Adam, Beloved Mentor (4)

by Tim Anders <Timlovesjase@yahoo.com.au>

Adam, Beloved Mentor (4) by Tim Anders

Revised version of 'Back in the Big Smoke' (Sequel to 'Country Life').

We were still lying on our big double bed, kissing, touching, Adam gorgeously and rightfully smug, me still glowing from the breathtaking experience just behind us: I was no longer a virgin and the happiest guy alive! The incredible thrill of physical union with my beautiful man was still lingering on.

His eyes moistened when I said how much I loved him and how I wished we could be joined like that forever. "I wish we could, little man," and he pulled me close and kissed me, "I've wanted this to happen ever since I've known you."

"Well, my love, you're the one that's been stalling," I teased.

"You _d_a_m_n_ well know why we had to wait till now, mate, it wasn't easy, believe me."

"It wasn't easy for me either, mate, I wanted to feel you so badly. But it must have been extra hard for you, because you knew what you were missing, I only guessed."

"So, wasn't it worth the wait?" he asked, squeezing my buns. He knew the answer because it was written all over my face.

I rolled on top of him till I was stretched out full length, every centimetre of my skin in touch with his, our faces so close together, we were rubbing noses, "it was," I whispered, "and I'm so glad you made me wait, mate. I'll love you forever."

"Believe me, little man, the feeling is mutual!" He ruffled my hair and his voice was filled with emotion.

We kissed and kissed again, me still stretched out on top of him, "that's the only thing I missed," I said.

"What is?"

"The kissing. I kept wishing we could have our mouths joined as well, our tongues playing with each other while I could feel you inside."

"You mean it wasn't perfect, after all?" He pushed me off, it was his turn to tease now.

"Nonono!! It would have been just that little bit more perfect," I tried to soothe him, "I guess that's the only thing where the heteros have it all over us."

"I wouldn't say that. There are ways I can give you what you want, if you're a really good boy."

"How?"

Adam proceeded to describe how he would accommodate my desire to kiss him during our next union, and my little mate rose to full attention.

"Let's do it now!"

Adam laughed, "hey, don't be so greedy, little man. I'm not Superman, you know."

I gently pulled his foreskin back, fully exposing the glans, I knew he loved that and always responded to it as I wanted him to, but just as I started flicking my tongue against it, he grabbed me and pulled me into position for a bare bottom spanking with his hand. It was more a fun spanking, but it sure stopped me in my tracks.

"I can see, I have to be much stricter with you," he grinned.

"Oh Adam, please, I want to see if it works," I begged.

"Tell you what, if you're so keen, why don't you come inside me and see how it works."

"You mean that?" I was a bit surprised.

"Why not, mate? You've been there plenty of times. Didn't you like it?"

"I did, but I thought you just allowed me in so I wouldn't keep nagging you all the time about you 'deflowering' me. I mean you being the boss man and all that."

"Hey what's this about boss man, mate? There's no bosses in this family, remember? We're all perfectly equal. Clear?"

"Not when you thrash my arse, we're not."

"OK, you got a point. I'm the boss of the discipline section. But it's a technical point only."

"Technical? Why? What's technical about it? You make all the decisions and carry them out."

He sat up, "come here, present your buns for a reminder," and he pulled me across his lap. I protested loudly but offered only token resistance. My little mate loved it. "Technical," he said as the first slap landed on my bum, "because" WHACK "you've put" WHACK "me there," WHACK "in charge" WHACK "of spanking" WHACK WHACK "your cute" WHACK "naughty" WHACK "bottom" WHACK. It was another of those buttwarming fun spankings and I giggled right through it. He let got of me and added, "any more questions?"

"No, Sir! I wasn't complaining, Sir. just stating facts." I smirked.

"Watch it!"

"Sir! Yes, Sir! We're absolutely equal, Sir!"

He grinned and took me in his arms again, "I love you, mate, and I get as much from feeling you inside me as you do when I come to visit."

I took his and my little mate, one in each hand, looked from one to the other, then at Adam with a somewhat doubting expression. "You'd never feel as much as I do."

"Size isn't everything, mate, and make no mistake, compared with the many guys I've known, you are second only to me."

Wow! I knew from observation that I am a bit better endowed than others, but that was a real boost to my ego, my little mate was beside himself. "Let's try it before I explode."

