One Thousand Words of Pride

The Summer Kingdom on Winter's Doorstep

He's sitting on a park bench, alone. Between sips of his banana-flavored iced coffee and reading his book, Seth takes occasional glances at the people walking past him but no-one in particular has caught his eye so far.

His book is a travel guide, showing him around a small, faraway country called Montenegro. Seth has never been to Montenegro, nor anywhere near it. He could barely even afford a trip outside his home city. Whenever he reads about traveling, and he does it a lot, it's mostly to help fuel his longing fantasies of whisking himself away from this dull home of his, and into brighter, more exciting parts of the world.

His books, their images and descriptions, have taken him all around the world twice over. But it's the first time he's ever read about Montenegro. This part of Europe tends to be a bit of a blind spot for most Americans. But as far as Seth understands, it's a blind spot for most Europeans, too. All he knew when he spotted this guide at the book swap, was what a warm, Mediterranean country it was about. And with early November coming down hard on the town, thoughts of a more pleasant climate are just what he needs.

Turning the pages, one by one, he can see himself travel along the Adriatic coast in one of those rusty Volkswagen vans from the sixties. Or maybe even a Yugo, which might fit the setting a bit better. He imagines climbing the mountains around Kotor, strolling around the old capital of Cetinje, or the beaches at Budva...maybe not Bar though, that's way too crowded. So they say.

Seth looks up momentarily, and sees someone else has entered the park. A balding man in his late sixties, wearing a flat cap and a wide flannel coat drags himself across the nearby lawn, and Seth knows exactly where he's headed. He's on his feet in an instant.

Managing to beat the old man to their meeting spot, he hastily sits down in front of the stone table and neatly arranges the chess figures on the board. Joe never so much as smiles at him, even as he sits down. Seth wonders whether Joe is even capable of smiling at all.

"Well, how's your day been?" the old man greets him, sitting opposite from him now. "Find anything you like yet? Anyone you like, rather?"

It's always his first question, and Seth's answer is the same as always. Pretending to still be busy arranging his pawns, he shakes his head no.

"Shame. I'd be all over the local boys at your age," Joe reminisces. Seth doesn't doubt it for a second.

They first played chess at his table two years ago, when Set was nineteen and Joe was as old as he is now. They kept sharing random information about themselves in seemingly mindless conversations as their meetings went on. And for some reason, it was Joe who Seth first confided his newly discovered bisexuality in when he had no-one else to turn to. He had no idea just how like-minded the old man was to him in that regard.

Before long, they told each other everything. Including Joe being all over the local boys in his day. That is, until his long-time boyfriend contracted AIDS and died from the complication after a struggle that lasted for years. All of this happened long before Seth was even born. But Joe has remained alone since then, allegedly by choice.

Wordlessly, Joe reaches forward to make his first move, dragging a pawn forward two spaces. He starts the game despite playing as black. It's always been like this between them. Seth questioned it the first few times, but not since.

"So, where were you off to this time?" he asks, waiting for Seth to make a move of his own.

"Montenegro," Seth mumbles, then leaps over his row of pawns with a knight. No need to endanger the important pieces so early by breaking down the wall protecting them.

"Is that in Italy?"

"No, but close by. It used to be in Yugoslavia."

"Oh, I see. I can never remember the names of all these new places. It was much easier when it was all one and the same. How many countries are there now, ten? Twelve?"

"It's a matter of perspective, I guess."

"Huh."

They leave it at that and keep playing in silence for a while. It doesn't take long for Seth to put the old man in check the first time, which doesn't have to mean anything. Seth expects him to come back from this little setback with a vengeance before long, and he does. Before long, Seth finds himself fighting for survival on more than one occasion.

"How's school?" Joe resumes out of nowhere. It doesn't fit the game's tension at all, but Seth is used to this. He joins in on the conversation with no issue at all.

"Good enough. Still a long way to go until any exams though."

"Shouldn't you be in class right now?"

"Yeah," he sighs, disappointed of having been found out this quickly. "I couldn't think straight."

"You're lucky you don't want to become a doctor," Joe giggles, shaking his head. "Wouldn't even make it past your first semester."

"I don't know," Seth concedes, thoughtfully. "I've been thinking about quitting, honestly."

"And doing what with your life?" Joe retorts, never missing a beat. His queen and one bishop are coming increasingly close to locking Seth's king down in one corner.

"Get a job? I have no idea."

"You do have all the time in the world to think it through," Joe muses. "Just don't waste it all."

"Yeah, I just need to figure something out, I guess."

Seth has to watch out not to stop himself mid-sentence, suppressing a hitch of his voice. Because as well-devised as Joe's strategy might be, it also has a perfectly vulnerable spot, one which only just revealed itself. But Joe apparently hasn't noticed. Not yet, anyway.

"Ideas can come in the strangest places," Seth declares, bringing his rook forward.

"I suppose they can."

Joe strokes his chin, wondering what this new strategy could mean, but it's no use. He's in checkmate only a handful of moves later, while Seth leans back in his chair, a victorious grin on his face. This has never happened before.

"Well, that's something," Joe says, acknowledging the situation. "Suppose you really do learn something, even outside of school."

Seth sits back, crossing his legs, his grin never faltering. He can't think of many other people he'd be confident around enough to act the way he now feels.

"Guess I do."