“Jonny!” Ewan yelled.I left anyway running up the stairs nearly tripping and falling, racing through his front door. I ran down the street on Primrose Hill. While running, the cold London wind stinging my still bare chest, I saw Jude strolling along the way holding a leash with a tall black poodle pulling on the end. He raised his hand and said, “Why hello Jonny.” quite congenially. I stopped catching pace with his long stride.“Fancy seeing you here Jonny.”
“Oh, uh….I was visiting Ewan.”
He looked over at me shivering carrying half my clothes. “Really Jonny. It’s cold outside. You should put those clothes on rather than carrying them under your arm like it was a warm summer’s day.” He looked over his face darkening by a degree; “People may getthe wrong impression.”
“And what would that wrong impression be?”
He turned to me appearing shocked, “Well…. That you’reincontinent.”
“Oh yeah. Of course.” I pulled on my T-shirt tucking it carefully into my jeans and tied my laces on my shoes. Jude stopped politely for me. “Do I lookincontinent still?” I asked.
“No. That’s better. You don’t look at all incontinentnow.”
I stared at the poodle trying to recall hearing of him having any pets. “Is that your poodle?”
He whipped his head around and glowered at me,“Where’d you hear that?”
“Uh…I guess I just assumed.”
The poodle stared up at me panting, and looking blank and poodle-like as it shook about its red collar.
Jude was still looking critically at me; “It’s my neighbor’s poodle if you must know. He’s named Rudolph.”
“Um.oh.” I patted the poodle’s head politely.
Jude said, “Yeah…he is cute…. Even if he’s just a poodle.” He turned his head to look forward gaining a vapid expression, seeming to have forgot his annoyance. I relaxed a bit staring back at Ewan’s home inwardly sighing. I walked with Jude until we reached the pub where he left me. He had to go to the park for some reason or other.
I stepped inside noting the dark atmosphere. Hardwood gleamed rich in color form all sides while tows and rows of bottles refracted light over the Tiffany lamp lighted bar. The steady clack of poolballs were comforting in the background noise. I ordered a milkshake from the bar uncertain of whether I wanted to drown my embarrassment in alcohol or sugar. I took the milkshake drinking it sullenly, then later requested that he put a dash of Hefewiezen in the shake The Hefeweizen was terrible, so I ordered several shots of vodka in quick succession.
The bartender suddenly leered at me and leaned over on the counter in front of me putting his elbows on the mahogany counter. I looked up at him and he grinned stupidly. “You know boy…. YOU are really cute.”
His head then nodded quite comically; or so it seemed as I was under the impression of alcohol.
I transparently muttered, ”Thanks”
He leaned further over staring pointedly at me; “I mean REALLY cute.” He stared expectantly at me.
“Um…thankyou.” I said again. I quickly finished the drink, and escaped as quickly as I could returning to the hotel, which I had been holed up in for weeks. I was aware I had yet another session tomorrow to sit for. I hoped since he had completed the painting of myself with only background to add I would have to stay no longer than five minutes. I didn’t know if I could handle such embarrassment again.
The evening passed, and then a night of rather fitful sleep. My mind was rampant with several very pornographic images of Ewan and myself. I woke early and stared out the window for nearly three hours,prepared myself to go.
I knocked at the door reluctantly. It opened quickly and Ewan grinned at me, “I was worried you wouldn’t come.” He gestured for me to come inside where I followed him back down to the basement studio.
I peered suspiciously around as if to see where a wooden mallet might be waiting to fall on me, unsuspecting. “Um…. So…. You just have the background to do, right?’
He turned to me with h is eyes wide, “Well, well, I did the background already.”
“Then I can go home?”
Stammering he said, “The paint dried to a strange color. It doesn’t…. Contrast well with the background.” He had picked up the turnip and was clutching it in his hands with wide blue eyes staring. I knew I would make a fool of myself if I stayed.
“I should go.” I decided to be cold to him. Even cruel. “It’s a poor portrait. You have lost your skill for painting. I will not pose for such a crude pieceof work as this”
Ewan looked as if he had been kicked looking down quickly to the ground; “You aren’t serious Jonny? You’re acting.”
“Acting? That’ll be left to you. I quit acting now too.” I said to him tersely.
He stepped up to me and looked up at me pleadingly.
“Don’t do that!" I yelled.
