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 Let The Joyous News Be Spread The Wicked Old Witch At Last Is Dead!!!!

   (With apologies to Frank L!  lol)

   All that is herein contained is not for the consumption of those under
the legal age to be in possession of Adult Material or Materiel in any
wise, guise, and shape or form in any region, municipality, county, state
or nation.  If you is not of proper age or legal station, then you should
oughta not be a readin' this here!!!

   This Work Copyright (C) Khanundrum 2003

   Glasage et Noir

   As I downed my before work shake I could not stop thinking about how
Carrie had managed to move in and Chris never said a word.  I guess I
wasn't so much troubled as I was mystified: Chris and I really did go for
three and four days at a time without seeing each other even in passing. 
Our schedules and living arrangements made this very easy.  Chris worked
the day shift occasionally, and this made it even more certain that we
missed each other at home.

   I stepped into the shower and started lathering up with the shampoo. 
Being a swimmer has its upside in the personal hygiene department: it is
extremely easy to stay clean with a minimum of soap because skin oils just
don't get much of a chance to build up.

   As I soaped my Speedo and removed it, I could not help noticing a raging
hard on.  Carrie was front and center in my mind's eye and I was almost
blissed out imagining her without her suit.

   And totally wet!

   Good thing I keep lots of shampoo on hand: I grasped my prong and jerked
myself off with less than twenty strokes, each one more intense than the
last as I pictured myself on my back with Aphrodite riding my pole like it
was a piston and she was the cylinder.

   Yikes.

   Imagery like that could keep a fella from work.

   I came like a herd of buffalo.

   It took a minute to calm down.

   I washed my crotch and rinsed off.

   As I stepped out of the shower, I thought forward to what I would do
later after work: I hated the idea of not showing up with a House Warming
Present; as casual as Carrie had been with her invitation, I did not want
to miss a chance at showing her my considerate side.

   After all, us New Age fella's has got to keep up appearances!

   Lucky for me, I had an hour to go before I really needed to show my face
in the kitchen.  We ran a tight crew, all of who were professional and
extremely talented.

   I always enjoyed going to those Pier Stores, and there was one on my way
to work.  As I pulled in, I could see that the store was not busy [yes!]. I
wandered for a few minutes looking at mostly kitchen stuff (big surprise
there!!  not!) when I noticed a marvelously intricate looking Rattan stool
among some furniture in the next aisle.  It had to be one of the most
intriguing pieces of furniture I had seen at the Pier: it was oblong, with
very short legs spaced at approximately six inch intervals.

   In a way, it looked something like one of the pool chaises.  I sat on
it, testing it for my weight.  It took me without even creaking, and the
cushion that was attached to its top made it very comfortable.

   And it was relatively cheap.

   Love them Pier Stores!

   This is what Carrie - correction - "Aphrodite" - was going to get!

   I purchased it, threw it in the back of my half ton, and drove to work.

   The moment I hit the kitchen door, I was almost on automatic: after a
few years of professional cooking, the majority of the work is just near
mindless.  As long as you learn it right, the steps to making truly fine
food are easy to do.  Chris and I had become fast friends after we realized
that each of us had a commitment to quality and to furthering our personal
education in cuisine.

   Where I was decidedly bent toward traditional French cuisine, Chris was
much more interested in American and Continental styles.

   And Italian.

   Chris was nuts for Italian.  I often wondered aloud to him why he was
gigging at Chez when any Italian joint would probably drop their knickers
to add him to their staff.  On more than one occasion, he told me he didn't
want to cook it; he enjoyed eating it too much!

   Did I mention that Chris is just a little bit goofy?

   Not that it matters: who isn't goofy according to someone else?

   As we finished off that night's shift, all of us on duty were thankful
for another easy night with a fast clean up.

   It was ten minutes after ten when I stepped out the kitchen door.  I got
in the truck, headed it west, and stopped at the Publix a mile before home.
Carrie had said she would have something to offer, but it is simply not
done that a young chef should show up empty handed where food is concerned
when he has been invited to a young ladies apartment late at night.

   Know whatta mean?

   What I did was grab a quart of Strawberry Kefir and some grapes.

   Why be normal?