Adam guided and directed the new docking procedure, and although it took a little effort, we succeeded. I had a ginormous orgasm while inside my Adam and at the same time our mouths and tongues were interacting furiously. As I lay there panting, I realised that he hadn't climaxed and in fact his little mate was quite limp. I was trying to revive him, but Adam stopped me. "Let's save him for later, eh? I may want to visit again."

"But, you haven't - "

"Little man, you got a lot to learn still. Only because I didn't cum doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it. I loved you being 'the boss' in this one, mate. It's wonderful for me, too, to just lie back and let you do all the work." He grinned.

"You mean all the loving," I corrected him and smacked his bare cheeks.

"OK, OK, all the loving work," and we rolled about on the bed, pummelling each other till we realised it was time we thought about something more mundane, like food.

After we finally got up, showered, and made ourselves presentable, we went down to St. Kilda for a bite to eat. Adam showed me the spot where Brian had picked him up when he'd been offering himself for hire, nearly ten years earlier, and there were still several guys hanging around, doing exactly the same. I think Adam would have liked to take them home for a wash and a feed as Brian had done with him, but he didn't. We wandered along the Esplanade and as I was still worried about Roger, I restarted our earlier conversation.

"So, if Roger decides to leave Brian and has nowhere to go - " I ventured.

"Got the hots for him, have you?" Adam teased.

"No, nothing like that," I protested and blushed.

"Come on," and he took me in his arms, "I've got eyes in my head. He's a good looking kid, I could be tempted myself, and I saw you two gawking at each other the other day, not to mention the time you spent in the study together."

"Hey, you're not jealous, are you?"

"Bloody oath, I am, mate. I'll kill the bastard - grrr!!" He was nuzzling my face. I was getting a little worried, there were people walking past us, but Adam took no notice.

"Adam, darling, I would never . . ."

"Shsh -," he kissed me very gently and stroked my hair, "don't say never, my love. "

I snuggled closely into his arms "Adam, we're not at home, there are people around . . ."

"OK, OK," he slapped my bum, "let's keep walking and pretend we're happily married."

I had to laugh. His protective arm around me felt wonderful as we walked on.

"What you said before, about not saying 'never', I do mean what I say."

"Of course you do, mate, "his arm gave me an extra squeeze, "I'm only saying nobody knows what might happen. I'd fight for you tooth and nail if I thought I was going to lose you . . . "

"Adam I promise I'll never do anything - -"

SLAP! His hard hand hit my bum, "remember what I said about never?"

I stopped and confronted him angrily, "why won't you believe me, you bastard?"

Adam just laughed and gave me one of his bear hugs, "now who's making a spectacle for all to see, eh?" and he stifled my protests with another kiss right there on the Esplanade. Nobody took any notice, or if they did, they were wise enough not to comment within Adam's hearing.

"You must believe me, mate! I like Roger, yes, but I love you and I only want you!" I nearly cried with frustration, "I only asked because I don't want Rodge to get hurt."

"You want him to move in with us?" Adam asked.

"If he has nowhere else to go, yes, I mean if it's OK with you. Nothing's happened yet as far as I know, but I'd like him to know we'll be there for him if he needs us."

"Well, tell him then! As far as I'm concerned, he can come and stay with us for as long as he wants. But have you thought this right through, mate?"

"Why? What do you mean?"

"You haven't let your enthusiasm run away without thinking, have you? I mean it wouldn't be the first time, would it."

"I still don't know what you're talking about, mate."

"See what I mean," and he slapped my bottom when he said that, "what I want to know is, have you thought of the consequences if Roger moves in with us."

"Umm - " it was beginning to dawn on me what he was getting at,

"Do you really want Roger around when you're getting the cane?"

"Umm - no, I hadn't thought that far."

"Because there'll be no change in your discipline as far as I'm concerned, mate. Did you - "

"No, that was not the reason!! I just didn't think about it, truly."

"Well. you better do that then and decide how you feel about a resident onlooker."

It took me only a moment. " It'll probably be a bit uncomfortable, but it's be no news to Roger that I get the cane. So, if he's really in strife - "

"As long as we're all clear about that. I mean young Roger is actually quite cute - "

I slapped his bum, "you trying to make me jealous or something?"

"AAOWW," Adam yelped on the top of his voice as if mortally wounded, danced around, rubbing his bum, people turned around and my face went red. He loved doing things he knew would embarrass me.

"You were saying?" I tried to steer the conversation back to Roger.

