Shownotes
Pietro heads to Eureka Springs to play cello for the opera. Little does he know, a charming gentleman is about to change his life forever…
Today’s story is the first of two parts of an abridged version of “Le Premiere Jour D’amour” by Herr Wozzeck, who is a writer and musician based in Boston. They are the author of “Whip and Boot” and “Lost Inside the Blue Line”, and the violist of Trio Menagerie. You can find more of their stories on their FurAffinity page, and their SoFurry page.
Read for you by Rob MacWolf — werewolf hitchhiker.
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https://thevoice.dog/episode/le-premier-jour-damour-by-herr-wozzeck-part-1-of-2
Transcripts
You’re listening to Pride Month on The Voice of Dog.
Speaker:This is Rob MacWolf, your fellow traveler,
Speaker:and Today’s story is the first of two parts of an abridged version of “Le Premiere Jour D’amour”
Speaker:by Herr Wozzeck,
Speaker:who is a writer and musician based in Boston.
Speaker:They are the author of “Whip and Boot”
Speaker:and “Lost Inside the Blue Line”,
Speaker:and the violist of Trio Menagerie.
Speaker:You can find more of their stories on their FurAffinity page,
Speaker:and their SoFurry page.
Speaker:It makes a difference to live a life
Speaker:not knowing what you are.
Speaker:The moment of realization, of some truth about oneself that has always been there but
Speaker:which has never before been noticed,
Speaker:is both immediately recognizable to anyone who has had to live it
Speaker:and perhaps impossible to explain to anyone who has not.
Speaker:But let us attempt such an explanation nonetheless, in today’s story,
Speaker:Please enjoy “Le Premiere Jour D’amour” by Herr Wozzeck, Part 1 of 2 April 13, 2015 Hey journal,
Speaker:Sorry if I’ve been a bit quiet.
Speaker:It’s just been hectic since I got back.
Speaker:End of semester woes and all that.
Speaker:Gotta get the Dvorak prepared for my juries, y’know?
Speaker:And then there’s all the concerts I need to do,
Speaker:theory assignments, exams… all that jazz.
Speaker:And I thought high school was stressful.
Speaker:Jeez… Oh! There was one thing I needed to mention!
Speaker:Yeah, guess what? I actually got a job over the summer!
Speaker:Yeah, fun thing about that!
Speaker:I got a job playing in a pit orchestra.
Speaker:It’s out in the middle of nowhere,
Speaker:actually. Eureka Springs? I dunno, I hadn’t even heard of this town.
Speaker:It’s out in the Arkansas Ozarks, though, and it
Speaker:sounds like a pretty awesome job.
Speaker:I mean, a thousand bucks plus free room and board?
Speaker:Yes, please! And hey,
Speaker:it’s a new experience!
Speaker:Playing opera in the mountains is something I’ve never done before!
Speaker:It’ll probably be fun.
Speaker:I dunno. I still need to sign the contract, though.
Speaker:That needs to come in the mail,
Speaker:and hopefully before school ends. Oh,
Speaker:yeah. Things have cooled down.
Speaker:Going away for a few days was exactly what I needed.
Speaker:Of course, that just means I’m behind on schoolwork now, but fuck it. I’ll take it.
Speaker:It’s… I guess it’s good?
Speaker:I don’t know. I mean, Andrea just keeps saying I’m ‘in denial’ about something. She’s crazy, isn’t she? I mean…
Speaker:Whatever. You know, Journal, it’s weird…
Speaker:I’ve been talking to you about all sorts of things,
Speaker:and… It’s weird. I feel like I should
Speaker:come up with a name for you or something… …
Speaker:Screw it, your name is Friedrich now.
Speaker:Friedrich, the Composition Notebook,
Speaker:here to save the little Cuban black hawk from his troubles.
Speaker:They always did say the pen was mightier than the sword…
Speaker:Anyway, I guess I’ll talk to you again when stuff happens.
Speaker:-Pietro. ----**---- The vehicle pulled up to the site,
Speaker:Pietro leaning close to the window as the driver pulled over.
Speaker:It did not look like much:
Speaker:it looked a bit like an especially old college dormitory, which was not helped by how it rested on the incline of the hill.
Speaker:The theater was rather close by,
Speaker:and the black hawk immediately noticed how…
Speaker:peculiar it looked, half-inside and half-outside.
Speaker:Beyond the theater were other buildings, but the car stopped
Speaker:right in front of the dormitory-looking building. “Well,
Speaker:here it is,” said the driver,
Speaker:an older Labrador with long hair.
Speaker:Pietro looked at her simple grey shirt, which barely hid a golden necklace.
Speaker:Pietro blinked. “What,
Speaker:this little place?” he asked.
Speaker:“Huh… I thought it’d be
Speaker:nicer.” “Well, it is what it is,”
Speaker:said the Labrador.
Speaker:She leaned back, smiling broadly.
Speaker:“You’ll come around once the season starts. We really love that we have you guys here.” “I’ll bet,” Pietro replied.