He exhaled sharply and flung himself at my feet, “Jonny, Jonny, Don’t leave me. I’m sorry I don’t paint well. I’ll do better this time. Better. You should never have seen me again. My love for you has ruined my painting! I couldn’t bear it if you left me now! Oh don’t leave me! Don’t leave me!” He lay wounded at my feet.
I was really quite alarmed. He was so completely, and absurdly melodramatic. So much as to frighten me. But I realized that he wanted me as much as I wanted him. I also found it oddly intriguing to have this man I loved quivering at my feet awaiting my mercy.
“For God’s sakes Ewan. On your feet.”
He stood to his feet still staring downward. I reached my hand forward and lifted his chin with my hand and pushed my mouth harshly to his feeling him grow heated and compliant against my kiss. Wrapping my arm around his waist I pushed him over to a paint-stained sofa in one corner of the room. I threw him down and forced my lips on him again. My brain seemed to grow fuzzy and unclear as the kissing and groping continued. Finally, we both needed air. Pulling away I noticed the patches of paint on the couch. Pointing them out I asked him what had happened. He blushed furiously.
“You remember how I was in that movie, “The Pillow Book”?” He already had an amused look on his face, which usually signaled another conversation about his penis, which held of course, a great interest for me. I nodded remembering particular scenes quite vividly. “Well, umm…I played a bit with that here.”“Ooohhh! With who?”
“It was when Jude and I were together.”
Again I exclaimed, “Ooohhh! Can I paint on you?”
A look of excitement spread across his handsome features. “Yeah.” He stood while I went to the cabinet where he kept his paints. I held up a bottle of ink staring at him questioningly while he nodded his approval. I turned to him. “Take off your clothes and lie on the sofa.”
He obeyed me without delay and stretched seductively on the couch one arm slung lazily over his head. I crossed over to him with a calligraphy brush in hand opening the bottle of ink quite ceremoniously and stopped suddenly realizing I had no idea what to write. I shoved a strand of hair away from my face hoping it might inspire something to write. I looked discontentedly at the strand of hair cursing it under my breath as it brazenly disobeyed me falling into my face again. Suddenly an idea struck.
I scrawled carefully in what I imagined to be calligraphy, “Property of Jonathan Rhys Meyers.” Ewan looked down to it and laughed throwing his head back. “Was Jude better?”
Ewan threw his head back again laughing more, “No. He was too analytical about it. Don’t worry. You’re doing great.”
I stared some more at the beautiful flesh before me and doodled a few flowers and such over it with vines running every which way. I drew moons and stars with maidens and boys dancing in the moonlight across his chest and down his thigh. His eyes closed in contentment at the cool brush hissing against his body. I went to the cupboard again, and from the same set of inks brought out a violet, green and red. I sat next to him and touched some flowers with red, others with purple, and the leaves green. I watched the ink take quickly to his skin.
Suddenly I was taken over with a swell of love. The sort that is often mistaken for a tumor pain and leaned over kissing his closed eyelids causing the blue wells to flitter open. Reaching up with his hand to caress my neck I felt reality slipping away; and was very happy. I slipped away from his hand. He protested as I stood further away from the couch and smiled wickedly at the creature. I began to pull off all my clothing setting it in the corner and grabbed the peppermint Dr. Suess hat still sitting on the counter tipping it onto my head. I spun around dramatically and advanced on him. I straddled him and threw the hat back where it belonged, out of sight. I bent over Ewan, nibbled his ear and whispered, “The world has changed because you are made of ivory and gold, the curves of your lips rewrite history.” He began to laugh maniacally. I said, “But I really meant it.”
He looked at me doubtfully forcing me to reassure him with another kiss, deeper this time than ever. His eyes shimmered madly in the dark lighting each shadow accentuating the lines of his body. He suddenly looked away his blue eyes blinking.“What is it Ewan?”
“Didn’t you hear that knock?”I shook my head only to hear that knock after the first shake. “Well, if it’s the outside door, I see no reason to answer it.”
He frowned again, “But it isn’t. It’s inside thehouse.” I listened, and surely enough it was. “Well, Ewan, if they’re axe murderers, I’m quite sure they wouldn’t bother knocking.”
He still looked worried. Then I heard the basement door open and a shadow came down the stairs followed by its owner.
More to Come………………….. Back to the Archive