   I got to my apartment and almost ran through the shower to get the
kitchen stench (mostly) off me.  I threw on an oversized T and some nice
shorts.  Adidas's and crew socks completed the sartorial splendor that I
would wow Aphrodite with this night!

   As I opened the fridge door to grab the Kefir and grapes, Chris came out
of his room.

   "YO!  Roomie!  What it is!?" he bellowed.

   "It is a good, good feeling, Bro!" I laughingly replied.  "I'm ready to
take a ride!  How's about you?"

   Chris looked at me and just smiled.  I didn't notice at first, as I was
busy getting my stuff.  When I realized that he was just standing there, I
stopped what I was doing and asked him, "Que Paso?"

   He smiled.  "My Cuz seemed to be very much taken with you.  It ain't
like her."

   He stopped smiling after he said that; Chris has a serious side, he just
doesn't show it very much.  He prefers not to get too heavy into anything
with most people because it makes him very uncomfortable when he sees
things others may not wish to be seen.  He has the gift of discernment, and
it works most of the time.

   "Are you worried about her, Bro?" I asked.  "I guess you know what I was
thinking today at the pool.  Your Cuz is seriously fine!"

   He laughed.  "Roomie, she is super fine!  I don't recall having any bad
lookin' cousins, but she is on top."

   It seemed wise to me to get some important things out of the way, and
soon; stepping on Chris's toes would be a very stupid thing to do where
Carrie was concerned.  If he was going to be protective of her, I wanted to
do the same.

   "Cool.  Shall we get on over there?" I asked.

   "Yeah, man, let's go" he said.

   Carrie's apartment would be a two-minute walk.  I asked Chris to wait a
second while I retrieved the stool from the back of my pickup.

   This gave me the time I needed to broach the subject that was at the top
of my mental list.

   We started walking.

   "Chris, do you mind telling me why you never mentioned Carrie?" I asked.

   We were just rounding the corner of our building at that moment.  Chris
stopped, turning to face me and said, "Roomie, I don't know really.  I
meant to mention it last year, shortly after she called to tell me about
comin' down.  She had just broken up with her long-time boyfriend, and she
was kinda gloomy about her future.  We've usually been open with each other
since we were kids, and the way she talked, I thought she would change her
mind and stay in Jersey 'cause we grew up about twenty miles from the art
school.  When she called back to get the number of the business office
here, I had already put it out of my mind."

   We started walking again.

   "I guess it just stayed out of my mind, Roomie.  By the time all her
plans were set, it was Christmas time and I never gave it another thought."
Chris looked at me.  "I love her, but it just didn't occur to me to mention
it."

   "Besides," he said, "you were really busy at the time."

   I chuckled.  Chris was talking in a roundabout way about my last "love
interest".  Her name was Jana, pronounced "Yahna", and she had been very
blonde, very beautiful, and very flighty.  Jana was very sweet, but she was
also very independent.

   She was so independent that she never felt the need to tell me she was
sleeping with another man.

   And woman.

   I guess I just don't take well to people assuming I am as carefree with
my sex life as they are with theirs.

   Aids is no joke; South Florida was rampant with the stuff, and I took
great offence at Jana that she would be so cavalier with my health.

   And my affection.

   Carrie's building was now before us.  I put these thoughts out of mind,
but said to Chris, "I know, Bro.  I was busy, but the rush is over!"

   We both laughed at that, and Chris knocked on Carries door.

   The door opened to reveal Carrie with a beer in hand.  She was wearing a
light cotton blouse pull over and some Bermuda shorts.  Her feet were bare
and her hair was tied back with some kind of leather thing.

   She looked stunning.

   "Hi!  Welcome to my humble abode!" she said.

   Chris grabbed her and hugged her, whilst kissing her on top of her head.
"Hey, Cuz, good to see you" he said.  "We aren't too late, are we?"

   She laughed.  "Not possible, babe, you are right on time.  I knew you
guys would not be here before ten thirty, so come on in and relax."

   She stepped back, holding the door for us.  As I entered, I said, "Hi!
We come bearing gifts!" handing her the sack with the cold stuff and
holding up the stool for her to see.  "I was taught as a boy that you
always come prepared to a house warming."

