“Familiar Encounter” by Darius Davis

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You’re listening to The Voice of Dog. I’m Khaki, your faithful fireside companion,

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and Today’s story is

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“Familiar Encounter"

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by Darius Davis, a black queer bilingual african wild dog author,

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who uses his academic knowledge and background to create compelling short stories.

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You can follow him on twitter, @2DWildDog,

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for future writing projects and commissioned artwork.

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Also, a special thanks

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to @wakewolfasl on twitter,

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a friend of Darius

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who acted as a deaf creative consultant for this story.

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“Familiar Encounter”

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by Darius Davis “Move your ass!”

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James yelled with his head out the driver’s side window.

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The donkey driver in the Buick GNX

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gave him the bird

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before he crawled forward to make room for the parking lot entrance.

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The black and brown alpine goat rolled his eyes before he swerved into the lot.

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His horns caught onto the roof of his Silver Honda Accord

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as he tried to retreat into his car.

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He was not about to be late for his assignment,

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no matter how bad the traffic becomes.

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The clock inside his dashboard counted down the minutes as he eventually found a spot next to the doctor’s office.

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James grabbed his interpreting notebook and pen

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to quickly review over the notes of today’s assignment.

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After a few mental checklists and vocabulary clarifications,

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he put the interpreting notebook away in the glovebox

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and fast walked towards the entrance.

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For James, it was standard procedure to arrive 15 minutes early to the appointment

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so he could meet his client.

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He checked in with the shriveled lioness receptionist at the front desk

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to find out where his client might be.

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Without even looking up from her grey mechanical keyboard,

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her long boney finger pointed James to the nearest waiting room.

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There were only two other creatures inside that he saw.

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On one side of the room

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was an older parrot woman

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who read a glossy magazine.

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On the other side was an admittedly handsome Irish cob horse

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that matched the description his agency gave him.

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He was a black and white stallion

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with an enormously long flowing white mane

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and tail hairs that completely covered the couch cushion next to him.

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The stallion had a noticeable splint worn on his right ring finger.

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For his attire, the stallion’s jean jacket and white undershirt was form fitting to his body,

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which outlined the broader aspects of his muscular physique.

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James could see himself mistaking the stallion for a

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bodybuilder magazine cover model.

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One that you would find at a checkout aisle inside a grocery store.

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But today, the Irish cob was nothing more than a client.

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The stallion looked over to him

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and brought his hands up to sign,

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“Are you the interpreter?”

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“How could you tell?”

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James signed back

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“All you interpreters wear those black smock things.

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No sane person with decent fashion sense would wear those,”

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The stallion snickered.

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The alpine goat chuckled to himself as it was clear

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that the stallion was his client.

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The stallion’s signing style reflected an urban dialect compared to those who lived outside the city.

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Most people within the deaf community

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tended to be extremely forward with their words and intentions.

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They weren’t the type of people to be vague compared to their hearing counterparts.

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And it was common for clients to poke fun at their interpreters for their choice of uniform attire.

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In this case, however, it couldn’t be helped.

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James sat next to him,

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“I know but it's company policy that I wear this.

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So, what’s your full name?

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And what are you going to ask the doctor?”

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“The name is Dixon Smith.

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I’m here for just a regular check up and getting some blood tests back.

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Nothing much else to it.

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What’s your name?

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Is this your first time doing a doctor’s appointment?”

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Dixon laid back in his chair.

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“I’m James Johnson.

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And don’t worry this isn’t my first time, the agency wouldn’t send an amateur out for an important gig like this!”

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“Hate to break it to you,

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but there ain’t anything complicated about this appointment.

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It’s no open-heart surgery, we are just

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going in and out quick!

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Should be done in under an hour.”

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James took a sigh of relief as the appointment seemed to be an easy enough assignment.

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It was always awkward for him to sit and observe silently whenever he had to inform a client of a serious medical condition

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that dictated life and death decisions.

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Last thing he wanted

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was to tell his client they had terminal cancer or a serious illness.

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Though before James fully settled into his chair,

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Dixon waved at him to get his attention.

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“By the way, what’s your name sign?”

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Dixon asks. James shook his head,

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“I… don’t have one.

