Daniel Pond was a young farmer in Plymouth County Iowa where Bayley Pond of Rochdale, England arrived 100 years before. Decades of industriousness grew the original farmstead into a substantial operation that excelled above the local standard. Much of the operation was contracted out, especially after Daniel's father began expanding into Brazilian agriculture. Iowa farming knowledge and cheap land in Brazil brought the Pond family wealth beyond what Bayley Pond ever dreamed of.

Producing their son, Daniel, was the most important objective achieved on the farm. All the success and wealth were secondary to the arrival of a baby boy. The Pond's empty nest marriage had finally produced a child. There was never a single regret, or complaint as some are apt to do after a newborn affects the routine that had gone on before. The Pond's remained thankful for and devoted to their son through every diaper, crying fit and sleepless night, and as Daniel grew, that constancy remained. He was a treasure from their God through which they believed all things were possible.

The Pond's projected onto their boy the hope that grandchildren would someday be scampering around the farm. Their hopes were boosted when, at twenty-three years, Daniel was married in the same Presbyterian Church his parents were married. It was the same church the Pond's brought Daniel, Sunday after Sunday since his birth, and the church where he met his eventual wife Nancy. Nancy bore Daniel a son nearly 3 years ago, Bayley Pond II, and so his folks experienced another of God's blessings.

The yields in Brazil, the fortune saved in their Iowa bank and equity accounts, the new Cadillac Escalade, their modern, luxurious 5000 square foot ranch house with its own chapel added at one end, built along the reservoir lake on their the property. None of that held the importance as didthe birth of Bayley Pond.

Daniel's folks were blessed with his birth late in marriage, and so as a last-chance-child, Daniel was not destined to have his parents quite as long as most children, but a tornado sucking Nancy and his folks to their mortal destiny while he was still 25, dropping them back down into a feedlot, was unfathomable, an outcome he learned after finding their empty, crumpled, white Cadillac Escalade upside down in a ditch, the windows blown out.

When God plucked a beloved wife and parents from our lives----words the minister at the church used, as if God was out picking fruit that day--Daniel was home reviewing financial balance sheets and tending to young Bayley. Daniel judged, cynically yet gratefully, how fortunate he was that God concluded his harvest that day, without plucking Bayley away as well.

Words were a ridiculous attempt. 'Know they are with God and you will begin to heal.' Heal? Heal them back from the dead? Because, barring that, their advice didn't feel like grounds for healing his life back to what Daniel understood his life meant. Having Bayley there was Daniel's tender motivation to continue.

The Transcendent Institute in Farfield made as much sense as anything. In its favor was the location, a five hour drive to the other side of the state, a place where no pitiful eyes were on him and no calculating women attempting to introduce their daughters far too soon could find Daniel.

At the Institute, one might find restorative meditation, whatever that meant. Daniel enrolled for guidance about life and death and transcendence. The brochures looked pleasant and offered a reverie room for tots, all light and full of soft toys and large flat cushions where Bayley might hang out while Daniel engaged with the gurus.

The Carnegie Hotel at town square in Farfield was as old as the farm. It looked picturesque and well preserved. The sign in front beckoned to all "Welcome Home." Daniel and Bayley were greeted at the front desk by a pleasant young woman. She smiled and announced "Welcome to our hotel. Welcome home!"

Daniel was glad to arrive and to be there with Bayley. In their room, with the door shut behind, and Bayley happily sprawled out on his bed, Daniel felt a small relief. He let out a long sigh. He felt better than he'd felt since before the tornado, a soothing feeling. Sleep came easily.

Bayley woke early the next morning. He looked at his father, remembering the promise.

Padding over to Daniel's bed, Bayley waited. Daniel's eyes soon opened to a familiar eye to eye encounter with his boy. They looked at each other for a moment.

Daniel smiled. He pulled open the covers, and let Bayley jump in then responded.

Bayley had noticed the county courthouse in the Farfield town square when they arrived. It's uplights shining all around the facade. There was a magnificent clock tower rising from one corner starting at the foundation and reaching far up into the night sky. The Romanesque Revival style structure of sandstone and brick certainly looked more like a castle than anything Bayley had ever seen, outside of a picture books at home.

