20. Monkey

Before leaving Mineola, EuEarl decided to show KC where he'd gone to school his 5th & 6th grade years. It was late Saturday afternoon & at Mineola Elementary there was no sign of Life. " Pretty much the way I remember it ! ", EuEarl said , laughing ! In fact, after a rough start, he'd actually come to enjoy school & the friends he made there. He'd always miss his Granny Ella & his boyhood in Louisiana, but there was no denying that in marrying Harold Warsette , EuEarl's mom had taken a huge step up the Mineola Social Ladder ! From part-time stenographer to wife of the Vice-President of Mineola Texas East Bank in 6 years was no small accomplishment! So what if it took her another 4 years to bring her own son to live with her ? He was just in the next state over, which was more than some mothers could say ! And she always sent him a new picture of herself every Christmas !



They couldn't go inside, so EuEarl showed KC around the grounds, sharin' memories of this & that as they walked. " First time I kissed a girl with tongue was behind the library here. Celia somethin' or other. She was a fast thing, let me tell ya. Couldn't keep up with me, though !", he grinned.
" Bet you was sent to the Princ'ple's office ever day, boy !" KC said smiling.
" Often enough. Too much for my mama's likin' ! " EuEarl let out a loud "WHOO, HOO !!" & grabbed KC's hand ! " Over there ! The ol' monkey bars !!" He dragged KC along, nearly liftin' the retired roper out'a his boots ! " KC ! Man, this was my favorite place to be ! Boy's Country totally ! No girls allowed ! Me & my friends , we'd play, cuss, fight ! Shoot ! Raisin' all kinds'a Hell ! Whatever we wanted ! No adults to boss us around . No girls to tattle on us !! Just little assholes playin' monkey bar games , being free !!" Underneath the high bars, he lept up & grasped the first black steel rung. He'd done a complete crossing from end to end before KC joined him.
" Didn't have no monkey bars at muh school in Greeley," KC said, meeting his guy half way, " But if yew wanna teach me, bet'cha I kin play monkey games, too. "
Suspended above ground, they stared at each other for a bit. " I love you, KC ." , EuEarl said simply, but more confidently than he had ever said anything before.
" I know. " the cowboy said, eyes locked onto his mate's. " An' yew cain't help but know I luv you !"
" Oh, baby, I know. I know. " Then a smirk slowly began to form on EuEarl's lips.
" So, cowboy, ready t'get monkey ?! "

19. One Suh-WEET Welcome Mat !

EuEarl's mama had been right.
Harold's first wife's taste had been all in her mouth.
"Southwest tacky, but right fer us, luv !", KC joked . In a short time they'd cleared out pretty much the entire storeroom,as there wasn't much to begin with.
" She didn't save much, did she ? "
" Just as well. " EuEarl muttered, then more clearly, " Great little cook, Harold says." KC made an expression that communicated " That so ? "
" So, how long yer ma been married to yer step-father ?"
" Twenty-one years, now."
" You two not get along ?", KC asked.
" Actually, yeah. Harold's always been cool to me. Never tried to bossed me around or try'n act like Ward Cleaver or something. Plus, he gets how ridiculous my mama can be. "
KC hadn't meant EuEarl's step-father , but figured it was just as well he'd been mis-understood. There was nothing left, but a foot stool & a gaudy throw rug .
" We takin' this stuff, too ?"
" Might as well clear the place out." , was the reply. EuEarl had been kneeling , one knee on the stool, when he looked up at KC. Just as their eyes met , that thing that neither could quite describe to themselves, happened ! An Un-deniable & Urgent NEED for each other ! Immediately !! A Swelling somewhere at the core of Love & Lust that shut down all common sense & gave their hunger for each other dominion !
EuEarl's voice was deep. " Cain't fuck, baby. The smell'll be on us all the way home." He began to unbutton his shirt.
" There's plenty else I wanna do wit' yew, boy. " KC replied, following suit.