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Not yet anyway.” Dixon nodded,

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“Alright… How about I call you JJ.

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Makes it easier for me to remember.”

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Dixon had modified the sign for yellow

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as he kept his thumb in but motioned his hand to make a J sign twice.

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A soft burning sensation

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trickled up the sides of James’s cheeks

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as he gave his thanks.

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It was a huge honor for him to receive a name sign from a client.

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In all his two years of work in the agency, he never imagined he would be granted such a privilege

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from a strapping older stallion.

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As the two waited,

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James mentally ran down the check list of all possible medical terminology one last time

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to give himself a self confidence boost.

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After a few minutes,

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the elk nurse called them in

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and the two situated themselves in the doctor’s office.

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James made sure to sit in a position where Dixon and the doctor

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can both see him comfortably for him to sign.

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Once the short brown otter doctor came in,

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he introduced himself as Dr. Williams

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and shook both of their hands.

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The three made small talk as they all prepared themselves for today’s visit.

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The short stacked otter had a large grey handlebar mustache

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that covered his upper lip, which made it difficult for Dixon to read lips.

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James could understand why his services would be needed

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as the otter spoke in a lower volume and tone.

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Dr. Williams took Dixon’s current weight,

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height, and blood pressure.

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He also did a quick evaluation on Dixon’s sprained ring finger.

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Dr. Williams still recommended that Dixon keep it elevated

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and treated for another week.

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After the evaluation, the otter doctor brought out a clip board

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and carefully reviewed it before he spoke while James interpreted.

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“Now concerning your blood and urine tests, there are no signs of Chlamydia, Hepatitis, HIV, or Syphilis in your system!

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Now, it is still important that you continue to practice safe sex with any female and/or male partners you may have!

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If you need any pamphlets on exploring safe sex alternatives, I can have a nurse provide one for you!”

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Dr. Williams said.

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James was taken aback from the news

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as he didn’t anticipate the need to interpret this specific subject.

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He expected something along the lines of blood sugar levels, liver function, or cholesterol.

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At least that was what he prepped for when former clients told them about upcoming blood tests.

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Regardless, James quickly shook out his hands to compose himself

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and relayed the information to Dixon.

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The stallion nodded along as his tail flicked from side to side in his chair,

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“Awesome! And don’t worry,

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it’ll never happen again.

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Just needed to get those tests after I found out my girlfriend cheated on me.

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You wouldn’t believe the week I had!”

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After James voiced the stallion’s signs,

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Dr. Williams chuckled,

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“Well, no worries ol’ sport.

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I understand, you were just taking responsibility for your own health.

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You don’t simply go around fucking every broad unlike most of the young folks I have to take care of!

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Especially with this HIV thing still going around.

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For a deaf man, you’re one of the smarter ones!”

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James bit his lower lip as a sense of dread clenched his heart.

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He understood that Dr. Williams’s intentions weren’t meant to be derogatory,

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but felt the urge to omit the last part.

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Still, he conveyed the full message and cringed internally as he watched Dixon silently clench his teeth.

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They shared a deep glance,

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Dixon and James understood the awkward situation the doctor created.

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Dixon let out a small

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uncomfortable verbal laugh to lighten the mood and sought to end the appointment as soon as possible.

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After the test and health recommendations,

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the two were escorted out of the office as the appointment concluded.

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Dixon and James were met with the warm embrace of the afternoon sun once fully outside.

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While the appointment was finished,

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James considered himself lucky that his pay counted for the two-hour minimum.

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As James headed for the parking lot, Dixon tapped the alpine goat’s left shoulder to stop him for a moment.

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“Thanks for not making a big deal about the appointment.

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I was too embarrassed to tell you earlier what the blood tests were about.”

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Dixon shifted his feet.

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“It’s fine, I’m sworn to secrecy, so the agency and I are legally compelled to keep our mouths shut about these sorts of things

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outside of work!” James rubbed his hands after he signed.

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They broke eye contact as James tried to figure out

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how to not make the end of the session any more awkward.

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He decided to step outside the normal bounds of his job responsibilities

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to convey his sympathies to the client.

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“Hey, sorry about what happened to your girl.

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I know a few guys who had a raw deal like that.

