after we jumped on our bikes. "I was going to be on the swim team last year, but not enough guys showed up to make both a Varsity and a JV team. Most of the guys were older and better swimmers, so they all made the Varsity team. That left a couple of other guys and me, but not enough for a whole JV team. Not a lot of guys at our school do swimming. But it's okay. Coach Brian said I'll definitely be on the team this year. Did you ever try out for your swim team?"
"No. I really like to swim and dive, and I used to practice in the pool at our apartment. I probably would have tried out but our school was too small to have a team, and anyway, it was always all about football. I'm not really big enough to play football with those big gorillas, and I'd end up looking like roadkill after the first practice. Some of the senior guys were over two-hundred pounds. You know, I still can't believe what Lisa did with those guys on the football team. Sometimes I worry that they'll come after us," Jake said as he rode alongside me on his ten-speed.
"Yeah, but you and Lisa can put all of that shit behind you now because they don't know where you guys moved. I don't really like football that much either, but I like going to the games to hang out. The guys on our team seem kind of dopey, too, and I don't really mix with them. Don't forget I still want to see those pictures that you took of your team doing it with Lisa. Make a right up here and – Hey! Watch out for that bum lying on the curb. Man, you almost ran him over. C'mon, the school is up this street five or six blocks."
As we headed up towards the school, the traffic had thinned out, and we didn't have to worry about running over anybody or being asked for money by panhandlers or dodging crazy old ladies pushing shopping carts filled with God knows what. When we got to the school, it was completely deserted since summer school didn't start until next week. We jumped the curb and peddled across the lawn. We showed off for each other, peeling out around on the empty outdoor hallways, leaving long skid marks. We made tight turns on our bikes here and there as I showed Jake where the different buildings and the cafeteria was. We passed the auto shop and then the wood shop, and just as we were rounding the boy's gym building heading towards the park next to the school, the last door to the locker room popped open, and we practically crashed into each other trying to avoid it.
"Mr. Miller! What in the Sam Hill do you think you're doing?"
It was Coach Brian, and he didn't look too happy being scared like that.
"Sorry, Coach. I didn't think anybody was here. I was showing my new friend Jake around the school since he just moved here."
"Damn, you scared the bejesus out of me." Then calming down he said, "Oh, it's all right. I didn't think anyone else was here. I didn't mean to go off on you guys. I guess I'm blowing off some steam because I have to run the pool for the summer swim season. I thought I was going to get the summer off like the rest of the teachers. Hey, you need to be more careful, so you don't get hurt. I want to see you on the swim team this year."
"Yeah, Coach. I promise I'll be more careful. I'm trying to talk my buddy Jake here into trying out with me. We've been swimming in my pool at home. You think we'll get more guys this year?"
"I hope so. Most of the team was made up of seniors, and all but one just graduated. So, we might only have only the Varsity team again, depending on how many guys try out. Hi, Jake. I'm Coach Brian." he said, holding his hand out towards Jake.
"Hi, Coach. I'm Jake, Jake Mariano. Um, if you don't mind, aren't you kinda young to be a coach?"
"No, not really, Jake, Jake," he said smiling. "I'm actually the assistant coach. Last fall was my first coaching job, and that's why I'm stuck here for the summer."
Jake laughed. "You can call me just Jake."
"Will do. I was about to take a break and get some fresh air. You guys want to come back to the office with me and have a Coke and shoot the shit? I've got the air conditioning cranked up high." Then, looking at me he said, "We can both gang up on Jake until he promises to join the team. He seems like he'd be a good fit."
"Yeah, that's cool. We don't have to be downtown for a while."
We followed Coach Brian into the hot, humid locker room, leaning our bikes up against the first row of puke-green lockers. Even though school was out, the room was quite warm and clammy, and it still smelled like a combination of sweat, pee, and dirty jock straps. Apparently, the janitor hadn't cleaned it up yet. It's weird how those smells always make my stomach tingle and my cock plump up. We went past a couple more rows of lockers and past the showers towards the back wall where all of the coach's offices were. I wondered why the coach's offices always had big windows to look out at the showers and the locker room. Guess they're just freaky and like to look at all of the naked teen boys. I bet the girl's coaches were freaky like that too, because they looked mean, and most of them sported sparse mustaches.
Since he was the low man on the totem pole, Coach Brian's office was kind of small and ratty. He had a desk with a picture of a cute redheaded girl on it, and a few old chairs scattered around the perimeter. A couple of rusty beige file cabinets were standing in the corner, and a bulletin board was hanging on the wall with a few pictures and old flyers tacked to it. An old air conditioner hummed loudly over the door, dripping condensation on the floor and making a big puddle. Even his office smelled like sweaty jockstraps.