They'd keep the footstool in their bedroom . The rug would become their over-sized welcome mat.

18. Mineola Bound

EuEarl's mother had offered him his choice of any items his step-father Harold had in storage. " Junk from his first marriage. " she'd sniffed ," Nice enough woman, but her taste was all in her mouth ! "
Mineola was at least a 2 hour drive from Mudflap, but no-cost furnishings, he thought, made it worth a trip to his mom's house.
" So, I'll be meetin' yer mama ?", KC asked.
" Naw, lucky for us . She & Harold are in Houston for one of his bank conferences or something ! " And he added quickly, " I want her to meet you, KC. It ain't that. Just, well, my mom & me... I mean, I hardly know her myself, y'know ? I didn't live with her the first 9 years of my life !"
" Yer in yer 30's now, bud. ", KC said.
EuEarl didn't respond right away, then " You wanna come with me, or what ?"
KC realized then that he'd hit on a sore spot. He didn't know much about EuEarl's past, though a few facts he did know. EuEarl's father had been shot down
in a bombing raid over Cherbourg, France back in '43 a few weeks after EuEarl was born. His mother was hardly prepared to be a war bride, let alone a war widow, so she'd sent him shortly after his first birthday to live with his fraternal grandmother, "Granny Ella" in Louisiana . Granny Ella had only had one child of her own, his father ,so having his son EuEarl with her was an un-anticipated, but treasured gift . Those 9 years were a happy time for them both .
" Then out'a the blue, just after my tenth birthday, this woman I didn't even remember shows up, says she's my mother & that I'm gonna be living with her & her new husband in Mineola !" , EuEarl had told KC . " Less than a year later, Granny Ella died. She'd had Cancer. S'why my mama'd come & got me." EuEarl grew quiet for a while, then continued, " I hated my mom for a long time for takin' me away from Granny Ella like that. Hated Granny Ella , too, for awhile, for lettin' her. Even now, knowin' the why of it all, I cain't help feelin'...I dunno..."
KC recalled all that now . " Bud, you & me's going to Mineola, but first we's havin' a picnic on the flat !"

17. All the Harder

It was time to in-augurate the new couch they'd bought. It was the "... Tackiest shade of green on a sofa I've ever seen that wasn't in the front yard of a double-wide !" , EuEarl's mother had said. They could'nt have cared less about the color. They were slowly getting their home furnished...and acquiring new stuff to play on !



Having moved the in-auguration to the coffee table they'd gotten on clearance from Monkey Wards, EuEarl grunted into KC's ear, " Sometimes, baby, I feel like I can't start my day without a long, thick, sweet taste of you !"
KC made one of his rare intentional funnys. " So,", he rasped, " Yer sayin' that knob at the end'a yer dick's one big fuck'n taste bud ,then ?!"
EuEarl's heart swelled ! " Gawd-damn , I love you, cowboy ! ", he thought & considered sayin' so out loud. But instead , just fucked him all the harder !

16. Nashes Neither

Mudflap County wasn't much. Mostly flat, red dirt dotted with a few scattered blades of grass sliced in two by two-lane blacktop. And though the boy's home was just a few yards off from the highway, there was hardly ever any traffic on the road since the new Interstate had opened back in '68.



Which suited them both fine,though, cause it had become their favorite past-time , during weekends , to clock how much sex they could churn out between vehicle sightings ! Luckily, they could always hear or catch sight of any trucks or cars that were headed their way in time to compose themselves.
Unless, of course, the 'churning' was too good ...!
KC : "Y'don't see them funny nosed Studebakers ...( Pant,Pant )...much...
( SCHLZEEEZZZ !! ) ...on the road no more !"
EuEarl : "Schlorp, Schlup, Shlurp !"
KC : " Y'know , yer right. Nashes neither."

