---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Old Valley Road Hotel.
By Wombat. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Any constructive comments are appreciated. I'm at 'bungala_wombat@yahoo.com.au'. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Nifty Readers, If you enjoy this story or others on Nifty, please send a generous donation to Nifty.org at 'http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html' to help support and maintain this free service full of wonderful stories so it may continue to remain available to everyone.
Thank you all, Wombat ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 7 - 'A Rainy Day' Part 20.
------------------------------------ Part 80: The Revenant ------------------------------------
After take-off, he watched a couple of movies then slept for most of rest of the journey to Singapore.
Arriving at Singapore's Changi Airport the following afternoon and after passing through customs and immigration, he was conveyed in a white Daimler limousine to the Raffles Hotel. He felt like royalty riding through the streets of Singapore. He resisted the temptation to give onlookers the royal wave as perfected by Queen Elizabeth. At the hotel he was given the suite in which Ernest Hemingway had stayed. It was named the 'Ernest Hemingway' suite.
After a shower and then an enjoyable dinner in the hotel dining room, he settled into the Long Bar and ending up drinking too many Singapore Slings while chatting merrily with a group of Americans.
The Singapore Slings were expensive but Ellis did not care. He had money to burn. He bought the Americans at least several rounds of drinks. He could not remember how many.
Sometime after midnight, the Americans announced that they were going to bed and departed. Ellis felt a little lightheaded after all the alcohol he had drunk but he made his way to his suite without incident. It had been a very long time since he last had too much to drink. He tumbled into bed and slept in late the following morning.
He spent the rest of the day just bumming around the hotel. He took in breakfast, morning tea, elevenses, lunch, high tea and dinner. After dinner he migrated to the Long Bar again. The Americans were not there but he had a few Singapore Slings nonetheless, not nearly as many as he had the previous night.
The next few days he spend ordering a few suits from a bespoke tailor, visiting the Jurong Bird Park, the Singapore Botanic Gardens, the Singapore Zoo, strolling along Orchard Road, taking a ride in a bum boat, lunching at the many stalls and eating places and just strolling around the city. Each morning he would have a good hard workout in the hotel's well-equipped gym and each evening he would go for a lengthy run around the city before dinner.
He was impressed how clean the city was, not like London where you had to watch your step because of all the dog shit littering the footpaths, particularly in Mayfair. In Singapore the footpaths looked as if you could eat off them.
After his week in Singapore he boarded his plane home. When he arrived at Sydney's Kingsford-Smith Airport after the eight-hour flight, he was met by his father.
At first he did not recognise his father. He saw an old man anxiously scanning the passengers disembarking from the flight from Singapore and noted the man's resemblance to his father. Then he realised that seventeen years had passed since he last saw his father who would now be in his early seventies. He was shocked to see how much his father had aged.
He went up to the old man and asked, "Are you looking for Ellis de la Mare?"
The old man looked at him anxiously without a flicker of recognition.
"Yes, I am. Why?" he replied.
"Hello, Dad. I'm Ellis."
The old man's mouth dropped open in surprise. Then he recovered himself and offered his hand.
"My goodness! You're huge."
Ellis pulled him into a hug.
During the hug his father ran his hands over Ellis's broad back feeling the solid mass of muscle. When they loosened the hug, Ellis's father kept his hands on Ellis's upper arms feeling the thick strong muscles.
"Goodness me, it is you, Ellis. It's really you," he said wondering. "But you've grown so big and strong and muscular. You were so much thinner when you left all those years ago and now you've really filled out and you've grown into such a big strong man now. I just can't believe it. I can hardly believe how much you've changed."
"A lot's happened since I last saw you, Dad. It's been a long time."
"I'll say! Seventeen years! Martha's going to get a real surprise when we get home. We had no idea that you've grown so big and strong. You should've let us know."
"Well, I guess I didn't think it was all that important. I've been like this for years and kind of got used to it."
"Not important! Ellis, I didn't recognise you because you've changed so much."
"I had trouble recognising you, Dad. You're a lot older and greyer now than you used to be."
"It's been seventeen years since we last saw you, son, and both Martha and I have aged. Many years have gone past. Things have happened. Babies born and people died and children growing up. I've been retired for years now, a grandfather many times over and I'm even a great-grandfather now with one baby great-grandson. And Martha and I've been praying for you every day."
"Thanks, Dad. I appreciate that."
"Anyway, son, let's get cracking. The car's in the car park. Bit of a hike, I'm afraid. How will you go with all that luggage?"
"I'll be right, Dad. I can manage. I've managed this far."
"Yes, I suppose you have, my boy. I suppose you have."
When they arrived at Ellis's parents' house in Pymble, his mother was beside herself with excitement at seeing Ellis after the long time he spent away. She was amazed to see how much bigger he had become. She could not get over the difference and she kept saying things like how nice it would be to have a big strong young man about the house to do all the heavy jobs his father was unable to do.
That evening they had a special meal she had cooked to welcome Ellis home.
The following Sunday was the First Communion for one of Ellis's nieces. Ellis's parents made it clear to him that his attendance at the church service was required. The niece was Bridget, the seven- year-old daughter of one of Ellis's sisters. The service was held at the local parish church of the Sacred Heart at Pymble. Bridget looked so pure and virginal clad all in white with her First Communion dress and veil. Ellis forbore from any comment.
He went up and received the Blessed Sacrament of the Transubstantiated Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. His childhood training clicked into place and he received the sacrament as if he always had been, even though he had not been inside a Catholic Church the whole time he had been away.
Coming back from Communion he had the feeling of being a complete fraud. Here he was pretending to be a good Catholic for the benefit of his parents and family as if he had attending Mass every Sunday the whole time he had been away. He felt empty as if he were just a hollow shell. Nothing happened when he received Holy Communion.
He had not told anyone in his family that he was gay. The only exception was his great-aunt whom Ellis had found very supportive. She had said nothing and nothing was mentioned in her will about Ellis's different sexuality but Ellis could not help but feel that the old lady had left all her estate to Ellis because he was gay and to spite all the rest of the family who were busily sucking up to her, giving her lots of unwanted advice and telling her what to do. She had told Ellis that he was the only one who was a true companion to her in her old age.
A party to celebrate Bridget's First Communion was held at his parents' house. All the family and friends gathered there.
Virginia, Ellis's sister and Bridget's mother, greeted Ellis with, "So, the Prodigal Son has returned home at long last."
"No, not prodigal," replied Ellis. "I have not spent my capital. It's still intact."
She looked him up and down and said tartly, "Obviously the life of the idle rich agrees with you. So you're the big muscly he-man now."
"Whatever."
"Whatever indeed," she said and flounced off.
She ignored him for the rest of the time. His other sisters did not speak to him at all. They ignored him.