"Take a seat, boys. Let me run to the fridge and get us some drinks. Be right back."
"Thanks, Coach," I said.
"He seems like a cool guy. But he sure looks young," Jake said after the coach was gone.
"I know. That's one of the reasons he's so popular with the students here and why the other coaches give him such a hard time. He also teaches the Health Class. He taught me all I need to know about spirochetes."
"Trippy. I'll be sure to remember that."
"Who has a spirochete?" asked Coach Brian as he walked back into his office, handing us chilled bottles of Coke.
"I was just joking with Jake. I told him you teach the Health Class, too."
"That's right. I do it all," Coach said laughing. I was glad he was back to his old self and not angry with us for almost mowing him down. "So, Jake, do you like it here in Pasadena?"
"Yeah, I do. It's a lot better here than where I used to live. And Ryan and I have become real good friends," he said smiling at me.
"That's great. I like it here too. I grew up not far from here, so when I got this job offer, I was glad to take it. It's good to be around my friends again. Good friends are vital," Coach said, leaning back and running his hands through his stylishly-trimmed long hair and looking from Jake to me and back again.
"Who is that a picture of? I don't recognize him," I asked, pointing to the bulletin board. Off to the side were two pictures of what looked like the same blond curly-haired, older boy posing with his shirt off in tight swim trunks. He looked hunky with broad shoulders and a tight stomach, and you could see from the second picture that his arms and pecs had gotten much bigger. He looked buff.
"That's J.J. Jones. He graduated last month. He signed up to go to Vietnam, poor kid. His grades weren't good enough to get him into college so he could get a draft deferment. Use him as an example, boys, and keep your grades up so you can get into college and then you won't have to go to war. He's a good guy, and I worry about him. I used him as my training guinea pig, so to speak. I took a picture of him at the start of last season and then again last month to see how my training program worked out on his upper body. He did really well, as you can see, and it helped a lot with his relay time. He came in second in his division."
"That's great," Jake said. "He looks so much better from the first picture."
After taking a sip of his cola, Coach looked at us and said, "Maybe we can get you guys on the program, too. I'm tweaking it a little bit this year. What do you think? You guys look like you're in good shape. You want to build up your muscles so you can have a hot bod?"
"Well, I already look hot, but Jake definitely needs some work. And I'm not sure you're a miracle worker, Coach," I said trying not to laugh.
"Shut up, dickweed," Jake said as he slugged me in my arm. "You're the one with the scrawny arms."
Coach Brian started laughing, but then he stopped abruptly and gave us a serious look. "Can I ask you guys something?"
"Sure," I said.
"Yeah," Jake agreed.
"I don't want to embarrass you guys, and if this isn't any of my business just say so, but… are you guys having sex? I mean, together?"
We both instantly turned bright red. How the heck did he know that?
"I'm sorry guys. Please don't get upset, really. I'm actually down with it." We relaxed a little bit as he went on. "It's just that you have this groovy vibe going on between you and it kind of shows. You seem to have an intimate way that you joke with each other and the way that you look at each other. It seems to me like you've known each other forever. Like you're soulmates or something, like my girlfriend, Samantha would say. It's actually groovy to see. You know what I mean?"
"Yeah," I croaked out, looking at the floor. "His sister sorta figured it out, too."
"How did she figure it out? Was she cool about it?"
Feeling my face flush again, I said, "We had just fooled around up in my treehouse when we caught up with her and my brother playing cards down by the pool. She took one look at us and instantly knew what was going on."
"But she doesn't care. She's a big slut anyway," Jake piped up. "I love her and trust her. I know that she'd never do anything to hurt Ryan or me or say anything to anybody."
"See, fellas, the reason I brought this up was that I want you guys to be careful. Not everybody is okay with two guys fooling around. Maybe be a little more discreet when you're around other people. Some people can read what's going on just by looking at you like I did, while others can't. I'm not saying that it's a bad thing, but some people might not like it or won't understand it. I know we're more liberal here in the land of fruits and nuts, and with the hippies running around naked and free love and all of that, but some older folks might not dig it. I know that it's not fair that you boys can't show affection for each other the way a guy and a girl can, but maybe someday that will change. I hope so."
We looked at each other, feeling kind of sad, embarrassed, and sort of confused, and we weren't quite sure what to say.
Taking a deep sigh and stretching back in his wooden chair, Coach Brian went on, "I really shouldn't tell you this, but I know you Ryan and think I can trust you, Jake. Maybe this story will help make you understand what I'm trying to get across to you boys because it's important. Ryan, I know that you know that I have a girlfriend. You saw her around school last semester."
