Enjoying Life Together

Remote Control

There were a lot of good things about the loft, and Brian and Justin enjoyed living there together, but they would probably have enjoyed living together anywhere. The loft had certain disadvantages though, a specific one being a cause of some strife between them. Because of the open layout, it was only feasible to have one television set, so there were two opinions but only the one large screen, home-theater sound, set was available.  Since they were not doing the club scene as much as they used to, and since they liked to be alone together, the question of what to watch on TV came up from time to time, and that was what was happening on this evening.

Brian was partial to the old black and white reruns of western series, Gunsmoke being a particular favorite. "Brian," Justin observed, "Please don't take this as a threat, but if I have to watch your imitation of Chester one more time, I just might forget that you have some good points too, and go find someone else to live with."

"My imitation of Chester is one of my good points. If I were an actor, I would make a great Chester," Brian stated with certainty.

A pensive look formed on Brian's face and he went on thinking out loud, "Y'know, Sunshine, I once thought I might like to try my hand at acting, but then this advertising thing came up."

"You could have been a matinee idol, Brian," Justin prodded, "A star on the soaps, with thousands of women chasing after you on-screen and off."

"I don't think I'd want a bunch of sex-starved women chasing after me on-screen or off. It was enough of a pain in the ass to have you chasing me," Brian said, "But I would be able to get away from them, I'm sure of that."

"I wonder how you can be so certain," Justin teased, " When big mean Brian Kinney couldn't even get away from one little know-nothing Justin Taylor."

"Maybe I could have if I'd wanted to," Brian retorted, "Maybe I never really wanted to."

That response pleased Justin and he sidled up to Brian. "Whatever," he said, "As long as you didn't get away."

"Anyhow," Brian continued, "I wouldn't have wanted to be a big soap star. I see myself as the off-Broadway and indy film type."

"That sounds great, Brian," Justin came back, "If you want to try the acting scene, I'll try it too. I'm cute. A little off-Broadway and indy film action sounds good to me."

"I don't think so," Brian responded, "You'd never make it. Women wouldn't go for you. You're too much of a drama queen and sometimes an outright ham."

And that ended the daydreaming. Back to reality. "Now you did mention that I had some other good points. Maybe I could remind you of just what they are."

"Any time," Justin responded with a grin. Then he said, "OK, I'll watch Gunsmoke with you all right, but couldn't you just once be Marshall Dillon?"

"I don't feel like Matt Dillon. I feel like Chester," Brian insisted.

"Well, then we can have a choice of Powerpuff Girls or The Three Stooges at eight," Justin went on.

Brian smiled as he answered, "Yeah, well if you put either of those on, I'm going to bed."

"Shit," Justin responded, "You would do anything to keep me from watching what I want on the damn TV, wouldn't you?"

"I'm not keeping you from watching whatever you want," Brian smirked, "I'm just going to bed."

"Yes you are, and you know it," Justin complained in a tone of voice that didn't much seem like a complaint.

Justin had the TV section of the Post-Gazette in front of him and spied something that caught his attention. "Brian, here's something on Showtime at 10:00 that maybe we ought to watch. They're doing reruns of Queer as Folk, which is about gay people right here in Pittsburgh. I was surfing the internet the other day and I came across this message board where a whole lot of crazy people were arguing about the program as if the characters were real."

"There are a lot of crazy people on the internet, kiddo. Most of them wouldn't know real life if they fell over it." Brian allowed, " And just what do you think we can learn about gay life in Pittsburgh from some TV program?"

"Well, Emmett watches it I think, and he once told me the leading actors are real hot stuff," Justin declared defensively.

"OK, you win," Brian appeared to give in, "We'll watch. Maybe I'll see somebody cuter than you."

Justin scowled. "You know I'd do anything for you, Brian," he responded, "Law and Order is also on at 10:00 and maybe you'd like that better."

"No," Brian stated, "It will be Queer as Folk. Maybe you'll learn something about sex."

"I might at that," Justin laughed, jumping away from Brian's grasp, "My real life teacher was OK but he was pretty old-fashioned." Brian caught up with Justin and there might have been a great deal more to describe but the telephone rang just at that moment. Brian answered.

It was Lindsey. "Mel and I rented Wizard of Oz to show to Gus and he slept all afternoon. He's wide awake now. We are going to show it in half an hour. Would you want to pass up Gunsmoke for once and come over and watch it with us?" Linz asked Brian, "It will be fun to watch Gus." "But Brian," Lindsey added, "If you come over, please leave your imitation of Chester at home."

"Jeez," Brian opined, "Pittsburghers have no taste at all. And little Justin here had his heart set on watching something called Queer as Folk at 10:00."

"Oh Brian," Lindsey laughed , "Haven't you ever seen it? You should see what crappy plots they give the lesbians. The main guys are really good looking though. A lot of our older straight female friends are crazy about them."

Justin had been listening in on the conversation. "Let's go over, Brian. Watching Gus will be fun, and Wizard of Oz is a really great movie, like Yellow Submarine."

"You just don't want me to see those hot guys on Queer as Folk," Brian accused Justin, who responded, "I'm sure I'm just as cute as they are, and I'm real."

"That's Pinocchio, Justin," Brian explained, "Not Wizard of Oz." So they decided to go to Mel and Lindsey's to watch Gus watch Wizard of Oz.

While they were getting ready to go, Justin went skipping around the loft singing "We're off to see the Wizard" with at least some of the notes on pitch. Brian, with mock exasperation, placed an easy kick on Justin's backside. Brian remembered all the terrible things that Justin had lived through and he marveled at how brave and tough Justin had been in coping with all of them. He liked his Sunshine brave and tough but he loved the silly Justin too. Brian was pleased that Justin finally felt safe, secure and happy enough in the life they shared to let himself indulge as he was doing now. He knew that he had played a huge part in this change in Justin's outlook as well as in the development of Justin's extraordinary talent. That made Brian feel good about himself.

So Brian Kinney felt good about himself as he smiled at Justin cavorting around the loft. It was the first time in his own life that he could remember feeling good about himself. That was what Justin had done for Brian. Brian knew he loved that crazy kid. He knew it was this silly Justin that kept him young even at 31 - young, but, of course, never silly himself.

"We'll probably spend more time watching you watch Wizard of Oz than we will Gus," Brian said, trying to sound cranky, "And if we're lucky you'll end up back in Kansas."

"Not unless you're in Kansas too," Justin sang back in response, to no apparent melody. Brian knew why he loved that crazy kid. Brian did not need any gifts at all from the Wizard of Oz. He had everything he wanted.

Return to Enjoying Life Together