Leonard or Leon, his elder brother, came up and shook his hand warmly. He was pleased to see his younger brother after many years away and complemented him on his magnificent physique. Leon was a successful businessman now with many interests. He was married with six children and he had put on weight. He was quite portly now and looked his age.
Sometime later, Leon came up to Ellis and took him aside out of earshot of everyone else.
"Look, Ellis, I've got a proposition for you," he said.
"Oh yeah," replied Ellis sceptically.
Leon laughed and said, "It's not your money I'm after. It's your body."
"This is getting better by the minute."
Leon laughed.
"Look, keep this strictly to yourself, please," he said. "I don't want anyone else to know about this."
"OK."
"Ellis, I've bought an interest with some mates of mine in a gay nightclub in Darlinghurst and we've been having a bit of trouble there recently, like fights and things. We need a big strong fellow like you to keep order. Are you interested?"
"No, Leon, definitely not. I'm definitely not interested."
"Too gay for you, eh?" laughed Leon and elbowed Ellis in the ribs. "You certainly are solid muscle. People would take one look at you and back off."
"Yeah, whatever. But I certainly don't want a job as a bouncer."
"OK. Just thought I'd ask. I guess you don't have to work."
"Not as a bouncer anyway."
Leon looked at Ellis pensively. He seemed lost in thought briefly.
He said, "You know, Ellis, you've really stacked on a heck of a lot of muscle. You're a lot bigger that our brother Barry used to be and, as you should remember, he was a very big boy. His muscles were the envy of every other boy in the school."
"Goodness me," replied Ellis. "I'd hardly thought about him while I was away."
"Yeah, well, we've been praying for his departed soul every Sunday. And we've been praying for you too, Ellis. May God be thanked that you're back home again fighting fit and in excellent health. I've been missing you, Ellis and I'm really glad you're back home again."
"My sisters aren't."
"That's their problem," replied Leon. "It's so good to see you again."
His eyes were damp. He gave Ellis a long hug.
Things had changed in Australia while Ellis had been away overseas. When he had left Australia in 1967, Harold Holt, the successor to the long-serving Prime Minister Robert Menzies, had been Prime Minister of a Liberal Party government. Not long after Ellis had arrived in India, Holt had disappeared while swimming in the surf south of Melbourne. He was succeeded by John Gorton and then Sir William McMahon. McMahon was in turn defeated by the Labor Party under Gough Whitlam. The Whitlam government instituted radical changes in Australia that greatly upset rich people and big business as well as arousing the ire of President Nixon of the United States. The Murdoch media empire campaigned vigorously against Whitlam and the Labor Government. Then the Governor-General Sir John Kerr dismissed the Whitlam Labor Government and the Liberal Party under Malcolm Fraser won government with a landslide in the ensuing election. People said that at least the Whitlam Government did not suffer the fate of President Allende who was killed during the military coup in Chile in 1973 that was engineered by the CIA under orders from President Nixon. That coup resulted in a military dictatorship under General Pinochet that ruled Chile for seventeen years. The Fraser Government in Australia lasted until the 1983 elections when it was defeated by the Labor Party under Bob Hawke, who was the then serving Prime Minister when Ellis arrived back in Australia. All this was remote to Ellis was in the United Kingdom for most of that time.
After about three weeks staying at his parents' house tolerating the good Catholic atmosphere, Ellis could not stand it any longer. His bedroom had a prominently placed picture of Jesus displaying his bleeding Sacred Heart with a crown of thorns wrapped around it. Ellis found it most irritating that his parents kept treating him like a child even to the extent of reminding him to say his prayers.
He said to them that he was well and truly an adult now nearly forty years old. He had been independent of them ever since he left home nearly twenty years previously. He had been living overseas for seventeen years.
He visited the real estate agent, Bernard Bassett, who was looking after his rental properties. He wanted to see if Bernard had any places available for him to move into.
Bernard was one of Ellis's great-aunt's faithful retainers. Aged in his early sixties, he had managed her rental properties for many years. Now he worked for Ellis. He knew Ellis's family well and went to the same church in Pymble as Ellis's parents.
Only one place was free for Ellis to move into. It was a large penthouse that occupied all of the topmost two floors of a tall multistorey apartment building on the waterfront of Sydney Harbour in Elizabeth Bay.
It had been vacant nearly a year. It had been left fully furnished when the previous tenant, a Mr Long, decamped back to Singapore after the failure of his business ventures in Australia and he had left a mountain of debts including more than two years' worth of back rent owing to Ellis for the Elizabeth Bay penthouse.
Ellis went with the real estate agent to look over the penthouse. He liked it. The place looked as though Mr Long had departed leaving behind most of his acquisitions including an extensive art collection on the walls and all the furnishings.
The luxurious penthouse was splendid. It was right on the waterfront of Elizabeth Bay with excellent views. It was about half a kilometre (500 yards) from Kings Cross and Potts Point.
One feature that intrigued Ellis was that the penthouse had two entrances, one for each level. Each entrance was the only one that opened onto the two lift lobbies, one on top of the other. One entrance opened onto the living level and the other opened onto the upper level that was occupied by the bedrooms. Ellis remarked that feature would be useful if one wanted to get rid of a girlfriend in a hurry if the wife came home unexpectedly. Bernard gave a thin smile.
The furnishings were in keeping with the penthouse. They were of an equally luxurious standard. The living room was well furnished with very comfortable seating, a high quality hi-fi stereo with a professional stereo amplifier, turntable, large serious-looking speakers, an impressive looking tape deck and cassette deck and even one of the new compact disk players. For the stereo was a collection of vinyl records, cassettes, CDs and a few tapes. Filling one corner of the living room was an enormous (cathode ray tube) television set with a screen supposed to measure 36 inches. Dominating the living room was a big black Yamaha grand piano.
However, the view from the living room far outshone the interior with its views on three sides looking out over Sydney Harbour, Elizabeth Bay, Rushcutters Bay and the Garden Island Naval Base. High floor to ceiling windows that extended the full two floors allowed an unobstructed view of the surroundings. A wide balcony ran around the outside of the lower floor. On the end facing Sydney Harbour Bridge was a set of outdoor table and chairs complete with shade umbrella.
Ellis asked Bernard if the furnishings in the penthouse were all his. The agent replied that that all the contents were his because they were in the penthouse owned by him and had been abandoned by Mr Long. They would be recompense for the rent owed. Bernard also informed Ellis that Ellis owned the cars left in the parking station in the basement of the apartment building. In addition, Mr Long had signed a document signing over to the owner of the penthouse all the contents of the penthouse and the garage in the event that the rent was not fully paid up. Everything in the penthouse belonged to Ellis.