Speaker:“It’s not often you get to hear such music out here.”
Speaker:He then looked to the driver, nodding.
Speaker:“Thank you. I’ll take it from here.”
Speaker:The driver shook her head.
Speaker:“At least let me help you get your cello out!”
Speaker:Pietro shook his head, waving his hand dismissively.
Speaker:“Thanks, but I don’t—”
Speaker:“Please, I insist.” She then stepped out of the car.
Speaker:“It’s the least I can
Speaker:do.” Pietro blinked in surprise, but before he could comment the Labrador was already out of the door,
Speaker:walking to the back of the car where Pietro’s cello was.
Speaker:The black hawk watched her, before sighing. He then
Speaker:stepped out, grabbing his backpack as he walked to the back of the car.
Speaker:“Well, if you’re going to get the cello, at least let me get my suitcase,” he said.
Speaker:“I’m not used to having people move my stuff for me!”
Speaker:The Labrador chuckled as she opened the trunk.
Speaker:She then gently coaxed Pietro’s case out, before shrugging.
Speaker:“I think you’ll find the people of Eureka Springs to be very welcoming, Mr. Atti-Morales.”
Speaker:Pietro rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he pulled the suitcase out.
Speaker:Still calling me by that, huh?
Speaker:he thought. He then nodded, looking at the Labrador as she set the case on the gravel. “Well, here you are,” said the Labrador.
Speaker:“I’m afraid I must take off now,”
Speaker:she said. “I’ve got to go back for some of your orchestra friends to be.”
Speaker:“Alright,” said Pietro.
Speaker:“Thanks for the lift!”
Speaker:“You’re welcome,” said the Labrador as she walked to the driver’s seat.
Speaker:“I’ll see you at the first performance, I hope!” Pietro nodded.
Speaker:“I’m sure I will,”
Speaker:he said. “You take care.
Speaker:care.” “And you as well.” With this, the Labrador entered her car.
Speaker:She then turned onto the road,
Speaker:going back the way they came.
Speaker:Pietro sighed, chuckling softly as he grabbed his cello case.
Speaker:Dear God, I’m unused to that, he thought.
Speaker:This might actually be even better than I thought it would be…
Speaker:He shrugged, before turning to the dormitory and entering. ----**----
Speaker:Pietro glanced around the town, turning to his fellow orchestra players.
Speaker:“And this is the town of Eureka Springs, huh?”
Speaker:A rather older sparrow stepped
Speaker:out of the car, as did another of his friends from the orchestra.
Speaker:“Yes,” said the sparrow.
Speaker:The other player,
Speaker:a rather spry-looking grasshopper, smiled as he stepped away from the car.
Speaker:“Damn… I was not expecting this.”
Speaker:“Neither was I, Mark,”
Speaker:Pietro commented.
Speaker:He then turned to the sparrow.
Speaker:“So, James… I guess we get some time to explore?”
Speaker:“If you want,” said the sparrow. “There’s actually quite a lot to do in town.
Speaker:Lots of places to get
Speaker:souvenirs, lots of places to eat…
Speaker:There’s even a haunted hotel at the top of the hill.”
Speaker:He then smiled to Pietro.
Speaker:“We even get pretty nice treatment here.”
Speaker:“Bet they’re all used to tourists,”
Speaker:said Mark, his antennae twitching as he walked up next to Pietro.
Speaker:“So, since we’ve got most of the day, I guess we’re off to explore?”
Speaker:“It looks like,” said Pietro.
Speaker:He then looked up the street.
Speaker:“So we meet up the street to lunch in about an hour?”
Speaker:“Yeah, something like that,”
Speaker:said James, the sparrow brushing some feathers out of his face.
Speaker:“I’ll meet you down the hill,
Speaker:there’s a pizza place down there.”
Speaker:“Excellent,” Pietro replied.
Speaker:“I’ll meet you in a bit, then.”
Speaker:And with this, the three orchestra musicians split off from each other.
Speaker:Pietro glanced around, taking note of the rather old-style architecture of most of the buildings.
Speaker:They were all very well maintained, which he found remarkable for a small town right on the slope of a mountain.
Speaker:The area was lovely, too,
Speaker:with all sorts of flowers in full bloom.
Speaker:He walked up the slope,
Speaker:taking stock of all the varying shops within. He noticed a magic shop close
Speaker:to where they were left off, and he continued to walk up the hill to see all the varying shops.
Speaker:He even saw a burlesque bar across the street, which was
Speaker:something that surprised him a great deal.
Speaker:But the thing that most caught his attention was a shop with windows that curved to follow the contour of the street.
Speaker:He blinked, walking up to a shirt that was displayed prominently to the outside,
Speaker:his hand coming up to the glass and touching it lightly.
Speaker:“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not…”
Speaker:The black hawk read on in silence,
Speaker:completing the ever-famous quote of Psalm 23 in his head.
Speaker:He then looked to other shirts and apparel on display, seeing the same attention to Bible verses there.