"No need to be jealous, mate."

"About Roger!"

"Ah, him, - yes very cute - -"

"I know he is," I hissed, resisting the temptation to smack his backside again, for fear of another one of his wolf's howls.

"Watch it!" and he pinched my bum, sending messages to my little mate, making him grow at an alarming rate. I was glad daylight had faded on the Esplanade.

"Adam, can you please be serious and tell me if it's OK!"

"OK, serious. If you're not worried, mate, tell young Roger he's more than welcome. I just wouldn't want to have to change our life style only because we have a boarder."

"As I know Roger, he'd be upset if we change anything because of him."

"So tell him then." Adam very gently placed his hand on my bum and kept it there, as we were walking. It was an incredibly _s_e_x_y feeling. "How about we make our way back to the car," he said, "I want to take you to bed again."

My little mate extended to his full capacity within seconds. "Yes, let's!" I rejoiced, adding "_s_e_x_ maniac!" in a slightly lower tone of voice.

"Hmmm!", he was now rubbing my bum (aah, that felt so good!), "I think I may have to spank your cheeky little bottom first, when we get home," and he kept squeezing and massaging it.

"Adam!" I stopped walking, but it was too late! My briefs would have to go into the wash, maybe the jeans as well - _s_h_i_t_ - was I glad it was dark by now!

"What?"

"That's the first time I've ever been talked into cumming, mate. Thanks a lot!" I didn't know whether to be happy or disgusted.

Adam took me in his arms and whispered in my ear "you dirty boy, now daddy will definitely have to tan your _s_e_x_y bum." We raced hand in hand back to the car.

I stripped off and had a quick shower as soon as we got in, couldn't wait to get rid of the sticky and by now half dried mess. As I came back into the sitting room, still drying myself, there was my Adam, naked, his magnificent pointer directed at me, beckoning me with his finger to come closer. Of course I did, and he had me over his knee in no time, lovingly applying a dozen or so hearty slaps to my bare buns, not too hard to really hurt, but stinging enough to make me squirm and squeal.

"Owowow, that's enough you brute, what about the rape you promised?" I giggled, and he slung me over his shoulder, grunting like a cave man, marched to the bedroom where we fell onto the ominously creaking bed for a gentle and wonderful repetition of that awesome earlier event, which had turned me from a boy into a man, but lasting much longer this time, and me wishing I could just keep him there forever.

Next day, I found Roger and asked how things were going with Brian. He said everything was fine, but he didn't sound very convincing.

"Adam says he used to have a lot of problems when he lived with Brian," I said.

"Yes, I know. Brian says Adam was unbearable at 18."

"Is that what he said?"

"That's what he said but I think there was a bit more to it."

"You're not wrong, mate, there was a lot more to it. - Listen, Rodge, Adam is worried you may not be able to handle Brian like he did." Roger looked as if he wanted to protest, but I continued, "for one thing you're not built like Adam."

"Wish I was," Roger flirted, "I might have a better chance with you then." I had to swallow hard on that one. _s_h_i_t_, he was so cute and I was horny, I could have ravished him on the spot, but I would never do it, even if Adam never found out. I loved him too much for that.

"Don't change the subject, mate, Adam's seriously worried, and so am I. So, if you're ever in any trouble and want to get away, you can move in with us any time for as long as you want."

Roger was quite overcome. "Thanks Tim, I'm very touched," he was nearly crying, "but I hope it won't come to that. Brian can get a bit heavy sometimes but I can't just walk out on him. I owe him a lot."

"So did Adam, but he didn't take any _s_h_i_t_ from him, and you don't have to either. At least tell us if there's any strife. Adam will sort it out."

"Thanks Tim, and say thanks to Adam."

"OK mate, just don't forget." I gave him a hug and we held each other for just a little extra moment. "Umm, listen mate, there's one other thing Adam said I should mention."

Roger sniffled a bit, "what's that?"

"If you do come to live with us, you're likely to see me getting the stick quite a lot. Adam's introduced a few new rules - "

Roger looked appalled, " - and you're worried about Brian punishing me?"

"It's OK mate, really."

"What are the new rules?" Roger wanted to know.

"Well, it's just that I'm on a much stricter discipline regime, and I do get caned a fair bit. One of the upshots of that business with my essay is that I get three every morning before I leave, just to keep me on my toes."

"Geez mate, that's a bit rough! I'm sorry to hear that."

