Shoulda Been a Cowboy

Chapter 3

“Well, did he go for it?” Danny asked the next day at work.

Charlie turned around in his chair to face his friend who was leaning over the half wall of Charlie’s cubicle.

Charlie shrugged his shoulders. “Who knows? I showed him the pictures and stuff. He said he would think about it. He didn’t say anything before he left for work this morning. So, I don’t have a clue.”

“If he doesn’t, I’d go by myself. He owes you, man,” Danny said, taking a sip of his coffee. “You’re too good to him, always letting him walk all over you and doing what he wants.”

Charlie’s iPhone rang. The caller ID read Jared Clarke.

“Hey,” Charlie said as he tapped the answer button. “What’s up?” To Danny he mouthed, “It’s him.”

“Hi,” came the reply. “I was thinking about your idea about the dude ranch thing…”

Charlie held his breath.

“…it’s just not for me. So, I looked into that resort in Louisiana I was telling you about and I booked us in for—”

“Jared, I’m going to the dude ranch whether you come with me or not!” Charlie blurted out, surprising himself.

Danny gave him the thumbs up.

There was silence on the other end of the line for a time. Then Jared said, “Oh, I see. You’d go to some stupid horse farm alone rather than spend time with your boyfriend.”

Charlie took a deep breath, “First, it’s not a horse farm, it’s an up-scale gay resort that happens to have a ranch motif, and second, I do want to spend time with you, but I’m getting tired of my feelings being ignored.”

“Not all the time. Didn’t we go to McDonald’s for coffee the other day instead of Starbuck’s because you wanted a sundae?”

“Big whoop!” Charlie countered. “That hardly counts at all. Jared, this is where I want to spend our vacation. I think after seven years of going where you want to go I deserve to have my choice respected.”

Danny was nodding vigorously.

“Well, I’ve already made the reservations for the place in Louisiana, so that about takes care of that, doesn’t it?”

Charlie’s anger flared. “I’ve made reservations, too,” he lied. “So one of us is either gonna have to give in or we’ll just have to go our separate ways!”

“Oh, you were so sure that f*****g ride you gave me last night was soooo spectacular that I’d melt and do it your way? Well, booby, it wasn’t that good. And even if it was I’m not going to any stinking western menagerie!”

Jared hung up.

Charlie put his phone back on his desk and looked at Danny. “I guess you got the gist of that.”

Danny nodded and sighed. “Jared’s a schmuck.”

Charlie didn’t respond.

“I take it since you’re not defending him you agree with me?” Danny continued. “Why do you stay with him anyway? He treats you like dirt!”

Charlie didn’t know how to answer those questions. It bothered him Danny thought he was being a doormat. But deep down Charlie knew he was probably right. He tried to remember if it had always been this way. In the beginning he knew why he was willing to let Jared take the lead. He had loved him then and wanted him to know it. Charlie thought by showing deference to Jared he was letting him know how much he cared. But as the years went by it had become more and more apparent that consideration and thoughtfulness regarding feelings and desires was pretty much a one way street…going Jared’s way. Maybe Danny was right, maybe it was time to draw a line in the sand and stand up for what he wanted.

Danny was continuing. “I’d call his bluff. Make those reservations and if he doesn’t come around then go without him.”

His friend walked away from Charlie’s cubicle without waiting for a response.

Charlie swung his chair back around to face his computer. He felt the resolution that had surged through him moments ago slipping away. No! Not this time, he thought. He picked up his iPhone and—even though it was against policy to do personal business on company time—brought up the number of Stallions and Studs he had stored and tapped the call button.

After two rings, a voice that made Charlie’s nuts boil and c**k tingle said, “Howdy. Stallions and Studs. What kin ah do fer ya?”

Anything you want, Charlie thought. Anything!

He realized he hadn’t responded verbally when the voice said, “Hello, anybody there?”

“Yeah, I’m here, uh…sorry.” Charlie took a deep breath and continued, “I’d like to make a reservation!”