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Was that the reason why…

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your ring finger needed a splint?”

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James asked. “Oh this?

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Um… this was just from a workplace accident after a steel beam landed on it.

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I do construction for a living.

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Anyway… like you said, you’re sworn to secrecy so it ain’t a big deal.

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Probably won’t even see each other again.”

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Dixon shrugged “I hope so…

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I mean in terms of having to visit the doctor again!”

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James tried to cover up his mistake for potential rudeness.

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Dixon laughed, “I get it.

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You don’t need to explain.

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Anyway… it was nice to meet you!

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Hope the rest of your day goes well!”

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James nodded, “Agreed,

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it was really nice to meet you as well.

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Are you waiting for someone to pick you up?”

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“Nope, I take public transportation. Though I’ll probably head to the gym.

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You should get back to your agency. I know they tend to get stingy when you’re over the clock.”

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Dixon pointed to his wrist.

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James looked down to his watch

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and saw he had about an hour to return to the agency.

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While the drive was only a few minutes away,

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he did want to pick up some lunch beforehand.

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James took his cue and waved goodbye before he fast walked back to his sliver Accord.

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For the rest of the day,

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the strapping older stallion lingered in James’s mind.

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Every client had their reasons to keep some personal details a secret.

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The agency hammered home the point that people like James were nothing more

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than language machines,

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automatons. They were dissuaded from getting involved in personal matters of their clients.

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It was forbidden for interpreters to develop deep

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friendships or relationships with those in the deaf community.

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To do so would put James at the risk of having to interpret for a client with

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personal intimate knowledge,

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which would hamper his judgement and bias.

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Yet there were downsides to such a policy.

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James hadn’t developed many connections within the deaf community.

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It was a testament that his lack of a name sign after two years of work

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signaled him as an outsider.

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He wouldn’t mind getting to know people like Dixon.

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The stallion seemed to be friendly,

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not to mention a good looker.

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James speculated

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as to why a handsome strong stallion like Dixon would ever have a girl cheat on him.

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Dixon didn’t appear

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visibly upset when he mentioned it.

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James could recall a few of his childhood friends that still held

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strong grudges against their past lovers.

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A lingered fantasy played out in his mind,

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about how the two may share

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more things in common than he first thought.

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Regardless, like Dixon said,

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they probably won’t come across one another for a while.

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With a sizable deaf population in the inner city,

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there was no telling if Dixon would need the agency anytime soon.

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Besides, to become intimately involved with a past client,

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let along one of the same sexes,

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could cost him his livelihood.

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Just one slip about James's personal life and he could soon see himself collecting employment.

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That is why, James tried to figure out ways in which he could explore his sexuality while remaining anonymous.

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The first rule

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was to never date or deeply befriend anyone in the deaf community

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just for his own protection.

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But James also wanted to make sure the venues he attended

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would have the low possibility of a neighbor,

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work colleague, or friend finding him.

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Thoughts continued to plague his mind

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as the workday came to an end

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and he started to head home.

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His normal route was blocked by major construction

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and he was forced to take a detour deeper into the city.

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As he stopped behind several rows of gas guzzling sedans,

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James’s eye caught the sight of a fancy sign outside an inconspicuous tall white building.

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A few large burly bulls waited outside

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with two keeping close contact with one another.

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It dawned on him

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that it was one of those bathhouses,

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a place where men can feel liberated and comfortable with their desires for one another.

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The building itself looked unremarkable but the sign and clientele out front gave a heavy hint.

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James quickly opened the glove box to retrieve his interpreter notepad and pen.

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He spotted and scribbled down the names of the street signs as fast as he could

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before the light turned green.

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Just as he was about to finish,

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a car horn blared from behind

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as the cars in front had already left.

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James quickly pressed onto the gas and made the turn,

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his blood rushed throughout his ears as he drove home.

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No matter what, he needed to get home and open his phone book

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to look up more information about the place.

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A few days passed as James sat on the couch with a sprawl of notes scattered throughout his coffee table.

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The phonebook revealed the precise name and address of the gay bathhouse

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along with its operating hours.

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Though there was not much info he could discern about the place without calling.

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There was little info about what these hookup places were like.

