The Brownstone: Untold Stories Ch. 01

"If you trust me enough I would be more than happy to show you." There was a hesitating shrug before he said okay. Adam could tell that Wally was unsure of everything that was happening but for some unknown reason he was more than willing to see it through.

"Do you shave yourself also?" He asked. They were in the bathroom and Adam was running warm water getting everything ready.

"I have someone do it for me." His thoughts strayed to Renaldo and the last time he was at the shop.

"Do you get hard when you are being shaved?"

"Yes...most of the time. The man that shaves me is very attractive...um...we...well you know..."

"Is he your boyfriend?" Wally had taken off his clothes and was sitting on the toilet, his long legs pulled up with his cock jutting out between them. Without even thinking Adam grabbed his camera and took a couple of shots of this erotic pose.

"No...he's not...this is difficult to explain...but I belong to a group of men that only have sex amongst ourselves. We value cleanliness and health above everything else. Renaldo is the exclusive barber for this group. He too belongs to the group and therefore it is acceptable if I...well you know..."

"So you don't sleep with anyone that isn't part of your group?"

"No...never...." Adam said.

"Oh..." He said not making his thoughts clear enough for Adam to understand. "I'd like to see how you look shaved." Wally announced a moment later, there was also an undercurrent of 'you've seen me, I want to see you'.

Adam took a step back and pulled down his sweatpants. His cock which had been under control grew from the knowledge that it was being looked upon. Reaching down Adam pulled his cock up to show Wally his pristinely shaven pubic area and balls. Without the least bit of hesitation Wally reached out and let his fingers graze lightly over the clean shaven balls.

"That is nice..." he said holding his eyes to Adams'. "I told a little lie earlier, when I told you that I don't think about anything when I masturbate...last night, when I had taken off my clothes and was standing there watching your reaction...seeing the yearning in your eyes...I imagined you on your knees with my cock in your mouth..." His didn't blush and wasn't embarrassed by his admission.

"Wally...I don't want you to think about us like that right now...let me be your friend first...please..." Adam stepped back and pulled his sweat pants up covering his now angry cock.

If Wally was disappointed he didn't show it. He simply dropped his legs to floor and asked what he needed to do.

Adam had him start by using a small scissors to trim his pubic hair as much as possible. When he had completed the first step Adam had him lather the hair around his now hard cock with shaving cream from Renaldo's shop and using a new razor blade shave has much as he could with the help of the mirror Adam held for him. When he was done he told Adam he didn't feel comfortable shaving his balls. Adam volunteered to do it for him with the understanding it wasn't a sexual come-on, it was purely for the sake of the photo shoot. Adam tried his hardest to keep it as clinical as he could but couldn't keep his raging hard on under control as he touched Wally and pulled the razor gently over Wally's full balls. He thought at one point he was going to lose it when he lightly ran his fingers over the shaved areas to make sure he had gotten all the hair.

"Are you comfortable enough to bend over and let me shave your ass?" He asked after he had taken a warm towel to his pubic area and balls and let Wally feel the silky smoothness of his newly shaved area. Wally's cock was rock hard and spewing pre-cum but they looked past that as he discovered a new and sensual feeling on his body.

"Be my guest." Wally said standing to turn around. He bent his long body over the sink and reached back to spread his ass cheeks. Adam, speechless, knew he had to make quick work of the shaving as he felt his cock throbbing against his stomach.

"I know I should apologize to you," Adam said as he made quick work of shaving his sparsely haired ass, "I am extremely turned on by this and for that I am sorry. I promised you I would be professional and I feel like I'm letting you down."

"I'm turned on too Adam. Your touch is very...well it's soothing and sexy at the same time."

Adam had no earthly idea how he prevented himself from taking Wally at the very moment or shooting his load.

*

Charles' gaze was transfixed on the final photo – the piece de resistance – Wally in the throes of his orgasm. The black and white photograph was the epitome of everything Adam had ever hoped for in his art, making the one dimensional photograph come alive. From the tightness of his abs, to the strain of his fingers holding his cock Charles could practically feel the pulsing ejaculation. There was cum everywhere, shooting from his cock, on his abs, dripping from his nipples and even a thick strand cutting across his thigh.