"Shall we eat breakfast first? Maybe they'll have pancakes and cocoa. Would you like that?"

Bayley nodded earnestly as little boys might do at the proposition of pancakes and cocoa in the morning.

There was a restaurant off the hotel lobby, quaint and comfortable, dark wooden tables and chairs with red and white checkered table cloths and chair covers. Daniel requested the hostess seat them by the windows stretching across the side facing the town square.

"Bayley wants to look out in case King Arthur wanders out of your beautiful castle across the street."

The hostess assured Bayley there was no better place to see the castle than the restaurant. "If King Arthur appears, you're in the right spot. I'll send Sir Nick out here right away for your wishes my lords."

"There's the castle Daddy!" Bayley peered over at the edifice, and focused on all its windows and openings, especially up in the clock tower, watching for any knights or kings that might happen to look out.

With Bayley occupied, Daniel scanned the menu. He suddenly wished they had the Englishman's breakfast, or at least what the Plymouth County Country Club still called an Englishman's breakfast, one that he and his father always ordered after an early round of golf.

Daniel noticed a young man waiting tables, scurrying back and forth, taking orders and shuttling plates of food, glasses of orange juice, stacks of pancakes, waffles and toast, and eggs, sausages and bacon--all the foods people ate for breakfast at restaurants in Iowa. He appeared friendly, with a charming smile, perhaps a few years younger than Daniel.

As the waiter poured coffee into Daniel's cup, he announced "I'm Nick. Good mornings sirs," and smiled at both of them. He set the carafe down within easy reach but out of the way of Bayley. "Are you ready to order?"

Nick noticed a sad affect had come over Daniel's face. Finally Daniel quietly asked whether he they had an Englishman's breakfast. "I don't believe so sir, Nick replied in full West Country British accent, though if I prepared it then perhaps we might call it that."

"My grandpa's name was Nick, and I'd like orange juice, pancakes and cocoa please," Bayley announced.

There was no apparent reason to cry just then, but a good cry was on Daniel. Bayley was accustomed to the protocol and reached for his Dad, who picked him up and drew him close.

Nick was baffled what to say or do other than hand his handkerchief to Bayley to hold for his Dad. "He was called Nick?"

Nick knelt down at eye level with Bayley, addressing both Bayley and Daniel. "I sound funny?"

Daniel pushed the handkerchief across his mouth and cradled his forehead. The tears were already mixing with a smile. Nick was relieved to see a positive sign.

Daniel intervened. "We saw it in town. Bayley loves Willy Wonka. It's been playing all month. We've seen it several times."

Nick reached over for the menu. Before allowing Nick to take the menu, Daniel looked at him and found he needed to introduce himself. "I'm Daniel, Daniel Pond." We'll be here at the hotel for a while, either here or at the Institute, or…...around."

Nick was suddenly occupied with more tables and not able to commit to further banter with Daniel and Bayley. Nick brought the food and came one more time with the bill and to ask if they needed anything else.

The next morning at breakfast Bayley announced to Nick they'd walked the grounds of the castle and wanted Nick to know that it really wasn't a castle afterall.

Nick was relieved being spared the one to break that news to Bayley, especially in light of his arranging with an acquaintance at the Courthouse for Bayley and Daniel to have a personal tour high up into the clock tower.

Daniel then invited Nick to join them for an early dinner. However, Nick admitted he had a second job that kept him tied up until late.

"We'd enjoy seeing you if you have time." Daniel wrote his hotel room telephone on a slip of paper for Nick.

That afternoon at the Institute Daniel stopped at the gymnasium for a massage between meditations. Daniel peered through the doorway to the pool and jacuzzi area and discovered Nick performing his other job, gymnasium attendant. He was running a squeegee across the tile floor.

Daniel jogged back to where Nick was and shook his hand. "That's nice of you to think of Bayley. I'd love to."

Iowa

Driving across Iowa in summer, seeing a real American farm, with a real American farmer seemed like a good idea with this new comrade that fell out of the big blue Iowa sky. Years worth of sadness taunted hopes for friendship, and…..what?...not love. Don't think about love. Don't bother to hope for love with this farm boy. Who exactly was this person driving away from Farfield into the middle of nowhere? Trapped in a car with a father and son, known for just one month.

