The Only Living Boy in New York (Josh)

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Fifty-five.

A milestone birthday, although not as big a milestone as either fifty had been or that sixty would be.

Two weeks ago, Sean and Josh had discussed taking a vacation, ostensibly to help the telepath cope with recent stress and also because they had no other opportunities for a trip until the summer. However, they had chosen the weekend of Josh’s birthday, had chosen to make a long weekend of it, and, as a result, each man had agreed to do some part of the planning. Sean had opted for the lion’s share of the trip: arranging for both transportation and lodging. Josh had undertaken the task of finding a Broadway or Off-Broadway show that they would attend one of the days. Each would get to choose some of the restaurants for meals, and they would consider it an even split.

The telepath had found a hotel in the middle of Times Square. Considering that they were both New Yorkers, a hotel in Time Square typically held little charm. The entire area was loud and crowded, filled with tourists and had no character as a neighborhood – the glitzy lights and unnecessarily large ads better befit Las Vegas than Manhattan – and everything (food, stores, hotels) was overpriced, even by New York standards. However, this hotel was reasonably priced. Moreover, it was themed and, once Sean had found it, he could hardly pass it up.

The Casablanca Hotel. Complete with complimentary breakfast and drinks daily at Rick’s Café.

The weather in Manhattan was warm this weekend, after a long winter; temperatures in the high 50s to mid-60s and which felt like 70 degrees with the bit of humidity. Despite that, Sean had packed both his trench coat and his fedora, to wear them for his partner. Josh always enjoyed when he dressed up.

They had arrived on Friday night and settled into their hotel room, before seeking out a diner in their old neighborhood (far from Time Square although not inconveniently so; such was the benefit of the subway system), to enjoy the nostalgia.

Saturday had consisted of site-seeing and then the 8:00p.m. performance of the play that Josh had selected.

Sunday was Josh’s birthday. They had enjoyed a leisurely brunch before going out to enjoy a few special locations. Including the Museum of Sex where Sean had bought a present for both of them as well as a book for this year’s seminar.

Culminating in their arrival at St. Andrew’s restaurant for Josh’s birthday supper. An early supper, so that they could enjoy the rest of the evening when they finished their meal.

Sean had chosen the location for his partner for three reasons. First, it was conveniently located and easy to find, so, even if they were separated, Josh could arrive (despite his poor sense of direction). Second, the food was rich and hearty, a combination of traditional Celtic cuisine and pub fare, with an impressive dessert menu. Third, the wait staff.

Specifically, all of the waiters wore kilts.

Sean experienced no jealousy, and he had a more valid concern of Josh taking a job down South to work for the ACLU than he had about his partner ever cheating on him. Still, he thought the other man might enjoy the ambiance and taking a look now and then.

Having made the reservation in advance, they were led to the upstairs dining area with a comfortable booth. Immediately, Sean picked up the wine list to peruse.

“What do you think?” He gestured at the area around them; truthfully, he expected this would meet with his partner’s approval.

[Joshua Bernstein]

The trip had so far been Perfect. Even when the group behind them had whispered during the show. Even when their order had been mixed up with another table and had to be made over.

And now Sean had chosen a perfect restaurant.

Josh did in fact enjoy looking, as evidenced by the history folder on his computer among other things. Looking was fun, more so in situations where you were expected to look. For instance, restaurants wherein the waitstaff dressed specially for ogling. He wouldn't overstep his bounds, didn't even want to do more than look.

But the looking part was nice.

"I love it." He answered his partners inquiry with a laugh. "Did you bring a kilt?"

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Unsurprisingly, Sean owned a kilt. He had a few costume trunks around the house, most of which he kept in the attic until the appropriate time for wear (and a few others that he kept in his bedroom closet because they saw more frequent use). He had worn the kilt before, but he’d seen no reason to pack it. Even with the warmer weather predicted for this weekend, early/mid-April was not kilt weather in Manhattan, or anywhere in New York for that matter.

“Unfortunately not.” He made no apologies for that, since he had no expectation of wearing one.

