It's your Birthday, Neil! [ENG]

We're the Pet Shop Boys

The slim-built boy walked shyly into the road, in which he didn't put a feet from almost twenty years. It hadn't changed a bit from those times. The road surface was fresh, at the point that it still scented from the action of the asphalt paver; the houses of red bricks were softly lightened by the yellow light of the tall street lamps - tall just as his imagination, at the moment - and people walked quietly on the sidewalk, completely unspeaking as if they wanted not to wake up the inhabitants of the dark rooms above their heads.
He moved his eyes to look at his own feet: it was quite incredible to have them leaned on the black, absurdly clean asphalt on which he used to walk with... With "him".
He was just a child at the time, but he still remembered his face as if it was just a few days far from the moment that he was living. Of course he remembered the boy's name, but it appeared insignificant if compared to his bright eyes or to the voice with which he used to duet in moments of boredom, especially when the climate was too hot to run.
Also the night that he was going to face was quite boiling, nearly too muggy to walk as he was going to do. He wiped his forehead and went on, between the people coming and going much more faster than him, that hadn't a specifical destination. In a second, the thought of his old friend was gone: he had never gave any importance at that friendship, but quite certainly that schoolmate had been more and more influent on his personality than he used to think he was. If he could have wondered that love... Love can be true also towards one's own sex, he probably would have defined him "mate" in a completely different way. But story isn't made of "ifs": suppositions aren't really useful for no-one to reach "good times"... Also for a man that couldn't appreciate them. Life isn't beautiful, but meaningful at all. And probing all of its meanings was what he would do.
By the way, that fellow wasn't the only person with whom he used to walk, hand in the hand, through the dark road that he was crossing also now, in the choking summer atmosphere. As undergraduate, infact, he had a girlfriend, a pretty girl of good body health and a much more substantial mind strenght. She was beautiful in both a material and spiritual way; but her soul hadn't the correct shape to fit and fill the irregular surface of his heart.
He started to fasten his walk, pressing the hood of his blue sweatshirt on the wet forehead. After all, also that road had an ending, just as his thoughts and also as that awful day.
His long legs projected a theatrical shadow on the asphalt of the road, on the rest of the world in persons and things as walls, stones, machines and also the bases of the street-lamps themselves.
"Neil!"
A familiar - totally familiar - voice reached him from behind, and he couldn't avoid to look back at the author of the scream.

Did you see me coming? / Was I that obvious?

"Neil, old devil! It's your birthday, greetings!"
At hearing such a sentence, the not-more-a-boy's cheeks blushed, and his lips stretched into a smile. His colleague and friend took his hand to tighten it strongly, but it all ended in a hug.
"Chris, how lucky to see you here"
"You can say that. It has all been a case."
"What are you doing?"
"I was spending the evening with friends." He pointed a noisy group of men behind his shoulders. "And you?"
"Well... Just passing my time"
"And why don't you join us? It'll be funny"
"Thank you, but I'm not... In the mood."
Chris looked at him from the head to the new shoes that he wore.

You don't need to give me reasons, I understand / Some things are best kept secret...

"Wait, just a sec-" he said, before running back to the group of friends. Neil sighed - he knew exactly what he was going to do, and infact when he returned to look at where was him, Chris was just arrived in front of him.
"Do you know this zone of the city? My throat's really dry, I need a Campari"
"You can bet on this: it's only a few minutes walking."

**

Half hided behind his glass of wine, Neil watched at Chris, that was looking for a waiter to fill his glass again.
He was an incredible man for anyone, but he was so used at his weirdness that he rather didn't notice it. He had just leaved his company to pass the night with him, for how boring could it be - it wasn't a behaviour typical of anybody.
"So," he started to ask, after having submitted his request to a pretty waiter, "Here we are, again. I'm beginning to think that it's the destiny that keeps us together."
"Could be so, you know." Neil finished his champagne just in time to order another one. "Oh, but this isn't a problem to me."
The other one burst in laughter: "Nor to me!" But seeing that his friend didn't follow him, he came back serious very quickly.
"I'm so sorry about having... Ruined your projects, Chris."
"You mustn't, man. The only sadness that has a right to exist is the one that brought you here, all lonely. So, it is the reason of your actual company." He held out the just-filled glass. "You should have a sip" he said, making Neil smile for the second time, that evening, and smiling himself.

"Thank you."
While he drank, an inservient arrived carrying his order: "Here we are."
"Thanks!" Said Chris, as if the request had been made by him. "Could you also bring here..." he asked, lowering his voice in way that Neil couldn't understand.
"Yes, of course"
"Thanks--"
"Chris! What the hell-?"
"Don't worry, I know what you like." And he took back the sip he left him a few moments before.
Neil felt speechless, and finally, genuinely laughed.
"So I did it! You've laughed! And, uhm, this... Kind of wine's horrible. You'll feel better with what's arriving." Then, without adding anything, he downed the wine.
The taller one shook his head.
"I hope you've reason."
"Of course I have."

What can I tell you? I'm an artist.

To leave them their privacy (the thing's becoming embarassing, don't you think?) I'll proceed with just a phrase: they have drank for hours, until also Chris started to feel dizzy.
"Let's go out, uhm?"
"Let's go, yes"
They got up from the chairs and went, quite unsteadily, outside the local. It was quite the heart of night, so there wasn't many people hanging around. Neil looked at the quiet street, and then to Chris; and he felt very happy, as when he walked in that place with his old mate and also his ex-girlfriend. Chris was the companion of his life, in his own way.

It's the way we've always been.

"For God's sake--"
"What's the matter, Chris?"
"I can't remember where's the north."
They laughed together.
"It isn't important, just follow me: I remembered that I wanted to visit a place before returning home, and I hope you'll remember it meanwhile"
"Hope so" mumbled Chris, moving a step.
Neil tried to follow him, immediately losing balance and making Chris looking back at him, near to fall down in turn.
"We won't go far, I think" he asserted, between the laughs.
"Defeatist--"
In conclusion, they got up back and, arm in arm, went where Neil wanted to go.
Like the old friends they are.

A long way to happiness, a long way to go / but I'm gonna get there, boy!