---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 29.
------------------------------------ Part 89: The Land of Promise Hotel ------------------------------------
One fine warm autumn morning, Ellis was tooling along the Great Western Highway out of Sydney on his motorcycle enjoying the air. He was wearing blue denim jeans with black flying boots and a sleeveless denim jacket over a dark blue T-shirt. The traffic lights ahead of him were red.
Waiting at the head of the lane was another biker. He was big, very big, bigger than Bryn. Ellis saw his massively muscled arms coming out from a faded denim jacket with the sleeves ripped off. He noted the biker's huge wide shoulders. As Ellis approached, he saw the Roadknights insignia on the back of biker's jacket.
When Ellis drew up alongside him, the biker turned and looked at him. Ellis saw that he was riding a Harley-Davidson.
"G'day Shorty," said the biker and grinned.
"Who's calling me Shorty?" demanded Ellis aggressively.
The biker was huge and powerfully muscled. Ellis had heard all sorts of fantastic stories about Roadknights including the story about one Roadknight beating up a pub-full of Hell's Angels and putting them all in hospital. He was confident though that with his martial arts skills he could take on the biker in a fight and win.
The biker's grin widened as he opened his visor. Ellis found himself looking at a pair of twinkling bright blue eyes. The face looked familiar. Something pinged in his brain.
"Tom?" he asked.
"Yeah, mate, that's me," said the huge biker.
Recognition clanged in Ellis's brain. The biker was definitely Tom but he had changed so much.
"Tom! What...? Where the fuck have you been all...? started Ellis.
"Quick, the lights are about to change," Tom interrupted him. "Follow me to the Land of Promise Hotel in Rooty Hill. We'll sink a pint or two there. Don't worry about the speed limits. Just follow me."
He snapped shut his visor. The Harley juddered as he dropped it into gear. The traffic lights changed to green. The Harley roared like a heavy machine gun at full blast as it reared up into a wheel-stand. It shot away as if it were rocket-powered. Ellis's Triumph screamed as it struggled to keep up but Tom's Harley seemed to have power to burn. Ellis could not push his bike too hard for fear of blowing up his motor.
Up ahead Tom swung a right turn into Rooty Hill. He leaned over into the turn like a professional motorcycle racer. Ellis followed him around with his bike screaming.
Tom raced along the road weaving through the traffic with Ellis behind him. Ellis looked down at his bike dials. The tachometer was dangerously close to the red line. The speedometer was showing 115 miles per hour (185 kph). Ellis's eye's widened. He was doing 115 miles an hour, the fastest he had ever been on the bike, and he was whipping through the traffic in a suburban built-up area with houses and shops on either side of the road. He thanked the Lord for his super-fast reflexes and his sessions on motorbike racing simulators in the games arcades in Kings Cross.
Suddenly a loud insistent thought thrust into his mind that he should slow right down immediately. He saw Tom slowing down rapidly ahead. Ellis slammed on his brakes as hard as he dared without flipping the bike. He managed to slow down to the 60 kph (37 mph) suburban speed limit as a bend approached.
Just around the bend he saw a bored-looking policeman with a walkie- talkie sitting at a radar speed trap. The policeman watched the two bikers ride past. Some distance up ahead was a group of police officers who had pulled over a red Holden utility. They watched as the two bikers rode past them at just under the speed limit.
The Land of Promise Hotel was some way further on. Ellis followed Tom into the hotel car park and parked his bike next to Tom who had removed his helmet. Ellis removed his helmet, took a good look at Tom and saw that he was truly massive.
Tom was much more heavily muscled than Bryn. His sleeveless denim jacket was open at the front. Ellis was treated to the sight of the most magnificently muscled shoulders, chest and abdomen he had ever seen. Tom dwarfed Bryn who had been the biggest and most muscular man Ellis had known until he saw Tom and that included the hard-core bodybuilders at the Sparta Gym. Tom sported an eye-boggling abdominal eight-pack that bulged with muscle. His shoulders were truly wide and massive, much wider than most men. His deltoids were bigger than basketballs. The way Tom's mighty chest tapered down into a slim but tremendously muscle-packed waist was amazing. Tom had a thick powerful neck with robust bulging trapezius muscles that outshone Bryn's. His mighty arms were networked with veins and bulged with power. The curve of the huge biceps was eye-boggling. The overall impression was that of a fantasy bodybuilder.
Tom had let his hair grow longer. It was now like a halo of spun gold surrounding his head.
His face seemed slightly different. It seemed subtly improved. Before, Tom had been very good-looking but now he was a remarkably beautiful man. He looked like a Nordic god descended from Valhalla.
