Our first day together

August 19, 2013 2135

            The directions were simple.  I was to take the expressway north for what seemed forever, exit, and go left.  Then I was to go until the tenth tree with seven green leaves, just after the road narrows to only two lanes, and turn right.  The second, street after the shade of the grass changed slightly and town emerged, make another right.  He would be standing at the end of the street.

            He stood at the end of the driveway wearing jeans and a white t-shirt with skeletons drawn in black.  He was big standing above six foot and he was wide.  He was not heavy at all.  His hair was pulled into a ponytail.  He stood tall and confident.  He looked so different, but I recognized his eyes immediately.  This was The Goat Man I went to school with.

            I pulled up and we said our hellos.  After a quick tour of the house and a trip to the bathroom we loaded in the car and drove past a purple and yellow mobile home to the end of the street.

            We got out onto a fishing pier.  It was windy, but nice outside.  I wore my grey hoody from Disney World.  The water was clear and the view was beautiful.  I could look at the water all day.  I don’t know what we talked about.  I only know The Goat Man’s warm body slid in behind me like it had always belonged there.  He was warm.  He rested his chin on my shoulder and we stood there for a longtime.

            We then drove to what he calls The Turtle Ponds.  We walked around for hours.  The Goat Man was barefoot.  We walked through thick parts of the woods, in the cool water, and on the ponds edge.  He never seemed to notice shoes were more appropriate.

            We lay a blanket on the ground.  I lay down and watched him build a fire.  I cannot build a fire on my own.  I don’t think I ever watched anybody build a fire before that moment.  Once the fire was blazing he started over to lay with me.

            “Oh wait a minute.”  At the time I had no idea how many times I would hear those words.  He had a smirk on his face as he walked backward.  When his back was only feet from the tree line The Goat Man let out a huge string of flatulence.

            His charms never cease.