Through The Veil Of Time
Chapter 9. Billy Jarrett
Ennis climbed down off the ladder, pulling off this tee shirt at the same time. He used it to mop his forehead and the back of his neck. "I forgot what a fuckin' miserable job scrapin' is," he said to Jack, who was standing near the foot of the ladder.
"Yeah, well I like the view," replied Jack, eyeing Ennis in his shorts.
Ennis flicked Jack's ass with his dirty tee shirt, laughing as he did so. "Damn better sight than anythin' you show me in shorts."
"I'll give ya a hand when I get back from town."
"Yeah, famous last words. And, knowin' you, ya'll want ta be on the ground, right?"
"Ya know I'm afraid of heights," Jack replied, his voice feigning innocence. He smiled at Ennis, then consulted his list. "I'm goin' ta the hardware store and order the paint," he said, "and then do some shoppin'. Ya need anything?"
Ennis held up the dust mask in his hand. "Get a bunch a these," he said, "and mebbe some a those throwaway safety glasses. I hate gettin' dust in my eyes."
Jack nodded, making a note on his list. "Anythin' else?"
"That should do it. Ya know the paint color?"
Jack nodded again. "There was a can in the basement. I copied the numbers down—for the house color and the trim. Brushes?" he added, as an afterthought.
Ennis paused, considering, "No, wait on that. I'll see what we got. We ain't gonna be paintin' for a few days, got a bunch a scrapin' t'do."
"Okay then," said Jack, turning towards his truck. "I'll be back in a while. I got the cell phone if ya need me."
Ennis chuckled. "You and yer fuckin' cell phone. I ain't gonna have an emergency in the sixty minutes yer gone."
"Ya may need ta say I love you," said Jack with a devilish grin, "I know you." He got into the truck and rolled down the window. "There's a fresh pot of coffee in the kitchen," he said, as he put the truck in gear and headed down the drive.
Ennis smiled to himself. "Complainin' 'bout I love yous," he thought to himself. "Jack who never complains." Following on Jack's suggestion, he went in, poured himself a coffee, and settled down on the porch just as Billy Jarrett, their hired hand, walked up the road. "Mornin' Billy," he called.
"Mornin' Ennis. Missed ya in the stable."
"Yeah, I'm gettin' started on the paintin' job." He nodded with his head. "There's coffee inside. Help yerself."
"Thanks," said Billy, who went in and re-emerged a moment later, a mug in his hand. As he sat down, he looked over at Ennis who was leaning back, eyes closed against the warm early summer sun. He did a double-take as he noticed the ring in Ennis's left nipple. "Ennis!" said Billy, his voice registering surprise.
Ennis's eyes flew open and he sat up straight. "Somethin' wrong?"
"No, no, I'm sorry," said Billy, looking embarrassed. "I uh, didn't mean t'bother ya…" He paused, then swallowed, nodding his head in Ennis's direction. "Is that a piercin'?"
Ennis blushed and gave Billy a sheepish look. "Ah fuck, I forgot I had my shirt off." He picked up his tee shirt from the floor next to him, planning to put it on, but looked at it balled up in a sweaty mess and dropped it back down. He gave Billy another small smile. "Yeah, it's a piercin'. Whaddya think, stupid lookin' on an old guy like me?"
Billy looked more carefully at Ennis's chest and shook his head. "No, I think it looks good. Really good, actually."
"Ya think so?"
Billy nodded. "Yeah, I do. Ennis, there ain't many men yer age who could make a nipple piercin' look good, but you do. I mean, ya ain't got man boobs or anythin'."
"Man boobs?" said Ennis, looking slightly bewildered.
"Yeah, ya know, those boobs guys get when they get fat," said Billy, gesturing towards his chest. "A guy with man boobs and a nipple piercin' would look stupider than shit, but you…you make it look hot."
Ennis smiled at Billy, clearly pleased but not quite sure how to respond, so he said nothing. They sipped their coffees, then Billy broke the silence. "When d'ya get that done, anyway?" he asked.
"A coupla weeks ago. The day I went ta the doctor."
"Any special reason? Or ya just do it kinda impulsive like?"
Ennis shook his head. "No, I been thinkin' 'bout it for awhile," he said. "I did some readin', made up my mind."