What attracted Ellis's attention most were Tom's bright blue eyes that sparkled and twinkled like the star Sirius on a hot summer's night. Ellis remembered Alana saying once years ago that Tom had dead eyes. They certainly were not dead now. They blazed with life. In fact Tom's whole body blazed with life.
"It's good to see you again," said Ellis and held out his hand. "You look..."
Tom pulled Ellis into a hug and wrapped his huge arms around him. Ellis found his cheek resting against a massively thick mound of pectoral muscle. He realised that Tom was taller than he had been before. His nostrils filled with the scent of M...A...N, a rich earthy musky aroma that made him feel slightly dizzy. It was like burying his face in a man's balls. He felt comforted and at ease.
He thought that the old Tom would never have done this, pulled another man into a warm generous hug like this, especially a man like Ellis whom the old Tom appeared to dislike. But the new Tom was different. Ellis liked the change. He liked it a lot.
"It's bloody great to see you," Ellis managed to get out after a few minutes of enjoying the closeness.
"It's beaut to see you again, mate," replied Tom.
Tom had changed, changed a lot, reflected Ellis. The old Tom would never have called Ellis 'mate'. The new Tom had an unselfconscious warmth that the old Tom never had. Ellis reflected that Christabelle had described the old Tom as being so far up himself that he needed a snorkel to breathe. He heard Tom snicker. Then Tom rested his chin on the top of Ellis's head and ran his hands over Ellis's back.
"It's really good to catch up with you, Ellis," said Tom. "It's good to see you're still a ball of solid muscle."
"Thanks," murmured Ellis in reply.
He felt as if he was drifting off in a state of bliss. It was like being hugged by Bryn, only better. Tom seemed full of love and life. Ellis forced his mind back to the present.
"You've changed a lot, Tom," he said. "What have you been doing? You've been gone for years."
"Let's go inside and talk about it there," suggested Tom.
He unwrapped his arms from around Ellis and they walked into the pub.
The Land of Promise Hotel was an old stone building that dated back to the days of the Colony of New South Wales. Built in the middle of the nineteenth century, it now had cream brick and glass extensions added in the 1960s.
The two bikers walked into the front bar. There were a number of people there, mainly men.
Ellis heard, "Fa... ark! Look at the muscles on those two."
Another man said, "And the big one's a bloody Roadknight. Shi... it! He's fucking huge!"
A third man laughed, "He should be alright, provided you don't try kicking his head off!"
Laughter rippled around the group.
Ellis and Tom went over to the bar and sat down on some barstools. The young barman presented himself with alacrity. Ellis ordered two pints of beer. He insisted on paying for them.
"Thanks, Ellis," smiled Tom. "You're the rich man. I'm just a penniless wanderer."
"Oh, yeah? You look anything but half-starved. You look extremely well fed in fact and you've got a nice expensive bike."
"The Lord looks after me."
"What? You gone Christian all of a sudden, Tom?"
"Kinda. I've pledged to serve the Lord God. It's what we Roadknights do."
"Well, bugger me!" exclaimed Ellis.
"I might just do that if you ask me nicely," Tom grinned.
"Wha... at?" Ellis stared at Tom with surprise.
The barman appeared and presented the two men with two full foaming pint glasses of beer.
"Anything more you gentlemen want, please just ask," he said. "I'm happy to help."
"Some beer nuts would be nice," remarked Ellis.
Immediately the barman reached under the counter, placed a wooden bowl on the counter and filled it with beer nuts.
"Shall I put it on the tab, sir?" he asked.
"That'd be nice. Thank you," replied Ellis somewhat surprised.
"It's a pleasure, sir," said the barman. He seemed eager to please but not at all afraid.
"Anything else, sir," he asked.
"Not at the moment, thank you," rumbled Tom. "Thanks, mate."
The barman glowed as he smiled at Tom. He walked down to the other end of the bar where there was a group of older men with beer glasses in front of them. He and the group cast frequent glances at Tom and Ellis.
"The barman seemed very happy to see us," commented Ellis.
"They often are," replied Tom. "We Roadknights frighten away the bad guys. There don't seem to be any here now. I didn't see anyone scuttling out in a hurry when we arrived."
"What is it about you Roadknights? You scare away the bad guys and you as near as dammit proposition me. I don't get it."
"You're one hot sexy hunk of spunk, Ellis." Tom was speaking very quietly but somehow Ellis could hear every word clearly over the chatter and muzak in the pub.
Tom continued: "You look bloody good for a guy your age. People would never think you're pushing fifty. In fact you look like you could be in your twenties." Tom grinned. "Or at a real stretch thirty. But seriously, you're a very attractive man. I would love to jump in the cot with you."
