The Ponte Vecchio, 1968

ON THE PONTE VECCHIO IN FLORENCE, 1968

Sometimes I think Ronnie and I planned our great European adventure while playing together in the playpen. This would be the trip of a lifetime, ten weeks traveling from England to Turkey. We were 18, a bit of dope headed college students, pretty novice sexually.

We flew over on one of those chartered jets via Iceland. We hiked the meadows of Shropshire and drank in the pubs of London, Heineken brewery and the Red Light district of Amsterdam, up the Rhine River and over Switzerland to Italy. We arrived mid-summer in Florence to breathe in the beauty of ancient Italian streets, pasta and art.

Alas, the city was filled to capacity, not a bed available. We had no idea what to do until another hitchhiker told us to sleep the night on the Ponte Vecchio that arches over the Arno River. It is a covered bridge, the oldest in Florence, with small shops on each side.

After a day of sightseeing, we unpacked our sleeping bags to prepare for the night. That is when two men, one perhaps in his 30s, the other in his 50s, began a conversation, offered us smokes and sat down.

The younger man was well over six feet, handsome and well built. Yes, I noticed this because I have been attracted to guys since I was a kid although my experience was very limited. In fact, I was pretty naïve. Once, a friend was telling a joke to a group of guys about a faggot on the street corner when a policeman came by and told the guy, "Get out of here or I will shove my nightstick up your ass." The faggot replied, "Promises! Promises." Everyone laughed so I did, too, but I had no idea what the fuck they were laughing at.

As I said, I was pretty naïve and in those days, there were few places to learn what it meant to be gay. Except I knew that I was.

Back to the scene on the bridge. Young guy asks if we want to take a walk. Ronnie declined, saying he wanted to go to sleep. But I agreed. What fun, exploring Florence at night with a handsome, hot Italian guide. So we began walking the beautiful streets of Florence.

Giovanni (I finally got his name) kept on saying to me, "you know, don't you?" I had no idea what he was talking about even though he repeated it many times. He walked us into a courtyard of an apartment building and began rubbing my crotch. I was like a deer in headlights, paralyzed with fear - I was in a dark area with no one around - and at the same time excited. And hard. Really hard.

Giovanni pulled me close, his hot breath on my ear, telling me how I had a big cock, how he wants me. He kissed my neck as he fondled my dick, unzipping my pants. I was 18 for God's sake, ready to cum in a second. He pushed himself against me, his hard cock hitting my chest. Now he nibbled my ear. I was panting, fear and lust combined and I thought I would faint.

He turned me around and I could feel his cock rubbing against my back as he pulled down my pants and slapped my butt. I jumped, but he held me and I feel something pressing against my hole. Where the fuck was he trying to put that thing?

To say I had a virgin hole is an understatement. Nothing ever had gone up my ass except maybe a thermometer fifteen years before. He was huge and thick and hard and relentless. No lube, no prep, no fingers, just a massive cannon burning into me. He had his hand over my mouth because my scream would have woken the dead. I had never experienced such pain and begged him to stop.

He tried a bit more, but I was crying and slobbering and begging him. He swirled me around and pushed me to my knees. I saw this monster dick in my face and he pried my mouth open. I could taste my own ass, the goo of his pre-cum and that tangy smell of piss. And he began to thrust. I was choking, drooling, sucking, terrified.

Then I looked up and he was beautiful and his dick was iron bar hard and velvety soft, his balls were firm globes that I rubbed like a magic lamp. I was savoring the texture of his luxurious precum, swirling it in my mouth as I sucked like a baby. I was transported, out of Florence, out of my body, out of this world as I devoured his cock, on my knees in another universe I never knew existed, a divine place where men can make love, share their essence, be open to every part of the male body.

He was face fucking me now and I was in heaven as he groaned and pushed into me. And then he shot. Exploded. In my mouth. A lava flowing volcanic eruption Oh My God, his sperm, those baby makers, were now in me, swimming into my body, his DNA mixing with mine, his very essence impregnating me.

I did this, I thought. I am a hero, a mighty gladiator, bringing my man to this explosion. And for the first time in my life, I felt the power of my manhood, I am a man. I really am a man.

And I came and came and came, like the great Italian fountains shooting my ejaculate across the cobblestones, glad I was on my knees because I would have collapsed from the sensations that overwhelmed me, draining me of all my energy.

I spit. I did not know that I was allowed swallow even though the taste was there. I have since learned that was my loss, not feeling the hot flow of semen coat my throat and fill my belly.

Giovanni zipped up his pants and I pulled mine up as well. He put his arm around me as we walked back, gave me a pack of cigarettes, told me how great I was. But I was so conflicted. I filled up with revulsion and disgust. Then I was spiraling heavenward with joy at my achievement. I was 18 years old and very confused. What had I done, I asked myself, how could I suck a cock? Wait, incredible, how amazing, I actually sucked a beautiful cock and made this strange, beautiful man fill me body and soul with his essence. Could anything be more wonderful?

Ronnie was already asleep. I told him nothing. I fell asleep tasting cum and ass and spit. I slept deeply until the Carabiniere prodded us with his nightstick early in the morning. And now I understood the joke.

I have relived that evening in Florence many times. If only I could have been brave enough to take that gorgeous, massive cock up my ass and experience what later I would learn is the most beautiful, the most explosively sensual thing any man can experience, the anal orgasm that lights up my body like fireworks. Even so, sucking Giovanni's dick made me a man and for that, I will be eternally grateful.