Two Sides of the Same Coin Read Online Free PDF

on his head, the way a girl would, and a little blue kerchief around his neck. The phrase drug store cowboy came to mind.
    “Ain’t is not a word, Jeffrey.”
    “Whatever. Your tea’s ready.” I dropped the tea bag in the mug, poured water on it, and shoved the mug toward Robert, sloshing half its contents on the counter.
    “Jeffrey, it’s good to see you. I am concerned about you. Can’t you see this place is not good for you? You’ve started speaking hick again after just a few days here. And I bet the nearest gay disco is four hours away in Seattle. I’m sure your little shit kicking cowhand friends can be amusing, but honestly, they are way beneath you.”
    I took a deep breath and started counting to ten to keep my temper while I poured my coffee into my mug.
    I sat down at the kitchen table and looked across at him. I thought again that at first the relationship was fun, but now all it seemed was that he was trying to change me. As if to reinforce my thoughts, he began to speak.
    “Jeffrey, you know the only reason I bring this stuff up is that I want the best for you. You have a perfectly good accounting degree, you’re smart, and you have so much going for you. Yet it seems you are determined to stay a redneck. Come back with me sweetheart, and forget this stupid ranch and that nasty bronze casting. You can get a good job. Just think, with our incomes together, my savings, and the money from this place we could have a house in Marin with a view! Think of the restaurants and the vacation resorts we could visit.”
    Just to test him I answered, “I see your point. We could go on a couple of those eco-tour camping trips like a safari in Africa, hiking in Patagonia, or kayaking in Greenland.”
    “You know I have absolutely no interest in that! But if you come to your senses and do the other stuff, I certainly will support you when you want to do things like that. However, if you are going all over the globe without me doing that dirty outdoor stuff, I would expect that we would open our relationship. I have needs too. And you have all your little redneck friends.” At first I felt myself softening up at his promise of support for doing the things I liked. Then he talked about opening the relationship. I knew that wasn’t what I wanted.
    “Robert, you sure as hell have given me a lot to think about. Now I’m gonna get dressed and head on into Winslett for a supply run. You mind stayin’ here so I can think on what you said?”
    “Certainly Jeffrey, I’ll just amuse myself with these hunky cowboys. Maybe one will teach me how to ride.”
    “Be careful.”
    “Jeffrey, I know what I’m doing. I’ll give the horse a carrot or sugar cube, and it will literally be eating out of my hands.”
    “There’s a reason there’s a sayin’ ‘easy as fallin’ off a horse’.”
    “I have a way with animals!”
    “Whatever.” I realized we were getting off on the wrong track, rehashing old issues as if I was still in San Francisco. I smiled at Robert. “Have a good time learnin’ how to ride.”
    “Thanks, Jeffrey, I do want to meet you halfway. Maybe once I learn, we can go riding.”
    “I’d like that.”
    “I know I have to compromise too. Now go and get your supplies, and I’ll see you when you get back.”
    It was late afternoon when I turned into the winding side road that led to the ranch. I had the back of the pickup loaded with supplies—truth be told, there was enough for quite a while—so I guessed in part I had an answer for Robert. I still wasn’t sure what I wanted. I had been thinking hard all afternoon. I was trying to figure out just how in the hell I felt about Robert. We had some good times together, and the sex was fantastic. He could keep his legs in the air for hours and had a very talented tongue. But sex does not a relationship make. It seemed like lately we had nothing in common. At the beginning, I loved his sharp, sarcastic sense of humor. He took me to artsy stuff and