Ellis gaped at Tom with amazement.
"You just propositioned me!" he managed to say. "This is not the Tom I used to know. You used to be so homophobic before."
Tom laughed. "Yeah, let's just say I've been well and truly initiated into the joys of manly love. And I enjoy it! Oh yeah so fucking much! Oh, the pleasures of having a nice big fat hard cock going hard at it up your arse are just fantastic. Like ramming your hard strong cock up another bloke's arse and he's screaming with pleasure, oh fuck yeah, that's so fucking wonderful. Oh, yeah, Ellis, I could cheerfully do it with you, you sexy hunk of muscle. You and me, we could play Daddy and Baddy together."
Ellis shook his head in disbelief.
"I don't believe it," he said. "You've changed so much. You're so different. Look, Tom, I'm still with Bryn. He's quite enough for me. I don't need anyone else."
"Yeah, sure. There's an awful lot of Bryn, enough to keep anyone happy. It's OK."
"It sounds like you're into gay sex in a big way these days."
"It's gay love, Ellis. It's manly love. It's love between men where sex is the cherry on top. Sex is the joyful celebration of love where two become one. Yes, Ellis, I am into it in a big way. I love it!"
Ellis looked at Tom searchingly. He struggled to reconcile the old Tom who had been Sue's boyfriend with the huge biker god who was having a beer with him. The new Tom seemed to have shed all his hang- ups about sex with other men. He was lot warmer and more open than before. Ellis liked very much what Tom had become but he had difficulty coming to terms with the change. Tom was like a fantasy lover, a wet dream come true. He was nothing like the old Tom. The change was like a grub metamorphosing into a beautiful butterfly, a beautiful big biker god.
Tom put his mighty arm around Ellis and smiled warmly.
"I wouldn't worry about it, Ellis," he said. "I really love what I am now. I wouldn't go back to being the old me for anything, anything at all."
"What about Sue?"
"Living with Sue is a chapter in my life that's passed into history. It's all over with her now. I'd never go back to that life. I would never try."
"She was pretty worried about you since you disappeared. Then Leonie got your letter saying you're alive and very well indeed. She passed the news on to the rest of us. Sue's really pissed off with you for not writing to her."
"Why the fuck should I?"
Ellis shrugged. "Dunno. Then she wanted me to 'make a mess of your pretty face'," he said.
Tom laughed. "Are you going to?"
"No! I'm not that much of a shithead. It's bloody beaut to see you. And you look bloody fantastic."
"Look, tell them that you've seen me and I'm fine. You had a few drinks with me and we chewed the fat together. I'm in the pink of health."
"Yeah, that's for sure! Would you want to see Sue again anyhow?"
"Nup."
"What if she really wants to see you again?"
"I guess that could be arranged if she wanted it. But I very much doubt it. Just tell her I'm fine and not to worry about me."
"Sure."
The barman came and took their empty glasses. Ellis ordered two more beers.
"Cute guy, isn't he?" observed Tom as the barman filled fresh glasses with beer from the beer taps. "I wouldn't mind getting up between those cute butt cheeks of his and making him squeal with delight."
"Tom, you're a whore!"
"And a shameless one at that too," Tom laughed. "And what's more, I don't cost anything. I'm free, free as a bird. Sex with other men is just so much fun."
"God!"
"Yes, my son?"
"Aw, shuddup."
Ellis was finding it hard to get used to the new Tom, who was so bold and open about gay sex. Yes, Tom did know that Ellis was gay. He had known that ever since they had first met at that dinner at Roman's house all those years ago. The old Tom as Sue's boyfriend and a male model had been so very uptight about sex with other men. The new Tom was totally different.
"You'll get used to the new me," said Tom with his bright blue eyes twinkling merrily.
The barman returned with two more pint glasses of beer. With a smile he put them down in front of the two bikers. They both thanked him. The barman returned to the group at the other end of the bar.
Tom asked after Bryn. Ellis told him. Tom had read about Bryn's success in elucidating the mechanism of Ellis's immunity to AIDS. Tom also asked after Roman, Bill and the rest of the circle of friends. Ellis was surprised by Tom's genuine interest. Tom seemed to be so warm, friendly and human now.
Something about the mad ride with Tom through the streets of Rooty Hill niggled at Ellis. It was the strong feeling, the warning that he should slow down from his breakneck speed before he hit the police radar trap. If he had not slowed down and he had been caught by the police, he would have lost his driver's licence for sure and copped a hefty fine into the bargain. He could not explain the feeling. He had never experienced anything like it before. He asked Tom.