Speaker:The black hawk smiled. Oh, now I have to get something for Aggie, he thought.
Speaker:He’d love a place like this!
Speaker:With this, Pietro walked over to the door,
Speaker:stepping into the store.
Speaker:He nodded to a rather comfortable-looking mutt saleswoman,
Speaker:before beginning to scan various items.
Speaker:He noticed one other sales attendant there,
Speaker:a rather muscular rhino
Speaker:in a shirt that was a little tight on him.
Speaker:The rhino’s dark hair was done up in a flat top that gave him an air of authority,
Speaker:but Pietro suspected from one look that it was an air he rarely exercised.
Speaker:He smiled, Pietro nodding right at him as he began to examine shirt captions.
Speaker:The rhino salesman stepped forward a little.
Speaker:“Hello, and welcome,” said the rhino,
Speaker:a light Southern accent popping out at him.
Speaker:“How can I help ya today?”
Speaker:Pietro shrugged, smiling at the rhino.
Speaker:“I’m just browsing, but…”
Speaker:He shrugged. “Well, I’m mostly looking for a gift for my older brother.”
Speaker:The rhino shrugged.
Speaker:“Well, I’m sure we’ve got plenty of things for him,”
Speaker:he said. “What’s his shirt size?”
Speaker:“Extra-large,” Pietro commented. “Hm…” The rhino rubbed his chin, looking around at the varying shirts.
Speaker:“Well…” He then chuckled, pointing at his own shirt.
Speaker:“As you can see, not all extra-large shirts fit large
Speaker:people.” Pietro chuckled, shaking his head.
Speaker:“He’s not as built as you are,”
Speaker:he said. “Most of it is height, honestly.
Speaker:You have to be pretty tall to shoot hoops, you know?” The rhino tilted his head. “Hoops?” he asked.
Speaker:“So he plays lots of sports?”
Speaker:Pietro nodded, turning back to shirts that quoted Jeremiah 29:11.
Speaker:“He actually declared for the FBA Draft earlier this year.”
Speaker:“Did he?” The rhino smiled. “Well,
Speaker:be sure ta tell him I’m rootin’ for him, yeah?”
Speaker:“I’ll be sure to do that,”
Speaker:Pietro said. He then pulled the Jeremiah shirt out. “Hm,
Speaker:what about this one?”
Speaker:“In extra-large?” asked the rhino.
Speaker:“Hm…” He turned to his fellow sales associate.
Speaker:“Wilma, could ya check the stock in the back?”
Speaker:“Sure thing, Lee,”
Speaker:the mutt, brushing some blonde hair out of her face. “Gimme just a second.” The mutt
Speaker:then left to go to the back,
Speaker:Pietro looking at the rhino.
Speaker:The rhino shrugged.
Speaker:“Well, that answers why ye’re here, but that doesn’t tell me what you’re doin’ here in Eureka Springs.
Speaker:Springs.” He smiled. “I dunno what kind o’ bird you are. Black bird…?”
Speaker:Pietro shook his head.
Speaker:“Cuban black hawk,”
Speaker:he replied. He shrugged. “I’m just a bird from Miami, here to play opera for a month and a half.” The rhino’s eyebrow rose, and his smile broadened.
Speaker:“You’re here for Opera in the Ozarks?”
Speaker:“Yep,” Pietro commented.
Speaker:“I thought I’d explore town a little bit between rehearsals, see what was in store.”
Speaker:He then glanced out.
Speaker:“I wasn’t expecting this place.” “It’s a lovely town,”
Speaker:the rhino replied, leaning on a nearby shirt
Speaker:rack as he looked at the bird.
Speaker:“I figure you’re gonna love it here.” He then
Speaker:placed a hand on his wrist. “And
Speaker:hey, you’ll be seeing plenty of me there.”
Speaker:Pietro blinked. “Opera fan?”
Speaker:he asked. “Yep,” said Lee. “It’s the only opera I’ve managed ta see in the theater since I came here a decade ago. It’s pretty
Speaker:nice, too.” He shifted his posture.
Speaker:“So what’s your range?”
Speaker:“My range?” He shook his head. “Oh,
Speaker:I’m not one of the singers. I’m a
Speaker:cellist.” “Ah, so you’re doing the orchestra, huh?”
Speaker:asked the rhino. “I see.
Speaker:Well, that just means you’ll be there every night.”
Speaker:“Yep,” said Pietro. “Every night, pretty much without fail.”
Speaker:He shrugged. “It’s kind of nice, actually. I get to be right there… and
Speaker:now I know I’m next to this lovely place.
Speaker:place.” “Heh, well, there ya go, kiddo,” he said. He then held his right hand out to Pietro.
Speaker:“Lee Roberts.” The black hawk smiled, taking Lee’s hand and shaking it.
Speaker:“Pietro Atti-Morales,” he said.
Speaker:“Pleased to meet you!”
Speaker:At that moment, the mutt
Speaker:returned from the back store room, holding the extra-large shirt.