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Most of the national and local newspaper articles would

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sensationalized them

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to be nothing more than run-down festering slums where drugs and sleezy gay sex took place.

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The only recent newspaper article about the specific bathhouse was its reopening in 1989,

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just a few months ago.

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There was little indication that anyone close to James would spot him there

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which was an immediate benefit.

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The building was hidden

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behind several tall office complexes and low-income apartments

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that most commuters wouldn’t pass unless taking a detour.

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After a few days,

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James compiled a plan to check out the location.

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He would leave behind his work beeper,

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take a bus route that situated close to the facility,

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and would wear dark shades to obscure his identity.

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At the most, he would bring a small gym bag, a notebook and pen,

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flip flops, a towel, some cash,

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and his driver’s license.

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He hoped people would just take him as an ordinary jogger.

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Though when the day came

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and he started to take the bus trip down to the bathhouse,

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pools of sweat beads down his face.

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No one in their right mind could recognize the grey alpine goat

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as this wasn’t his normal route and clothing attire.

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Still, he had to stretch out his hands and legs to prevent them from

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clenching up. Once the bus made the desired stop,

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he swiftly climbed out the door

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and headed towards the bathhouse a few blocks away.

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He blended in with the other pedestrians

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as he hoped it prevented the possibility of a coworker passing by

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while on their commute.

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After a few turns,

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James arrived in front of the bathhouse and approached the front desk.

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The heavyset tan wolf behind the plexiglass

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didn’t bat an eye when James approached.

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The wolf simply asked for payment and ID

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while he pointed at the sign that displayed all the rules.

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After the transaction,

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James was finally allowed entry into the facility.

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Once buzzed in the front doors,

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the alpine goat was greeted by the sight of two young handsome platinum foxes

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with towels around their waist.

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Every variety and species of men

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adorned the hallways

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and rooms of the facility.

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The halls buzzed with casual conversations

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as James made his way towards the locker rooms upstairs.

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His floppy ears heard side conversations of the clientele

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as the halls were mixed of small talk,

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sports conversations,

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blue collar work, and compliments.

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The décor of the bathhouse didn’t meet James expectations.

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Instead of loud colors,

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ostentatious furniture, or elaborate carpentry like he imagined,

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the inside looked no different than a casual gymnasium.

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Though it had the aesthetics of a casual gym,

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it wasn’t the main attraction.

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An array of saunas, pools, jacuzzis,

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locker rooms, small indoor theaters, and a roof patio were all provided

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by the facility that James took note of.

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There was one small detail that his ear picked up as he passed by a nearby door.

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Slight rumbles traveled under his hooved feet

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while the bass music climbed up from the basement.

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A symphony of sighs and moans accompanied the club music from the basement section called

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“The Dungeon”. A hot rush tickled up to the tips of his floppy ears while he fast walked past the door

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and headed for the locker rooms.

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He found an empty locker to undress

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and stashed his belongings in.

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Though as he stripped more of his clothing,

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James’s mind slowly filled with second guesses.

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He didn’t know exactly what the proper etiquette was.

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Truth be told, he was extremely nervous when he was down to his briefs.

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He had managed to come this far in the journey,

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yet his body tensed up.

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Perhaps once he made his way to the jacuzzi,

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he’ll be able to fully relax.

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A few men happened to walk into the locker room

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as they started to strip down from their street clothes.

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From the corner of his eyes,

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James could see three stallions in the room.

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Their body type reflected a spectrum of male physique of physical fitness.

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The stallion on the left

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was a well statured and slender chestnut Morgan stallion

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adorn with a white jockstrap.

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On the right was a heavy set muscular golden fur American quarter stallion

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that wore tight briefs.

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The two boasted about their recent weightlifting achievements earlier in the day.

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Though there was one in the center that was strangely quiet.

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A black and white male Irish cob stallion who stood amongst them.

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His back was turned to James though

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there was something immediately familiar about him.

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He had a long flowing white mane

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along with an elongated fluffy white horse tale that hung between his massive buttocks.

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The fur reflected a clashing tone of black and white paint.

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He had stripped down naked while a towel rested on his left shoulder.

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James backed into the corner as he realized who the stallion was.

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The Irish cob then looked over

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and took notice of the alpine goat.