"It's what the Vietnam veterans call 'Jungle Sense'," replied Tom. "It's that feeling that danger is lurking. It's that feeling that tells you that rustle in the bushes is a Viet Cong guerrilla who's about to fill you with lead and not some little girl collecting firewood and she's hiding because she's scared stiff of the foreign soldiers. It's bloody horrible when you shoot at a rustle in the bushes and then you go and investigate and find yourself standing over some little Vietnamese girl who's dying because you've gone and shot her guts out. I tell you, that does nothing for a guy's sanity. The Jungle Sense stops you doing that sort of thing. Ellis, you've got it, the Jungle Sense, or the Sixth Sense. Most people have. You just need to develop it, like I've done."
"I guess it didn't work for a lot of Vietnam vets."
"No."
"I suppose that's one reason why so many Vietnam vets are screwed up."
"Yep. Killing the wrong people by mistake. The spin doctors call it collateral damage. To them and the politicians dead people don't matter and neither do the screwed-up war veterans." Tom gave a hollow laugh.
He continued. "I guess you missed out on all that, Ellis, being called up for National Service and all that."
"Yes, I was overseas when it got big. I missed out on the first call- up. That was one lottery I was glad not to win. By the time I got back home again it was all over. The Vietnam War was all done and dusted."
"And South Vietnam was taken over by the Communists. Lucky you, Ellis."
"You would have been too young, wouldn't you, Tom?"
"Yeah, I was. Gough Whitlam stopped it all and pulled us out of Vietnam in 1972-73. I was a kid in primary school when all that happened. Back then most of the stuff about the Vietnam War just flew over my head. I just had no idea. It wasn't until I started my training as a Roadknight that I found out about it. It was a Vietnam veteran, a guy by the name of Alex, who clued me up about what went on in Vietnam. He was the guy who did time, eight years it was, for punching an anti-Vietnam protester in the face and killing him. He was the one who introduced me to the joys of manly love. Fuck me! It was good fun. I never thought that having a big fat cock up my arse would feel so fucking good. Yes! I who was so far up myself I needed a snorkel to breathe discovering the joys of being fucked up the arse by another man."
"What? How did you know about that, the snorkel thing?"
"Roman told me. You know him with that weird offbeat European sense of humour of his. I think it was one of Bryn's nurse friends who told him that."
"You know, Tom, I can't get over how much bigger you are than before. You were a big guy before but now you're bloody huge. I... I just can't believe it. In fact I reckon you've grown at least a couple of inches, unless you're wearing built-up boots."
Tom laughed and showed Ellis his boots. They looked like standard biker boots in a large size. They were not built up.
"How did you do it, Tom, like get so big?" Ellis asked.
"It's part of the training of a Roadknight," replied Tom. "I'm sworn to secrecy so I'm not going to tell you the details."
"OK, then. But your arms, for instance. I've never seen such huge arms on a real human being before. They'd dwarf Bryn's, who you know is a huge hunk of muscle."
"Yeah, he'd give The Incredible Hulk a run for his money," laughed Tom.
"Yeah, sure. But seriously, you're far bigger than any other man I've ever seen and I've seen a few. I can't get over it."
Tom leaned over and flexed his bare upper arm centimetres from Ellis's nose. Ellis's eyes widened in awe as Tom's mighty veined biceps muscle bulged up like a mountain range in front of his face.
"Have a look at that, Ellis," he murmured with a smile. "71 centimetres of solid muscle, or 28 inches in the old money."
Ellis resisted the temptation to kiss Tom's biceps.
"Fa... ark, Tom! I never seen so much muscle! You're really awesome!" he exclaimed
Tom gave a wide, terribly sexy grin and asked quietly, "Tempted?"
Ellis breathed, "Fuck yeah, but I wouldn't do it to Bryn."
"Fair enough."
"You're a mountain of muscle! What do you weigh? Close to a ton I bet."
"Not quite!" laughed Tom. "190 kilograms stripped naked. Or in the old units, that's 30 stones or 420 pounds. Oh, yeah, and I'm 198 centimetres tall. That's six foot six."
"Bugger me! Tom, somehow you've grown into the biggest man I've ever met. You're bloody huge."
"Maybe you might consider joining us Roadknights one day, Ellis. And Bryn too."
"Interesting thought."
"Well, think about it. You and Bryn both. You'd both do well."
