this town it’s all about sex or money or both.  So everyone is going to try and get in your pants just to say they have.”

“And what do I do about that?”

“Pick and choose, do what you want, when you want, with who you want and be man enough to suffer what ever consequences your actions might bring.  Most of the time, the person who will struggle the most with it is you.  Not many people in this town have a conscience or many morals, and you have heaps of both, that’s part of the attraction man.”

“Thanks, I guess.”  Ian appreciated the words, but wasn’t sure that he exactly understood was Reece was saying.   

“Look, if you meet someone you find attractive and want to have sex, do it no matter if it’s a man or woman. You’ve always been straight, but the freedom that this town offers to experiment with the same sex can be overwhelming and very tempting. Everyone will tell you to do what feels good, it’s natural, it’s okay.”

“And you?” Ian asked, “What do you think?”

“I think when it comes to that sort of thing you have to remember that your mind is what really controls your feelings, and that your heart often has a mind of its own.  If you can get both of those to work together, you’ll be fine.”

“I doubt that that’s possible.”

“Maybe not, but you can stop shutting one out and only listening to the other.  My mama once told me to take three seconds before doing anything for the first time, if your heart still has a fear or your mind still has a question it’s not too late to back out or in this case back up.”   

Ian looked at Reece.  “Your Mom is a very intelligent woman.”

“Yeah, she just comes off as dumb sometimes, because I think that’s what people expect of her. I think she’s dumb because she’s my mother, but the older I get the more I understand how wonderfully brilliant she is.”

“I’m learning that quickly myself, Reece, and I’m learning the same about you.  I’m glad you’re my neighbor and I’m even happier that you’re my friend.”

Reece smiled, “Aw shucks, can I get in your pants now?”

Ian pushed him off the chair and they got into a childish shoving match, laughing and horsing around so Ian almost didn’t hear the doorbell. Reece told him he’d talk to him later and disappeared in the trees.   

Ian, Ralphie in tow, went to front door.  On the front doorstep stood a beaming Hooper Duvall, he threw his arm around Ian and it was old home day.  For a few minutes they rehashed the past and caught up to date.  Ian almost didn’t see and Hooper almost forgot about the laptop he carried under his arm.

Finally the subject of Saturday night came up and Hooper stopped the conversation.  “That’s what I’m here about…”

Ian panicked a little.  “Did Marc say something to you?”

“About what?”  He asked.

“Nothing, go on.”  Hooper opened the laptop and began to press buttons and finger the little square. “Well, I’ve known you a long time, granted there’s a fair sized gap in between but one’s ability to hold liquor doesn’t change that much.”

“Well, it must have and it hit me like a ton