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Dixon was taken aback to see his former interpreter.

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The goat’s pink nose and ears

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were pale as blood drained from his face.

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He stumbled backwards and slammed against the wall.

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The back of his head smashed into the drywall which caused his horns to lodge inside.

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James, unable to free his horns, sat stuck.

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He stared up with his mouth agape with shock and embarrassment.

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The two other stallions looked over

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and verbally asked James if he was alright.

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Dixon walked over and motioned him to wait

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as his strong arms carefully pried the horns out from the drywall.

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He then dusted off the bits of drywall from James’s horns

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and helped him up on his hooved feet.

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“You okay, JJ?” Dixon signed.

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James became lightheaded as his perplexed mind tried to make sense with what was happening.

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Echoed screams raced in his thoughts,

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“Oh God! Oh fuck! Why is this happening?

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Why is Dixon here?

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Just try and not look down. Don’t look down! Don’t look down, don’t look down…”

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James nodded before his eyes drifted down.

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He caught a better glimpse of Dixon’s

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muscular naked body in picture perfect detail.

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“Why the fuck did I look down!

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He’s so hot but… I can’t stay here!”

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James’s head voice screamed;

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he tightly clenched his teeth.

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After a few seconds,

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Dixon looked over to the two other stallions and motioned his head towards the door.

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The two took their cue and simply left Dixon and James alone

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inside the locker room.

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James finally snapped himself back into reality

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as the weight of the situation dawned on him.

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A pulsing headache plagued the alpine goat’s mind

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as he tried to concentrate.

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After a few false starts,

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Dixon brought his hands up to sign,

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“I never thought I would see you again.

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How long have you been coming here?”

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James quickly backed away and headed towards his locker,

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“I’m sorry, but I just remembered I left my work beeper at home.

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I really need to go!”

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James's shaky hands fidgeted with the locker key as he tried to retrieve his belongings.

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Dixon waved at James to get his attention.

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When that failed,

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Dixon reached over

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to clasped his right hand on the alpine goat’s left shoulder.

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James reluctantly looked over to Dixon

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as the stallion had a furrowed expression on his face.

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“You’re the only one here that can understand me so I’m not letting you ignore me.

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So, tell me, what’s up?

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What’s got you spooked?”

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Dixon asked. Hot air rushed out of James’s nostrils

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as he tried to calm himself down,

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“Listen, I can’t be here.

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If people knew I hung out with a former client in a place like this, my career is over!

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I’ll be stripped of my license and barred from interpreting professionally!

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It’s why I can’t be seen with you here!”

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Dixon let out a heavy sign,

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“I understand that you’re scared about your job.

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We are in the same boat!

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I get that meeting you here would have risks involved.

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But nobody needs to know that we’re here.

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You kept my doctor’s appointment a secret.

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Why can’t I just

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keep this between us?”

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“It’s sweet of you to offer,

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but I wouldn’t be a good fit for you.

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Plus, I’m sure there must be other deaf gay men you know.

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I can’t imagine anyone turning down a handsome guy like you?”

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James tried to play it off.

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Dixon’s ears flatten,

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“I never really had anyone else to talk to here.”

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James tilted his head,

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“But what about those other stallions that were with you earlier?”

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“Those guys? They’re from the gym nearby.

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They’ve taken me in since I helped spot them.

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But… they don’t really talk with me much.

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And none of my deaf friends know that I’m here.

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I never came across anyone else here that could understand sign language.

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And… I think most people here are scared of me.”

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James raises an eyebrow,

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“Why’s that?” Dixon lifted the splint to rub his right ring finger to soothe the soreness,

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“Well... I had a bad sex experience with a steer guy a few weeks ago.

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And since then, everyone has been standoffish around me.”

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“What happened?” James asked.

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Dixon looked visibly frustrated as he shook his hands to make them relax.

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He then continued,

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“We were having sex at the dungeon downstairs.

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I gave him a condom and had him put it on before we began.

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But… after a few minutes I felt him slide the condom off and he tried to fuck me unprotected.

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I motioned him to stop but he kept going.

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So… I bucked him off and punched his face to make him stop.

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Left him with a broken nose and a chipped tooth.”

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“I can’t believe someone would try and do that to you!