They talked some more. Ellis told Tom about his and Bryn's trip to Berlin, Croatia and Vienna. Tom had seen the newspaper stories about Bryn's discoveries about Ellis's immunity to AIDS and the hope it engendered for a cure for AIDS. Tom liked hearing Ellis's stories about his and Bryn's activities in Croatia. He was interested to hear of Ellis's impressions of Berlin and Vienna as well.
They ended up having a lunch of T-bone steak together at the hotel along with a few more beers. Ellis enjoyed Tom's company. After lunch they went their separate ways, Tom westwards to some community house in the Blue Mountains and Ellis eastwards home to his penthouse.
Sue, Leonie, Claire, Roman, Bill and Bryn were all very interested to hear what Ellis had to say about Tom. They were all relieved to know that Tom was very much alive and well. They were fascinated to know about the major changes that Tom had undergone. He had become a completely different man.
Sue chided Ellis for not beating Tom up but Ellis replied testily that he could not do such a nasty mean thing. Tom was so warm, friendly and delighted to see Ellis that Ellis would not dream of being so churlish.
Bryn acquired a mobile phone because of his work commitments. He persuaded Ellis to get one as well. He said that Ellis's activities both at the university and the Croatian Club made it highly desirable that he should obtain one. Ellis gave in and got one but he kept it hidden in a backpack or satchel while at the university because those who flaunted a mobile phone on campus were considered to be rich yuppie wankers.
Ellis's fiftieth birthday party was thrown by Roman and Bill at their house in Mosman. It was fancy dress and as expected, Ellis was obliged to wear his Captain Marvel costume. It was a big party, a big bash as big as the New Year's Eve parties. Most people wore fancy dress including the people invited from Sydney University. The university people who had not been before found the amazing variety of costumes an eye-opening experience.
That night Ellis fathered one more child. That brought the number of children he had fathered up to thirty six. He took the trouble to keep up with them by seeing them as often as he could and giving them presents on their birthdays and at Christmas. To the young children he was just another friend of their mothers. The older children understood that he was their biological father. Many of the boys lived in hope that they would grow as strong and as muscular as their father.
One Saturday morning Bryn and Ellis were with Geoffrey at Cafe Juliana's as usual. They had finished their breakfast and were dawdling over their cups of coffee. They saw Mr Potter at a nearby table. Mr Potter was laughing and talking to himself as he often did. Clint was by himself at another table nearby having an angry conversation with someone on his mobile phone. People were looking at him. The muscular and tattooed man was wearing as usual a black tank top and old faded and ripped jeans. Ellis thought he looked sexy. Alison was nowhere to be seen.
Clint yelled into his phone, "Shut the fuck up, you yuppie cunt!" and angrily slammed his phone down on his table. Someone gasped. People stared at him. They frowned and murmured. Mr Potter chose that moment to burst out laughing.
Clint got up and stormed over to Mr Potter's table. He stood over Mr Potter waving his fist in Mr Potter's face and yelling obscenities. Mr Potter looked terrified.
"Oh golly," breathed Geoffrey.
Ellis immediately got up, went over to the table and put his arm around the raging Clint's shoulders.
"Look, it's all right, mate," he said soothingly to Clint. "He's not laughing at you. He's laughing at whatever is going through his head. It really is nothing to do with you."
"What the fuck?" Clint twisted around in Ellis's arm and glared at him. "What's going on?"
"I don't know if you've noticed but he's been like that ever since he got here. Mr Potter arrived when Bryn and I were in Europe and that was bloody years ago. Mrs Wong came and asked Bryn and Geoff about him as soon as we got back. She was worried that he might do something."
"Like what?"
"Like tap dance on a table and flop his dick out."
Clint broke up laughing.
"Mr De la Mare, I wouldn't do anything like that," said Mr Potter quietly. "What does Mrs Wong think I am?"
"She was worried. She said that people were frightened of you."
"Mrs Wong! She's so Chinese! She likes everything to be so neat, proper and in order," said Mr Potter. He had a quiet voice.
He paused, then said, "No. That's not quite fair of me. I do her an injustice."
"Yes, Mr Potter," said Ellis, "You do."
Mr Potter held his hand up towards Ellis and said, "I'm Augustus Potter."
Clint snickered. Mr Potter ignored him.
Ellis took Augustus Potter's hand and shook it. "I'm Ellis de la Mare," he said.
"Yes, pleased to meet you. I know who you are," replied Augustus.
"I must be pretty well known around here."
"Yes, Ellis, you are. Would you mind staying a minute or two please?"
"Yeah, sure," replied Ellis.
He turned to Clint with his arm still around his shoulders and said, "Look, mate, you're more than welcome to have another coffee or two with me, Bryn and Geoff at our table. I'll pay for them. Have you had breakfast yet?"