"Yeah, Samantha something with the long red hair," I said pointing to the picture on his desk. "She works part-time in the library, right?"
"Yep, that's her. I hope to marry her someday. I love her very, very much. But what you don't know is that before I met Samantha, I met an older student when I was in college, and he and I had a relationship for about a year, until he graduated and returned home to Vermont. I loved him very much too, and we had some great times together. It was sort of new for both of us since we had always dated girls, and especially for me because I had never had much sex before, let alone with a dude." Coach Brian slid around his desk and shut the door. "I really don't want anybody to hear what I'm about to tell you, not that anyone else is in here. It's really nobody's business."
Behind Coach's back, I gave Jake a quick look. He popped his eyes as if saying "What's going on?"
Coach went around and sat back down at his desk again. After looking first at Jake and then at me he started up his story again. "So like I said, this is just for your ears only, and it doesn't go any further than this room, okay?"
We both nodded, wondering what he was going to tell us.
"During my sophomore year at college, I ran into this guy named Marc at a keg party at one of the frat houses. Man, that was a crazy scene. Anyway, Marc and I hit it off right away since we both had a lot of things in common. He was a diver, and I was part of the water polo and swim teams. It was sort of weird that we had never seen each other before since we lived in the same dorm and used the same swim facilities. But I didn't go out much because I was either in class, studying or at practice. Anyway, we both got kind of drunk that night, especially me, and we ended up walking back to our dorm together late that night, stumbling around and laughing our asses off. He was a really a groovy guy, and when he asked me to spend the night in his room, I said yes. Apparently, his roommate was in L.A. for a Grateful Dead concert.
"So, this being brand new to me, I just let him take the lead. We got naked, climbed into his unmade single bed, and then had the most erotic sex that I have ever had. Maybe because it was all new to me and it was nothing at all like making out with girls, but the next morning when I woke up I knew that I wanted to see Marc some more and do this again. And he felt the same way towards me."
"Why aren't you with him now?" asked Jake.
"Well, a lot of reasons. He was going back to Vermont to teach diving and do some Olympic training while I still had a couple more years left before I got my degree in Education. And just before school was out that year, his roommate caught us screwing because we had forgotten to hang a sock on the door. It was a heavy scene, and everybody in the dorm eventually found out about it. Nobody in our dorm really cared, except for his roommate, but that made it really hard for Marc to study and get his finals done.
"Just before graduation, we decided that we wouldn't see each other any more. After he had graduated, Marc moved back to Vermont while I stayed in San Diego to finish school. Then, after I graduated, we would see where we were, and if everything was good, I would go out there to see him. But that didn't happen because I met and fell head over heels in love with Samantha. Marc wrote me a few times, but nothing ever became of it. Last I heard, he was teaching diving at a prestigious boarding school somewhere in New England, and had a pregnant wife."
"Boy, that's a crazy story. Do you miss him?" I asked.
"Sure. I think of Marc all the time. If things had been different, I believe that we might have been together. But, I honestly believe that things happen in your life for a reason. You learn lessons in life that you carry forward to make you a better person. I believe in karma, sort of like what the Beatles discovered when they went to Rishikesh last year . But now I'm with Samantha, and all is good. I firmly believe sexuality is fluid. Plus, my relationship with Marc makes me comfortable to talk with you guys."
"Wow, we honestly appreciate it, Coach. I guess you're right. Since Jake and I met, we've been pretty much oblivious to what's going on around us. I think we'll pay more attention and be more careful."
"That's a smart idea," Coach said.
"I never knew someone could tell what you're doing just by watching your actions. But I guess it makes sense because I remember watching Linc doing something like that on The Mod Squad on TV," agreed Jake. After a second he said, "Hey, can I ask you a question, Coach? It's about sex, since, um… we're on the subject and all."
"Sure. You know swimming is my passion, but I really like to educate students in life skills so if they need help they can get the information that they might not be able to get anywhere else. It's so easy to get the wrong information, and that can cause some real problems down the line. That's why I have always said that students can ask me anything. No subject is taboo or off limits. So fire away."
Turning red again, Jake started speaking slowly, "Okay. So here's the deal. One time when Ryan and I were in the shower together after we went swimming, we were washing each other's backs. And then we, uh, well, went lower and washed each other's butts. And… um… well, then we sort of played with each other's butthole. Is that normal?"
