Look Away Silence by Edward C. Patterson

Author:Edward C. Patterson
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: aids, caregivers, gay, romance
Publisher: Edward C. Patterson

2

I was never happy with our director’s decision to ditch our tux for this performance, opting instead for black pants and white shirts, open at the top. Now I was grateful. I would have never been able to negotiate a full tux and still arrive at Buell’s door on time. As it was, Padgett was pacing in counterpoint with Todd, and two of the three Rons were on the look out.

“Thank God,” Padgett said. “I thought you’d abandoned us.”

“Not if I could help it,” I said.

I spotted Russ and Tim. Russ shook his head. I must have appeared like quite the zombie, but then again so did he. Then I recalled what Matt said, and that led me to thoughts of Matt. I bolted from Padgett’s attention.

“Russ,” I stammered. “Is Matt here?”

Russ pulled me aside.

“Your cowboy is out of the saddle.”

“How so? I know he hasn’t been sleeping with me, although I don’t know why I even noticed.”

“Harsh, man. Harsh, man.”

I pulled away.

“What do you know about it?”

“As much as you do. Listen, hon, you might have your feathers in a fluff, but as sick as Matt is, he checked on you constantly.”

I stopped. I was still too dizzy to flare into some queenly rage. I just gazed toward the queue and our director, who was waving me forward.

“How sick is he?”

“Bad cold, hopefully. He’s got a fever and I thought it best he stayed away.”

“I should go to him.”

“You should, but not until you dispatch this Injun solo.”

I glanced into Russell’s eyes, those once lively eyes, now bagged and sunken.

“What’s happening?” I asked.

“Nothing that you’ve done and nothing that you can stem. So just knock the socks off these fairies.”

The director reached me, tugging me into the line-up. We were moving into Buell.

“Listen, Martin,” he said. “You too, Jasper. Don’t over sing in Buell. I’ve been told the acoustics are dead. You won’t hear a thing. But in Boettcher things are so lively, you can’t let it get away from you.”

All I wanted to do was find a crapper, because my stomach rumbled. I turned to Jasper as we came through the back stage area.

“If you smell something during the number . . .”

Jasper smiled.

“I’m used to it, Martin. You have a distinctive smell.”

I laughed, and then mounted the stairs. There was a round of applause as we came onto the stage and climbed the risers. I didn’t have far to go, tenors being in the front and I, on the first step center. I gazed out and saw . . . nothing. The lights were so bright and from the deadened applause, it was difficult to assess the audience’s size.

God watch over me and my sphincter, I prayed as our concertina commenced.

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