"Nup. I'm waiting for Ally."
"Where is she, by the way?"
"Still upstairs yakking with her mother I guess."
"I'll shout you both breakfast and coffee to go with it," offered Ellis.
"Oh, thanks mate," replied Clint. "But I'm not sure if Ally would want that."
"The offer's there."
Ellis beckoned Suzie over. She had matured into a fine woman in the years since he had first known her. He told her that he was paying for the meals for both Clint and his partner Alison.
Clint thanked him. He went over and joined Bryn and Geoffrey at their table. Ellis sat down with Augustus.
Augustus leaned forward and said, "Thank you very much, Ellis, for rescuing me from that ruffian. I thought he was going to do me a damage."
"That's quite alright. I'm glad I could help. You did pick a bad moment to laugh though, right after he'd finished swearing down his phone at someone."
"I suppose it was badly timed. You see, my telepathic friends are such a lively, funny lot. I can't help to laugh with them. They're so sweet and funny. I've been through some rough times and they've been very supportive. They are such beautiful people, you know."
"Oh yeah. Sounds interesting." Ellis could not keep the scepticism out of his voice.
"Hmm. One of them knows you quite well. Tom."
"Tom?" queried Ellis.
"Yes, you and he had a few drinks together at the Land of Promise Hotel in Rooty Hill last year. I never knew such a place existed. He is Tom Lundgren. He's a Roadknight."
Ellis stared at Augustus with puzzlement and disbelief.
"I don't... Tom? Tom Lundgren? How do you know the name?"
"He's one of my telepathic friends. He keeps in contact with me often. He's such a splendid fellow. Right now he's riding his motor bike with his friend Luke along the New England Highway. He's riding north from Armidale to Glen Innes. It's a beautiful day. He's enjoying the sunshine and the blue sky just tooling along the bitumen."
"Er..."
Ellis felt another presence in his mind. He had an incredibly realistic image in his mind of being on a big powerful bike riding north into the sun. He felt he was in a massively powerful body and he was enjoying the warmth of the sun on his big arms thick with muscle. Another biker was riding abreast with him.
He heard Tom's voice inside his head.
Tom: << Howdy, mate. I'm just letting you know that Augustus isn't bullshitting you. This is real. >>
Ellis formed the thought in his head to ask how Tom was doing this.
Tom: << You'll learn the trick one day. There're a lot of things we Roadknights can do. If you join us you'll learn too. >>
Ellis was utterly bewildered. What was happening to him was utterly beyond his comprehension.
Tom continued: << Just to add to your confusion, mate, my riding partner is Luke Errington. He's a Vietnam veteran. You may remember him from Findhorn. You used to help him in the garden there. The doctors didn't do a great job patching him up after the Viet Cong filled his arse with lead. Back when you knew him, he was limping quite badly. He's one hell of a lot better now since he became a Roadknight and that was a few years ago now. >>
The image in Ellis's mind swivelled around to show Tom's riding partner. Ellis perceived a huge, magnificently muscled biker riding alongside Tom. He looked nothing like the Luke Errington, the small, painfully thin Australian ex-serviceman whom Ellis had known at Findhorn many years before. Ellis could not comprehend how that skinny little cripple could have transformed into the mighty, gloriously muscular biker god riding with Tom. The biker turned to Tom and gave a heart-melting sexy smile. Ellis perceived lust rising within Tom. Then he understood that Tom and Luke were riding to a small cabin deep within the rainforest east of Glen Innes towards the coast where they were going to have lots of sex together. Tom was really looking forward to Luke, the older man, thrusting his big fat cock up Tom's arsehole and filling Tom with lots of love and cum. The flood of love, lust and passion passing between the minds of the two bikers Ellis found totally distracting. He felt caught up in the maelstrom of passion developing between the two bikers. He was so disconcerted that the connection between his mind and Tom's wobbled and faded.
Bumped back into his current surroundings, Ellis realised that Augustus was looking at him intently. He felt dazed.
"Do you know Luke?" Ellis asked him.
"Luke Errington, yes. He's one of my telepathic friends. He's in contact with me quite often," replied Augustus. "Right now he's riding along the New England Highway with Tom."
"So you got that too?"
"Yes, I did."
"And they're lovers? Does that bother you?"
"Yes, I got that and no, it doesn't bother me at all."
"That's good to hear. I'm sorry I doubted you. I'm sorry that I thought you were a bit crazy all this time."