The endless rows of corn were mesmerizing to Nick, how they laid out like carpet, running over gently rolling terrain, on and on. Nick had seen crops like this before around Farfield, but never considered they stretched for hundreds and hundreds of miles in every direction. Row after row after row, times one hundred thousand. The scale of it made Nick feel petty. All of the people it took to make the crops grow and to manage the harvest and the processing of it. Important work done by people with purpose. People that would never consider running away to another country on faith, to follow a great seer, only to discover inability to afford the institute that was suppose to lead towards redemption and peace. These are people with no need to contemplate a learned yogi. These are people that love their parents, parents that love their children no matter what. Here people found a soulmate, someone they loved enough to make a go for life, someone that would love them back, never stopping, and never giving up, Nick thought.

"Glad you could get time off from both jobs. Going back to the farm by myself every weekend…." Daniel scratched his nostrils, pushed his sunglasses up his nose, and glanced over to Nick a couple more times.

Daniel sighed. "It's fine. I could really use a bit more help from my parents, just for now, until I get things figured out."

Daniel looked down at Bayley and back at Nick. He nodded like he understood but didn't want to talk about it, or wasn't planning on it coming up. The silence was uncomfortable.

Nick slouched as far away from Daniel and Bayley as the car would allow, continuing to stare out the window. "I mean, Daniel…."

"Maybe I shouldn't….I could hitch my way….you know we haven't gone too far."

Daniel found a secluded place and pulled over. He was in a state. His hands seemed ready to crush the steering wheel. Nick wasn't sure if Daniel wanted to have an argument or....

Daniel closed his eyes and took a long, deep breath, then slowly exhaled. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" Without looking at Nick or waiting for an answer, he opened the door and got out.

"I've done a lot of reflecting in Farfield. On my parents death. Being a widower. But mostly on my own death and how impermanent life is going to be for me and everyone. How I've looked at things, and how I can look at things in the future. What's really important. It's changing. "

"Yes...No! I mean what's important for Bayley and me. I'm his parent. I need to get this right.

"No! Other things are important for us now, and some things...well they don't matter as much."

"I just thought you already knew, that I knew... and I like you Nick and it's just….I don't care...It's just...I'm really lonely now, and I don't know what to do. And ….I really, ... I….."

Daniel captured Nick in his arms and held onto him for a long time. Tears were happening then. Nick had a lump in his throat.

Daniel wiped his eyes. "I'm not going to let you hitchhike back to Farfield, Nick, and we don't have time to drive back."

"Bayley and I like you quite a bit. We'll make sure you have a good time. So please come. It's just the weekend."

Daniel walked Nick back to the car door and gave him an affectionate tap on his butt. Daniel hurried around, got in, locked, and peeled out onto the highway, Bachman Turner Overdrive tape in the stereo, the speakers turned up just loud enough.

Nick at the Farm

Nick was glad Daniel insisted continuing on and he enjoyed their weekend, watching Daniel strut around in his swim trunks, lounging next to the lake, a glass of delicious ice tea, Bayley playing in the sand.

When the contractors were finally all gone home, Daniel, Bayley and Nick all stripped off and ran into the lake. Nick had seen Daniel naked plenty of times at the gymnasium locker room. But this was better. More natural. Sensuous. Less stigma of admiring a man's naked body than at the gym. This stud. The feel of his body brushing by under the water. The look of his heavy cock swinging back and forth as he sauntered over to towel off and stretch out in the afternoon sun, next to Nick.

"We know the truth, or at least it's easier for us to admit what most people know is true but won't admit."

Daniel clasped his hands and stretched them back behind his head as far as they'd go, stretching his spine out and thrusting his hips, looking straight ahead.

Nick fantasized this was a subtle invitation to sample his meaty cock. Of course it wasn't. Bayley was nearby, engrossed with his shovel, pail and sand castle project.

"One way or another. Hogs, sheep… Especially cattle, watching that. Do it. And the breeders."

