Marshall is going nowhere fast. His days are spent working hard as a landscaper and his nights are spent alone. He enjoys the comfortable rut he’s settled into, but soon discovers fate has other plans.
Along comes Sean, a handsome waiter with a charming smile and checkered past who appreciates Marshall’s kind heart as well as his stunning physique. Sean’s charisma is exciting, and Marshall finds himself drawn to the waiter with a desire unlike any he has felt before. Is Marshall too naïve to know what pleasures await him? Is Sean the right man to teach him the ways of love?
The rest of the afternoon went smoothly. Marshall knew just what needed done and he was able to direct Sean on how to do the basic things so he could tackle the more involved tasks. As the sun was setting, Marshall was hauling away the last of the debris and Sean was sweeping the sidewalk and patio free of grass clippings. When everything was done, the men stood and stared at their accomplishment.
“Wow!” said Sean. “This looks amazing. We really did it!”
“Heck yeah we did. It looks awesome. I hope it works out for the little guy’s party.”
“You should come,” said Sean.
“Naw. I would feel awkward. I wouldn’t know anyone.”
“Please, come. You’d know me and you’d give me a distraction from my family and Anna’s family.”
“Is Anna Wesley’s mom?”
“Yeah,” said Sean who crossed his arms as a cloud passed across his face.
Marshall felt sorry for the guy. He’d obviously been through a lot. “Okay, I’ll come. Can I just give your kid some cash or something? I don’t know anything about toys.”
“Heck no. You can’t give him any gift at all. This,” Sean’s arm moved in a sweeping motion indicating the entire yard, “is more than enough of a present. I wish I could pay you more. You really helped me out of a tough spot.”
“I don’t want any money. I had fun today.” Marshall was standing at the side of the house, turning on the garden hose which he used to pour water over his overheated head and neck.
“No way, dude,” said Sean. “I’m paying you.” He held out a small roll of bills which Marshall refused to accept. “Take it, man. I’m serious.”
Marshall looked up, smiled, and shot a small blast of water at Sean. It hit him square in the chest and caused him to yelp. “Hey!”
Marshall stood up with a chuckle. “Put your money away, dude.”
“You’re taking this fu --” Another burst of water hit Sean in the face. He screamed like a scalded cat. “That’s it!”
Sean leapt onto Marshall, knocking him to the ground. Marshall maintained his grip on the water hose and began trying to spray Sean off of him, but he mostly succeeded in spraying himself. The wet shirtless men rolled on the ground, laughing - Sean trying to stuff money into Marshall’s waistband and Marshall rolling away and spraying water before Sean finally yelled, “Truce!”
Both men collapsed, chests heaving, grass and leaves stuck to their bodies, ear-to-ear smiles on each of their faces. “Truce?” asked Marshall.
“Yeah,” said Sean. “I won’t pay you for all your hard work today but you have to let me do something for you next weekend.”
“Okay. Like what?”
“Like, I know this really cool place to camp up by the lake. Come with me and I’ll provide all the beer and snacks you can handle.”
“Woo-hoo!” said Marshall. “That sounds like a plan to me.”
“Wait,” said Sean. “How old are you again?”
“Twenty.”
“Okay, all the soda and snacks you can handle.”
“What the --”
“Hey,” said Sean. “I have a kid to raise. I ain’t doin’ time for contributing to your delinquency.”
“I’m hardly a juvenile delinquent,” said Marshall as he stood up and brushed himself off. “I’m a full grown man.” He turned slightly to the side and flexed his arm muscle. “Or had you forgotten.”
It was Sean’s turn to blast Marshall in the face with water.
“That’s it, waiter boy. Your ass is grass.”