The four bedrooms on the upper floor were luxuriously furnished. The master bedroom had a big soft very comfortable king-size double bed. Attached were a big fully equipped en-suite bathroom like the one Ellis had in the Dorchester Hotel and also a dressing room with a walk-in wardrobe. The other three bedrooms had en-suite bathrooms. As well there were two guest bathrooms, one upstairs and one downstairs. All the bathrooms were equipped with bidets. The bathroom attached to the master bedroom was remarkable in that it had two of everything, two hand basins, two toilets, two bidets, two showers but only one bath. One shower was in its own alcove recessed into the wall while the other was encased in a glass shower screen.
A study and a library on the upper floor looked out towards Woolloomooloo, Garden Island, Sydney CBD and Sydney Harbour Bridge. The interior walls of the library were lined with books.
All the rooms on the upper floor had floor to ceiling windows as well. These windows were furnished with thick curtains.
The parking station below the apartments covered four basement floors. Four parking spaces came with the penthouse. In two spaces were the cars left by Mr Long. These were a dark green current model Mercedes- Benz 500 SEL and a bright red V8-engined Ferrari 308 GTS quattrovalvole (four valves per cylinder) which had the removable targa top. The agent offered to transfer the registration of the cars to Ellis who was delighted to accept.
Ellis moved into the penthouse as soon as he could manage. Living there was like living in the Dorchester Hotel only better. He decided he would use the master bedroom for himself.
He renewed his New South Wales combined car and motorbike driving licence and cruised around Sydney in the Mercedes. He felt safer in the big solid-feeling car because he had not driven a vehicle in thirteen years. He had not needed to either in London or at Findhorn. The Mercedes felt very different from the Ambassador he drove in India.
He tried starting the Ferrari but with no success. In frustration he ended up getting it towed to a garage that specialised in Ferraris and was recommended by Bernard. He was told that it would take at least a month to go through the car and make the necessary adjustments and repairs.
Driving the Mercedes around Sydney, he was amazed how much the city had changed in the seventeen years he had been away. Old buildings had gone and new skyscrapers had taken their place.
He had to be careful negotiating the big car through the narrow streets. The heavily trafficked Darlinghurst Road through Kings Cross was particularly challenging.
There was a gym on the ground floor of the apartment building but it was too lightweight for Ellis's requirements. He noticed that most of the users were women.
He found a heavy duty hard-core gym for men only. It was fairly close by in Kings Cross. It was called the Sparta Gym. When he had a look inside, he saw that most of users were big heavily muscled-up men who were quite nonchalantly hefting heavy weights. The heavy metal music pounding through the speakers added to the muscular feel of the place. What made it even attractive was that none of the big musclemen wore any kind of top when they were exercising. Ellis enjoyed the sight of all those hot sweaty muscle-packed torsos glistening in the gym lights. Not only that, but there was a decent sized swimming pool in which all the big muscular men swam naked. It was definitely his sort of place, even better than the gym in Earls Court. He very quickly shed his top and was accepted as one of the guys. Many admired his powerfully muscled physique. A number of the men made approaches to Ellis but he turned them all down. He did not say why.
He did not feel comfortable driving the big Mercedes to the gym. He thought that the guys at the gym would consider him to be a rich wanker if he turned up in the big luxury sedan. Instead he walked or ran to the gym. After a heavy workout, it felt good to relax in the warm water of the swimming pool. It was big enough and deep enough to swim in and Ellis often swam a few laps.
Ellis was interested to discover that many of the men who used the gym worked as bouncers for the nightclubs in Kings Cross. Big, powerfully muscled men, they were too.
As well as going to the gym daily, he went on long runs around the surrounding districts, either west and around the botanic gardens or south and east to Darling Point and Double Bay.
He looked through the art collection hanging on the walls of the penthouse. There were paintings by Brett Whiteley, John Olsen, Margaret Preston, Gladys Reynell, Margaret Hopton, Ian Fairweather, Margaret Olley, John Brack, Albert Namatjira, Grace Cossington Smith, Harold Wray, Jeffrey Smart, Bruce Wyndham, Arthur Boyd, Russell Drysdale and Carlos Camorro.
The works by Carlos Camorro attracted his interest. One was a striking portrait of a powerfully muscular naked man with curly black hair riding bareback on a massive great big white stallion rearing up into the air with front hooves flying. The man's fist punched the air joyfully. All the muscles on both man and horse bulged with power.
Another was of the same man that exuded virile potency and power. The man was naked and Carlos obviously delighted in painting the beautiful and awesomely muscled he-man who looked so tanned and healthy. His huge muscles bulged with power and strength. All his muscles were tensed, huge and bulging. His powerful arms were outstretched. His mighty long fat cock hung down between his mighty thighs. It looked beautiful. His whole body looked beautiful.
There was a portrait by Harold Wray of the same man with a strikingly beautiful woman. It was titled 'Mr and Mrs Kursky' and it depicted both the man and woman naked. The woman was sitting on a hand-made chair made of eucalyptus wood while the man stood next to her. In the distant background was a rugged mountain range. The portraiture of the naked persons was subtler than the Camorro paintings. The people looked as though it was the most natural thing in the world for them to be naked. Ellis speculated that the picture was a parody of the conventional Victorian portrait of husband and wife. Wray had depicted the powerfully muscular magnificence of the man and the shining ineffable beauty of the woman.
A third work by Camorro portrayed the well-known artist Hal Wray. Ellis admired the magnificent muscular nude man with long brown hair and a full-face beard down to his chest. All Hal's muscles were shown bulging with power. Hal looked like an ancient warrior king in the nude.
A number of the paintings were by Bruce Wyndham. One had a strong impact on Ellis. Entitled 'The Sinner', it portrayed a young, beautiful, muscular and naked blond man praying fervently before a cross supporting an image of the tortured Christ. It intrigued Ellis to note that the young man had an erect penis. He felt some kind of kinship with the young man.
A second was of shearers at work shearing Merino sheep. In the foreground was a shearer shearing a ram. The shearer was a powerfully built and dark-haired man clad in a blue singlet and blue jeans. The muscles on his strong arms bulged powerfully as he ran his clippers over the supine ram to remove its fleece.
A third picture was of a group of builders erecting a building. Strong fit tanned lean and muscular young men working only shorts and big work boots were busy putting up the frame, climbing ladders and scaffolding and affixing the wooden wall panels of the building. It was a busy painting with many splendid specimens of manhood working hard with their muscles bulging.
The fourth showed a well-built man standing on a diving tower preparing to dive into a swimming pool. He was wearing the briefest of thongs bright purple in colour. Ellis considered that the subject was much more muscular than the usual swimmers build.