Speaker:“Sorry, blue’s the only color we have of that shirt,” she said.
Speaker:“It’s still extra-large, though.”
Speaker:Pietro nodded, walking to the cash register.
Speaker:“I’ll take it,” he said.
Speaker:“Thank you for that.”
Speaker:“Alright,” she said.
Speaker:She quickly rang it up,
Speaker:Lee leaning on the counter as she did.
Speaker:“That’ll come out to forty-five dollars.”
Speaker:Pietro nodded, pulling out his wallet and laying a couple of bills there.
Speaker:“Thank you.” He then turned to Lee as she took his money.
Speaker:“So I guess I’ll see you on opening night?”
Speaker:“Sure thing,” he said.
Speaker:“Ya take care of yourself.”
Speaker:“You too,” Pietro replied.
Speaker:With this, the mutt placed the shirt in a bag, and Pietro took it before walking out of the store,
Speaker:feeling rather pleased with himself.
Speaker:----**---- June 18, 2015
Speaker:Hey Friedrich, Holy Christ, it’s almost here.
Speaker:And of course we’re starting with Traviata. ‘Cause that makes sense, right? Eh,
Speaker:it’s whatever, honestly.
Speaker:I may think that opera has an idiot plot, but Verdi’s music is pretty nice.
Speaker:It seems people are getting into it, too.
Speaker:I went into town recently with a couple of my friends,
Speaker:everyone’s gearing up for how crazy the run is gonna be.
Speaker:Well, I can’t blame them:
Speaker:our singers are great.
Speaker:There is this one guy, though… Huh. I dunno. He’s a rhino, and of course he’s built like a tank. I keep bumping into him
Speaker:everywhere I go, it’s kind of uncanny.
Speaker:Funny thing is, I actually met him while stopping in one of the random shops for T-shirts around here. It was this
Speaker:Christian shop, actually, and I was thinking “hey, Aggie might appreciate a shirt from here”.
Speaker:And there was Lee. He’s a store attendant, and I mentioned the thing that I was there for the opera. So we talked a bit…
Speaker:Turns out he likes music a lot.
Speaker:So guess what that means? Yup, he’s gonna be there at opening night.
Speaker:Hm… He really is a nice guy…
Speaker:And quite handsome, too.
Speaker:How he doesn’t have ladies falling at his feet is beyond me.
Speaker:Anyway, Friedrich, this is gonna be great.
Speaker:Can’t wait for opening night.
Speaker:I’ll see you again.
Speaker:Gotta get my sleep for that.
Speaker:-Pietro ----**---- The theater Pietro played in had no curtain.
Speaker:Therefore, as the first act of La Traviata came to a close, it was more that the stage lights dimmed, and the house lights came right back up.
Speaker:It was approaching time for the lights to come back up, as well:
Speaker:dusk was well on its way by the time the first act had drawn to a close, and while it produced a beautiful sunset that Pietro could see beyond the walls of the half-indoor-half-outdoor theater,
Speaker:inside the theater it was just enough to darken the place. Not that Pietro really cared much as the applause died down and he set his bow back on his stand.
Speaker:He gently laid his cello to the side, turning to the only other cellist there, a white-furred goat
Speaker:with an impressive beard.
Speaker:“And there you have it,”
Speaker:the goat replied.
Speaker:“Your first act in the mountains.
Speaker:mountains.” “Yep.” Pietro smiled, leaning back in his chair.
Speaker:“Have to say, it’s been okay, Josh.”
Speaker:He then shrugged.
Speaker:“Well, apart from all the friggin’ insects around here, anyway.”
Speaker:“You will grow used to them, I’m sure,”
Speaker:Josh replied, leaning back.
Speaker:“Be thankful you weren’t here during the days when we had no air conditioning.
Speaker:Those were brutal nights.”
Speaker:“So I hear,” said Pietro.
Speaker:He then looked up to where the orchestra was heading out of the pit.
Speaker:“We should get back into the cafeteria,
Speaker:get some water or something.”
Speaker:Josh perked his ear.
Speaker:“I was just thinking the same—”
Speaker:“Ah, and there ya are!”
Speaker:Josh and Pietro both turned in slight surprise. However, Pietro smiled,
Speaker:seeing the familiar rhino as he leaned against the barrier dividing the orchestra pit from the audience.
Speaker:He smiled, Pietro noticing how the rhino’s muscles bulged out in the white collared shirt he wore.
Speaker:The black hawk stood up immediately.
Speaker:“Lee!” he said, extending his hand to the rhino. “You came!”
Speaker:“That I did, kiddo,” he said.
Speaker:“Ye’re all doin’ great!”
Speaker:“Well, we’ve been working very hard,”
Speaker:said Josh, looking over at the rhino.
Speaker:“I’ve seen your face around here a bit.
Speaker:Lee, right?” “Ya got that right,” the rhino replied, winking at Josh.
Speaker:“And you’re… Joshua?”
Speaker:“Please, that’s too formal,”
Speaker:said the goat. “Just call me Josh.”