"A lot of people do. Don't worry about it. I'm used to it. It's been happening for many years now. My son Brett had the gift too, if you could call what happened to him a gift. The voices in his head were evil. They drove him insane. The psychiatrist diagnosed him as having schizophrenia and had him locked up in a mental hospital. One day a few years ago after he'd been let out, he walked out in front of an express train deliberately. He was killed instantly. Janice, my wife, blamed me for his death. She knew about my telepathic friends but I think she thought I was insane too. It ended up with her divorcing me and marrying another man. It was awful."
"I'm really sorry to hear that."
"Thank you, Ellis. It's all in the past now and I still have my telepathic friends. They are all good friends, good people, not like the evil creatures that afflicted poor Brett and drove him to suicide. My friends are all good people. They are all with God. They do His will."
"What about the gay sex?"
"They tell me that God is quite happy with gay sex. He says it's excellent that men have learnt to express their love for one another through sexual intercourse."
Ellis looked at Augustus with amazement.
"That's completely the opposite to what the Catholic Church teaches. It's a grievous sin according to them and I think the Protestant churches are all the same too," he said.
"Yes, it's sad, isn't it? The churches seem to have lost contact with the teachings of Jesus which is all about love and peace, not hate and condemnation.' Judge not lest you also be judged,' Jesus said."
"I agree," said Ellis. "The Catholic Church has been taken over by men with small minds."
"I don't feel qualified to answer that," replied Augustus. "I was brought up in the Church of England, Anglican Church nowadays, in South Australia. When I was a boy, our rector was a very forward- thinking and spiritual man. I've never had much contact with Catholicism. Anyway, I think your friends are expecting you. Thank you once again for rescuing me from that man."
"That's OK," said Ellis. "Nice to catch up with you."
He got up and returned to his table. Alison had not appeared yet. The three men all had cups of coffee in front of them. Clint had ordered his breakfast.
"How's the knight in shining armour?" asked Bryn with a grin.
"Confused," replied Ellis shaking his head. "Either I'm going completely mad or Augustus Potter has got himself involved in something quite beyond the comprehension of science."
"I definitely don't think you're going mad, mate," replied Bryn.
"Neither do I in my professional opinion," said Geoffrey with a smirk.
"What's going on?" asked Bryn.
"Tom Lundgren is one of Augustus Potter's telepathic friends." Ellis dropped the statement like a stone into the conversation.
"What?" expostulated Bryn. "That's crazy!"
"Who's Tom Lundgren?" asked Clint.
"He was a male model and the boyfriend of my friend's PA," replied Ellis. "They broke up rather nastily and Tom disappeared, oh, for years. I caught up with him and had a few drinks with him last year some time. He had changed a lot since I last saw him."
"Was the PA male or female?" asked Clint.
"Female," replied Ellis with a wry smile.
"How do you know Mr Potter isn't involving you in his fantasies?" asked Bryn. "Tom was fairly well known as a male model and somehow Potter got hold of his name and has incorporated him in his delusions."
"Tom was in my mind," replied Ellis simply.
"How do you know it was Tom and not something else?" Bryn was concerned.
"Maybe you're going nuts, Ellis," laughed Clint.
"Shut up, Clint," growled Bryn. "This is serious."
Clint made a face but kept quiet.
"It was the same Tom I met up with at the Land of Promise Hotel last year," stated Ellis. "I know because he felt the same. He was happy, really happy. He was riding his Harley along the New England Highway with his mate, Luke Errington. That's just so incredible. I knew a Luke Errington when I was at Findhorn back in the mid-eighties before I came back here but he was nothing like the big fellow riding with Tom although he says he is. Now Tom had really changed when I saw him last year. He was so happy, warm and friendly. He was so pleased to see me. And he's absolutely massive, a real mountain of muscle. He'd be easily twice your weight, Clint. With huge muscles to go with it"
"I weigh eighty-eight kilos (195 lb.)," protested Clint.
"That's rather a lot for a man of your height," remarked Geoffrey. "I think perhaps you should lose..."
"I reckon all that muscle looks pretty good on you, Clint," Ellis interrupted him. "I wouldn't worry about you being overweight. Anyhow, Tom weighs a hundred and ninety kilos naked (420 lb). And it's all solid muscle, no fat at all that I could see. By my calculation that's well over twice what you weigh, Clint."
"Fuck, that's big," said Clint.
"Yes, he is," replied Ellis. "You know, maybe the same thing happened to Luke as happened to Tom but in a bigger way. I guess miracles can happen."
"Yeah, maybe," replied Bryn sceptically. "So you say Tom was inside your head?"
"Yes. It was Tom and he was so happy. A wave of happiness just washed over me. It was a real joy for him to be alive and some of that washed over me. It was nothing nasty at all. It was good."