The fifth was entitled 'The Demolition Expert'. It depicted a big, very muscular man of bodybuilder proportions clad in a yellow hard hat, skin-hugging blue jeans, big well-worn leather boots but no shirt or top. Every bulging muscle of his magnificent torso and arms was painstakingly portrayed. Slung over his shoulder was a formidable- looking sledge hammer. The man had a satisfied smile on his face. Behind him was a pile of rubble. Ellis reflected that the man portrayed had a very similar build to his own.
Through the building management, Ellis arranged to have someone come in to clean and do all the housework. A Mrs Brcic, a large cheerful middle-aged woman with bright red hair presented herself as his housekeeper. She said Ellis should call her by her first name, Marica. Ellis noted that she was about the same height as he was. She was a big robust well-built woman. He was happy to have her come and work for him. She told Ellis she was a Croat. She was definitely not a Yugoslav. She wanted nothing to do with that nasty Communist state of Yugoslavia.
Marica was a willing and hard worker. She even made Ellis's bed daily and changed the bed linen weekly. She put all the clothing and bed linen through the washing machine and drier as often as necessary. To Ellis she was a treasure. She came in daily and kept the penthouse spotlessly clean. She even cooked for him. To his delight, he discovered he enjoyed Croatian cuisine and it suited his dietary requirements. He was working out daily in the gym at Kings Cross.
Ellis asked Bernard about retrieving the rest of his belongings from the house he lived in before going overseas, the house that belonged to his late great-aunt and was currently leased to the American family. Bernard agreed to ask the tenants. He got back to Ellis a couple of days later and said that he would take Ellis to the house the following weekend.
Bernard picked Ellis up in his BMW 733i sedan. On the way there, Ellis asked Bernard about getting the artworks in his penthouse valued. Bernard suggested he talk to Roman Kuzniewski, a well-known art dealer, valuer and art gallery owner. He was young but was very knowledgeable.
Ellis said he knew Roman. They were in the same class together all the way through school.
"You know he's gay these days," said Bernard conversationally.
"No, but that doesn't bother me," replied Ellis. "As long as he knows his stuff."
"Oh, that he does, most definitely. I don't suppose him being gay would bother a big strong man like you."
"No, of course it doesn't. Anyway, it'll be good to catch up with him after all these years."
"You know he's living with another man, a big strong fellow taller than you."
"I wouldn't hold that against him," laughed Ellis.
"I don't. But it does seem rather unusual even these days when anything goes and Christian morality has gone out the window."
They arrived at the house that had belonged to his great-aunt and in which Ellis had lived before he went overseas. Bernard introduced Ellis to the American family living in the house, Carl and Beth Hansen and their adult daughter Yvette. They were delighted to meet their landlord and said how much they loved the house. Beth apologised for occupying the house. They did not know Ellis was coming back from overseas so soon. Ellis brushed the apology aside saying that his decision to return was a last minute decision.
The family were very grateful that they were allowed to drive the old Morris Oxford. Carl said that the car had real style that one didn't see in modern cars. Ellis replied with a laugh that they were very common in India. They masqueraded as Hindustan Ambassadors and Ellis had owned one while he was in India. When he left India, he sold the car to the wife of a friend of his and she really liked it. He was happy that the Morris was being driven regularly and he would not dream of taking it from them.
They went to the garage and Ellis saw that the car was immaculately well kept. Its paintwork gleamed as if it were new and the car's interior was spotless.
At the back of the garage he spotted under a tarpaulin his old 650 cc Triumph Bonneville motorcycle that he had bought before he left for overseas. He was delighted to see it although it was dusty and the tyres were soft. All the fuel had evaporated from the fuel tank.
Carl confessed he had considered riding the motorbike but Beth would not allow it. Beth said that Sydney was a big city and the traffic was scary especially as everyone was driving on the wrong side of the road. She was not prepared to let her husband risk his life riding a motorbike in Sydney's hair-raising traffic. After all, Sydney was much bigger and busier than Wallingford, Connecticut where the Hansens had lived previously.
Ellis asked if he could come around again with a car and trailer to collect the motorbike and Beth promptly invited him around for lunch the following Saturday. Ellis accepted.
Bernard recommended a motorcycle repair workshop that specialised in British motorbikes. They would get it roadworthy again and the shop was in Darlinghurst not far from Elizabeth Bay.
The house had been properly maintained in Ellis's absence and it was much the same as Ellis had left it. The garden was neatly kept. A gardener came in weekly and Beth liked doing the gardening as well.
Most of the clothes that Ellis had left behind were now far too small for him. Beth said she would donate them to charity. The few items of clothing and other belongings he wanted to keep, Ellis packed in Bernard's BMW. Ellis and Bernard had afternoon tea with the Hansens and afterwards Bernard drove Ellis back home.
Ellis found it very difficult to find clothes that fitted comfortably on his muscular body. He looked in the department stores and men's wear stores around Sydney but with little luck. Those shirts that fitted his broad shoulders flapped loosely around his waist. Trousers and shorts were hopeless. Those that fitted his waist were far too tight over his thick powerful legs. He found a Vietnamese tailor in Kings Cross, a Mr Huynh, who was willing to make up any clothes to fit Ellis's uncommon shape.
Ellis telephoned Roman and invited him around for dinner. Roman was delighted to hear from Ellis and offered the services of his boyfriend to cook the meal. Ellis gratefully accepted the offer as he had very little experience in cooking and he was going to obtain the services of Marica for the evening.
Roman turned up with his boyfriend Bill Gould early the next afternoon. Both men were wearing jeans and close-fitting white T- shirts. Roman was the same age as Ellis and shorter. He was a slim, lean, neatly built man with angular East European features, straight neck-length blond hair pushed back from his high forehead and clear steely blue eyes.
Bill was a big, ruggedly handsome, unshaven man with a mass of wavy dark brown hair and a thick bushy dark brown moustache. He had a powerful muscular build similar to BJ. His big thick muscular arms were spectacular. He was taller than Ellis and several years younger. Ellis liked his big dark eyes.
Ellis was wearing a red tank top and blue denim jeans.
When they arrived, Ellis hugged them both. He was overjoyed to see Roman again and delighted to meet Bill.
When they were inside the penthouse, Roman said, "So, Ellis, you would like me to cast my discerning eye over the collection of the departed Mr Long Phat Wang".
"I didn't know he'd died," replied Ellis.
"No, he hasn't. He just shot through back to Singapore in one hell of a hurry leaving a trail of debts behind him."
"Sounds like a choice character."
"He seemed all right to me, quite charming in fact but that was a few years ago when I last cast my eye over his collection. I didn't bring Bill with me then. That time I did a valuation for insurance purposes. It was worth over half a million dollars back then and I see he's acquired a few more in the meantime."
"Golly, what's it worth now?"
"Dunno. Wait until I've had a look."
"Do you know, Ellis, that Mr Long Phat Wang has a brother called Long Phat Kok?" asked Bill with a grin.