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That was awfully cruel of him!

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What happened after that?”

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James looked up to Dixon.

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“I was called in by management to explain myself.

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Course, they had to give me a pen and paper so I could tell them what happened.

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Because they’ve known me for years, they believed my side of the story and kicked the steer out.

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Still… I was worried that the asshole might have infected me.

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Which is why I got tested at the doctor’s office.

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And why I had to get a splint for my ring finger.”

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“I see… I’m sorry someone tried to take advantage of you like that.” “It just

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feels good to talk about it with someone, you know.

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I couldn’t talk about this with my deaf friends because they wouldn’t understand.

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And everyone else here, other than management,

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thought I was the aggressive asshole.”

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Dixon huffed with frustration.

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James bit his lower lip

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as his eyes looked up with empathy.

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He never seriously considered what it must have been like for Dixon to live with something like that.

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Even for a stunning

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handsome horse, there are only so few people that could know him on a deeper personal level.

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Dixon was trapped between two cultures,

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deaf culture and gay culture.

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Yet, the stallion couldn’t fully participate in both.

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James could see how the need to connect with someone would override the worries about breaking norms by befriending an interpreter.

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Dixon wasn’t just another client to serve,

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but a person with emotional wants and needs.

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While he hadn’t fully come to terms with his own sexuality,

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James still felt compelled to at least give the stallion a chance.

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James closed the gap between them,

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“I’m glad they allowed you to stay.

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I’m sorry for trying to dismiss you earlier.

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But… I won’t lie, it is nice seeing you again!”

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Dixon flashed a smile,

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“I’m happy to come across you again as well.

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So… would you like to come downstairs and join me in the hot tub?”

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James shuffled his feet,

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“I'd like to but… I really do need to head home.

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Not because I don’t like it here,

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I do! But… it just feels too public for me to get comfortable.

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Plus, I got a headache from that fall earlier.

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Maybe we can get to know each other at a more private place another time?”

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Dixon chuckled, “Fair enough,

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I know this might have been a lot for you.

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Do you have a notebook or a piece of paper?”

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James nodded and turned to retrieve his notebook and pen from the locker.

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He handed it to the stallion

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as Dixon started to write down his phone number along with the time and date for when to call.

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The alpine goat was perplexed as to why Dixon would be giving him a phone number.

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Dixon handed him the notebook,

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“Here, you can contact me with this number if you like to hang out again soon.

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I have a teletypewriter at home,

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it will allow me to receive and make phone calls to you.”

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James sucked in some air through his teeth,

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feeling dumb and forgetting that deaf people could use the phone lines through a TTY.

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After that moment of embarrassment washed away,

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he accepted the phone number and started to dress back into his street clothes.

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He then turned to the naked stallion and smiled.

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“I hope we see each other again,”

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James said before he extended his hand for a handshake.

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Dixon looked down at James’s hand and let out a small snicker.

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Instead, he reached over to give the alpine goat a long

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intimate hug. James froze in place as he felt the naked stallion softly press and grind his body into him.

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The alpine goat lightly placed his hands-on Dixon’s hips

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as the two locked eyes for a moment.

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The stallion leaned forward to leave a soft peck on James’s lips,

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which made the alpine goat squirm while he held onto Dixon tightly.

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Though as time passed,

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James’s body fully relaxed

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as his arms rested over Dixon’s hips.

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After the small kiss,

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Dixon gave a slight wink

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and carried the towel over his shoulder as he headed downstairs towards the jacuzzi.

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James on the other hand opted for the exit.

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Before James left the facility,

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he turned and saw Dixon blow him a kiss.

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The tips of James’s ears glowed like a tea kettle before he exited from the facility

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and made his way home.

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On the bus route home,

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he tightly held onto the notebook

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and admired Dixon’s handwriting.

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Even if he may never be able to interpret for Dixon professionally,

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the benefits of befriending and growing a closer bond with the stallion

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massively outweighed any drawbacks.

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For the time being,

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it will be their little secret.

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This was “Familiar Encounter” by Darius Davis,

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read for you by Khaki, your faithful fireside companion.

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You can find more stories on the web at thevoice.dog,

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or find the show wherever you get your podcasts.