"No special reason?" asked Billy.
"Whaddya mean?"
"Well, lots a people get piercins for a reason, to mark a birthday or occasion or somethin'. Least that's what I heard."
"Actually, yeah, I did it 'cause of Jack 'n me bein' together for thirty years. Seemed like a reason."
Billy smiled. "It is a reason—a special anniversary. I hope I have one someday." He paused. "Jack get one?"
Ennis shook his head. "No. I asked 'im 'bout it but he didn't seem ta go for it, so I just let it drop. He likes mine, though." He fixed Billy with a significant stare. "And that's all I'm gonna say 'bout that."
Billy laughed. "Okay, I get it. I hafta say, though, it ain't somethin' I expected of you."
"Why?" said Ennis. "'Cause I'm an old fart?"
"Ennis, I'm sorry. I didn't mean ta insult ya."
"No offense taken. I'm just wonderin'… "
"I guess…" Billy paused, considering. "I don't think a piercins and older folks."
"Mebbe that's why I did it," said Ennis. "Surprise myself. Surprise Jack. Besides, I ain't got man boobs." He winked at Billy as he said this.
Billy laughed again. "Ya should write up yer story, send it in ta one a those websites."
"What websites?"
"Ya ain't looked at those websites, Ennis, the one's that have piercin' stories and pictures and stuff?"
Ennis looked sheepish. "Yeah, well, mebbe I looked at a few…but how would ya know, Billy, ya ain't got any piercins…at least none that I know of and you run 'round here with no shirt on quite a bit a the time."
"Ain't got one, no, but mebbe I been thinkin' 'bout it…ya said yerself, ya thought 'bout it for a long time."
"Yeah, I did," replied Ennis. "Since Christmas, prob'ly, or whenever Jack started talkin' 'bout all this anniversary shit."
Billy smiled to himself. He had worked at the Lazy L long enough to know that it wasn't just Jack who talked about "all this anniversary shit."
"Tell me somethin', Ennis, that piercin', did it hurt?"
Ennis looked at Billy. "Ya ever have a horse stomp on yer foot?" he asked.
"Yeah, plenty a times," replied Billy. "Ya know that, ya been with me when it happened enough times."
Ennis laughed. "If ya can stand that, ya can stand a piercin'."
"It didn't hurt?"
Ennis shook his head. "For a second, mebbe. But nothin' much. Even the healin' ain't bad…just keep it clean."
"Mebbe you'll be my inspiration, Ennis," said Billy.
Ennis looked at him, a ghost of a smile around his lips. "Funny, that…"
Billy looked in his coffee cup. "Ya want a refill, Ennis?"
"Nah, I'm fine, but if yer goin' in the house, put this in the sink," he said, offering Billy the cup. "I s'pose I need ta get back ta scrapin'."
"I'll give ya a hand if ya want," said Billy, taking the empty cup.
Ennis looked at Billy, dressed in jeans and a shirt. "It's hot up on that ladder," he said, his voice dubious.
"I got a change a clothes in my truck. Ya want ta get this done for fourth a July, ya gotta get movin'."
"Yup," said Ennis, "Need ta have it lookin' nice for the party."
"What are ya plannin'?" asked Billy. "Last time it was the pig roast."
"Yeah, that pain in the ass pig," laughed Ennis. "This time, Jack's thinkin' 'bout a chili cook-off."
"That'd be fun. I got a good chili recipe." He gave Ennis a smile. "I'm assumin' I'm invited," his voice making the comment a question at the end.
"A course ya are. We ain't sent the invitations yet. Jenny's designin' 'em."
Billy nodded. "Can't believe it, this'll be my third time ta come ta yer party."
Ennis looked at him. "You been workin' here that long?" he asked. "Ten years?"
"Twelve, if ya count the two years part time while I was in high school."
"Shit," said Ennis. "Where does the time go?" He lapsed into silence.
"Um, Ennis," said Billy hesitantly, "could I bring a date ta the party?"
Ennis looked at him, surprised. "A date? Ya meet someone?"
Billy nodded. "Yeah, I think I have."
"You ain't said one little word, Bill. How long's this been goin' on?"