Daniel took another big sip of tea. He got up, walked into the grass, took a nice long piss, then laid out next to Nick again, a bit closer.

Daniel smiled at Nick and winked at him, and then looked up at the sky. He took a deep breath, exhaled and stretched his whole body one more time.

"OK. So the cattle breeders just stick it in." Daniel jabbed Nick in the hip a couple times with a stiff index finger. "They stick the rod in and then the bull unloads."

"Like you said. Farm boys. All that anal cow sex. At least there's good money in it."

"One time a different technician came. A younger man. The usual guy was older and mean. Dad sent me out with this new guy while Dad took a telephone call. I was around seventeen. The technician saw me watching and smiled at me. He told me to pay attention, how the bull likes what's gonna happen next. It was as if he took extra care to stick it in and adjust it with a certain technique. The bull shot into the receiver vessel. He asked, rhetorically I guess, if I saw how the bull liked it. Then he smiled and suggested that maybe he'd do the same thing to me if I wanted. He said it not in a totally creepy way though, just in a dirty kind of way to get a farm boy excited, a farm boy that couldn't take his eyes of this young technician bringing a bull off in front of him. He promised to make sure I'd like it, just like the bull did, that I'd probably hit the ceiling, only he wouldn't need to use the breeder rod. 'It'd feel real good I promise.' Then closed his eyes and rubbed his palm up and down on his crotch. I could see he was really packing. He made these short humping motions with his hips, and these muffled grunts with each forward thrust.

I remember how I felt when he said it. A little shocked, excited, a bit scared. I'd never heard such a thing. My heart was racing. I remember I got an erection in my pants. The technician probably saw through the threadbare old dungarees wore, how stiff I was.

Nick smiled. "Must be pretty hard to hide that thing when it comes to attention."

"Huh? So, yeah. I heard Dad coming. So I turned to go out as he was coming inside the barn.

"When I got outside the barn, my heart was still beating and my chest was heaving. I felt a bit dizzy."

"Daniel you are so full of beans. That never happened. Or if it did, I'd like to hear it again please."

"You are a naughty English lad." Daniel pulled Nick towards and gave a slap on his rump.

"We're just getting started." Daniel pinned Nick down and brought his face up close to him. "I left one part out Nick, before Dad came back, how the technician cornered me like a bull mounting a cow in the squeeze shoot, and he tried to slide that breeding rod into my ass."

Daniel started to wrestle Nick over. "Turn over little one so I can make you moo like a cow with my breeding rod."

Nick laughed and yelled. Daniel turned his head towards Bayley, then stopped and rolled back.

"The next time the technician was scheduled, I wanted to be excited all over again, to watch the technician finish the bull, and then hopefully make more crude suggestions to me. It was so….."

"Um…..yeah, thanks But when the breeder truck arrived it wasn't the same technician. This one was all business and said nothing to me, like I wasn't there."

Nick grinned. "You never got serviced by the breeder. It just wasn't meant to be."

Daniel and Nick faced each, up on their elbows. Daniel took another sip of ice tea.

"So right before graduation, we had the baccalaureate at church. Everyone wore their graduation gown. There was a rumor that some of the girls were just going to wear bra and panties under. That gave the boys a reason not to miss, the mere thought of being close to so much virgin flesh with just the covering of lingerie.

When the service was over I went to the men's room to take a piss. Mary Ann Brewster followed me in there and locked the door behind us. She took her gown off right in front of me. All she had on was a bra and her shoes. Nothing else. I'd never seen a girl's pubic hair before, except my Aunt Maxine, and that was an embarrassing accident, at least I think it was. Anyway, the only girl I'd gone all the way with was at a dance at Lake Okiboji just before that, although I didn't really see much of anything when we did it in the dark alley behind the dance hall. I could only feel it when she guided my hand down there, just like I felt her hand guiding my hard cock into her. I couldn't see much, but oh, it felt good. The word probably got around that I was just some easy boy down in Plymouth County."

"So this Mary Ann Brewster, my first try in the daylight. She took off her bra and played with her breasts, letting me have a feel. I did my best. She tilted her head and glanced at me as if to ask why I wasn't feeling her down there. I didn't need much coaxing for that, and began feeling her. She started moaning. Then I just I threw my gown over the stall door, dropped my pants and took her. I still remember how much I came in her. My semen dripped out of her love box and ran down her legs. 'Oh sweet Jesus.' That's what she said. "Oh sweet Jesus.'"