"No, it's OK, promise. I know why he's doing it, and my little mate quite enjoys it," I grinned.

"You got three this morning?"

"Yep, bare bum like every morning."

"Can you still feel them?"

"Not really, I mean it's nearly lunchtime. Some days they last a bit longer than others."

"Nothing at all?"

"Well, when I sit down, I can tell there's something, but it doesn't hurt or anything, know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I know that feeling," he said, "except with me it's the ones I got the night before that I can still feel the next day."

"You got it last night?" My little mate was already on alert.

"Yep, only six, but I can still feel them. He said I was lucky not to get more."

"What did you do?"

"Forgot to bring the washing in when I came home, and by the time Brian got there, it was raining and we had to put it all in the dryer."

"I've done that quite a few times myself, mate," I laughed, "you and I'd make a good pair."

"Did Adam belt you for that, too?"

"No, but he should have. It happened only once, early on. No doubt he will, if I do it again."

"I thought you said you'd done it a few times?"

"Ah, yeah, that was when I lived with Dad still. He was always on about me not taking enough responsibility, and he inscribed that message on my bum at regular intervals."

"You mean your dad belted you when you did things like that?"

"Hell yes! He had a whole collection of canes, mate, and he used them whenever I earned it."

Roger looked at me. "You know, this may sound strange, but I reckon you were lucky. My dad never really punished me. I mean he preached and yelled and all that, but I always wished he'd give me a hiding. I would have felt better."

"Yeah, I know what you're talking about, mate. I always felt better afterwards, like I'd paid for my sins. It's still the same with Adam. If I get the stick from him, I know I deserve it."

"That's what I liked about Brian, when he took me in," Roger said, "I knew exactly where I stood with him. I mean he's bigger and stronger than my dad, and even if I'd resisted, I wouldn't have got far, but I really felt safe and cared for, you know. For a while at least."

"Does Brian punish you a lot, mate?"

"Not a lot. About two, three times a week maybe, and I usually deserve it."

My little mate was at full attention by now. I could tell from the uncomfortable feeling in my tight briefs that he had even taken his hat off. I looked at Roger and noticed a bulge in his jeans as well. Our eyes met, he'd obviously checked my front as well.

"With all this talk," he grinned, " my little mate is getting all excited.

I gave him another hug, "cool, mate, mine is close to the edge."

"You wanna go somewhere?" Roger asked hopefully, "solve our little problem?"

"You call that little?" I joked, "but no, mate, I'd love to but I really can't. Got to save it all for Adam." I winked as I said that, trying to keep it light, because I was very tempted.

Roger smiled, "I know, mate. Just joking. I'm really envious the way you two love each other. Wish I could feel like that about Brian."

"Well, as I said, if it gets too difficult, you know we'll be there mate, any time, day or night."

That evening I told Adam all about my talk with Roger. I just had that feeling he wasn't telling the whole story. But Adam said, "there's nothing we can do at this stage unless Roger asks for help."

"Yeah, but what if he's too scared?"

"Mate, from what you tell me, you've made it all very clear to him, so it's up to him now. What else do you want to do? Anyway, it's time to concentrate on your studies again, instead of worrying what might or mightn't happen."

"But Adam, you said yourself - "

"Go and do some work! We know what happens if you don't keep up, don't we."

"Geez, you really piss me of sometimes, you know that? Nag, nag, nag! Worse than my mum." Adam still looked benign but I knew I'd overstepped the mark. It was an ever recurring scenario, which we both enjoyed in a huge number of variations.

He probably enjoyed my antics, his little mate definitely did, as did mine, but he always knew where to draw the line, "that sounds like you need a reminder."

"Reminder of what?" I bratted defiantly. Of course, I bloody well knew what, but I enjoyed being a brat. I knew I was going to get the stick, but getting it from Adam was megacool..

"I'll show you what! Go and get the cane, mate, I'll spell it out it on our bum."

My little mate loved every minute of this, but I carried on, "aw, not the stick again mate - I'm still sore from this morning - "

"Yeah, well, you should have thunk of that before, and I don't believe you anyway. Your bum's too tough for that."

"Aaww, Adam please!" I scrambled on his lap, hardly able to suppress the giggles. I could feel his rigid mate under my bottom.

He took a firm hold of mine through my shorts, "get off and do as you're told! Time for some discipline around here."

"Yes, SIR!" I got off his lap, looking mortally wounded, and flounced off to get the cane.