15. Wood Shoppers

They were out shopping for wood panelling for their living room at MacGregor's House & Barn Supply. As was oft to happen between these two, whenever they were alone or in a crowd, they started getting Hot & Horny for each other ! There weren't many people around . There usually weren't in the lumber area of the store. So, EuEarl looked at KC & KC looked at EuEarl & off they went !...

14. A Movie & Gun Barrel Ridge

It was two weeks since their trip/long-haul run to Quartzsite for Don L. A few days after their return they'd both found jobs as delivery drivers for the R. Tex Butane Company. Now it was Friday night , the end of their first full work week, so they decided to go see that movie everyone was talkin' about , the one 'bout them two star-crossed lovers, playing down at the Starline Drive-In...



...It was after midnight . They'd both liked the movie, but EuEarl noticed as the ending neared, that KC had grown still & extra quiet, even for him.
" Let's drive over to the Fence for awhile, 'fore we go home.", EuEarl said.
The 'Fence', five feet of rotting board, was all that was left of the original 2 miles of fencing that had run through Gun Barrel Ridge Park 60 years ago. KC loved the view & had taken EuEarl there shortly after they met. EuErl knew being there would help ease whatever was on his man's mind.
KC leaned back into his man's embrace. "Had a good time t'night."
"Me , too.", EuEarl replied.
" Liked the movie...but..."
EuEarl tightened his hold a bit, then said, " Go on."
" How can that happen ? Two people lovin' each other & not makin' it work ? How can that be ? They was in love , EuEarl. Both of 'em & still the thang didn't work !"
" Cause Katie was too good for that Hubbell."
" Yeah, guess so.."
They were quiet for awhile, then EuEarl spoke. " KC, that movie...that ain't gonna be us. Not ever, okay ? Two insecure people can never make a secure couple. "
He turned KC around so he could look him in the eye." You & me got a lot more stacked against us than that shallow WASP Pretty-boy & his Liberal Jew commie girlfriend had . And we ain't got no bittersweet theme song to make things easier, neither." KC smiled, as EuEarl went on. " Yet, there's no doubt in my mind that you & me belong together. Or that we're always gonna be.
KC slipped his arms around EuEarl's waist, making the fence sway slightly.
" Mine , neither, bud ." , he said. " Not really. Ahm sorry. "
" Don't be. It's my own fault." , EuEarl quipped softly into his ear. " Should'a took you to see ENTER THE DRAGON instead !"

13. Buckeye

Don L had a U-Haul trailer loaded with auto parts at his brother's place in Quartzsite, Arizona that he was anxious to get to his salvage yard by the end of the month. But, being basically a one-man operation, he didn't have the time to haul it back to Texas himself. So, he asked the boys if they'd be willing to do the job for him over the weekend.
" Cain't pay ya much beyond gas & food, but you'd be doing me a powerful big favor !"
Well, they'd been just scrapin' by on EuEarl's monthly allowance . KC'd pretty much spent his life livin' paycheck to paycheck , sometimes no paycheck at all & so had no savings to speak of. EuEarl, for his part,though better off financially, knew they'd both have to become gainfully employed again soon. Still, he wasn't any too keen on takin' time away from KC for any job. Not yet, anyway.



But they both liked Don L, who was one of only a handfull of folks in Mudflap County
who'd be-friended them. Of course, they knew he knew, though it was never discussed. Don L always made 'em feel welcome, whether at his business or runnin' into him in town. So, it took them less than no time to agree.
It was a great trip. They left Sunday mornin', takin' their time, checkin' out the sites & fun spots along the way. The Grand Canyon, Meteor Crater, ect... By Friday evening they'd arrived & the following morning , hitched up the trailer & started back to Texas on Hwy 10.
" Funny name. ", KC said.
" What's a funny name ?"
" Up yonder. Sign says 'Buckeye, AZ 60 miles '. That's a funny name fer a town. Buckeye."
EuEarl , still half asleep,smiled slightly, leaning back further into the passenger's seat. " Ain't no funnier than Greeley, Nebraska ."
KC laughed while EuEarl dozed off. By the time they drove through Buckeye an hour later, not stopping, they'd both forgetten the conversation. Possibly , they'd have forgotten about Buckeye all together, if things had been different.