Nick laughed out loud, causing Bayley to turn and see what fun we were up tot. Nick took a gulp of tea and ran down to see about Bayley and to praise his diligent effort with the sand castle. Eventually Daniel came back and carried on.

"Afterwards I wondered if she was crazy, and how I must be crazy for having this girl, or any girl for that matter. inside a church. We never spoke about it the few times I saw her after. Her family moved to Sioux City. I heard she eventually went to college in California. I suppose she got on well there."

Daniel edged closer to Nick and stared out into the middle of the lake. He took another big gulp of tea.

"Hugh Scranton was state champ in my weight class, Harlan County Prep. A lot of rich Catholic boys just like Hugh went there. He was a senior. I was a freshman, runner up to Hugh at the state tournament. After the tournament he offered to help me improve for the next year. So Hugh drove down to my school gym all summer. We'd suit up and practice for hours. Hugh was a natural. Went on to star over at State University. Anyway, it was very noble of him to coach me. But also he seemed to enjoy mopping the floor with me. He tossed me around like a rag doll, sometimes ending up on top with me face down on the mat. Before getting up he'd raise up on his elbows and subtly push his groin into my butt, like he was caressing me with his pelvis. This kept on at other practice sessions. Eventually I got the impression he either enjoyed it or he was reminding me he was king of me, in a sort of playful way. The world already knew Hugh was king of me, from how he beat me at the tournament. I'll never forgot the referee grabbing both our hands, raising his, me looking over at him, Hugh looking high up in the arena, smiling, eyes closed. I saw he had this massive boner in his singlet, running across most of the way to his hip. I guess winning state champ does that to a guy, or maybe I did it to him, kind of how that hunky breeding technician got me hard when he talked dirty that day.

I kept leaving my ass still each time, not saying anything, not minding, just waiting for him to target me for a little pop of his cock against me. Eventually I started arching my back just a bit to increase how much of my butt cheeks were available to his sporty tap, and even to push into Hugh a bit. He became less subtle with his playfulness, one time slowly stroking all the way up my crack. The last practice before going off to college, he had me pinned face down on the mat. This time he didn't get up off me. Hugh slid his hand around and under and tickled my ribs to see my reaction. I laughed. Then he slid his hand down, and felt me through my singlet. He laid there on top of me, stroking me. I'm not sure if he meant for me to come, but it didn't take long. I let him know I made a mess. 'Let's get wet', he said. The golf team just arrived in the locker room then so we had company nearby as we showered. I always wondered what might have happened if we'd been alone in the shower."

Daniel rolled back onto his back and sighed. "I always loved wrestling. Good sport."

"Oh yeah? Don't be so sure Nicky. I may have Hugh Scranton's state tournament boner picture from the Iowa Register sports page stored away somewhere."

"You too." Daniel gave Nick a gentle shove, as he got up to race back down to Bayley. On his way back, he stopped for another piss. Nick watched Daniel's long firm cock sent a strong stream of piss through the air and down onto the grass. Daniel had one hand on his hip, the other pointing his cock. He watched himself pissing, then looked at Nick and smiled while he shook the last few drops."

Bayley was ready to eat, so they put on their suits and went inside. After dinner, Daniel got Bayley cleaned up and settled in bed. He suggested they shower.

"I mean….if you're comfortable with that. Be easier on the housecleaner….but….no….you need your…"

Daniel came back in the bathroom. He was still naked. He pulled a small compartment open that had a few towels inside, a dry box that kept towels a little bit warm. Daniel wrapped one around Nick's waist then took another and brought it snug around Nick's shoulders from behind. Feels good, right?"

After they stretched out and the lights were off, Nick thanked Daniel for bringing him out to the farm.

"Nick, I still haven't gotten used to being here alone. Eating alone……….sleeping alone."