“But I did bring something special for tonight. It’s back at that hotel.” That would be enough to set his partner’s imagination to the task of guessing. Since the attorney enjoyed both anticipation and guessing, Sean felt no guilt of letting that dangle between them with no further clarification. He was sure that Josh wouldn’t be disappointed.

Their server arrived to bring them water and to drop off the prix-fixe menu. Their server was a younger man, perhaps in his late twenties or early thirties at the oldest, and clad in a red plaid kilt with a pattern that they could identify later by checking clan identification online.

[Joshua Bernstein]

Josh feigned disappointment at Sean's revelation. "You take me to a kilt restaurant with no kilt? That's hardly fair."

But he couldn't continue this pretense in the face of food. He thanked the waiter, and reached across the table. "Something special? I wonder..."

He knew what Sean had bought in the museum. Was it that? Or something from home?

A mystery!

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean rose to the bait of banter and pointed out to his partner, “You didn’t bring a kilt either.” In fact, Josh didn’t own a kilt, which was a far greater offense in this hypothetical situation than merely neglecting to bring one. At least the telepath could have abided by the dress code if he had desired to; the attorney failed to reach even that low bar.

He then took his partner’s offered hand, squeezing Josh’s affectionately. True to form, the younger man’s mind was aflutter with thoughts about what his surprise could be. Mission accomplished, as that would provide a nice backdrop for their meal.

With one hand occupied, he used the other to peruse the menu. “Did you want to do prix-fixe and share? Or do you want to do ala carte?”

He then answered his own question when he noticed the second option on the prix-fixe menu, the unlimited beer and wine dinners. They were more expensive than the other prix-fixe option, as they came with unlimited alcohol and then also coffee or tea, but they also allowed for greater menu options. Not that money was a concern; they had more than enough available for even an expensive meal out on this vacation. “Actually, I think we should do the beer and wine option. What do you think?”

[Joshua Bernstein]

Josh pressed his free hand over his heart. "You got me there," He admitted with a chuckle. Although kilts had a certain appeal it had never occurred to him to buy one; kilts weren't part of his heritage, and so why should he own one? "Perhaps we can pick one up. Where does one buy a kilt, anyway?"

But then his attention was diverted by discussion of drinks. "Do I ever turn down beer and wine?"

[Dr. Sean Neville]

“There are specialty shops.” In the interest of full disclosure, Sean did not know where one would buy a kilt in the City, as he had not acquired his kilt there. Surely, avenues existed given the St. Patrick’s Day parade, and the growing costume scene, and, of course, there was always the Internet. Most any costume could be purchased on the Internet, but the telepath had purchased his from a Scottish heritage store that also stocked Irish clan tartans. “I’m sure we could find something.”

However, as their discussion turned to food, the telepath was fine to shift his focus. “Not since you learned to hold your liquor.” He coupled that with a squeeze of Josh’s hand, to show his partner that he meant the teasing fondly. Thirty-seven years later, he still remembered how the younger man would drink the point of sickness in a baffling attempt to impress him. He had done far better when he had learned moderation, at least as a learning device.

He pointed to the description on the prix-fixe menu. “If we do that one, then we can order anything we want from the ala carte menu, and it’s still folded into the pricing. Which brings us back to my question about sharing.”

They might not share their entrees, but the prix-fixe meant that they could each get an appetizer and a dessert, and they could share those. They always shared food so well.

[Joshua Bernstein]

As Sean squeezed his hand Josh pressed a foot against the telepath's ankle.

"I think we can share." The attorney nodded thoughtfully. "Is there anything special you wanted? I'll be happy to order anything you like. Everything looks delicious."

He emphasized that last word with a meaningful quirk of his eyebrow at the most delicious part of the evening.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

“Let me look.” Sean, of course, would let Josh order whatever he wanted, given that it was the other man’s birthday trip, and today was his actual birthday. Still, if his partner didn’t mind making a group decision, he would surely find something to please both of them.

