Platonick (Watty Awards 2012)

Yes, my name is Nick

Yes, I am gay

Have a problem with that?

“It” happened three weeks ago

I’ll never forget that day

Something like that is not easy to erase

Meeting someone that altered the time frame and outcomes of your days is not easily forgotten

My non-platonic lover is a man named *here it comes* Gary

Gary was all I saw, and it haunted me like hell

Gary and I were going to get married in California, but on the contrary we met in Illinois at Navy Pier. He had his dog, Brielle, and I was a loner. A lone wolf. I watched him form the comfort of my seat at a café. He walked by, looking pristine and innocent, it was tearing me apart on the inside. He looked like a casual scientist businessman with those square frame glasses. They insinuated his “Scientist” features so perfectly. I left my seat and purposely bumped into him with all intent on starting something.

“Excuse me, I’m sorry.” He said first.

“Um, I purposely bumped into you.” I said.

“Why would you want to do that?” he asked as he picked up his things.

“I did it because…because…truth is, I wanted to start something.” I sighed.

“A fight?”

“Yes. A fight. I thought you were the perfect target. Thin, glasses, turtleneck, a dog to care for. Oh yeah, perfect target.” I said.

He smiled, this smile spoke scientific deviousness, “Well, looks are very deceiving.”

And that’s how it started. People would stare, but honestly I didn’t care. I didn’t give a fuck whether or not they thought I was an abnormal addition to reality. In fact, I enjoyed rubbing it in their face. Gary treated me to luxury Italian food at a restaurant whose name I didn’t care to remember.

“I never did get your name.” He said.

“Nick Plato,” I replied, “my friends would call me Platonick.”

Gary chuckled like a calm dragon waiting for a meal, “ha ha, that’s pretty unique. My name is Gary Silveraum, and no I am not German, but my Father was. My Ma is French.”

I slowly nodded, “Wow, nice infodump.”

When the food arrived, I was too excited to dig into the wonders of the pasta.

“Where do you work?” he asked.

I wasn’t so prepared for that question, “Um…I just got fired from my last job so I’m currently searching. Where do you work? I’m guessing a science facility.”

“Well, you guessed right. I work for Perch Tech. I only go in when I am called. What gave it away?”

Wasn’t it obvious?

“The glasses.”

I leaned across the table and shamelessly kissed him. His lips were quite warm, and the eyes of curious observers were on us. I wanted to not care about what they think, but the longer the kiss lasted the more I began to worry. I finally came up for air and Gary was stunned like a dramatic cat.

“Um…e—um…that…”

If I could read his mind…

Luckily I can read his facial expressions, and I knew he wanted more than just a petty kiss on the lips. I had to control my urges. My emotions were reeling. After a while of silent eating, I finally spoke.

“the cake was great.”

“Yes, it was indeed. I think I’ll buy a whole one.”

“that’s a…um…good idea, good idea.”

I moved in with Gary and became an important part in Gary and Brielle’s life. Brielle was a tall, scruffy and hairy dog and I played with her whenever I wanted. On some days I called her Lolita, because it was a name I adored.

“My little Lolita!!!”

I would say as I rubbed her neck. Gary caught me and asked, “what did you call her?”

Displaying my romance with Gary was hard in the outside world. Outside of that apartment, I felt like we both took a bite of the forbidden fruit and took small bites each time we went out. It’s nearly to it’s core. Every public kiss was eyed upon by passerbyers and folks that lived by the old ways. The first time we took a dive into the realm of sex was when I was feeling moody after another failed job interview.

“Gary, have you ever had a girlfriend?” I asked like a little boy on the playground.

Gary was at his desk typing up some document on his Macbook, “Yea, I’ve had my fair share of them. Why?”

“Just checking to see if you’ve ever had any type of sex, so when I get ahold of you it won’t be too traumatic for you.”