"Yeah." Nick knew about loss at least his kind of loss. He was thinking about John. How he never stopped longing for John's body, close, the smell of him, how it felt, John tossing Nick around in bed, wrestling, followed by a vigorous fuck. John would moan "Oh Nicky" when he came. Then he'd pull Nick close and fall asleep.

"I was with my son who I love very much, more than anything. So, I wandered into a restaurant one morning and we were seated by the hostess and...... I saw this cute blond waiter was running around like a good soldier. He seemed all perky and happy to serve breakfast to all of these hungry Iowans. There was just one of him though, so I figured I wouldn't being able to get much of his time, which for some reason I expected I would enjoy if I did.

Daniel's voice wavered a bit. He stopped for a moment. "Then he sang to my son with the most beautiful voice. My son looked at him like he was some kind of angel. The look on his face." Danield stopped again.

"Later I ran across this same fellow at the gymnasium. I saw him. He didn't see me yet. I could tell he worked out, the way a guy's calves and thighs take on a curve to them, his arms and shoulders. He'd done weights, but not like a big burly dude, all big and fat looking. Small and cute. Just really toned and tight. Nice firm little ass.

I got to know him and we had fun together. A lot of fun. Bayley was pretty smitten by this fellow. So invited him to my farm and we had the best weekend I've had in a long time...best time. I laid close to him and told him dirty stories to see if he'd get a hard on. In the end, it was mostly me getting stiff."

Daniel eased his hand between Nick's silky thighs and across his butt, around and around and around. "Nick you're so pretty right here."

Nick turned over on his stomach. Daniel laid on top of Nick, completely covering him, the side of his face against Nick's neck.

Breakfast in America

Nick was a bit uneasy on waking, that he'd let Daniel fuck him the night before, and that Daniel might want more this morning--farmers probably like a good fuck at dawn before they head out to milk the cows, or masturbate the bulls, or watch the sheep rutt each other--because Daniel's tremendous cock hurt, though he tried like a champ to be gentle with Nick, animal nature took over at times as Nick suffered several champion thrusts, especially when Daniel came. 'Oh sweet Jesus!' Nick wandered if Daniel was trying to be his clever farm boy self then when he muttered that same expletive in Nick's ear during climax, or if that was just a habit, his protocol of the sex play he'd practiced with his wife, or all the girls he'd fucked at church, or the breeder technicians in the back of the barn, or who knows. Daniel left him so sore back there, that Nick was already realizing a pillow to sit would be mandatory for the five hour drive back to Fairfield. Having Daniel inside there this morning was definitely off the list.

Nick was also uneasy admitting that Daniel never kissed him last night, that he never took care of Nick's satisfaction, that Nick's mouth and Nick's cock were not part of Daniel's game plan. What Nick framed as a small disappointment as they drifted off to sleep, now seemed slightly flagrant to Nick, though Nick quickly chided himself for making things difficult in his head about his farm boy. We all do the best that we can, that he couldn't have expected Daniel to know it would be a good idea to jack Nick off while kissing him passionately on the lips, and let Nick be the one to roughly grasp the back of Daniel's neck, his mouth at Daniel's ear, murmuring back the same silly expletive, then looking into each other's eyes, Daniel insisting Nick admit it. "Did I make you come sweet boy?"

Those thoughts were replaced as Nick realized he was alone in the room. Turning over to face Daniel and hopefully receive his touch, Nick saw Daniel had long been up. Cases were packed. Clothes and towels were in a pile for the housekeeper.

Nick took a quick shower. He tenderly applied the bar of soap to where it now hurt so much. In the dining room, Nick saw breakfast plates had already been cleared. A few crumbs were scattered. Napkins remained. The house was quiet. Daniel noticed an entire wall was lined with family portrait photography, all with gold plated metal frames. Everyone smiling. The obvious love of parents for their boy, a boy that was so easy to love. The kind of love that not enough parents express to their children, that they aren't capable of expressing. Nick sighed. There were pictures of Daniel and his wife at their wedding. How handsome he looked. And then lovely pictures of Bayley, infant with the happy parents, toddler portraits, father beaming at a precious boy. Nick looked down at the floor, hands in his pockets, an emptiness washing over him.

