I got a house key. “Go and stand where you want, but don't give the address to strangers and don't take strangers here,” they said. That was a very good and fair agreement.
We had a wonderful week together. We often went out to eat together and visited all kinds of nice places in the city. I had never seen so many gays together: it was truly a world upside down for me! So different from Peer, so different from Hechtel, or Hasselt, or Brussels. It was even better and more open than SOHO. It was different. Everything was so open, so public, everything was so okay. Wow.
On my very last evening, I went out alone. I went to a gay bar I had been to before, with Nick and Richard. Immediately a handsome guy came and sat next to me. Very soon he called me his “extent", But hey, that's what Americans say to just about everyone they meet.
He was talking about himself, but my eyes quickly wandered off. I saw someone sitting at the bar who I thought seemed much more interesting. He had me right in his sights too.
"Sorry pall, you seem like a sweet guy, but this far and nothing more,” I said to my conversation partner.
He seemed a bit disappointed, but simply picked up his glass and sat somewhere else.
The bartender came over to me after a while.
“Do you want something to drink from him?” he asked. He pointed to the interesting guy I was with made eye contact.
“Very much,” I said. “But keep the bottle closed.” This way I could close the cap myself to prevent someone from putting anything in my drink.
Ryan, as the interesting man turned out to be called, sat next to me.
He worked in the IT sector, just like Nick and Richard. He came from New York and was traveling here - just like me! He was on a business trip, but okay. Traveling is travelling. We chatted about anything and everything.
After a while I felt it – his hand on my thigh. I felt so caressed – the handsomest guy in the shop was interested in me. Awesome.
There would never be a relationship in this - he was from New York, I was from Belgium, let's not be stupid - but that didn't mean we couldn't have fun together. I called Nick and told him it might be late, but not to worry.
“Be careful, Luc. Be careful and be sure to use condoms.”
I had quite a pack with me. I came to terms with that.
"No problem."
Finally, Ryan dropped me off at a convenience store at 4 in the morning.
From there I would walk to Nick and Richards' home.
“Thank you for everything,” I said.
“Don't forget to call me when you're in Belgium?” Ryan asked.
“I have your card, I won't forget it.”
After a good walk I arrived at Nick and Richard's. There was still a light on. Or was it before?
“Well? Tell everything!”, Nick preyed on juicy gossip.
"Sorry mate, I have to get on a plane in 12 hours and I'm really tired, I have to sleep!”
“Ha, then you shouldn't have had sex so hard!”
“Who says we had sex?” I teased back.
I entered the guest room with a smile. It was time for the return journey. Everything went smoothly and without any problems. I arrived at my room in Hasselt and quietly emptied my suitcases. I found Ryan's business card, Mike the massage guy, and about five others. I smiled and threw them all in the trash. I was too sober to believe in intense long-distance friendships or relationships. That didn't work. And besides, there were so many beautiful, sweet and wonderful people here at home - I could put my energy and my heart into those contacts much better. Hasselt evenings with known friends,
or new friends: they warmed my heart. But sometimes it also broke.
Toen I at the entered Erik's café in Hasselt, I met Linda. She had just started working with Erik and – this was her first day! I walked there inside and this was just her first day. Such a beautiful coincidence! After her shift we started talking even more and we never stopped. She came from Oudenburg, a municipality next to Ostend. She had moved all the way from the coast to Genk to be with her sweet to live, her friend! She as a lesbian, me as a gay – we could understand each other very well. We continued to chat until the early hours.
It was time for her to leave for home.
32.
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