12. A Theological Clash

"You're from a tiny farm in Nebraska, KC !"
"Just off from Greeley ."
"So what's this Sooner biz ?"
It was Friday afternoon. The start of Texas/OU Weekend, which, as a loyal Texas Football fan , EuEarl hadn't missed since 1967 ! After every game he'd always manage to snag some 'straight' guy high on booze, football, testosterone . Usually all three !
( Once even scoring a 3-way in the rear of a Ford Econoline during half-time at the the '69 game. ! )
But much more important than those fringe benefits was watchin' his beloved Longhorns whup the tar out'a the Sooners ! Like most Texans & the rest of the USA, for that matter, EuEarl didn't think too highly of Oklahoma ! " It's like Canada with a head cold .", he'd once said. But this year Texas/OU was gonna be special . Not only because the Longhorns were bound to make up for last year's humiliating defeat, but also he, EuEarl, would be supportin' his 'Horns with his man by his side !
Or so he'd presumed !
There before him stood KC dressed as usual , but with a Big Red SOONERS button pinned to the front of his shirt !
" Muh bruthers & twin cousins went'a OU ! ", KC said. " Would'a gon' muhself if I'd'a had high learnin' !"
" 'High learnin' " ? To go to OU ?!" EuEarl stared at him for a long time. This was somethin' he hadn't counted on.
He'd heard that old saying a thousand times " Love has no Limits", but this...C'mon !!
" Look, KC . I love ya. I respect ya. But this is one thing I'm gonna have to insist on havin' MY way, y'hear ? And it ain't open to discussion !"
" Yeah ?," KC muttered through tight lips, holdin' his breath like he always did when he felt on the verge of trouble.
EuEarl walked up 'til their noses nearly touched, looked him straight in the eye & through clenched teeth with forced menace said, " Understand this, boy ! Our kids are being raised Longhorn !" Even as EuEarl fell back on the couch shaking with laughter, it was a second or two before KC realized ! " Yer crazier'n ol' Camp Cookie !" he yelled, leaping on top of his laughin' Longhorn ! He planted a long, wet kiss , which slightly stifled EuEarl's guffaws.
" Alright, son, we'll raise 'em Longhorn, ... but I'm seedin' 'em Sooner !!"

11. Morning Starter

"Coffee?", EuEarl asked, as KC zombied his way into the kitchen.
It was barely 7:30 in the morning. Both men were use to rising early . EuEarl from his years in the service & KC from a lifetime of ranch work & rodeo-ing. The difference now was that they'd spent the previous night fucking, more or less continuously !
Nearly two months after they'd moved in together, they still couldn't keep their hands off each other. And on Friday & Saturday nights,( This was Sunday morning. ) when there was no job to go to next day, their loving was like to become a literal fucking marathon !
KC hadn't answered him, but by now EuEarl knew better than to expect full cogniscense out'a his cowboy until well after 2 or 3 cups of extra strong java !
KC had stopped, eyelids barely parted, across from him . He stood there, weaving slightly, as EuEarl blew into his coffee. Then, " Morn'n..." KC muttered. A few seconds went by, but nothing more was forthcoming. EuEarl couldn't help but smile. Nobody's at their best first thing in the morning, but as he peered over at this old,face lined, wore out cowpoke of his, EuEarl couldn't recall ever seeing anything or anybody as beautiful as this man.

As if reading his thoughts, KC mumbled, a bit more clearly, " Yew make muh heart wanna bust out sometimes.", and he reached his hand out towards him.
" So, you want that coffee ?", EuEarl repeated.
KC's hand made a couple of un-successful swipes at EuEarl's robe sash before finally connecting on the third try. Then, pulling slowly it slowly, replied,
" Nope."