The Gay Icon Contemporary Short Stories by Robert Joseph Greene

Author:Robert Joseph Greene
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Icon Empire Press/Open Mic Press

The Abyss

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The Abyss

Vast, deep blue waters on a TV screen caught my eye as I entered the teahouse, distracting my attention for a moment. It took a few seconds before I noticed that he was waving at me from a corner booth.

The problem was that he looked exactly like me; we could almost pass for brothers. He was visibly shaken by this, and I was shocked as well. My ex had replaced me with someone who looked just like me but who was not me at all. I guessed that he must be constantly compared to me, which would be unnerving. It was also sad, since he was younger and well dressed. I liked his look, though; he appeared narcissistic, but the clothes he had on really complimented him. I thought that I should wear clothes like that.

“You’re older than I expected,” he said dryly. I didn’t know if he was saying this as a put down or just an acknowledgment. I could smell the scent of cigarettes on his breath. I don’t smoke. I’m sure that Doug did not approve of his smoking.

This person had found me. I hadn’t known he existed until he called me about meeting. He seemed a little desperate; he needed peace in his relationship. I knew Doug, and knew also that he didn’t know how to make his boyfriends feel good, or secure when they were with him.

Still, I felt that it was not my place to warn him about Doug; perhaps Doug had changed. My goal was to feel nothing for Doug, not even hate. It is truly when you feel nothing that you forget the person. I tried to explain that I was there for him, not for Doug.

“My time with Doug was nice, but it ended in disaster,” I said. “He dumped me, for which I’ll never forgive him.”

I felt that it wasn’t what he wanted to hear. He didn’t want to sympathize with me. He wanted Doug to be the victim. He wanted to think that I was just some selfish, self-loathing fag looking to do battle with him. I wasn’t.

I tried a different approach. “I don’t know what I can do to make you feel better. I guess you should know that it would never have worked between Doug and me. I was too old. I was like a parent he didn’t want or need.”

This backfired. His face flushed and he raised his voice in anger, only to lower it after it drew attention from the other patrons of the teahouse.

“He thinks that you were his soul mate,” this stranger retorted. “He says this often when he’s drunk. He talks about you a lot.”

We were silent for a minute. He stared into his cup. Twirled it a bit and watched the liquid spin inside.

We’ve all been there: a guy comparing you to his ex.

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