Journal: The Beauty and the Beast

"You rang?"

Roger looked at his computer to see if one of his interoffice chat windows opened.

"Up here, big guy," Roger hated that comment, created by straight men to keep in touch with one another. But when Josh said it, it didn't seem as bad. Roger looked over the PC at Josh staring down at him. "Lunch hour bum rush. Julie sent an email saying you needed help?" That was Josh. No interoffice chat. Right down to business.

Roger had hoped the fake email would work. It apparently did.

"Yeah, I mean, yes, yes, I do. I, yes, ahh," Roger had been focused on his work and allowing himself to daydream about what would happen if Josh came over. There was little opportunity to think of much else when Josh honestly did come over. "yeah, I mean, yes, I can't get my own email to open. I didn't want to walk downstairs to get the tech guy. You know how they are."

"I know, so full of personality. Here, scooch back and I'll take a look," Roger did as he was told.

And now Josh was standing in front of him, slitghly bent over on Roger's keyboard. He irons his pants, Roger noticed. His shirt is pressed to. And look, he's wearing a tank top underneath! Not a beater either, one of those shoestring jobbies that leaves the shoulders exposed to the neck! He must be gay!

"Password?"

"What?"

"What's your password?" Josh leaned to his left to allow Roger to type. Only Roger couldn't. He had to reach his left arm around Josh's frame and that didn't work either, but Roger liked the symbolic hugging. "Here, I'll move..."

Roger typed in the info and the email application came up.

"Oh. Well, it seems to be working now."

Josh leaned back around the monitor. "Yeap." With the ease of a cat he looked at Roger's face, now only about a foot away. "Need me for anything more?"

And he shaves using a razor! "No, no, we're good here."

Josh began to exit out the office door.

"Josh?"

Roger turned back around with a sigh. "Yes?"

"Thanks," Roger picked up the phone and tried to make it look like he was going to be on the phone and that Josh's visit was not as exciting as it was. "See ya." He acted like he was dailing the phone.

"No prob, sport," and then turned the corner.

The email program sat on his desk open and Roger closed it and reopened it with Julie's password.

Dear Josh,

Rog just called saying how nice it was for you to take time out for fixing his computer. You know how those techheads are downstairs. Form this, form that, even though you are trying to get your work done! Good job. Roger has been here for quite awhile, so a complement from him is a big deal.

I'm stuck in this meeting all afternoon, on break right now with the wi-fi--hey, are you doing anything tonight? I was wondering if you would want to head over to the Student Union for a cup of coffee. I have this paper due next week and I was thinking we could discuss it. It's up to you. It's going to get done either way.

Something to think about. I'll be working late as it is.

Julie

Roger then blind carboned it to Julie, so she could see it on her monitor at the meeting.

He smirked at his handiwork. He had just helped his best friend, the guy he has a crush on and his got his own computer program to work. It was going to be a good Tuesday afternoon.