Eventually Nick heard a faint sound from the far end of the house that lead him to Bayley playing outside their family chapel. Bayley looked up from his toys and greeted Nick. "Daddy's praying." Nick sat on the floor next to Bayley. Bayley handed Nick several toys to play with. They waited there for half an hour until Daniel finally emerged.

"No, thank you Daniel. I might have an apple a bit later on the drive. I should get my travel pack ready."

"Bayley can you gather up your toys and put them away? We're going to leave soon." Daniel kissed Bayley on the cheek and set him back down.

Nick returned to the bedroom to close up his travel case and prepare to leave. Daniel had followed along and was waiting at the bedroom door.

Nick carried on staging items in his travel case and nonchalantly agreed, responding in a way that held to the light Daniel's absurd and painful declaration but in also to criticize himself for being foolish enough to let this man talk him into his bed, to be fucked by him, this man that gets up the next morning and has no problem telling Nick what a big mistake it was, to criticize himself for having expectations of this man, of tenderness, compassion, understanding, and intelligence about another man's heart. This was just some stupid farmer god dammit.

"Right. Now that it's done, afterwards, in the morning, now it's wrong," Nick slowly shook his head as he said it.

"Well…..we make mistakes, right? Farm boy." Nick looked at Daniel and smiled. "Yesterday was brilliant though. You...Bayley. I hope that wasn't wrong. For me….was brilliant. Thanks for everything. This has been fun.""

Twenty minutes out Daniel finally spoke. "You know, when Nancy and I married, I was a still a virgin. She's the only person I ever had sex with."

Daniel looked ashamed in a way that told Nick not to ease up on any references to remind of last night.

"I only had John Kimbolton. Sometimes I think I'll never get over him. I mean, he was...a joy." Nick shook his head and stared out the window at the rows of corn.

Nick looked at Daniel and just shrugged his shoulders. They hadn't been driving very long when Daniel suddenly slowed down and pulled over.

"No! You're going to have breakfast. An Englishman's breakfast, at the country club. I'm still hungry anyway. I just had toast and juice. We were waiting for you."

As the car pulled up the drive to the clubhouse, Nick realized he'd have to sit for an hour without his pillow, but was resigned to soldier through without saying anything. An attendant opened the entrance door for them as they approached Daniel stopped and handed Bayley to Nick and told them to wait. He jogged back to the car, opened the passenger door and then slammed it shut again. Nick saw Daniel jogging back to them with the pillow. A small tear crept into Nick's eye.

A Learned Yogi

There was distance between Daniel and Nick after the farm. They remained warm towards each other but couldn't manage the comfortable dialogue that they used to. Neither found the other attempting to interact in ways they had before. Bayley was the main inspiration for getting together. "When can we see Nick?" When they did meet up, Nick was acutely aware how Daniel never touched him again, not since the farm.

Nick's departure back to the UK was unannounced, just a note left at the hotel desk. "HAVEN'T SEEN YOU AROUND MUCH. WISH I COULD HAVE SAID GOOD-BYE TO YOU AND BAYLEY. WILL NEVER FORGET YOU TWO. YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, DANIEL POND. LOVE NICK. <3

In a way Daniel wasn't surprised by the grief. Just more of the same he'd suffered since the tornado. Daniel had considered giving up on the teachings in Farfield until this, but now doubled up on sessions with his Yogi Dev.

Dev knew of Nick, his employment at the Institute, this young Englishman in town that Daniel began mentioning in sessions, and saw how Nick's presence aligned with Daniel's light--his aura. Daniel resisted admitting the source of his recent pain to Dev. Such a detail was not easy for a young Iowa farmer. But Dev was persistent.

"I see. So Nick complained to you? May I ask, did you force yourself on him, and did he scream and ask you to stop?"

"He was hurt. So we grew apart. He seemed cold after. I shouldn't have lead him on that way."

"I don't think so Daniel. I don't believe you are a man that will lead others on in such a way. I see you are a giving man. You are a man that will do for others. Do you see that about yourself?"

"I'm not sure why you would you tell Nick such a thing. I don't mean to be hurtful Daniel but this is something that Christians seem to take very lightly, telling others of their sin."