"Oh yeah?" replied Ellis sceptically.
"Yes, he does," said Roman, "and Mr Long Phat Kok is in the aphrodisiac manufacturing business."
Ellis laughed. "You haven't changed, Roman, not one bit. Pull the other leg, mate. It plays 'Waltzing Matilda'."
"That's true, Ellis," said Bill. "He went into business with a bunch of Australians and he's making aphrodisiacs from a traditional Aboriginal herbal recipe. Apparently the company is going gang- busters in China and the rest of East Asia and the Australian share- holders are raking it in from the profits."
"And the reason the Australians got involved was to stop the slaughter of wild animals like rhinoceroses for their horns and tigers for their penises and other animals for their body parts supposed by traditional Chinese medicine to have aphrodisiac properties," put in Roman. "They wanted to make an aphrodisiac that really worked and drive the traditional remedies off the market and so protect the endangered species."
"Can you get it here?" asked Ellis.
"No, not unless you get a mate to bring it here from Singapore or Kuala Lumpur or somewhere like that," replied Bill. "Apparently there've been too many old fellows taking the stuff and dropping dead in the arms of their lady or gentleman loves."
"Why?"
"Dunno. Blood pressure goes through the roof and the old guys burst a blood vessel I guess," replied Bill with a laugh.
"Bill, did you go to Saint Innocent's?" asked Ellis. "Your name sounds vaguely familiar. Didn't you do well in sports like athletics and rugby?"
"Yes, I did," replied Bill. "I was a few years behind you and Roman. I remember you, Ellis, as one of Roman's scaly mates, the guy with the French-sounding surname."
"Yeah, Bill was so big and hunky and muscular even in his early teens I couldn't take my eyes off him," put in Roman. "Shame I couldn't take you to bed then, Bill."
"Even though we were being screwed cross-eyed by the older boys," said Ellis. "How long have you two been together?"
"Ages, I reckon," replied Bill.
"I've been lusting after Bill since I first clapped eyes on him at school," said Roman. "But Bill and I've been together formally for sixteen years."
"Golly, that's a long time!" exclaimed Ellis. "You two must've started soon after I went away."
"Yep, we did and Roman's one sweet fuck," said Bill putting his big strong arm around Roman.
Roman leaned up against Bill and planted a lingering juicy kiss on his lips. Bill wrapped his arms around Roman.
After a few minutes Ellis gave a deep sigh. Bill reminded him very much of BJ. Feelings of sadness and loneliness arose within him.
Roman and Bill turned and looked at him.
"You alright?" asked Bill.
"Dunno," replied Ellis wearily. "I can't help it but you, Bill, remind me very much of my ex-boyfriend back in London. I miss him like hell."
"Why did you break up?" asked Roman.
Ellis sighed. "Sorry. Can't tell you now. I'm a bit emotional right now," he said.
Bill opened up his arms to Ellis.
"Come and have a hug," he said.
Ellis went over and was enfolded by Bill's big arms in a warm hug. Roman joined in the group hug. The smell of their bodies was a heady comfort for Ellis. Tears filled his eyes. He became aware of two hands roving over his body feeling his muscles and that he was enjoying being felt up. He relished the closeness of the other two men and he took comfort in knowing that they too were both gay.
"You're really muscly these days, Ellis," murmured Roman. "You've turned into quite a solid hunk in your old age."
Ellis pulled Roman into a tighter hug. "Thanks," he murmured.
After several minutes Ellis said, "I guess, Roman, I'd better get you to do what you came here to do. But thanks for the hug, fellas. I needed that."
"It's a pleasure," said Bill.
"It's always a pleasure to get up close and personal with a good- looking muscle hunk like you, Ellis," declared Roman. "You look really impressive with all that muscle you've put on. And you feel bloody impressive with all that solid muscle. You're bloody marvellous. You're so much different now from what you used to be. I almost didn't recognise you."
They separated.
"Well, I suppose I'd better take a look at these paintings of yours," said Roman and drifted off to look at the artworks.
Bill saw the grand piano. He smiled. He inspected it and lifted the keyboard lid.
"Bloody nice piano. Do you mind if I have a go?" he asked.
"Sure. Go for it," replied Ellis.
Bill sat down and played a Beethoven sonata, the little sonata number 20 in G major.
When he finished, Ellis clapped and cheered.
"You're bloody good," he declared.
"Thanks," replied Bill. "The piano needs a tune though."
He recommended a piano tuner that Ellis could get to come and tune the piano.
"Got any wine to go with the meal?" asked Bill getting up from the piano.
"Oh shit, I forgot to get any. Sorry, guys," exclaimed Ellis.
"I don't count turning water into wine among my abilities so I guess we could make do with water," laughed Bill.
"Oh shit, sorry. Look, I could nick out and get some from a local bottle shop. I don't know the area that well yet but I'll try and find one with decent wines."
"Don't bother," said Roman from across the room. "We'll make do with water and pretend we're all good Catholics who've signed the pledge."
"Fuck that for a joke," declared Bill. "Look, Ellis, I'll go with you and we'll see what we can find. Dinner will be late but we'll cope."
"We'll take the Mercs out for a spin. Hang on one cotton-pickin' minute. Bernard the real estate agent said something about Mr Long leaving a wine cellar full of wine downstairs in the bottom of the building. I guess we'd better go and check it out."
Bill grinned. "Good move, mate."
"Let's hope Mr Long's taste in wines is as good as his taste in art," Roman called out. "There're some nice ones on the wall here, Ellis."
"Otherwise we'll just have to make do with a cask red," laughed Bill.
Ellis grabbed a bunch of keys. He and Bill took the lift down to the bottommost basement five levels below ground level. They negotiated their way past storerooms through locked doors to the wine cellar left by Mr Long.
When they entered the wine cellar, they saw the walls lined with racks filled with hundreds of bottles. Bill's eyes opened wide. He whistled.
"Quite a collection he has here," he said.
He reached over to one of the racks and pulled out a bottle at random. He looked at the label.
"Penfold's Grange Hermitage 1971, no less," he said reverently. "Probably a bit young to drink now but glorious nonetheless."
He replaced the bottle and pulled out another.
"Here we go. 1961. We could drink that now. It'd be brilliant. Let's see what else is here."
"It's cold in here," remarked Ellis.
"As it should be," replied Bill. "Wine should be kept between 10 and 15 degrees C (50 to 60 deg F) and this feels ideal. It's a bit towards the cool end, I think, but that's fine."
"I'm cold," said Ellis and wrapped his arms around Bill's waist.
Bill quickly replaced the bottle in the rack and hugged Ellis who started weeping quietly into Bill's chest.
"What's the matter, fella," Bill asked quietly and stroked Ellis's hair.