I hadn't reached the door when I heard his "come back here!"

With a sigh I returned to him. "Sir?"

He pulled my shorts and briefs right off, bent me over his knee, slapped my bare buns with some vigour, and I acknowledged receipt with pretty genuine yodel sounds, because my Adam had a very deft handwriting. After about 15 explosions on my bottom, he said, "that'll make you a bit more receptive, now bring me the cane."

Naked, rubbing my bare backside I went to get the disciplinary implement, one of those supple canes we bought a little while ago, 6 mm thin and about 75 cm long. I handed it to him. "Sorry for giving you lip before."

"Good start! Now bend over and spell the word respect - slowly." He wanted me to 'call the shots again'.

I bent forward, taking hold of my ankles, I was determined not to be a 'cry-baby' "R!" WHACK! - (yikes!) "E!" CRACK! - (ouch! that hurt!) "S!" THWACK! - (_s_h_i_t_! does it always hurt like this?) "P!" SLAM! - ((bugger, why do I keep doing this?) "E!" WHACK! - (_f_u_c_k_!! I'll be kneeling or standing up at my desk tonight) "C!" THWACK! (hell!! OK, one more to go) "T!" CRACK! (Phew!! seven stingers, but don't stand up Tim, not till you get the word)

"OK, stand up, mate." Ah, release! My hands flew to my bare cheeks, I could feel the ridges Adam had just placed there with that evil cane, and I rubbed and massaged furiously. There was truth in Adam's prediction that his hand warm-up would make my buns more receptive to the cane. The sting did feel more acute somehow, and my little mate had withdrawn under his hood during the attack. But true to his unflagging nature, as soon as I started rubbing, he perked up again and enjoyed the afterglow.

Adam gave me one of his big hugs and rubbed my striped buns, while my head was resting on his shoulder. I did enjoy those moments of closeness after a punishment, they reassured me of his love and firm guidance, both of which I knew I needed badly. I was allowed to put my shorts back on again (ouch! that felt a little tender) but nothing else, and then with a kiss and a final slap on my bottom, he sent me off to the study to do some work. The cane remained on the table for the rest of the evening, 'just in case . . .'

That was one of our rules right from very early on. Once the cane had been used, it remained out and visible to all comers. As time went by, it spent more and more time in full view. If anybody commented or asked, Adam usually said something like "Young Tim needed a little encouragement" or "memory aid" or "I kept it there in case I need to use it again." He was notorious for his ability to say things in a way that made you wonder if he really meant it. On the other hand, you didn't have to be a brain surgeon to know he did mean it. My bum was always an easy target for a slap with his hand, whenever I was near him, regardless of whether we had an audience or not. That gave me a hard-on with monotonous regularity. Well, not all that monotonous, really. I loved his attention whatever form it took.

As much as I enjoyed that attention, I still got embarrassed, even more so if someone asked about the cane and he said "ask Tim, he'll tell you." Of course I was obliged then to explain that I had a sore bottom and/or was about to get one. Fortunately I didn't have to spell out the reason as a rule, although sometimes Adam would chime in and tell them what had earned me the tanned backside.

After a while, once they all knew why the cane would be visible, the questions eased off, but their place was taken by enquiries after the state of my bum, like other people ask after your general health, except unlike enquiries after your health, these were genuine and were expected to answered. Obviously they were directed at me and again I was obliged to answer truthfully. I kept my answers as brief as I could, like "yeah, I got the stick this morning."

But some (you could see the bulge in their pants growing), would then follow up with another question, "really? You still sore?"

"Mhmhhm," (nodding).

"Been a naughty boy, have ya?"

"Mhmhhm," (another nod).

"How many d'ya get?"

"Eight."

"That all?"

"Was enough - " and so on, sometimes on and on . . . Adam sometimes rescued me when he realised I was being pestered. This usually involved a slap on my bottom, and something like "you ok, mate? Come along I need you over here," and he'd steer me away to a corner or the kitchen for a kiss and a cuddle.

One cane was permanently located within easy reach on the kitchen window sill. Not many people ventured in there, but my most embarrassing moment with that one was when we had the plumber in, one Saturday morning, to replace all the taps in the unit. He was probably in his 50s, and when he saw the cane, he took it and his face lit up. "Good grief," he said, "I haven't seen one of those since I was a wild teenager. Thought they'd disappeared."