"I'm speechless..." Charles said letting out a deep breath of air. "I have never seen anything like this before Adam...I...of course I would love for you to have an exhibit here...but be prepared – everyone is going to want to own your art...I just never knew you were so gifted..."

"Thank you Charles. I appreciate your kind words. I'm not sure I want to sell any of the pictures...but I wouldn't mind having some of my work adorning the walls of the lounge area...that's always been a dream of mine."

"Then that's what we shall do...maybe you'd consider doing a photo session of Michael and I, I would love to have some art of us together."

"It would be my honor to photograph two such stunning men." Adam was pleased that Charles would consider doing something like that.

"The model? Are you with him?" Charles wasn't one to beat around the bush. Adam also knew the question was two-fold. He needed to know if Adam had gone beyond the rules of the brownstone...plus he suspected that Charles was turned on by him and wanted to get his hands on him.

"Not really Charles. He's had a really difficult time of it...when I met him he was living hand to mouth. He's put himself through school, Columbia, and is going to graduate this spring. He was living in a fifty dollar a week flop house. It had been close to two days since he had eaten when we met..." Adam sighed telling Charles about the first meeting.

"I'm pretty sure he likes men. He never talks about woman and he told me it turned him on knowing that I was turned on by him." Adam intentionally left out Wally's admission of wanting him to suck his cock.

"Do you think he would be a good submissive?"

"No. He's definitely not that. He commands attention...I mean look at the body he was meant to be worshipped."

Charles shook his head in agreement.

Adam took a deep breath and got to the other reasons why he asked for meeting. "I need two more things from you Charles. Please. One...Wally needs a job. He's graduating with honors from Columbia in a few months with a degree in Information Technologies. I know you've been fighting the battle of technology here at the brownstone trying to protect the members. I honestly think that Wally can help you out. He's been working on my system at home and in such a short time he's made a two hundred percent difference." He stopped speaking and waited for Charles to speak.

"And what is the second thing?"

"I'd like for Wally to be vetted...he wants to explore his sexuality and I want him to be able to do it in a safe environment."

"Are you in love with him?" Charles asked.

"No." Adam spoke the truth. He would never love anyone. It wasn't in his genetic makeup to feel strong emotions towards another human being. "He needs a friend right now and that's what I want to be. I won't lie to you that I dream of feeling that cock of his sliding in and out of me one day, but right now it's more important that I be his friend."

"I will meet the boy...bring him by tomorrow late afternoon..." Charles said. "Now...lunch or an exam?" Once again Charles dropped his hand to crotch this time letting Adam see the outline of his thick cock that was still hidden by his pants.

"Oh most definitely an exam...I have missed seeing the doctor..."

"First you have to relieve this ache...then we'll go upstairs." In total sync with each other Charles unzipped his pants as Adam dropped to his knees. Opening the portfolio Charles allowed himself to get lost in Adam's mouth and the picture of Wally's orgasm.

Reuben Schwartz, better known to his American friends as Ronald, was late getting home and knew that he was going to have to endure the wrath of his mother the moment he entered the house. Even at eighteen years old and standing a foot taller than her, she could stand on her tip toes and pull his ear letting him know she would always be the boss.

Zana Schwartz didn't speak English even though they had lived in the United States for ten years. To her children, all eight of them and all of them boys, she spoke Italian and to her husband she spoke Yiddish. She was a proud woman whose husband, Rabbi Yehuda Schwartz had been given his own Synagogue in Brooklyn New York. It was her job to be there for him and never said a word when he took her from the only home she had ever known in Venice Italy to move to New York. A home was where her husband and children were, it didn't matter if she was in Venice or New York.

When he ran in the back door two hours late Ronald knew he was going to get it. From the living room he heard voices speaking quietly in Yiddish. He understood the language but disliked speaking it. He preferred to speak either English or Italian, which he loved. At that moment however he was more concerned with getting upstairs and cleaning himself up.