Ellis could not speak. He continued weeping. Bill said nothing but wrapped his arms tighter around Ellis.
After a while Ellis's weeping died down.
"Sorry. I didn't mean that but I just couldn't help it," said Ellis tearfully. "Bill, you just remind me so much of my ex-boyfriend, sorry."
"It's all right, Ellis. Don't worry about it. Do you want to tell me about it?"
"I just loved BJ so much. I never loved anyone so much as him. He was just the most wonderful thing that ever happened to me and it all had to go bust."
Tears ran down Ellis's face as his story spilled out.
When he had finished, Bill was full of sympathy.
"Ellis, there's one thing I must make clear," said Bill gently afterwards. "I love Roman and there's been no-one else significant in my life. He is the only man for me. I'm not interested in getting sexually involved with anyone else particularly with the risk of AIDS and it sounds like you're very likely to be carrying it. I'm sorry but I simply cannot afford to take the risk with someone like you, Ellis. You're one big sexy hunk of muscle but it sounds like you're a walking time bomb. I couldn't live with myself if I infected Roman. It would be just so horrible. Quite a lot of our friends have died of AIDS over the past couple of years and it really is a dreadful way to die. It's decimated the gay community here in Sydney."
"Shit, that's horrible. It certainly scythed through in London and I hear it's even worse in America."
"Yes, it certainly is. Mind you, Ellis, you certainly don't look like you've got it. You look as fit as a mallee bull. I reckon your arm muscles are at least as big as mine. How big are your biceps?"
"Twenty-one and a half inches (55 cm)."
"Your arms are bigger than mine. You really are one big sexy hunk of muscle and you feel just so good, just so hard and strong and solid. Damn, you're tempting but I must be strong, for Roman's sake if no-one else's," said Bill with a grin.
"Thanks for the appreciation."
"It's my pleasure, you big sexy guy. Anyway, let's see what else Mr Long's left for you."
Bill pulled out the bottle of 1961 Grange Hermitage. Then he went through the rest of the wine racks and pulled out a selection.
"My God, he's got some good stuff here!" exclaimed Bill. "Look, 1965 Henschke's Hill of Grace! That's certainly worth drinking."
"Let's get lots. I feel like getting drunk tonight."
"Not too drunk, mate. Good wine's bloody wasted when you're pissed. You might as well get onto a cheap cask red. And I intend to cook up a real treat for you tonight. I don't want you getting too pissed or else you won't appreciate it."
"OK. Point taken. I'll just get a little bit drunk then."
Bill laughed. "Mind you, with all that muscle on you, Ellis, you could drink a hell of a lot and still stay upright. However, once you pass a certain point, good wine is totally wasted. And so is good food."
"Oh, God, I love you," declared Ellis.
Impulsively he threw his arms around Bill and hugged him tight. Bill almost dropped the bottles of wine he was carrying.
Eventually Ellis let him go. Bill was satisfied with his selection of wines for dinner. Ellis took some of the bottles to lighten Bill's load. They took the lift back up to the penthouse.
Bill uncorked the reds to breathe and put the whites in the refrigerator. He set to work in the kitchen. He did not want any assistance.
Ellis drifted off and found Roman who was working his way through the art collection with a clipboard in hand. Roman willingly gave Ellis a running commentary on the paintings Ellis had inherited.
Ellis asked about the Camorro paintings.
"It's interesting that Mr Long has acquired them because the Camorro works usually cater for the gay market. Was he gay?" asked Roman.
"I don't think so," replied Ellis uncertainly. "I think Bernard the real estate agent would have said something if he was. In fact I seem to recall him saying there was a woman living with him, a Chinese woman and Bernard thinks she wasn't his wife."
"Interesting. Come to think of it now, there was a Chinese woman around when I was here last time but she stayed well in the back- ground. I hardly saw her. I wasn't sure who she was or what she did and I didn't ask. I certainly wasn't introduced to her."
"That bloke in Camorro's paintings, the one with all those huge muscles and the black curly hair, he's also in the Wray painting. I assume he's Mr Kursky, the other half of Mrs Kursky."
"Yes, he's otherwise known as Major Peter Kursky, one of the bravest men to have fought in the Vietnam War never to have been awarded a Victoria Cross. He's quite a man, I hear."
"Yeah, he sure looks it. I assume Camorro was gay from the way he paints."
"He certainly is. He is one of those incredibly big muscle dudes with gigantic muscles and he'd be a bit taller than you but his physique would dwarf Bill's and yours too."
"Really? What's the nature of his relationship with Major Kursky, the man with those magnificent muscles?"
"They're lovers. And they've been lovers for years, virtually since the time Carlos Camorro first came over here from Argentina to escape the generals after the military coup there."
"Isn't Kursky married?"
"Yep, and he's the father of a horde of children."
"What about his wife?"
"I understand she's cool. Apparently their relationship is pretty open and Peter Kursky has lots of lovers, like dozens."
"What about the risk of nasty diseases like AIDS?"
"Don't know. There's some story going around that all those guys are immune not just to AIDS but everything else too. But I don't know anything about it or even whether or not it's true. I hear that guys who get themselves fucked by one of that crew become immune to everything too and grow huge muscles as well. Many of the guys are members of a motorcycle gang, the Roadknights, I think. Anyway, they're all big and really tough hombres."
"That'd be useful," Ellis grinned. "Just imagine it, being able to fuck around without any worries of catching something nasty. It'd be wonderful. Yeah."
He sighed.
"Look, as far as I'm concerned, it's just a fairy story until proven otherwise," declared Roman. "I certainly wouldn't go playing around on the strength of it."
"Sure. OK, then, what about the Wyndham paintings? I get the feeling that there's a certain homoeroticism about them too. What do you think?"
Roman laughed, "That's not surprising since Bruce Wyndham is gay."
"Oh," smiled Ellis.
"Mind you, Wyndham doesn't cater just for the gay market. There's a strong straight market too, especially amongst those who're into the romantic myth of the robust working class, like, you know, the trendy chardonnay-sipping cafe socialists."
Ellis laughed and said, "Roman, I get the impression you're a cynic."
"No more than you, my friend."
They looked at the other paintings and Roman gave a dissertation on each one. Ellis was impressed by what he had acquired.
When they had finished, Ellis asked, "OK, how much are they worth?"
"If you want a definite figure, I'll have to do some research and give you a written estimate. But right now I'd say there'd be close to a million dollars' worth hanging on these walls."
Ellis whistled. "That's a lot."
"Well?"
Bill announced that dinner was ready. He had already set the dining table for three in the dining room.
It was an excellent meal, a most memorable meal. The food and wine were wonderful.
While they were drinking the port after dessert, Bill suggested that Ellis tell Roman about the breakup with BJ. Ellis did so. The story spilled out. Ellis was close to tears when he had finished. Roman was very sympathetic.
