Turning Heads

Long before they positioned themselves in front of the fake fireplace both of the guys knew what the subject of the evening's discussion would be, but in some kind of tacit agreement though, each of them had decided to wait to take up that subject until the fireplace was blazing away – and it finally was. So….

"OK, Bri," Justin began as expected, "I found this envelope on my desk today. I wonder who could have put it there."

"What was in it, Sweetheart?" Brian asked. "Maybe the contents will provide a clue to the mystery?"

"Baseball tickets, Honey," Justin played along. "24 of them to be exact – three tickets for each of eight games. Really good seats too. Real close to the field. Whoever put them there knows that I am a really big baseball fan – if the tickets were meant for me, that is, and not placed there by mistake."

"Well then I guess it wasn't me who put them there, Baby," Brian concluded. "I know you're not all that much of a baseball fan. So I'm off the hook. It wasn't me. Let's think about some other possible suspects."

"Hold on a minute, Kinney," Justin disagreed. "I don't think you're off the hook that easily. I have already conducted a preliminary investigation. I know a little more about those tickets. The Pirates are selling a special subscription this season – for all the bobble-head doll nights. The dates are all the right dates so whoever left those tickets wanted me to have all those bobble-heads – and that could be you. So you are still a prime suspect."

"I don't recall that I ever acted like I wanted you to have any bobble-head dolls at all, Baby," Brian pointed out, "which is why your extensive collection is housed at Mikey's comic book store and not here in the loft. Nope, if the person who left those tickets is somebody who wanted you to have all those bobble-head dolls, I still maintain I'm not a suspect."

"Well, maybe I should have said that whoever left the tickets there wanted me to have them because he knew I wanted the bobble-heads - and whoever did it wants me to have everything I want," Justin clarified his meaning while rubbing his head against Brian's cheek. "And that could easily be you, Kinney. I actually think I consider you the prime suspect."

Brian's response to that caused a lull in the discussion that continued for a considerable period of time. It was Justin who re-instituted the subject.

"I love you, Brian," he told the big guy. "You are always thinking of me. You are the greatest. Thanks for getting those tickets. I bet you had to pull some strings to get such good seats."

"Maybe," Brian admitted, "But the dolls are the same no matter how good the seats are – so I guess it doesn't matter all that much to you where we sit. I think you only put up with the games in order to get the prize."

"That's not true at all, Mr. Kinney," Justin demurred with a wide grin. "I love watching baseball games. I'm a real student of the game too. I never miss a touchdown."

"No you don't, Baby," Brian laughed. "Nor a field goal either. But maybe I had other reasons for wanting those seats so close up. You didn't ask yet how come there are three tickets for each game…."

"Why would I ask that, Sweetheart?" Justin came back at him. "You know how much I trust you and that whatever you do is always OK with me. If you got three tickets for each the games, there had to be some good reason. And I know you'll tell me when you're ready – and you know I wouldn't rush you for any explanation – that is, unless you really wanted to tell me…."

"Well remember, last year, you said that one of these seasons Gus would be old enough to come along with us, Baby," Brian took the hint. "So I got the extra ticket just in case you thought he was ready. I think he'd have fun, but being real close to the action would be a big thing for him."

"Did you ask Mel and Linz what they thought first?" Justin wanted to know. "Surely you wouldn't buy tickets for Gus without checking with them - or would you?"

"Yep, I would, Baby," Brian informed him. "And yep, I did. I figured if you thought he was old enough to go that you would handle those little details. If I brought up the subject with the munchers, they'd give me a hard time –you know they would - but if it was your idea...."

"Leaving all the hard work to me, Kinney," Justin laughed. "Just like always…."

"Hey, Taylor," Brian laughed too, "I was afraid you'd be mad at being deprived of the chance to weasel me into going to those dumb bobble-head games – weaseling that you'd probably enjoy as much as going to the games - so I tried to make it up to you by leaving you the chance to weasel Mel and Linz…."

"Gee whiz, Kinney," Justin nuzzled Brian's cheek again. "You're amazing. You are always thinking of me and my happiness …."

The pause in the discussion at this point was shorter than the previous one - but not by much. Neither of the guys seemed to resent the interruption.

"You know, Bri," Justin resumed some time later. "This year's bobble-heads are not current players. The dolls are guys who played a really long time ago – like on the championship teams way back in 1971 ands 1979. Those guys were playing before I was even born – and some are so old they played even before you were born…."

"Yeah, Sweetheart," Brian reacted as expected. "I remember when George Washington and Abe Lincoln played for the Pirates – that was before they went into politics. Those were the good old days all right."

"Gee whiz, Brian," Justin smiled. "You are really sensitive about age. I'm sorry I brought up the subject."

"I bet you're sorry," Brian expressed some doubt. "And if you are sorry, I bet that's an entirely new experience for you…. Well what do you think about Gus coming along this season? It's up to you to make that decision. I don't trust myself to decide."

"I think he's old enough, Honey," Justin conjectured. "At least we could try it. He loves the dolls. If he doesn't seem to be having all that good of a time at the first game, he wouldn't have to go to the rest of them. Yeah I think he should go."

"OK, Baby," Brian said, "Then it's your job to convince Mel and Linz…."

"No problem, Bri," Justin replied. "If I can talk you into stuff, Mel and Linz ought to be easy – they're rational people - and I'm sure Gus will be really enthusiastic."

"So you do now admit that you try to talk old irrational Brian Kinney into stuff he doesn't really want to do, eh?" Brian came back at him, "Like you usually won't admit."

"Hey, Kinney," Justin grinned. "You bought those tickets without any so-called weaseling from me. You pretend you don't want to do stuff you really do want to do – and then you pick on me for getting you to do what you really wanted to do all along."

"You'll want to diagram that sentence for me sometime, Baby," Brian gibed. "If you younger generation folks even know what diagramming a  sentence is…. but you know what else though – if Gus comes with us to the games, we'll have an extra bobble-head doll – one for you and one for Gus and one extra…."

"Not a problem, Kinney," Justin told him. "I'll just tell Jason that I collect bobble-head dolls. Then I bet he'll want to collect them too - so he can have the extra ones. Justin Taylor has an answer for any problem. You ought to know that by now."

"I do know that, Sweetheart," Brian replied. "But sometimes Justin Taylor does not know all the parameters in a given situation – like maybe this time. Actually I was having lunch with Brandon the day I was going to order those tickets – and I happened to mention it to him – and about you collecting the dolls and all – and I guess maybe it ended up that they got the seats right behind us for all the games. Couldn't get five in a row in that good location. So I guess Jason is already a collector…."

"And I bet he'll be allowed to keep his bobble-heads on display right in their apartment too, Kinney," Justin anticipated pointedly. "Not like I have to keep mine over at Mikey's. Brandon really loves Jason so much that he'll let Jason keep the dolls right there in their apartment…."

Brian decided just then to sidetrack that train of thought by displaying his love for Justin in another way – which must have worked the way Brian hoped it would – because the subject of showing the bobble-heads in the loft did not recur. Justin was not the only one with an answer for any problem.
 

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