"Reuben? Is that you?" His mother yelled in Yiddish. For some reason she wasn't speaking in Italian which led him to believe he was in more trouble than he figured.

"One moment madre" he yelled from the steps. Looking in the hallway mirror he wiped the sweat from his brow from running the ten blocks to try to cut some time off being so late. He had sweated through his tzitzis, undershirt and the clean white shirt he had just put on that morning - his mother was going to be angry about that too. From his pocket he pulled out his yarmulke and put it back on his head tucking his peyos back behind his ears. Checking himself once again he shook his head knowing that no matter what he was in going to be in trouble so he might as well face it now rather than later.

In the living room he found his mother and father, Rebbe Shlomo the principal of his school, his wife Chana and their daughter Sarah. Taking another step in the room he looked over and saw Ruthie the Shadkhin, the matchmaker, munching away on apple strudel his mother had baked.

"Where have you been?" His mother asked quietly in Italian. Zana was in her ninth month of pregnancy but you couldn't tell by the way she acted. Even heavy with a baby bearing down on her she was to be feared, and respected. "We told you to come right home after your studies."

"I'm sorry madre...I lost track of time...please forgive me..."

"What a mess you are...and we have guests...you are simply impossible...well don't sit near anyone you smell like the neighborhood dog. Just sit and listen...you father is making a match...for you my son." Her voice choked with tears was also filled with pride.

He was the first born, he was the chosen one, expected to follow in his father's footsteps. The only problem was he wanted no part of it...and now they were telling him he was expected to marry. He knew all along that his parents planned on making a shidduch (match) with Sarah, she was the prettiest and brightest girl from their self-imposed ghetto they lived in. The match had been verbally agreed upon prior to the meeting but now they were formalizing the arrangement. Decisions had to be made, where would they live? How much of a dowry was her family putting up? These were important things that parents needed to take care of - just like their parents and their parents before them.

Hours later Ronald lay in his bed unable to sleep. He was about to conclude his Yeshiva years in New York his parents having decided to send him to Israel to complete his schooling. His whole life had been planned for him. He would complete his rabbinical education in Israel then back to the United States to be a junior Rabbi under a great scholar like his father while he worked on his Master's in education. Upon his return he would be married to Sarah, the shidduch was done, the contract signed.

He couldn't marry Sarah. It wouldn't be fair to either her or him. He didn't love her and knew he never would. He debated telling his father how he felt. His father in turn would simply wave his hand and say 'don't be silly'. Even at age eighteen children don't know as much as parents do.

Unable to sleep he got out of bed and left the dormitory size room he shared with his brothers and went downstairs. He found his father in the kitchen sipping a hot cup of tea and like always hunched over his Talmud analyzing a passage.

"Papa" he said walking into the room. Yehuda looked up and smiled.

"It's late, you should be sleeping." He mumbled but pointed to a chair for him to sit. He welcomed the company of his oldest son. He pushed his cup of tea to the center of the small table for them to share. "What bothers you so that sleep can't find you?" His father spoke English but preferred Yiddish and most of the time a hybrid of words came from him.

"So many things papa..."

"Tell me. What can weigh so heavily on you my son? Always remember this Reuben, everything in life is fixable." He had switched to Yiddish and Ronald knew any minute he would be quoting the scriptures to him.

Ronald smiled at his father. As far as he was concerned Yehuda Schwartz was the smartest man in the world but was he capable of being understanding also? Taking a deep breath and saying a silent prayer he began, "I'm not sure I want the life you have laid out for me papa. I love God with all my heart but I want something different." Ronald wanted to flinch, draw away from his father, because for sure he was going to slap him across the face.

Instead Yehuda was silent. He looked into his son's eyes. Yehuda had always felt blessed because his life had been laid out for him, allowing him to devote his life studying the words and in service to the All Mighty. He had always loved God more than anything else in his life. Reuben had always been so very different and even though he recognized it years earlier he had hoped with time that his beloved son, this child of God, would eventually come around.