Late in the evening, Roman and Bill departed.
Ellis contacted the piano tuner, a Mr Walton whom Bill had recommended. The man came and got the piano into its proper state of tune. When he played it afterward, it sounded noticeably better to Ellis.
The next weekend Ellis borrowed a trailer from his brother and hitched it up to his Mercedes. Leon complimented Ellis on his vehicle. He owned an enormous ten-year-old Mercedes Benz 600 Pullman, one of the so-called 'Gothic Castle' model like the one Arjuna owned. It has been big enough to accommodate all his six children but they had grown up. His eldest son had married and was the father of a baby boy. Ellis teased Leon about being a grandfather and Leon took it all good- naturedly.
Afterwards Ellis went to his late great-aunt's house, retrieved his motorcycle and had lunch with the Hansens. He took his motorcycle to the garage recommended by Bernard.
He discovered the bidets in the en-suite bathroom attached to his bedroom. He found that he could adjust the nozzle so that it could shoot a solid jet of water straight up his arsehole and thrum against his prostate. It felt so good that he could sit and masturbate on the bidet with a strong jet of hot water shooting vertically up into his anus washing out his rectum and stimulating his prostate energetically. It was not the same as having a cock up his arse but it would suffice. Ellis had considered buying a dildo but did not feel the need any longer.
Another trick was to get the jet of water shoot up and hit him on the perineum, the sensitive sweet spot between his cock and arsehole just behind his balls. That was very stimulating too. It was enough to get him thoroughly excited. Cold water worked as well.
He invited Roman and Bill around again for dinner and to get Bill to try out the piano after it had been tuned. Bill was delighted with the piano. He launched into a recital of several Beethoven sonatas. He drew much applause from Ellis and Roman.
"You know," ventured Roman, "your piano sounds nearly as good as our Steinway. There's certainly not a huge difference I reckon."
"Who cares," declared Bill.
He launched into a robust rendition of the Rachmaninov Prelude in G minor. Ellis was thunderstruck. He marvelled at Bill's skill and the power of the piece. Bill's hair flew in all directions as he attacked the piano with vigour and caused it to fill the gigantic living room with sound. The prelude was a robustly rhythmic piece of music indeed. It was the first time Ellis had heard it and it was soon to become a favourite.
Bill declared that he had better get on with cooking the meal. Roman informed Ellis that he had valued the art collection at $920,000. Ellis whistled when Roman told him. He received a detailed listing of the value of each painting.
Roman accompanied Ellis down to the wine cellar to help choose the wines.
On Christmas Eve Ellis attended Midnight Mass at Saint Mary's Cathedral in central Sydney so that he could tell his parents honestly that he had gone to Mass. The cathedral was within walking distance so Ellis walked there and back. It was a warm evening so he wore a short-sleeved open-necked shirt with slacks.
After receiving Holy Communion he had that same empty feeling as he had after Holy Communion in the Church of the Sacred Heart in Pymble a few weeks previously. He wondered if he were a complete fraud and he no longer belonged in the Catholic Church. He reflected that he had virtually excommunicated himself by staying away from the Church for so long and leading a life that would be regarded as a life of sin by the priests and most Catholics. He thought of Bernard Bassett, his parents and siblings who all attended Mass regularly every Sunday. Was he the black sheep of the family?
Walking back through Kings Cross early on Christmas morning after Mass was an unnerving experience. He was accosted by a number of people of both sexes offering their bodies for his enjoyment. He was appalled by how seedy, needy, malnourished, desperate and unattractive the people offering themselves were. Back in London he had come to know a number of prostitutes of both sexes operating in the Soho area and they were all healthy, fun and attractive people, real people. He was dismayed to see the depths into which these people in Kings Cross had sunk.
Ellis spent Christmas Day with his parents and siblings. The proceedings were stiff and uneventful. His sisters barely spoke to him even though he had bought presents for everyone. He felt like an interloper at his family's gathering.
His mother sensed his unease and tried to comfort him with the words: "Don't worry, darling. You've been away for seventeen years and everyone has just grown up and got on with their lives without you. I'm afraid not all of us in the family are like the family of the Prodigal Son in Jesus' parable."
Ellis was not comforted.
The following day was Boxing Day and the start of the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Ellis found he had an uninterrupted view of the start of the race from his penthouse. He opened a bottle of Australian champagne and drank a few glasses. With the champagne he ate some mince pies that Marica had made for him. He toasted the start of the race in champagne and watched as the yachts sailed out through the Sydney Heads into the Pacific Ocean on their way south to Hobart.
Roman and Bill invited him to their New Year's Eve party. They lived in a big, rambling and architecturally significant house in Mosman overlooking the beach on Hunters Bay in Sydney Harbour. The house had been built in the 1930s and designed by Walter Burley Griffin, the American architect who had designed Canberra, Australia's capital city. The house was Burley Griffin's essay into art deco architecture.
The party's theme was come-what-you-feel-like and many people turned up. Ellis wore a sky blue tank top with a pair of tight white jeans that he had retrieved from the old house. He teamed that with a pair of black leather boots.
All sorts of people turned up, gay, lesbian, bisexual, straight, transsexual, intersex. Some people even declared themselves openly as queer. Some party-goers wore ordinary clothes, some wore fancy dress and some wore amazing costumes worthy of inclusion in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade.
A woman asked Ellis what he had come as and Ellis replied he had come as the Prodigal Son. She laughed and asked what the story was. He replied that it was a long one and he did not want to bore anyone with it. She was a blonde woman aged in her late thirties. She introduced herself as Sue and then propositioned Ellis. She confessed her disappointment when he told her he was gay. She said he looked like a real masculine hunk and told him that she was a real heterosexual woman looking for a real man with real muscles. She confessed when she saw him drive up in a current model Mercedes-Benz S-Class, she thought to herself here is a real man with money.
Roman introduced Ellis around to most of the people but Ellis found it impossible to remember all the names.
In February the workshop had finished reconditioning Ellis's motorbike. Ellis was delighted to be riding his bike again and he soon reacquired his bike riding skills riding around the less hectic parts of Sydney. As his confidence grew, he rode on busier roads further afield around Sydney. In time he went riding on the twisting roads through the Blue Mountains.
Roman was keen to renew the friendship with Ellis as was Ellis with Roman and Ellis liked Bill very much. Ellis often went to dinner and parties at Roman's and Bill's house. A frequent topic of discussion at the dinners was about the latest people to have died of AIDS in Sydney. The disease had sliced through Sydney's gay community. Ellis told his story and received much sympathy. He wondered how long he had before he fell ill. That was a predicament shared by many of Roman's and Bill's friends. People often said they envied Roman and Bill being in a stable long-term relationship in which they were completely loyal to one another. Ellis reflected ruefully that many people had said the same thing about him and BJ in London. He hoped fervently that there would be no nasty surprises in store for either Roman or Bill like there had been for him. Nevertheless Ellis went to many parties and he frequently rode his motorbike to them.