"A coupla months. I didn't want to jinx it or anythin', so I didn't say anythin'."
"So…?" asked Ennis, prompting him.
"So, it's a guy, his name is Scott, he lives in Lubbock."
"Lubbock…that's kinda far for seein' someone."
"Yeah, he's goin' ta school there. We talk on the phone, chat online. That's how we met."
"Whaddya mean?"
"We met on the computer…online. Chatting. Talked for a long time before we got together in person."
Ennis chuckled to himself. "This modern world. Meetin' people on the Internet. Ain't sure it'd work for me but for you…well, I hope it's okay."
They sat in silence for another minute, then Ennis spoke up. "Ya said he's goin' ta school, what's he studyin'?"
"Civil engineerin'. He's in graduate school."
"Ain't they the ones that build roads and shit?"
Billy nodded. "Yup. And tunnels and bridges. Hey, Scott told me an engineerin' joke. Want ta hear it?"
"Sure," said Ennis.
Billy took a breath. "Okay, so these three engineerin' students were sittin' round the dorm. And one of em says, 'Ya know, God must've been an engineer—how else could he build the human body?' And then he said, 'And I think he was a mechanical engineer.'
"One of the friends says, 'Yeah, why?' and the first guy says, 'Well, look at how the body works—all those muscles and tendons and ligaments and shit. Only a mechanical engineer could a put that togther.
"The second guy says, 'Mebbe, but if God is an engineer, I think he must've been an electrical engineer. I mean, it is electricity that makes your heart work and your nerves—yer muscles wouldn't contract without electricity. So, he's gotta be an electrical engineer.'
"The third guy looks at his two friends. 'Those are interestin' theories,' he said. 'But I know for a fact you're wrong.'
"'Yeah, okay, then what kind of an engineer was God?' asked the two friends.
"'He had to be a civil engineer,' said the third guy. 'I mean, who else would put a waste-water treatment plant in the middle of a recreation area?'"
Billy finished the joke with a smile and Ennis burst out laughing. "That's a good one," he said. "But I thought ya said yer friend was a civil engineer."
"He is. But he knows how to laugh at himself."
Ennis nodded. "So ya really think he'd want ta come to a family picnic and hang around with a bunch a strangers?"
"I'll ask him…mebbe not. But part of it is, I want 'im ta see what you and Jack got."
"Whaddya mean?"
"Ya know…a lovin' family. You two. Yer kids. Tell ya what, Ennis, I am ready ta meet someone and settle down. I'm 28. I'm ready ta get goin' with my life."
"Mebbe ya need ta get out a Texas, Bill," said Ennis. "Mebbe ya need ta go ta the city, sow some wild oats."
"Why?" asked Billy. "I ain't that diff'rnt than you. Country boy at heart, I ain't got much interest in cities. Did you sow any wild oats?"
Ennis shook his head. "No. But I got married when I was 20. And it was 1963. Things were diff'rnt then."
"Might a been diff'rnt times, but I don't think people have changed. 'Cept that I know I'm gay. I ain't gonna make the mistake a gettin' married." He stopped, then blushed. "Oops, sorry, I just keep puttin' my foot in my mouth today."
Ennis shook his head. "No need t'apologize, Bill. My life, Jack's life, it's common knowledge. Gettin' married…I didn't think I had a choice. Least ya know ya do."
"Yeah, I do. And Ennis, I'm a traditional guy and I want a traditional life. I just want it…with a man."
"Ain't nothin' wrong with that," said Ennis. "I can say that now. Couldn't say it when I was yer age, so I guess some things have gotten better in the world." He smiled at Billy. "If things are still on with Scott in a month and he wants ta spend fourth a July at a family party, yer more than welcome ta bring 'im." He stood up. "Good thing I don't wear a watch. I don't want ta know how much time I've wasted shootin' the shit with you."
Billy laughed. "Lemme go change. I'll help ya catch up. Jack'll be amazed at how much we got done."
Ennis smiled. "Yup. I'll get ya a dust mask, we can get to work. Oh—and I need ta get a clean shirt." He winked at Billy. "Got ta keep my piercin' clean while it's healin'. Remember that, for when you get one."
"Don't worry, Ennis," said Billy, smiling at the wink. "I will."