"It has always been this way Reuben. The first born son follows in his father's footsteps. I followed in my father's footsteps, who followed in his, who followed in his." He paused for the dramatic effect a truly great Rabbi uses, "Now that being said neither I nor God would ever force someone to do something they didn't want to do. If you don't want to serve the All Mighty than I could never force you. What do you propose to do instead?"

Tears instantly filled Reuben's eyes. He had hoped and prayed that his father would understand. The weight of the world was finally off of his shoulders. "I would like to help people in other ways papa. I believe God wants me to help all types of people through social work."

"That is an honorable professional and I am proud that you want to serve the many. If this is where you see your passions then who am I to stand in your way?" It was that simple. Ronald was elated. "But I suspect that is not all that is bothering you, nu?"

"No papa...and this is a more difficult to explain...I think that Sarah is a very fine girl and she will make a very fine wife...only not for me. I want the freedom to be able to choose who I spend my life with, papa."

This was more difficult for Yehuda to swallow. For generations parents made the decisions who their children married. Yehuda didn't even meet his lovely Zana until the day of his wedding. The moment he lifted the veil and gazed into his lovely wife's eyes his heart filled with love and it's never faltered. Yehuda wished that for his son.

"My son, again I will never force you to something you don't want to do. I will call Ruthie in the morning and speak with her. Do you want her to set up meetings with other potential wives?"

Ronald shook his head no. "I don't want to think about a wife until I have finished school and can afford to support someone papa. I don't want someone to have to wait for me."

"That is an admirable quality my son but you mustn't wait too long. It is important that you bring life into this world."

"I won't papa..."

"Come we will pray and then sleep for a few hours. We have much work to do to set things right."

*

Six months later Ronald stood at the bus station saying good-bye to his parents as he boarded a bus bound for Syracuse, New York where he had been accepted to SU. Half way into the trip, at an extended rest stop Ronald slipped from the bus into the men's room where he removed his tzitzis. Kissing the knotted fringe respectfully he folded it carefully before putting it in to a zippered pouch in his bag. From the same bag he took out scissors and an electric razor he had charged overnight and removed his heavy beard. He wasn't ready to turn his back totally on his religious beliefs, knowing it was forbidden to use a regular razor. When he was clean shaven he took the scissors and for the first time in his life cut his peyos, the long hair he had kept hidden behind his ears. When he was done he barely recognized the face the staring was back him.

For the first time in his life he would look like everyone else.

*

Ronald loved his life in Syracuse. The first year of school flew by. He successfully talked his way out of returning to Brooklyn during the holidays and breaks citing the expense of travel and his demanding studies. As much as he hated lying to his parents with each day that passed he moved further and further away from the life he was raised in. In his heart he knew that he would never be able to return to that life again. He had already worked through the guilt of turning his back on his religion, believing that if God had wanted him to be a pious man he would have made him one. No, the life he was leading was the life he was destined to lead.

Three months into the second year Ronald's roommate burst into their room upset and nearly in tears. Trevor was on a sports scholarship, on the swim team, and it was hanging in the balance. His qualifying times were dropping and if he didn't pick them up he was going to be cut from the team.

"When are the next rounds of quals?" Ronald asked formulating an idea.

"Tomorrow!" Trevor almost screamed. He was pacing around the room exasperated.

"I read an article a few months back that said shaving can reduce drag...you have considered this option?" Ronald had seen Trevor naked enough times to know that he had an abundance of excess hair.

"Yeah sure...but I wouldn't know how to even go about it."

"I could help." Ronald was unsure how his roommate would feel this. Even though they were roommates they shared nothing in common. Trevor was the macho jock and Ronald was, well, no one could quite figure out what he was. Whereas most people regaled others with exploits from their short lived lives Ronald always remained quiet. He studied more than he socialized and no one had ever seen him engage a female in conversation. Always the private person, Ronald tried to hide his upbringing, even though most people could tell just by the way he spoke that he was Jewish and in Brooklyn most people associated the Jews as ultra-orthodox.