Concubine

We went out of the locker room and took the stairs to the second landing. We talked so casually as if we've been friends for so long, the tarnished white walls surrounding the concrete staircase oblivious of what has been transpiring inside the showers. All that time, it felt as if I was keeping something at bay. As to what it really was, I didn't know.

We approached the counter and asked for our membership cards. Those few seconds in which we waited felt so long, so silent, so I started to break the ringing silence.

"Jon?" I said as he received his card from the counter. The other attendant was still rummaging through stacks of cards in search of mine.

"Yes, Jon," he replied with a smile. He misunderstood---he seemed to think I was merely repeating the words of the attendant when she gave his card to him.

I finally received my card and Jon offered to drop me off to the transport terminal. We went down two floors, this time via a lift, to the basement parking. It was barren aside from a few cars that marked the otherwise blank, vast space. He shared a random encounter he had in the area, but the story came out as a blur. As we were buckling up, car doors finally unlocked, he said, "I hope to see you next time, no sex. I'd like to know you more."

"Jon?" I said, with the same tone I used that he misunderstood. His eyes passed mine as they swept toward the side mirror. A moment's silence, then ---

"You're married."

His eyes lingered onto mine a little bit longer. "Yes, I am. You want to be just friends?"

"Well, yes."

He gave me a sad smile. "Well, I understand. It only means that you care."

We reached the road and took a right turn. "Do you have kids?" I asked.

"One," he said with a sense of pride. "I have a son. He's almost your age; he just graduated from college."

"I'm just looking for gay sex. I don't want doing it with so many guys, so..."

His voice trailed off. We then shifted to talk about random things, from education to marriage to employment aspirations. A few more minutes passed, and it was time to alight the car.

I offered a hand. "I'll see you soon, Jon---only on the fitness floor, and only on the fitness floor." I chuckled.

"Yes, see you." He took my hand and we shook hands.

That felt good, I said to myself as I took my next ride home.