Picnics Are For Fun

Brian had his arm around the twink as they sat on the floor of the loft gazing vacantly at the flames of the fake fireplace. Brian looked happier than Justin did – and there was a reason.

“Hey, Baby,” Brian spoke, “you don’t seem to be as excited about Gay and Lesbian Day at Kennywood this year – and you love amusement parks – and Kennywood is a great amusement park – but you don’t seem very excited this time around….”

“All right, Kinney,” Justin replied. “You know exactly why I’m not as excited about this year’s picnic – and you also know why you’re a lot more excited about this year’s picnic too – and you’re just picking on me….”

“I am not picking on you, Taylor,” Brian grinned at him. “It is not my fault that your cousin, Wilson, loves Kennywood too and loves to come up from Atlanta to join us in the festivities every year. You like Wilson. He’s kinda neat …”

“Yeah, I do like Wilson,” Justin reluctantly had to admit. “But it’s the same old thing every year. Wil looks just like me and he brings his boy-friend who’s like – older – and they run around the park schmoozing and stuff and every year somebody sees them and thinks it’s me with somebody else – and either reports it to you – or tells me I shouldn’t be doing that kind of stuff. It’s irritating – and it’s like – every year….”

“Well Alan and Wilson are also like – a fact of life at Kennywood for Gay and Lesbian day, JT,” Brian assured him. “And most everybody knows about them by now – so they know Wilson’s not you – even if they can’t tell you guys apart.”

“But you can, Bri,” Justin smiled. “And that’s what really counts, I guess….”

“Yeah,” Brian grinned back mischievously, “Most of the time I can….”

“Cut it out, Kinney,” Justin demanded. “You’re pretending to sympathize – but you’re really just kind of rubbing it in….”

“Well, Alan and Wilson have been here for the last couple of years now,” Brian wondered. “And you were still looking forward to the picnic with your usual enthusiasm last year – so what’s so different this year…?”

“You are picking on me, Brian Kinney,” Justin complained. “And you know it. You already know what’s different this year. Penelope Shellcoff is not coming with her beloved dog, Henrietta the Eighth, who sees right through your slick veneer….”

“And yips at me constantly,” Brian remembered. “I guess I can’t rightly say that I’m not happy that they’ll be somewhere else this August….”

“Well I hope you’re not glad that Henrietta the Eighth is sick and the vet won’t clear her to come for Kennywood, Brian,” Justin pointed out. “That would be really mean. She’s just a little dog”

“That dog has been sick every year she’s come and the vet never figured it out till now,” Brian laughed. “And we all want what’s best for Henrietta’s health….”

“Especially if it means she won’t be visiting Pittsburgh,” Justin grouched. “And yipping at you….”

“Sweetheart,” Brian surmised, “it sounds like you’re upset that you’ll have your Kennywood problem again this year – and I won’t have mine. So maybe it’s just that you’re mad that I’ll have a better time than usual and….”

“Gee whiz, Brian,” Justin protested. “You know that isn’t true. It really hurts my feelings that you’d think that I’d be mad because you’re gonna have a better time than usual. Anyhow, Henrietta the Eighth has never actually come to the picnic. They don’t allow dogs into Kennywood….”

“But they allow Penelope in, Baby,” Brian reminded him. “I guess they don’t know what a dog she is. Maybe she doesn’t yip but she’s worse than Henrietta the damn Eighth ever was….”

“Brian,” Justin warned the guy next to him, “I just might be getting mad at you – and you know how I hate to get mad at you – so if you know any way to….”

Brian thought he did know a way – which he tried – with good results too. The conversation was delayed at this point – for a considerable period - but neither of the guys seemed to be worried about that.

“Maybe it would be better if we concentrated on the good things about Gay and Lesbian Day, Bri,” Justin returned eventually to the discussion at hand. “We’ll have fun like we always do….”

“Well we’re gonna do Gus in Kiddieland from 2:00 till 4:00, Sweetheart,” Brian pointed up one high spot. “And we’re taking his friend, Arnold, with us this year – so Gus will probably have a better time even than he did last year….”

“And we’re meeting everybody for dinner at 4:30 at the pavilion,” Justin added. “And everybody’s expecting to be there….”

“Abelard will be in from Ohio,” Brian recounted, “And he’s flying a few friends in with him – we know them from the Christmas shopping trips. That’ll be fun.”

“And Roger and Eric will be with us this year for the first time,” Justin remembered. “And for once Roger won’t have to play the guitar. He’ll be like a real person for a change….”

“Actually, I think he will have his guitar, Baby,” Brian corrected him. “I’m sure Brandon told me that Roger’s gonna accompany some girl country singers in the amphitheater show later in the evening….”

“How did Brandon know that?” Justin wondered out loud. “Jason must have told him. Nobody told me….”

“They had to think you already knew, Sweetheart,” Brian cajoled. “Since you always know everything….”

“Cut it out, BK,” Justin grinned. “This is not open season on Justin Taylor….”

“Too bad Rick and Robert and Shawn can’t be here, Baby,” Brian continued nevertheless. “Nobody would notice Wilson if the three major TV stars were available - and you’d be in the clear.”

“We’d be lucky to escape with our lives, Kinney,” Justin pointed out, “to say nothing of those poor guys. Being a TV star is no picnic….”

“No it isn’t,” Brian agreed and thne, seeing a familiar look dawning on Justin’s face: “What the hell are you thinking up, Taylor? I know that look….”

“Well maybe I was just thinking that if Wilson is here for the picnic and people know Wilson’s not me,” Justin posited. “I could sneak around with some other guy and everybody would think it was Wilson – not that I’m saying I’d ever do anything like that – just like – I could though….”

“But remember - I can tell you guys apart, Baby,” Brian reminded him. “And I’d see you with that other guy and I’d know….”

“Didn’t you say that you can only tell us apart most of the time?” Justin came back at him. “Maybe this would be one of the times you couldn’t….”

“JT,” Brian warned the kid next to him, “I just might be getting mad at you – and you know how I hate to get mad at you – so if you know any way to….”

Justin thought he did know a way – which he tried – with good results too. The discussion was delayed at this point – or maybe even ended.

And Justin was feeling in much better spirits than he had been earlier in the evening – more like the real Justin - so things had all worked out for the best.

“You know what, Bri,” he whispered in the big guy’s ear during the aforementioned pause. “Maybe if I call Henrietta’s veterinarian, I could convince her to let Henny come….”

But Brian didn’t react – probably didn’t even hear. He was otherwise occupied. Probably just as well.
 

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