Ellis's motorbike was the subject of much comment from Roman's friends because he was the only man they knew who rode one. Ellis was regarded as an exotic hunk. Several commented that the gloriously hunky film star Marlon Brando rode a Triumph motorbike like Ellis's in the film 'The Wild Ones'. They said that Ellis resembled Marlon Brando but was even better looking and much better built. Brando's recent film 'Apocalypse Now' set in Vietnam during the Vietnam War was a vivid memory for many.
After the return of the motorbike the Ferrari garage finished work on Ellis's Ferrari. At first he drove the car gingerly around Elizabeth Bay, Double Bay, Point Piper and Vaucluse. As he became more confident and more familiar with the Ferrari, he enjoyed its nimbleness and responsiveness as he drove it further afield around Sydney.
Ellis started corresponding with Theodora again and kept her up to date with his activities. She wrote back regularly.
Ellis's older brother Leon started inviting Ellis to lunches with him in the City. They were tete-a-tete lunches in a top-class restaurant. Most diners wore business suits but Ellis often wore a short-sleeved casual shirt with slacks but none of the staff ever gave any indication that Ellis's dress was inappropriate. Leon did say to Ellis that some of his acquaintances were wondering who the muscleman was that he was lunching with. One even asked if Ellis was Leon's favourite hit-man. Ellis laughed out loud when Leon told him that. The reason Leon gave for these lunches was that he did not want to lose contact with his brother. He was well aware of the antipathy that Ellis's sisters held towards Ellis over the will. Most of them refused to speak to Ellis, still after all these years. Leon had noticed the difficulty during the family gathering at Christmas and he was very worried that Ellis would sever contact with the rest of the family perhaps even more so than when Ellis was overseas. Leon was also aware of the lack of closeness between Ellis and their parents. Ellis understood that Leon was desperately keen to maintain contact with Ellis.
Leon was very interested to hear about Ellis's adventures overseas so Ellis gave him a very much sanitised account of his activities over several lunches. Leon had only made short business trips overseas. He had been to London many times but he had no idea how to get in contact with Ellis. His wife did not like flying so he had not taken his family overseas except on cruises to New Zealand or the Pacific Islands. One summer holidays he had taken the family on a round-the- world cruise. The family did not like Britain and Northern Europe because it was the middle of winter over there and it was very cold. His children thought that the Mediterranean was OK but only just. They had limited tolerance of cathedrals, art galleries, castles and other tourist attractions. They had felt honoured, however, to receive the Christmas blessing from Pope Paul VI in Saint Peter's Square in Rome. Leon had heard later that his youngest daughter had been boasting at kindergarten when she was three years old that she had been blessed by the Dope. Ellis broke out into peals of laughter when Leon told him that with a chuckle. Leon said it was one of the joys of parenthood.
One mild evening Ellis was leaning on the railing of the balcony running around his penthouse admiring the lights of Sydney and the quietly moving waters of the harbour. He became aware of beautiful music emanating from one of the apartments downstairs. He stayed on the balcony listening to the music until it ended and some different classical music came on.
Burning with curiosity, Ellis took the lift a couple of floors down and found the apartment from which the music was coming. He pressed the doorbell button and the music stopped. The door opened and a thin balding bearded man of middle age and average height wearing steel- rimmed spectacles peered out nervously at Ellis's bulky form.
Ellis smiled warmly at the man and asked what the beautiful music was that he had been playing a few minutes earlier. He really liked the music and would very much like to hear it again.
The man replied that he had currently playing on his stereo Beethoven's sixth symphony in F major, the 'Pastoral'. He said that Ellis must be referring to the previous movement, the slow second movement. He smiled and introduced himself as Doctor Geoffrey Bland. He invited Ellis to come in and sit down.
When Ellis had made himself comfortable, Doctor Bland was delighted to put on the recording of the symphony again. He loved the music and never tired of listening to Beethoven's works. He told Ellis he was a self-confessed Beethoven freak.
When the symphony had finished, Geoffrey poured Ellis a port. Then he put on Beethoven's fifth symphony in C minor. Ellis was blown away by the powerful drama of the work.
Afterwards they stayed talking until late in the night. Geoffrey said that he was a medical specialist in immunology. He did a lot of research work as well as seeing patients. He did not ask Ellis any questions about his job, background and so on. He seemed happy to accept Ellis as he was. Ellis told him that he had moved into the penthouse at the top of the building.
Finally Geoffrey said regretfully that he had work to do and patients to see the following day and he must go to bed. Ellis departed.
He saw Geoffrey frequently after that and they became firm friends. They often ate at one of the local restaurants. Geoffrey said that he was a bachelor. He joked that 'he was too busy being a doctor'.
Ellis bought the complete set of Beethoven symphonies on CD and delighted in listening to the music on the regal stereo that he had inherited from Mr Long. This began his love for classical music.
Geoffrey enjoyed guiding Ellis in his exploration of classical music. He introduced Ellis to many other composers such as Bach, Brahms, Schubert, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Mahler, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky and Haydn.
Now and then Geoffrey came up to Ellis's penthouse. The first time he arrived, his eyes lit up when he beheld the grand piano in the living room. He sat down at it and rattled of a quick Bach prelude.
"By God it's a lovely piano," he announced when he had finished. "It's certainly a lot better than the old upright my mother gave me that I've got downstairs."
Geoffrey played another Bach prelude. He continued and gave Ellis a recital of a number of piano works by Schubert, Bach, Beethoven and Mendelssohn. Ellis applauded. He praised Geoffrey's skill as a pianist.
"It's only a hobby," Geoffrey demurred. "It keeps me sane."
"You're bloody good," declared Ellis.
Geoffrey delighted in coming up to the penthouse to play the grand piano.
As their friendship grew, Ellis let Geoffrey know that he was gay and told him of his previous relationships with Sashi and BJ. He explained that it was likely that he was carrying the AIDS virus because of BJ's infidelity. Geoffrey was very understanding but made it clear that he was interested in nothing more than friendship. Ellis was grateful to accept their relationship as platonic. Geoffrey joked that he himself was a confirmed asexual.
Later that year Geoffrey said that tests for the AIDS virus were being trialled in Australia and suggested that Ellis be a test subject. Ellis jumped at the chance to end the uncertainty he had been living with ever since the showdown with BJ the previous year.
He presented himself at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPA) and had a big syringe full of blood taken from his arm vein for the AIDS test.
-------------------------------------- Continued in Part 81. --------------------------------------