"Bryn, you've got to admit that the voices or whatever Ellis is perceiving in his head sound a lot happier and healthier than the voices in people's heads you usually hear about," commented Geoffrey. "Whatever's happening can't be that bad."
"Yeah, maybe," sighed Bryn.
"Hi, guys. Hope you haven't all been waiting for me." Alison appeared at their table.
"Nope," replied Clint. "I've ordered and Ellis is paying for you and me."
"Oh, Ellis, you shouldn't," protested Alison. "You don't have to do that."
"I insist," declared Ellis. "I told Clint that I would so don't worry about it. Just sit down with us and enjoy the conversation."
"Thank you very much," said Alison. "It's so sweet of you."
She sat down.
"What did your mother want?" asked Clint.
"It's secret women's business, darling," replied Alison. "I can't tell you."
"Yeah. Sure."
Natalie came and placed Clint's breakfast on the table in front of him. She asked Alison if she was ready to order but Alison had not made up her mind. She said she or someone would return soon for Alison's order.
Alison was still trying to make up her mind when Natalie returned. She got all flustered when Bryn threatened to make up her mind for her. Clint suggested the peaches, blueberries and yoghurt. She decided to have that for breakfast.
At a table near Ellis and his friends sat three young Chinese ladies who were having an animated conversation in what sounded like the Mandarin language. One young lady appeared to be telling a story that had her two friends in fits of laughter.
A number of Chinese people had started patronising Cafe Juliana's. Some had apartments in the building while others lived in the vicinity.
Four Anglo-Australian ladies sat at a nearby table deep in conversation. One lady had with her a little girl of about four years old dressed in a pink fairy dress. The little girl was sitting on the floor. She looked bored. Suddenly the little girl stood up and started tugging at her mother's arm trying to get her attention.
"Not now, Arabella. Mummy's busy," said her mother irritably.
"But Mummy, that Chinese lady over there said 'shit'!" announced her daughter at the top of her voice.
Bryn exploded into laughter. That set off Ellis, Clint and Geoffrey. Clint howled with laughter. Alison tried to make him stop but that only made Clint worse. He laughed so hard that he fell off his chair. He lay on the floor shaking with laughter.
Other people in the cafe were grinning and laughing. The three young Chinese ladies looked embarrassed and confused.
The little girl's mother blushed bright red. Her friends were laughing. One said that they would have to tell the story at Arabella's twenty-first birthday party.
Marica announced her retirement. She introduced to Ellis and Bryn her replacement, a well-spoken Englishwoman aged in her late twenties with blue eyes and a blonde ponytail. Named Samantha Ponsonby, she told Ellis and Bryn to call her Sam. She had been in Australia since she was twenty one.
Samantha had worked previously for the Kretschmer household. She did not like Hermann whom she described as a pig but she liked Sabine whom she said was nice. After Sabine and Herman, she had worked for Alison and Clint. She described Clint as a real hunk but he always made a mess and he expected Sam to clean up after him. Sam found him frustrating.
When Marica said she was going to retire, Sam was very keen to take over as Ellis's housekeeper. The building management approved her as Marica's replacement. Sam had heard that Ellis and Bryn were good people to work for. She lived on her own in one of the small staff flats in the apartment building.
Soon after her retirement, Marica was elected president of the Croatian Club. The vote to elect her was almost unanimous. She was displeased when she heard about the 'plot' to elect her but she accepted her election with good grace.
Bryn continued going alone around to the Truman house for dinners and parties. Ellis could not be persuaded to go with him because Debbie could not resist making nasty remarks to him. Instead he often went to the Croatian Club. Alternatively he would go and see a film or a play or attend an opera with his brother Leon at the Sydney Opera House. Otherwise he would visit Roman and Bill or spend the evening talking and listening to music with Geoffrey.
Ellis continued to have lunches regularly with his older brother Leon. Now and then Bryn would make time to join them. Leon appreciated being able to catch up with his little brother and Ellis liked to hear what was happening in the family. His parents were getting older. They were in their eighties. Leon's tribe of grandchildren kept growing.
Leon found it hilarious that he had thirty six additional nieces and nephews fathered by Ellis. He said that his parents were most upset to know that piece of news. They lamented the fact that their youngest son was not only a homosexual living in flagrant sin with another man but also he had fathered a tribe of unbaptised bastards who were being brought up by lesbians and not in good Catholic families within the teachings of the Holy Church. They continued to pray for him. They prayed that Ellis would see the light and return to the embrace of the Holy Church. His sisters were scandalised as one would expect.
-------------------------------------- Continued in Part 90. --------------------------------------