farm boy // joshler

2

tyler's point of view

the ride to the farm is quiet. my music plays in my earbuds to distract me from the silence.

my dad drives slowly down the gravel road, not saying a word. he thinks this will be good for me, that some good old-fashioned hard work will change me.

he doesn't like that i like to dress remotely femininely. he doesnt like that sometimes i like to feel... pretty.

male gender roles are just as damaging as female gender roles, even though most people don't realize.

regardless of what he thinks, my outfit today consists of skinny jeans and a soft pink t-shirt.

when we arrive at the farm, my dad doesn't even step out of the car. he mumbles a goodbye and drives away after i get my bags.

when i approach the door, i knock softly. i'm answered in seconds by an older looking gentleman with overalls and a scruffy beard.

"well, howdy! you must be tyler." he smiles wide and welcoming and holds his hand out for me to shake.

"yes, that's me." i smile back at him, glad he seems so unfazed by my clothes. i shake his hand and he steps aside to let me in.

the interior is warm and smells like coffee and fresh biscuits.

he immediately goes into an explanation of my responsibilities on the field. i hear a door open, but i pay no mind to it. i was previously informed of another farm hand working and living here.

as scott talks, he brings the boy up. josh.

"he's outside now, but he should be in any minute. he's a nice boy, i'm sure youll like him. everyone does," scott says, obviously proud to be related to the boy.

he appears then in the kitchen with a basket of eggs and a head of messy curls.

he opens his mouth to say something, but his uncle speaks before he can. "here he is! tyler, this is josh. josh, this here is tyler joseph."

josh sets the basket onto the wooden table and wipes his hand on his dark shirt before he holds it out for me to shake.

"nice to meet you." his voice is smooth and deep and beautiful. his words slip off of his tongue like butter, and i wish i was that good at speaking to new people.

i shake his hand, which is much larger than mine. his is dry and calloused and i imagine how it would feel to have it rubbing gentle circles on my back, or resting on my knee under the table.

"it's my pleasure." my words come out quietly and i wish i could be more confident. it's almost embarrassing to be this shy.

his hand lets go of mine and i bite my tongue. i didn't want to let go.

he stares at me as his uncle continues to talk, studying my face. it makes me feel smaller than i am to be scrutinized by his chocolate eyes.

"so, josh here will show you around. think you'll be able to handle that, dun?" scott says, his smile still present on his wrinkled, freckled face.

"it's my pleasure." josh repeats my words and they sound much better coming from his mouth than they did mine.

"alright," his uncle pipes in. "lunch will be in an hour or so, so don't you boys take too long looking around."

"yes, sir." josh salutes him with a small smile and gestures for me to follow him.

i do just that, trailing behind him outside. the open space is beautiful. from the fields of crops to the horses roaming in the grass.

"so, is this your first time on a farm?" josh asks, his voice softer now, like he's trying to be careful with what he says to me. he looks over at me, his eyes brighter now in the sunlight.

"yes," i answer truthfully, risking the embarrassment.

"ah. well, don't worry. i'll show you the ropes. you'll get it in no time," he reassures me, not at all judging my lack of experience.

"thank you," i say, meaning the words sincerely.

"of course. anyway, here's the chickens. we collect eggs every morning. some of them are a little rude about it, so we have to distract them before we try." he explains to me the process and as we walk, he points out several other various animals and crops.

as we walk, i'm tempted to grab his hand and hold it in mine, but i don't. i listen carefully to all of his words, afraid i'll miss something important, and that keeps my mind off of it.

"are you excited?" he asks, the small smile back on his face as we make our way back to the house.

"i am."

i know he's asking if i'm excited about the farm work, but i answer in the context that i'm excited to get to know him.

inside the house, scott is making sandwiches. "hey, boys. you get a lay of the land?"

"yes. josh was an excellent tour guide," i answer, taking a seat at the table.

josh sits next to me, and i imagine his hand resting comfortingly on top of my knee. "i try my best."

i take time to look around the room, and into the living room. i notice a piano in the corner, and a smile graces my face.

"do either of you play piano?" i ask, genuinely curious.

"naw." scott sets out a plate of food and a few empty cups. he steps away and then returns with a pitcher of tea, filling each of our glasses. "my wife used to play the keys, but she passed. i couldnt find it in me to get rid of the thing."

"i'm sorry for your loss." i take a sip of the tea, which is the perfect amount of sweet.

"oh, it's okay. she's in a better place. do you play?" scott questions, taking a bite of his sandwich.

"i do. i also play the guitar and the ukulele," i reply, hoping they dont take my words as bragging.

"that's really cool." josh chimes in with a compliment and a smile. "i play the drums and the trumpet."

"looky there, you two have something in common already." scott smiles brightly at the two of us.

i get the feeling we have a lot more in common than our separate abilities to play music, and i can't wait to find out.

(an: I PRE-ORDERED THE LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE YELLOW TRENCH VINYL HELL YEAH)