Introduction
Greg should have been on campus, but he wasn't. He was sitting in a bar, sipping a beer as he poured over his latest research paper. It was due Monday, and two days seemed like plenty of time to finish it. Greg barely noticed the young man who walked in until the man sat down next to him. He studied the young brunette out of the corner of his eye. He was well manicured, not the type of person you would usually find in a bar like this. He listened as the young man ordered his drink, a miller light. The overwhelmed bar tender set the beer on the counter. "Let me get that." Greg slipped a bill onto the bar and took the beer. The brunette looked at him, curiously. Greg leaned in closely and whispered in the young man's ear. "You're not old enough for it anyway." He watched the young man's face flush slightly. "Hey barkeep, can I get a coke for my friend? He changed his mind." House watched the barkeep pour a coke from the tap and set in on the bar in front of the young man. "What's your name?"
The young man took a sip of his coke. "James."
"Well, James. This isn't exactly the best neighborhood. Finish your coke and I'll walk you to the nearest bus station." Greg watched as the young man kept his head down. When Greg had finished not only his beer, but the beer his young companion had ordered as well, he tucked his paper into the inside pocket of his suit jacket and stood up. "Let's go." He waited until he they were out into the cool night air to speak again. "So where do you live?"
James kept his eyes down turned. "I'm staying at the Ramada on 57th."
"Good, it's closer than the station." Greg turned towards 57th Street and started walking. "How old are you kid?" He watched the young man's eyes search the street for the answer.
"I'm 19." James was unprepared when the man grabbed him by the arm and pushed him against the wall. "Seventeen. I'm seventeen." He was more shocked by his own hard on than by the strange man's sudden closeness.
Greg let go of the boy and they continued walking. "Do you realize how badly I could have hurt you?" He looked at the boy briefly and watched him nod his head. "You came to a bar. If you would have gotten drunk I could have done anything to you and you would have been none the wiser until tomorrow morning." The young brunette nodded again, and Greg thought he saw tears forming in his eyes. "Do you know how dangerous downtown Chicago can be on a cold deserted night; how easily it is to get mugged or raped." He watched the boy wipe his eyes with his sleeve. "To top it all off you just left the bar with a strange man. What would you have done if I was some psycho and tricked you down a dark alley to rape you?"
James stopped walking, his eyes too blurred by his tears to continue. "I just wanted to sneak out for a beer. I got lost and I thought I'd at least make the most of it. I'm sorry."
"Stop blubbering." Greg continued to walk and soon James caught up with him. "You don't seem like a stupid kid, so I'm not going to tell your parents where you were. Just don't pull a stupid stunt like this again." He turned the corner and he and James were standing in front of the Ramada. "Here's your hotel, kid." Greg turned to leave.
"I don't know your name." James called after the man who had escorted him home.
Greg didn't bother to turn around or stop. He just hollered over his shoulder. "Greg."
