Midnight Cowboys by Deirdre O'Dare

Two young men from different backgrounds end up roommates at a state college in west Texas during the latter part of the turbulent ’60s. In the course of their developing relationship, both get an education while treading near the edge of risk and ruin in a time when “anything goes.”

Riki is the black sheep of a wealthy family with one final chance to avoid the draft or disinheritance. His dream is to become a hot guitarist with a rock band, but his weakness for recreational drugs might become a stumbling block. Jerry is a true son of Bible Belt America, happy to be in college and perhaps rise above the lower middle class level of his family. He has to grow rapidly through his shock and meld into the times that had not yet found his small-town roots.

When the two men form an unlikely friendship, will it develop into a deeper bond as they experience drugs, sex, and rock ’n’ roll? And will that bond bring them to the brink of disaster, or lead them down the path to maturity and knowledge?

Genres: Gay/Nostalgic Contemporary (1960s-Era)/The Arts/Voyeurism
Heat Level: 3

Length: Novella (18k words) 

Read a short excerpt...

...“Let’s get outta here,” Riki said, all at once. “I ain’t sitting in this shitpit room another minute. I hear there’s a bar in that classy hotel across the border where you can pick up hot older chicks and they’ll pay you for some fun instead of the other way around. If I’m gonna keep gas in my car, I gotta bring in some bread. You better get into some different rags, though. Nobody wants to be seen with a dork.”

Jerry wasn’t sure he’d heard right. “Women paying to get fucked? Man, that’s weird shit. I never heard of that. So, can I borrow a pair of jeans and a shirt? This is really all I have, and I can’t afford new—er—threads right now.”

Riki shrugged. “Sure. We’re close to the same size. Jeans might be a little short, but better than those khakis. Yuck. You done with that paper?”

“Yours is. Mine’s almost. I can finish it in the morning.”

Jerry lost no time in changing, then the two of them clomped down the stairs. On a week night, the dorm was quiet. Still, nobody locked the main doors so they could come and go as they chose. At least the men had more freedom than the girls. He’d heard their dorms were locked at nine on weeknights and midnight on Friday and Saturday.

They took Riki’s ’Vette across the Rio Grande after Jerry kicked in a couple of dollars for some gas. They found the bar, all right…a joint called the Purple Panther, much more of a classy cocktail lounge than a simple, small town saloon. It was in a pretty choice-looking hotel, too. Once inside, they stood out like a couple of whores in church. Most of the people there were men and most wore suits and ties, like guys who worked in the big oil company offices and probably drove Caddies and BMWs. The women were really foxy, although most of them seemed tall and there was something a bit odd about them. Although Jerry couldn’t put a finger on it, they just didn’t seem quite right. Well, maybe rich women really were different. After all, how many did he know?

Riki ordered drinks, and they sipped them, lounging against the bar, while they scoped out the room. Finally, an older man approached them. Good-looking for an older guy, well dressed in a silvery-gray three-piece suit, crisp white shirt and extra wide, striped tie. Slim and dapper, he looked elegant and distinguished with his silver-dusted hair and a neat mustache.

“I haven’t seen you boys here before. Looking for some action? A little fun?”

Riki’s glance followed one of the women, a leggy blonde. The man chuckled. “No use wasting your time there, sugar. She’s not a she, if you know what I mean. Some of the men like the illusion until they get down to business. You couldn’t afford that one, anyway. Lucky for you, you don’t have to. A friend and I can show you a better time and make it worth your while.”

When Jerry felt his heart jump into his throat, he tried not to show his shock. This was not what he had expected, although he wasn’t sure he could perform with a rich lady, either, even for money. His experience was seriously limited...