"Oh they're still around," said Adam, " maybe not as much as they used to be."

"No maybes about that," said the plumber, "when I grew up in the old country, anybody who had teenagers, had at least one of those."

"My dad came from Europe too," said Adam, "but the tradition must have been very similar. We used to get the belt."

"You're too young for that, mate. I thought that went out of fashion ages ago."

"I'm 25 now, and it happened less than 10 years ago. I had a very old-fashioned dad," Adam smirked.

The plumber grinned, "well, there you go," almost with admiration. "Did you no harm, by the looks of it."

"Well, at the time I wouldn't have agreed with that. "

"But you've changed your mind?"

"I reckon it'd do a lot of young bucks a lot of good." Adam said, looking at me and I began feeling very uncomfortable.

"Couldn't agree more!" The plumber was warming to the subject. I didn't like the drift of this conversation one bit, especially with him waving the cane around and swishing it through the air. "Still in pretty good nick, this," he said appreciatively.

"Oh yeah," said Adam, looking fondly at me.

The plumber looked at Adam, then at me in my footy shorts, and I blushed, and then something must have clicked, because suddenly he himself blushed and put the cane back in its place. "Yes, well, as I say, pity they're not much in use any more." And he went outside to turn the water off at the meter. Nobody was more relieved than I.

I worked in the study while Adam mowed the lawn and the plumber went about his job, which took quite a while. All seemed OK with the world, until Adam came in, just as I got myself a drink from the fridge. "Were you in the garage today," he asked. Our garage was full of junk and gardening stuff, his car was always parked on the road outside.

"No, why?"

"Well someone must have, I wasn't in there all week till I got the mower out."

"So? What's wrong?"

"Well whoever went in there didn't turn the bloody light off when they left."

I remembered I was in there to dig out some books from the old boxes, when the hell was it? _s_h_i_t_!!

"Um - er - sorry Adam, I WAS in there getting some books, but not today!"

"That makes it worse, mate, when was it? Yesterday? Day before?"

"Day before, I think. I'm sorry."

"Well, I'll spare us both the sermon, you know all about waste and electricity bills, but -."

"Yes, I know, and I know what you're going to say." My little mate became very interested, especially with Adam dressed in nothing but his very _s_e_x_y dilapidated cut-off jeans. He was such a gorgeous hunk, who wouldn't like being spanked by him?

"Very good," he said, pointing to the cane on the window sill, "take it down to the study and get ready."

I looked at it lying there the window sill, "aw, not now please, not with him in the house."

"He's down in the bathroom at the moment, he won't hear a thing unless you yell."

"Please Adam, can't we do this when he's gone?"

"Nope." He took the cane himself, grabbed me by the neck and marched me back to the study. _s_h_i_t_! I really didn't want the plumber to hear what was going on, but I also knew he wasn't going to relent. Once in the study, Adam put the cane on the desk, "you know what to do, mate. I'll be back."

I dropped my shorts and waited for Adam. For a moment I had the awful thought he was going to invite the plumber to listen or even watch, and I was mighty relieved when he returned alone.

"OK, now, just so you remember, tell me why you're being punished."

"I left the lights on in the garage."

"That's right, and now bend over."

I took hold of my ankles, the cane whistled and landed on my bare bum with some force.

"OWW!" I yelped.

"I thought you were worried about the noise," Adam said.

WHACK, the second one landed.

I sucked the air in through my teeth. I could hear the plumber working on the pipes but didn't even care any more, as long as we got it over with.

CRACK!! "Yeouch! that hurt, mate."

"How surprising," said Adam, as he brought the cane down again on my naked bum.

CRACK!

"OWOWOW, please, Adam!"

"And one more makes five. OK stand up mate." My hands flew to my striped behind and started rubbing as Adam took me in his arms, "that was the second time, mate. Make sure it doesn't happen again."

I nodded, "I won't do it again, promise."

"Ok then, take the cane back and then back to work."

I put my shorts on and took the cane out to the kitchen, but the plumber was working there now. I stopped and turned around, but Adam was right behind me and propelled me forward. The kitchen window was right above the sink, and when I put the cane back in its place, the plumber smiled "I wondered what happened to it," then to Adam, "had to use, it did you?" I wished the floor would open up and swallow him or me.

"I told you they haven't gone completely out of fashion," said Adam with a broad grin.

"I was pleased to hear it," the plumber said, "you left the door open."