DAVID 547
“Yeah,” said Brad, nodding, and with a crooked smile. “I pretty much taught Davey everything he knows. I mean, he was big when he first got here, but you know, there was no symmetry, no finesse. You can’t blame him though, coming from a little town outside Texas and all, and then being exposed to the big boys here in the big city.”
“I thought,” began Pete, “he came from a little town IN Texas.”
“Huh?” said Brad. “Oh. Well, whatever.”
“Yeah,” said Gary, “and I thought he said that before that he lived in………..” He looked at Pete. “Paris? No! London!”
“Well there you go,” said Brad. “What do them English dudes know about bodybuilding?”
“But sheesh!” said Pete. “The first time I saw him I just stood there with my mouth open and thought over and over again, that’s not real. He can’t be real.”
“He’s so freakin’ HUGE!” said Gary. “Everything’s perfect.”
Brad shrugged.
“Do you think we’ll see him working out in the evenings, when we come?”
“Probably not,” said Brad. “He’s an early bird. He opens the gym at six, does his workout, and showers and gets dressed by nine. If you want to catch him here in the locker room, stop by around 8:45. Or catch him at the juice bar when he eats his second breakfast.”
“Second breakfast?” asked Pete.
“Hey man,” said Brad, “when you’ve got as much muscle as us, you gotta eat a LOT.”
“So, like, what's the scoop?” asked Gary warily. “Does he have a girlfriend? I hear rumors that he’s one of us.”
“Oh yeah,” said Brad, shedding his air of nonchalance for a moment. Then, just as quickly, he feigned boredom. “Yeah, he’s one of us. He doesn’t advertise it, but he told me it’s ok to tell people if they ask.”
“Does he have a boyfriend?” asked Pete.
“Davey? Nahhh. He’s too into his school work and workouts and all his other side jobs. But you know, we hang out every once in a while. I think he kind of looks up to me like a mentor, but he won’t admit it. If you ask him, he’ll deny it. You know what I mean.”
“Wow,” said Pete.
“Like, where do you guys hang out?” asked Gary.
“Oh….here. The pier. Venice beach. West Hollywood.”
“Is he gonna compete?” asked Pete.
Gary broke in. “Yeah. And if he does, are you going to?”
“Ehhh,” said Brad, “I’m pretty much done with competing. I might do the Mr. Los Angeles County competition again.”
“I saw you in that last year,” said Pete. “Man, you looked incredible.”
“Yeah,” said Brad. “I did, didn’t I? Wow man, I envy you guys. What I wouldn’t give to see myself live on stage.” He smiled and gazed far off into the distance. “Oh! But Davey….he told me he wasn’t gonna compete. Said he had enough trophies. He wouldn’t tell me how many though. Maybe it’s just like two and he’s embarrassed since he knows I have like six. But he made a face and said he already had a name….David….and wanted people to call him that, not Mr. Los Angeles or Mr. California.
Personally, I think he’s kind of self conscious about being a tad too tall since, you know, it makes him look kinda goofy."
“How tall is he?” asked Pete.
“Uh……” Brad began, “well, he’s only a couple of inches taller than me and I’m six two, so I would guess six four.”
“Ya think?” said Gary. “He looks taller.”
“Yeah,” said Brad. “That’s an illusion. Big guys seem taller than they really are.”
“So uh, Brad….” Gary said nervously. “Like, this is none of my business and everything, but uh…you and he……..have you ever…you know?”
Brad smirked. “You mean have I ever taken Davey for a test drive?”
“Yeah,” said Gary.
“Pffff….” Brad said with a wave of his hand. “Lots of times. He was all over me the first day he saw me. ‘Course, I’m used to that. And if you called him on it he’d never admit it. Even though he’s pretty much one himself, Davey still has that awe thing going on whenever he sees a muscle god. Like me. And I think he’s always going to be that way. But uh….yeah,” he said with a wicked grin, “when he catches me in a good mood, I’ve satisfied him.”
“Okay,” said Pete, “in case I never see him here in the locker room, I just gotta know. Is it really as big as they say it is?”
“Well,” said Brad, “I don’t know what everybody says, and I’m sure a lot of people exaggerate. But let’s just say he’s not lacking there.”
“Okay,” said Gary, “Now I gotta know in case I don’t see him here in the locker room. Boxers? Or briefs?”
“Oh, boxers,” said Brad. “All the time.”
2012