Read Online SALVE ROMA! A Felidae Novel - U.S. Edition by Akif Pirinçci - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Akif Pirinçci
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though, as my sweet Rome expert didn’t look as if he lacked accommodation.
The analysis of this psychodrama had been pretty simple. But what about the drama inside my head? Wasn’t I myself a macho like the guy in front of the mirror, who believed everything beyond his sexual horizon to be filthy? Damn it, my actual plan had been discovering the hidden corners of this beautiful city instead of the unplumbed depths of my old head! So it came in handy that Antonio rose to speak again.
»Why, Francis, I guess you didn’t think that the first Italian you meet will be queer, huh? No wonder, the world more and more becomes a village. And everything becomes alike, the humans, the animals, and not to forget the common intolerance, which seemed to have infected everyone like an evil illness. Maybe your stomachache lessens a little when I tell you that I didn’t choose this. I was born this way. And I don’t hurt anyone. And – I’m proud of what I am!«
»In other words: I’m an uptight old fart, which would love to put guys like you into a concentration camp. Isn’t that what you think?«
»No, but your implied disgust at homosexuality brings grist to the mills of those who would build such camps for my kind.«
»Bullshit, I’m just old-fashioned. And in terms of intolerance, look who’s talking. It’s everyone’s right to nourish and cherish the most ridiculous prejudices, as long as he doesn’t get on the wrong side of somebody. Didn’t Kant say that? Or was that Woody Allen? Of course this generous consideration doesn’t apply to the problematic matter of mice, I guess we are at one on this point!«
In Antonio’s gored face the smooth smile showed up again and let the good old dandy return. I had a feeling that he got my point. That was very important. For the both of us. He might have made disappointing acquaintances often enough. But not one that would have made him forget how to enjoy himself. But this was different. Antonio liked me so much that it would break his heart if our new friendship died because of his confession. The same applied to me. But if you know think of the obvious, you’re totally wrong. Antonio had no sexual interest in me whatsoever. Aside from this delicate matter we were just tuned on the same wavelength.
»All right, il mio amico , go ahead and nourish and cherish your prejudice, while I think about how to cure you from them. It’s late, Francis. After this fine dinner we should look for a suitable bed for the night.«
»Do we need to sleep at the backdoor of some luxury hotel now because the people used to sleep behind the cardinals’ churches?«
»Now, now Francis, you’re in Rome, you will sleep in so many silk sheets that you will eventually long for a sleep on wet asphalt.«
»I remember that slogan. Leftovers followed it. Anyway, the silk sheets don’t sound too bad as long as I don’t have to shave my legs for that, hahaha!«
»Well, that would fit our hostess just fabulously.«
»Hostess? Isn’t it like against your club’s rules to hang out with chicks?«
»O Francis, you got to learn a lot about us. Has nobody told you that a gay guy’s best friend is a woman?«
»Not yet. And by now I’m so tired that it wouldn’t shock me if somebody told me that the Pope’s best friend is Marilyn Manson!«
We stood up and shook ourselves, so that the heavy weight in our bellies got into the right position for the hike that lay ahead of us. I just wanted to start going, when Antonio suddenly cut me off. His beaming turquoise moons looked so deeply into my average eyes that in my matt cond ition I pretty much lost focus.
»Personal dispositions and opinions aside, Francis«, he said insinuatingly. »You can totally rely on me. The both of us will shoot down this beast, I firmly believe in that.«
»I don’t just believe in that, I’m sure of that. « I replied, broke away from his mesmerizing eyes and made my way through the darkness.
»How do you know that?«
The analysis of this psychodrama had been pretty simple. But what about the drama inside my head? Wasn’t I myself a macho like the guy in front of the mirror, who believed everything beyond his sexual horizon to be filthy? Damn it, my actual plan had been discovering the hidden corners of this beautiful city instead of the unplumbed depths of my old head! So it came in handy that Antonio rose to speak again.
»Why, Francis, I guess you didn’t think that the first Italian you meet will be queer, huh? No wonder, the world more and more becomes a village. And everything becomes alike, the humans, the animals, and not to forget the common intolerance, which seemed to have infected everyone like an evil illness. Maybe your stomachache lessens a little when I tell you that I didn’t choose this. I was born this way. And I don’t hurt anyone. And – I’m proud of what I am!«
»In other words: I’m an uptight old fart, which would love to put guys like you into a concentration camp. Isn’t that what you think?«
»No, but your implied disgust at homosexuality brings grist to the mills of those who would build such camps for my kind.«
»Bullshit, I’m just old-fashioned. And in terms of intolerance, look who’s talking. It’s everyone’s right to nourish and cherish the most ridiculous prejudices, as long as he doesn’t get on the wrong side of somebody. Didn’t Kant say that? Or was that Woody Allen? Of course this generous consideration doesn’t apply to the problematic matter of mice, I guess we are at one on this point!«
In Antonio’s gored face the smooth smile showed up again and let the good old dandy return. I had a feeling that he got my point. That was very important. For the both of us. He might have made disappointing acquaintances often enough. But not one that would have made him forget how to enjoy himself. But this was different. Antonio liked me so much that it would break his heart if our new friendship died because of his confession. The same applied to me. But if you know think of the obvious, you’re totally wrong. Antonio had no sexual interest in me whatsoever. Aside from this delicate matter we were just tuned on the same wavelength.
»All right, il mio amico , go ahead and nourish and cherish your prejudice, while I think about how to cure you from them. It’s late, Francis. After this fine dinner we should look for a suitable bed for the night.«
»Do we need to sleep at the backdoor of some luxury hotel now because the people used to sleep behind the cardinals’ churches?«
»Now, now Francis, you’re in Rome, you will sleep in so many silk sheets that you will eventually long for a sleep on wet asphalt.«
»I remember that slogan. Leftovers followed it. Anyway, the silk sheets don’t sound too bad as long as I don’t have to shave my legs for that, hahaha!«
»Well, that would fit our hostess just fabulously.«
»Hostess? Isn’t it like against your club’s rules to hang out with chicks?«
»O Francis, you got to learn a lot about us. Has nobody told you that a gay guy’s best friend is a woman?«
»Not yet. And by now I’m so tired that it wouldn’t shock me if somebody told me that the Pope’s best friend is Marilyn Manson!«
We stood up and shook ourselves, so that the heavy weight in our bellies got into the right position for the hike that lay ahead of us. I just wanted to start going, when Antonio suddenly cut me off. His beaming turquoise moons looked so deeply into my average eyes that in my matt cond ition I pretty much lost focus.
»Personal dispositions and opinions aside, Francis«, he said insinuatingly. »You can totally rely on me. The both of us will shoot down this beast, I firmly believe in that.«
»I don’t just believe in that, I’m sure of that. « I replied, broke away from his mesmerizing eyes and made my way through the darkness.
»How do you know that?«
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