"Of course it is. First, if you guys are having sex, then you have to be mature about it. That means you can't be shy talking about it. Sex is healthy and natural and it can give us great pleasure. However, you have to respect each other's boundaries, by which I mean if your partner doesn't like something or doesn't want to do something that you do, then you don't push him or her to do it. Remember to think with your head up here and not with this head," he said pointing down to his crotch.
"So to answer your question, Jake, messaging your butthole, or anus as it's clinically called, is normal and it really feels far-out. The anus has lots of pleasurable nerve endings that feel really good when you rub it, or someone else rubs it for you. You can rub all around it, or you can insert your finger into it, but do it slowly or use some spit on it. Just make sure that you're clean down there. Makes it better that way.
"Actually, your anus is one your erogenous zones," he continued. "Erogenous zones are sensitive spots about the body that have nerve endings that heighten sexual pleasure. Your nipples, your penis and scrotum, and your perineum are other ones. I'm sure you guys can figure out a few more all on your own. Interestingly, researchers say that the mind and the senses are the best erogenous zones, but I'm not sure about that."
"What's your peer-yen-he-em?" I asked.
"It's the area between your scrotum and your anus. It's a very sensitive area, too. I shouldn't be telling you this, but one of my favorite things that Marc would do me when we were having sex was to lick my balls, go along my perineum and then lick my butthole. It sounds kind of funky, but until you've tried it, don't knock it. And again: just make sure you've swabbed the decks down there."
"Wow. I didn't know you could do those things," Jake said as he rearranged his legs and put his hands in his lap.
"As a health educator, I'm supposed to teach you just the mechanics of sex, but not how to have sex and to make it enjoyable. Our officials think that sex information should come from home. But generally, that doesn't happen. Honestly, do you think your mom or dad is going to teach you how to eat out a vagina or suck on a penis? Kids get their information on the street, and sometimes it's incorrect. You guys are lucky that you're boys. Otherwise, we'd be talking about pregnancy, and that's a whole other can of worms."
"So where can Jake and I go to learn how to have sex?" I asked.
"Good one, Ryan. That's a question I've never been asked before. Let me think about that. I have a professor friend of mine who is writing a book about sex. Maybe he can give me some idea on where you can get that information, or maybe you could talk on the phone with him. Also…um …no. Now that I think about it, it might not be a good idea."
"Why?" we both asked together.
"If I tell you, you have to swear that I didn't say anything about this, okay?" Coach Brian studied us both carefully.
"Yeah, Coach, we won't flap our lips."
"I promise, too," said Jake, holding his hand up in salute.
"Okay. Ryan, do you know where Fair Oaks Avenue and Colorado Boulevard cross?"
"Sure, way down at the other end of town. Where the parade starts, right?"
"Exactly. If you go north up Fair Oaks a block or two, you'll see a triple X Movie Theater. It plays movies of naked women and men getting it on, and in the back, they show stag films of just men getting it on. It's called the Tom Cat Theater. Because you're underage, you might have a hard time getting in. I'm sure the movie might answer more of your questions. But really, let me talk to my professor friend first. That area of Pasadena is kind of seedy, and I wouldn't want you boys in any sort of danger."
"Would you take us?"
"Oh, you're a funny one, Mr. Miller, a real funny one. I absolutely will not," Coach said with a slight smile on his face. "And one final piece of advice, and probably the most important of all of my advice that I'm telling you today. The most satisfaction that you can get when you make love, and that's what you're doing, boys, is to pleasure your partner to the fullest. Don't have sex just to get off. You can do that by yourself. Both you and your partner will be much happier and more satisfied, and your experience will be that much better. And putting someone else's needs before your own makes you a much better person. Trust me on this."
"Thanks, Coach, we will. We really appreciate the advice. We both do," I said.
Looking at my watch, I told him "Sorry, Coach. We gotta book. We're supposed to meet his sister at the record store right about now. Can we come back next week and talk about your workout program?"
"Of course. I'll expect both of you boys to be here. The pool opens for the summer on Monday at noon, but why don't you come by later in the week. Once things are worked out with the staff, we can figure what to do with you guys, and I can spend more time with you. Be sure you swim your laps at home, okay? Jake, you're up for this? It's going to be a lot of work."
"Sure, Coach. That sounds cool. And thanks for answering my question."
"Glad to help. Okay, guys. Get the hell out of here. Jake, it was terrific meeting you. And boys, watch where you're riding!"
"Will do. See you next week," I said as we pushed our bikes out of the locker room and into the smoggy California sunshine. Once we were peddling away from the school, Jake turned to me and asked, "Ryan, I'm so horned up! Why is all of this sex stuff keep happening?"
"I don't know, man, but I can't wait to get home and get naked with you again so I can lick your parallelogram or whatever the hell it's called."
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