Skater Boys, the new anthology edited by Neil Plakcy, is officially available. The anthology contains Kick, Push, my story about what happens when a chance encounter with a skateboarder drags up some old feelings for an office drone. My St. Louis friends and readers should definitely recognize a place or two or three in the story.
He gives me a light punch on the arm and says “Take it easy, man.” I watch him as he skates ahead of me, his foot dropping off the board every once in awhile to give himself a little push. His sneakers are a bright red. Kick, push. Kick, push. Away he goes.
My work day is long and boring, and I can’t help but think about the skater. In another world, he could have been me, and I could have been him. I could have kept the skateboard. Instead, I use words like “tiered maturity” and “compound interest.” I could have kept the mohawk. Instead I’m here, thinking about ducking into the bathroom for a quick workday wank.
A girl named Allyson is asking me if I want to go to lunch with her and a couple of the other guys. I tell her no, and slide out from behind my desk. I leave my jacket hanging on the back of my chair and dart out of the office before anyone else can offer me a lunchtime field trip.
The sun is out and high and warm, and the Loop has started to pick up with life. I look around at all of the young guys, keeping an eye out for my morning skater. In the wide street next to Vintage Vinyl a small group of skaters show off, doing small tricks off of the curb and the brick half-wall that separates them from the parking lot next door. None of them are my skater, though.
I think about ducking into Vintage, but instead I head down to Star Clipper Comics; it’s Wednesday, and new comics are out. After I pick up the handful of new books that I follow, I decide to waste time and browse through the graphic novels. I pick up a book called “Black Hole” and start to flip through it, drawn in by the stark black and white artwork and a flash of the occasional cock shot.
“That’s a great fucking book,” I hear someone say. I look over to see my skater, the guy who bowled me over in more ways than one this morning. “Hey,” he says. “You remember me from this morning. I’m Joe.”
“How could I forget?” I ask. He’s holding a small stack of comics, and his board is tucked in between the straps of his backpack.
“I really am sorry about that. You should let me make it up to you. At least let me buy you a new coffee.”
“Um, maybe, but I should be getting back to the office.”
“Playing hard to get, huh?”
“What?”
“Man, it’s written all over your face.” He leans in closer, and whispers into my ear: “It’s okay. I think you’re pretty cute, too.”
“I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”
“You live nearby, don’t you? I mean, you walk to work in the morning, so you can’t be far.”
“I—”
“Come on, man. Live a little. You can show me your comic collection.”
From the publisher:
It takes a tough and independent young man to find the best places to shred. No wonder skaters have become the object of gay desire: brimming with attitude and sexual confidence, athletic skaters are quick to shred their shirts and show off their beautiful bodies. The characters of Skater Boys all have one additional thing in common: a love of hot man-on-man sex.
Take a ride with the uninhibited, wild young men of Skater Boys.
With contibutors: Johnny Murdoc, Connor Wright, G.R. Richards, Bearmuffin, Rob Rosen, Neil Plakcy, Jay Starre, Heidi Champa, Logan Zachary, Ryan Field, Jeff Funk, Martin Delacroix, Stephen Osborne, Aaron Michaels, and P.A. Brown.
The book's available now from your favorite local bookstore, Amazon.com, or directly from the publisher.
