Chapter 5: BATES
Bates was not a friend of Thomas.
Then again, Thomas didn't have many friends.
But prison…
Thomas was in danger.
And as John Bates thought grimly, his whole life, he'll be in danger.
Bates knew about the sort of man Thomas was. He'd seen men like that before.
He didn't think that Thomas could- or even should- try to change himself. There was no point- that aspect of a person just couldn't be changed.
John knew that most people thought it could be changed- whether through doctors or through priests, but, to John Bates, it was simply a part of who you were and it was better you just accept it and live as happily as you could.
There was no point, he thought, in waging a war on yourself.
He had no ill will toward Thomas for his sexuality- after all, to each his own and it wasn't anyone else's business. He wasn't threatened by Thomas, and he didn't hate him for it.
He knew plenty others would hate him for it, though, and that fact meant that Thomas was always going to have to watch his back.
Bates felt that he could put his feelings for Thomas on hold- at least for now- and make sort of a truce with him.
If there was anything he could do to keep Thomas out of jail, he'd do it.
He wouldn't wish prison on any man.
Prison was hard. It could change you, harden you. Thomas could get hurt badly in prison...or what might even be worse, he could hurt someone else, and end up in even more trouble.
It wasn't easy to tame the beast inside you. Bates knew that more than anyone.