   Carrie took the offered sack, looking inside while I set the stool off
to the side of the doorway.

   "Oh, Arthur!" she said.  "I don't have a clue what "Kefir" is.  What do
you do with it?"

   "You drink it.  Slowly.  Like fine wine" I said.  "It is a very old kind
of dairy food, with a Middle East North Africa type heritage.  The stuff
that makes it "Kefir" is wonderful for the digestion, so enjoy!"

   She put the sack in the fridge and turned back to me.  She looked past
me at the stool, and went over to it and sat on it.  She bounced up and
down on it a couple of times, looking it over to see how well it handled
her weight.

   "Arthur, it's lovely!  Thank you!" She looked down at the stool, then
back to me.  "You didn't have to bring me anything.  I didn't really mean
this to be a traditional house warming" she said.  "Besides, my Cuz didn't
bring anything at all!" she chided him, looking at him crosswise.

   Chris laughed hard.  "Cuz, I got you in the place!  What happens from
here on in is up to you!"

   Carrie laughed with him, and turned back to me.

   "Arthur, you are very sweet to be so thoughtful.  Thank you!" she said.

   For answer, I held out my hand to her.  She took it and I held it,
raising it to my lips.  I kissed it very carefully noting how soft and
smooth was the skin.  Her aroma was very nice and her hand seemed to
tremble.

   "Arthur, if you keep doing that I am going to think you like me!" she
said, chuckling softly.

   I knew my color must be rising, but I answered, "Is it okay if I like
you?"

   Carrie seemed taken aback for a moment, and then she smiled very
sweetly. "You are the first person to ever ask permission, Arthur.  Yes.  I
think it would be very much okay for you to like me."

   Chris said, "Excuse me, Cuz, if you can let me get a word in edgewise, I
would love a beer!"

   Carrie blushed (it was marvelous to see) and said, "I'm sorry, Chris.  I
have Bud and Coors.  Which is yours?"

   He laughed and said, "Mountain brew for me, Cuz!  Should I just get it
myself?"

   "No way, babe, not tonight.  After tonight, I expect you to behave as
though this were home, just as I will at your place.  Tonight, I will get
it for you as my honored guest!" Her laughter was aural delight!  "Arthur,
would you care for a beer?"

   "No thank you" I said.  "A glass of cold water is fine with me."

   "Arthur is a tee totaller, Cuz.  He ain't touched a drop as long as I've
known him" said Chris.

   She smiled at me and asked, "Would you care for some juice instead,
Arthur?" She opened the fridge, putting the Kefir away and grabbing Chris a
Coors.

   "Water is best for me, Carrie.  Swimming six days out of seven keeps my
H2o balance in jeopardy, and only constant intake of fluid counteracts it."
I realized what I was saying.  "You must remember how dry you get in the
water from swimming at school."

   She handed Chris the beer and me my water.

   She smiled.  "Yes, I do.  I can remember drinking quarts of water after
a meet.  So many people think that you can't get thirsty with all that
water around you.  I remember the day I learned that it is always the
larger body of water that attracts water from smaller bodies."

   "Are you guys talking some foreign language or something?" asked Chris.
"I thought we was here to warm up the house!" he said with a grin.

   Carrie gave him a swat on his shoulder, which Chris reacted to as though
a tree limb had fallen on him, making mock oohs and ouches.  She said
"Don't worry, Cuz, the place is plenty warm."

   She smiled at me, and said to Chris, "It could get much warmer before
the night is through."

   I think even my knees turned red!

   Chris roared with laughter.  He looked at me with undisguised mirth and
said, "You better watch out, Roomie.  I think there may be some land sharks
'round here!" And then he laughed some more.  "Whatcha got to eat, Cuz?" he
asked through his laughter.

   "Look in the living room, I put some stuff out just a few minutes before
you arrived," said Carrie.  "Eat it all, I will make more!"

   Carrie took my hand, and gently tugged me toward the living room.

   "Come into my den, said the spider to the fly," she said, grinning like
the Cheshire Cat.

   I just smiled and went with her.

   Crimson all the way....



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   khanundrum at yahoo dot come