Speaker:“As ya command,” said Lee.
Speaker:He then turned to Pietro. “Say, kiddo, I’m wonderin’: ya got any plans ta hang out afterwards?”
Speaker:“No,” said Pietro. “Why?”
Speaker:“Well, I was wonderin’ if ya had time afterwards ta just talk,
Speaker:shoot the breeze a bit,”
Speaker:Lee replied. Pietro blinked. “Well… I’m
Speaker:just the cellist,”
Speaker:he said. He gestured back to Josh with a shrug. “Well, one of them, anyway.”
Speaker:“Still,” the rhino replied.
Speaker:“Ya seem like a very interestin’ guy.”
Speaker:Pietro chuckled nervously,
Speaker:though he also felt a strange kind of…
Speaker:excitement that he could
Speaker:not really explain.
Speaker:“Well… uh…” He chuckled.
Speaker:“Yeah, I got time. After the show?”
Speaker:Lee gave Pietro a toothless smile.
Speaker:“Yeah,” he said. “Yeah. I reckon that works.”
Speaker:“Then after the show it is!”
Speaker:Pietro replied. He then stood up.
Speaker:“Sorry, I should go get some water.
Speaker:Only so much time before the next act starts, you know?”
Speaker:“Ah, right,” said Lee.
Speaker:“Sorry, I shouldn’t keep ya.
Speaker:I’ll see ya after the show, kiddo.”
Speaker:Pietro smiled back. “See you then.” And with this, the black hawk turned, walking out of the orchestra pit and quickly making his way
Speaker:to the cafeteria on the grounds. ----**----
Speaker:“You know, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen so many stars in the night sky.”
Speaker:Lee looked over at Pietro.
Speaker:They both stood on a viewpoint just across the road from the compound.
Speaker:To their right, an antique shop stood, but their attention was not focused on that.
Speaker:Instead, it was focused on the vista of the Arkansas Ozarks directly beneath them,
Speaker:and on the stars that framed it just above them.
Speaker:“Always been a city boy, eh?”
Speaker:asked Lee. “I guess that’s it,” Pietro replied. “I’ve never really had a chance to see a place without city lights.”
Speaker:He paused, idly picking at his fingers.
Speaker:“I must say, it’s lovely.”
Speaker:“Ya better believe it,”
Speaker:said Lee. He smiled, looking up at the stars.
Speaker:“Well, I’m glad ya got ta be here ta see it. Nights ‘round here are always lovely.”
Speaker:Pietro turned, looking up at the rhino.
Speaker:“So where are you from, anyway? Like, originally?”
Speaker:“Good ol’ Marietta, Georgia,”
Speaker:he said. “I lived in Atlanta for a few years ‘fore I came up to this place.”
Speaker:He shrugged. “I guess it’s a good thing. I feel more at home here than I ever did back there.”
Speaker:“City too busy for you?”
Speaker:asked Pietro. “A bit,” Lee replied.
Speaker:He shrugged, looking out to the mountains below.
Speaker:“‘Sides, the view ain’t as nice there.”
Speaker:Pietro chuckled, edging a little bit closer to the rhino.
Speaker:“No kidding,” Pietro replied. He glanced out.
Speaker:“I’ve never been to a mountainous area before.
Speaker:Come to think of it, my folks never did much travelling.”
Speaker:“Well, if ya live in Miami, I can’t blame ‘em,”
Speaker:said Lee. “From what I’ve seen, it’s a nice town.”
Speaker:“Yeah, but you don’t want to live there,” said Pietro.
Speaker:He turned to face Lee.
Speaker:“You’d probably hate it. It’s…
Speaker:loud. Obnoxious. And you need a car to get everywhere.”
Speaker:“Ya need a car to get everywhere here, too,” Lee pointed out.
Speaker:The black hawk chuckled,
Speaker:pointing back to the road.
Speaker:“And you don’t have any traffic jams around here,” he added.
Speaker:“Therefore, a ten-minute drive doesn’t take you two and a half hours to get through.”
Speaker:He shrugged, tapping his talon against the dirt.
Speaker:“That’s the problem with city life sometimes.”
Speaker:“But ya like it,” said the rhino.
Speaker:“I wouldn’t give it up for the world,” Pietro replied. “There’s always something about a city that’s great. There’s a lot to do in a city, and there’s always
Speaker:energy…” He shrugged.
Speaker:“But then again, they don’t have lovely views like this, either.”
Speaker:“That they don’t,” said Lee.
Speaker:He draped an arm around Pietro’s shoulder,
Speaker:the black hawk smiling at the warmth.
Speaker:“I figure you’re gonna love it here.
Speaker:Ya might be surprised what ya can do ‘round these parts.”
Speaker:Pietro blinked, looking up at Lee.
Speaker:“You sound like you know that intimately,” he said.
Speaker:“I can show ya around when ya ain’t busy,”
Speaker:he said. “I figure there’s lots of fun things to do.”