"So you made love to Nick. Nick allowed you to make love to him. But when you were done making love to your friend, you told him it was wrong. Your love making, you two being together was wrong, yet it was just your sin? I wonder if this is how Nick understood your lecture."

"Daniel the Bible has great lessons for us. Jesus taught that there was enough fish for everyone. We may understand that this fish was really God's love for us, how it would go on forever, without end."

"But Dev the Bible is clear, a man shall not lie with another man, and even says that the man should be put to death."

"But Daniel don't you see how ridiculous that sounds? How either you or Nick should be put to death for making love to each other? How can that be reasonable?"

"So Jesus served the fish. Gods love. Do you ever wonder how after showing such love to Mankind, how Christians have turned it around to where they end up choking on the bones of the fish instead of thanking God for his love?"

"You question my faith now." Daniel took a large sip of tea. Dev poured more into the cup.

"Do you ever watch athletes and celebrities that point up to the sky and thank God for their victory and for their awards, that God has blessed them with such good fortune. Do you believe that God really brought these people to this place where they are winners?"

"Daniel, by your accounts, and really from his reputation around here as well, Nick was quite a lovely young man and he is missed by everyone. And really Daniel so you are as well a lovely man, so it would not surprise me if the two of you got on well together. I just don't understand why you are so willing to dismiss what your friendship led to as sin. I see it has been hard for you and I expect Nick felt pain as well. And so perhaps that helped him decide to leave."

"But Daniel, how can it be that these athletes and movie stars are able to thank God for these good fortunes, but you are not able to thank the same God for Nick. Nick is a man that came all the way to Farfield from another country, while you came all the way from the other side of Iowa, and the two of you crossed paths here. And frankly Daniel, my impressions from our time together is you loved this young man. Please tell me now if I am wrong"

"Daniel, if an actor can win an award and thank God for it, it seems only fair that God's grace would allow you and Nick to be thankful for your meeting here in Farfield, and finding love in each other."

"Daniel, please do not be upset with me. I do not mean to destroy your faith in God. I mean to build it higher, but you may not like what I have to say on this."

"You've talked about your faith and your wife and your parents faith in God. I appreciate your being honest with me about that, and I also appreciate how you were willing to come to our campus to search for meaning that didn't exist at home after your loss."

"Did you know the Bible's final edition was voted on centuries after Christ died, and that the Roman emperor paid off various Christian officials to assure he received the version that suited Rome. The money changers that Christ warned against helped determine the final edition. Does that sound entirely like something that is the word of God?"

"Why would you? These are difficult things to hear. And certainly these are things your church has no reason to discuss with you. Daniel, I see things in you."

"No I don't mean like that. A smart man is how I may know you need to go to the bathroom after drinking all of my tea. But that is not how I have come to know what I see in you."

"I see how you are a very God-like man. I see God in you. Daniel you are not sinful. God shows through you. I see you are not a man in the habit of leading on a friend just to take his body. Daniel, just keep on considering the impermanence of life, like we have talked about, that when we come to our end, we all look back at our choices, but then it will be too late to do anything about them. Daniel, you may have lost your friend, yet you always do the best that you can. You always have and you always will. I am confident about that. For today, our time is up."

As Daniel stood at the urinal he remembered peeing in front of Nick at the lake, the hot sun beating down, the smile on Nick's face as he watched, how Nick would push his golden hair back from his face and grin as Daniel walked back over and stretch out next to him.

This story is part of the 2017 writing challenge, "Inpsired By A Picture: Black and White Boys" and is a multi-chapter story. Please read all chapters and offer a rating at the end, if reading within the rating period of 11 Marh to 1 April 2017. Otherwise please just enjoy the story. The arrow just up there and to the right leads to the next chapter. The picture used for inspiration is below

1 Colin Bright, 2. Algy Kennedy, 3. Nigel Otway, 4. William Carter, 5. Dick Aldridge, 6. Stanley Emerson, 7. Ian Bartlett, 8. John Kimbolton, 9. Nick Park -hidden- 10. Julian Trask.

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Nick Park

by Mark Driver

Part 2

Mr. Pond

Iowa

Nick at the Farm

Breakfast in America

A Learned Yogi