Speaker:Pietro smiled. “I think I’d appreciate having a guide,”
Speaker:he said. “We’re going to have days where we don’t rehearse in the morning,
Speaker:now that we’re about to start the performances.”
Speaker:Lee smiled in turn, patting Pietro’s shoulder.
Speaker:“Then let me get ya my number so we can do things!”
Speaker:He then pulled out his smartphone. “Or yer number. What’s yer number?”
Speaker:Pietro smiled, looking at Lee’s smartphone.
Speaker:“Well, if you must know…”
Speaker:He then relayed his phone number to the rhino,
Speaker:tapping the railing
Speaker:as he did. ----**---- June 20, 2015 Hey Friedrich,
Speaker:Opening night was a smash hit. And man, it was crazy.
Speaker:Our soprano got everything right,
Speaker:our leading man nearly tripped
Speaker:on one of his exits… it was wild and crazy.
Speaker:I wouldn’t have it any other way, though.
Speaker:Sorry you’re getting this the morning after.
Speaker:I was up super late last night. ‘Cause
Speaker:guess what,
Speaker:Lee showed up. And then, somehow, the two of us ended up
Speaker:chatting outside while looking at the stars.
Speaker:I don’t know why,
Speaker:but he’s really nice. I never thought I’d get to meet an interesting friend while playing opera in the middle of
Speaker:the friggin’ Arkansas Ozarks, but there you go.
Speaker:He’s a friend. And a damn good one at that. He’s…
Speaker:quiet, actually. Soft-spoken.
Speaker:You don’t expect that in a large rhino, but there you have it.
Speaker:He’s also pretty philosophical.
Speaker:Something you also wouldn’t expect.
Speaker:Yeah. He’s a good friend all right.
Speaker:Well, anyway, tomorrow we have our first performance of Cenerentola.
Speaker:I better get sleep for that, too!
Speaker:-Pietro ----**---- Pietro smiled,
Speaker:looking out to the lake.
Speaker:The early afternoon sun bore down on him, and he certainly felt the slight rise of heat his black feathers afforded him.
Speaker:He simply shrugged,
Speaker:continuing to eat his sandwich
Speaker:as he looked out to the lake.
Speaker:There, he watched as Lee broke the surface of the lake, looking over at Pietro where he sat on a small dock.
Speaker:“You might be right, kiddo,”
Speaker:he said. “Water’s awfully cold out here.”
Speaker:Pietro smiled. “Well, I also didn’t bring a swimsuit up here, either,”
Speaker:he said. “I admit, I wasn’t expecting this much water anywhere in this area.”
Speaker:Lee shook his head,
Speaker:swimming over to the dock and pulling himself up so his arms rested on the edge.
Speaker:“Did ya even read anything about this area when ya came here?” he asked.
Speaker:Pietro shrugged. “Not really,”
Speaker:he said. “Nobody I knew really had anything to say about it, either.
Speaker:All I heard was that it was a nice-looking place.”
Speaker:He chuckled, looking at Lee.
Speaker:“Certainly nothing about any giant dam lakes or anything like that.”
Speaker:“Well, ya know it now,”
Speaker:Lee replied. He then released the dock, submerging for a second before breaking the surface a few feet away.
Speaker:“It’s a shame, too.
Speaker:You’d probably like the water.”
Speaker:“Eh… I never really swam in fresh water,”
Speaker:said Pietro as he leaned back.
Speaker:“Too used to the beach.”
Speaker:He shrugged. “Must be nice, though.
Speaker:With salt water, you always have the salt evaporating on your feathers once you step out. It’s not fun to clean that out of your feathers, let me tell you!” “Must be even worse on fur,”
Speaker:Lee observed. He then swam over, grabbing the dock and pulling himself out of the water.
Speaker:“I’m glad I don’t have to worry about that too much.
Speaker:We mostly just have skin,
Speaker:and very little fur, hair, or anything else.”
Speaker:He then shrugged, pointing at the table next to Pietro.
Speaker:“You mind getting me that towel over there?”
Speaker:Pietro paused, his gaze still on the rhino’s body.
Speaker:It glistened in the sunlight,
Speaker:the water highlighting the curves of his musculature.
Speaker:There was something entrancing
Speaker:about it to the black hawk,
Speaker:like he could stare at the sight of Lee wet like that, the water
Speaker:dripping down past his speedo.
Speaker:It left little enough to the imagination,
Speaker:and Pietro found himself gazing at Lee
Speaker:just a second too long…
Speaker:And then, he pulled away,
Speaker:blinking. “Uh, sure.” He then grabbed the towel a little
Speaker:hurriedly, handing it off to Lee.
Speaker:“Thanks, kiddo,” he said.
Speaker:He then began to dry himself off.
Speaker:“I suppose we can run off to town some time and I’ll get you an emergency swimsuit?”
Speaker:Pietro blinked. “You’d do that?”
Speaker:he asked. “Sure,” he said.
Speaker:“It’d be a new experience for you,
Speaker:swimmin’ in fresh water.”
Speaker:“Oh, you shouldn’t,” said Pietro. “I mean… I don’t—” “You’re a friend,”
Speaker:Lee replied. He looked back at Pietro, giving him a smile.
Speaker:“Trust me, it ain’t any trouble.”
Speaker:Pietro nodded, swallowing a lump in his throat.
Speaker:“If… If you say so,” he said.
Speaker:“Okay.” “Great,” said Lee.
Speaker:He then smiled. “I’m gonna get back into my pants, and then it’s back ta eatin’ for me.
Speaker:Hope ya saved some sandwiches for me.
Speaker:me.” Pietro patted the vegetarian sandwiches he knew Lee had packed. “Don’t worry, they’re still there,” he said.
Speaker:“Good,” said Lee. “I’ll be back.” And with this, Lee hung the towel over a railway on the dock.
Speaker:He then began walking up the mountain to where Pietro knew the truck was,
Speaker:most likely to get his pants where they were there.
Speaker:And then, the black hawk turned to his sandwich.
Speaker:Good, I don’t think he noticed…
Speaker:He shook his head, looking away.
Speaker:Right? He couldn’t have seen me look at him like that!
Speaker:He then frowned, placing the unfinished sandwich on the cling film and turning away, his hands in his
Speaker:lap. The hell were you even looking at him like that for, anyway?
Speaker:Sure, wet rhino, big deal. What the hell was that look you gave him?
Speaker:He shook his head, breathing in and out.
Speaker:Yeah, that look meant
Speaker:nothing. You know that for sure: I mean,
Speaker:all those girls you’ve been with… It’s just
Speaker:looking at one guy. That doesn’t make you
Speaker:gay, right? He then shook his hands out, shaking out tension there he had not even noticed.
Speaker:Just play it cool.
Speaker:And he’ll forget it ever happened.
Speaker:And we will too. He then nodded,
Speaker:turning back to where Lee had walked off to.
Speaker:The rhino had gotten into his jeans by then, and he smiled as he pulled on a white collared shirt that hugged his body.
Speaker:“Anyway, what were we talkin’ about?” he asked.
Speaker:Pietro shrugged, smiling perhaps a little too broadly.
Speaker:“Eh… Just Popper, I guess.”
Speaker:He then bit down on his sandwich,
Speaker:eating on in peace. ----**----
Speaker:June 23, 2015 Friedrich,
Speaker:I know this is probably really stupid of me to ask of what is ultimately an
Speaker:inanimate object, but…
Speaker:Do you normally feel the way I do about a friend?
Speaker:I don’t know what it is about Lee, but I feel more comfortable around him than I’ve ever felt
Speaker:with any of my friends.
Speaker:Every time I talk to him, my heart just starts
Speaker:racing at eighty five miles an hour, and every time I look at him…
Speaker:I can’t explain it.
Speaker:I don’t know what it is, or even why I’m feeling this way. But it’s like… It’s
Speaker:like he’s something more than a friend.
Speaker:But that can’t be what’s going on here, right? I mean,
Speaker:he’s over twice my age,
Speaker:we’ve only ever talked…
Speaker:But most of all, he’s a guy.
Speaker:And I’m not into guys.
Speaker:We figured that out. I mean,
Speaker:I’ve had sex before
Speaker:in my life, and it felt pretty good.
Speaker:So I can’t be into guys. I can’t feel this way about Lee.
Speaker:Right? I don’t know. I needed to get that off my chest,
Speaker:somewhere where nobody’ll see it.
Speaker:-Pietro ----**---- “Is something wrong?”
Speaker:Pietro turned to look at Lee.
Speaker:The stars highlighted his visage,
Speaker:which seemed even more beautiful than ever in there.
Speaker:The way his eyes twinkled in the twilight,
Speaker:the way his shoulders moved with his every breath, the way
Speaker:the stars framed his horn and his face…
Speaker:The black hawk turned away, looking at the floor
Speaker:as he banished whatever thoughts of attraction he had from his
Speaker:mind. “N-nothing,” he said.
Speaker:“Just thinking about how beautiful the night is.”
Speaker:“It’s a lovely night, yeah,”
Speaker:said Lee. He shrugged.
Speaker:“Not sure why you’re thinking of that.”
Speaker:“Eh… Guess I’ve just been a bit moody lately,” Pietro replied.
Speaker:“I don’t know. I guess it’s just an attempt to distract myself.”
Speaker:Lee nodded, placing a hand on Pietro’s shoulder.
Speaker:“I know the feelin’, kiddo,”
Speaker:he said, pulling Pietro so they bumped shoulders. Pietro’s heart rate increased a little bit at the contact, but he breathed in and out
Speaker:to calm himself. “Sometimes, I wonder myself.”
Speaker:“You’ve had quite a life, haven’t you?”
Speaker:he asked. Lee chuckled.
Speaker:“That ain’t even scratchin’ the surface, kiddo,” he said.
Speaker:He sighed. “It’s had a lot of downs, is the problem. And I haven’t moved from place ta place too often.”
Speaker:Pietro nodded. “I guess it’s nice to have a home,”
Speaker:he said. “I never moved out of the house I grew up in at any point. They’ve always held on to it.”
Speaker:“Must be nice,” said Lee.
Speaker:He shrugged. “Guess I’m discovering that now, myself.
Speaker:This place is a lovely town.
Speaker:Real quiet in the winter,
Speaker:but the snow makes the roads dangerous. I don’t
Speaker:blame most people.”
Speaker:He smiled. “I feel like it’s a place I belong.
Speaker:belong.” “That’s good,” Pietro replied. “You’ve
Speaker:found a place to be happy.
Speaker:I think we could all use that.” “Yep,”
Speaker:Lee said. “It’s a sad man who doesn’t know that feelin’.”
Speaker:“You preach to the choir, big guy,”
Speaker:Pietro replied. He smiled, looking out.
Speaker:“You preach to the choir.”
Speaker:Lee nodded, pulling Pietro closer.
Speaker:They then shared a moment of silence,
Speaker:looking out at the vista of inspiration point. Pietro felt a rather odd warmth emanate from within as he looked at how the stars twinkled.
Speaker:He breathed in, his heart suddenly beating faster.
Speaker:His talons dug into the ground at that point, trying to give him something else to think about, except
Speaker:how Lee’s closeness made him feel.
Speaker:You’re not gay, you’re not gay,
Speaker:you’re not gay, he chanted to himself.
Speaker:His heart began to beat faster in fear,
Speaker:all of which he did his best not to show
Speaker:to Lee. After a second, Pietro turned to Lee,
Speaker:the rhino looking down at him.
Speaker:Pietro was faintly aware of Lee’s breath as it mingled with his,
Speaker:which only made his heart beat more.
Speaker:It was only then he noticed that Lee
Speaker:leant closer. I’m not gay,
Speaker:I’m not— And then,
Speaker:Lee closed his eyes,
Speaker:pressing his snout to Pietro’s beak.
Speaker:The black hawk’s eyes widened, and before he knew what happened, something within him swelled.
Speaker:He closed his eyes,
Speaker:parting his beak slightly
Speaker:and just going with it.
Speaker:He felt an unbearable ecstasy as he closed his eyes, feeling Lee pull him closer.
Speaker:His heart beat quickly,
Speaker:he felt higher, at Lee kissing him, and…
Speaker:Wait! Lee is kissing me!
Speaker:The reverie shattered into pieces.
Speaker:Pietro placed his hands onto Lee’s chest, before pushing away as hard as he could.
Speaker:As the kiss broke, Pietro began to hyperventilate, his heart
Speaker:beating faster
Speaker:as his warm feeling was replaced by sheer terror.
Speaker:“What…?” “Pietro?” asked Lee.
Speaker:“Pietro, are you…?” The black hawk shook his head,
Speaker:pacing around as he placed his hands on his head and squeezed his feathers.
Speaker:“What was that?” he asked.
Speaker:“I… I can’t…” “Pietro.” The rhino stepped forward, reaching for Pietro’s wrist. “Pietro, what’s—?”
Speaker:“Don’t touch me!” Pietro backpedaled,
Speaker:before looking across the street to where the compound was.
Speaker:He breathed heavily.
Speaker:“I just…” “Pietro, what’s wrong?”
Speaker:Lee asked. “What’s—?” “I’ve…
Speaker:I’ve gotta get to bed.”
Speaker:Pietro hurriedly mumbled this, and without further warning he turned, dashing across the street.
Speaker:“Pietro, wait!” But Pietro had already crossed the road,
Speaker:rushing down the curve to the door of the compound.
Speaker:He dashed in, running past a few confused chorus members before leaping into his bed and
Speaker:throwing the covers over his body.
Speaker:And there, despite the fact that the air conditioning was not functioning properly,
Speaker:he shivered in fear,
Speaker:holding his legs close to himself
Speaker:as he breathed in and out to
Speaker:try to calm his beating heart. ----**----
Speaker:OH MY GOD WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED THAT NEVER HAPPENED THAT WASN’T REAL I’M DREAMING DEAR GOD PLEASE TELL ME I’M FUCKING DREAMING FUCK I JUST STABBED THROUGH HALF THE JOURNAL PLEASE TELL ME I’M FUCKING DREAMING I’M DREAMING THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENING PLEASE GOD
Speaker:HELP ----**---- … Oh my God, that wasn’t a dream…
Speaker:It all happened… Holy fuck…
Speaker:This was the first of two parts of “Le Premiere Jour D’amour”
Speaker:by Herr Wozzeck,
Speaker:read for you by Rob MacWolf, werewolf hitchhiker.
Speaker:Tune in next time to find out how Pietro responds to Lee’s affections,
Speaker:and what he finds out about himself as a result.
Speaker:As always, you can find more stories on the web at thevoice.dog, or find the show wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker:Happy Pride, and Thank you for listening to The Voice of Dog.