With his free hand, he reached for the regular menu and opened it to the appetizer section, studying for a long moment. “They have oysters,” he pointed out. Aside from being delicious and the hotly-debated topic of their effectiveness of an aphrodisiac, they also held a special place in Sean’s heart. On the night of their Reconciliation, when they had driven out to Boston and had supper at a seafood restaurant, Josh had ordered an appetizer from the raw bar piled high with oysters. Since then, whenever the telepath ate oysters, he thought of that night, and it brought a smile to his lips.

“I won’t recommend the haggis.” He was neither Scottish at all nor Irish enough for that, and Josh was neither of those things as well. “We should probably stay away from the Iceberg wedge.” Too much heavy dressing and bacon. Although they had made some allowances for Josh’s birthday, he did have a diet to stick too, and they were going to have heavy desserts and beer tonight. “But they have other salads. And shrimp cocktail. And crab cakes.”

[Joshua Bernstein]

Josh considered Sean's recommendations. "I can't say no to oysters." He admitted. He had enjoyed them for many years, and now that they had added significance he loved them even more.

"But how can I decide between crab cakes and salad? Oh, I'm sure my doctor would prefer I choose salad though."

Only because she had it out for him and hated deliciousness. He liked and ate salad, of course, but he balked at his decisions being made on health rather than enjoyment.

"So that makes the decision obvious. Crab cakes it is."

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean hadn’t thought that he would have to work hard to convince his partner to agree to oysters. Josh’s insistence that he would let the telepath choose their appetizers aside, the attorney felt the same sense of nostalgia for oysters as he did, in addition to enjoying the taste. That also meant that they had settled one appetizer, which left one more to choose.

Since he had already given his suggestions, that task fell to Josh.

He scoffed at his partner’s reasoning, although the sound was coupled by a fond smile. Of course the attorney had chosen the crab cakes over salad.

Despite the fact that Sean made sure that Josh ate vegetables every day, as an improvement over his pre-Reconciliation diet that had consisted primarily of takeout, cheese sandwiches, and too much beer. Despite the fact that the attorney actually enjoyed eating vegetables when they were fresh and readily available.

Partially because Josh remained convinced that his doctor disliked him and had imposed the lifestyle changes to punish him. Rather than to save his life.

Sean had no such delusions, but he had no reason to argue with the other man about this on his birthday.

“Oysters and crab cakes. That takes care of the appetizers. Do you have any idea what you want for your entrée?”

[Joshua Bernstein]

Josh poured over the entrees. "D'you know, I'm going to break our seaside streak here and suggest this ahhh....roasted thistle-honey free range chicken." He looked up from over the menu, quirking an eyebrow at his partner, "I didn't even know you could get honey from thistles."

[Dr. Sean Neville]

“You don’t,” Sean replied, as he scoured the menu for what he might want as an entree. “Thistle honey is made from nectar that comes primarily from thistles, rather than from an assortment of different plants. It’s a delicacy.”

Which explained why it was used as the coating for free-range chicken in a high-end restaurant and labeled accordingly.

“I think I might go with the grilled rib-eye,” he announced after another moment of deliberation. He enjoyed a nice steak, they were on vacation, and they had a refrigerator in their hotel room, which meant he could bring back leftovers should he not finish his entree.

“Which means we have the meat of the meal picked out.” Pun intended. “Do you want wine or beer?” His partner preferred beer to wine, although he had cut back for his health over the past couple of years. However, this was his birthday trip, which meant that he could indulge if he so chose. They had already agreed to have crab cakes instead of salad, after all.

If Josh chose beer, the telepath intended to get wine for himself regardless; he had never been much of a beer drinker, even if it would do in a pinch.

[Joshua Bernstein]

Josh stared at the menu, and then at the decor, and then at the waiters in their kilts.

"Hmmm. I think that this ahhh thistle-honey sounds too fancy for beer." He decided, reaching for the beverage menu. "maybe our waiter knows what would go best with it."

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean smiled at his partner, happy with his choice. For two reasons, although only one of them affected him. The telepath preferred wine to beer - although his reading of the menu had led him to believe that they could have wine or beer individually, and that they could switch between the two as they so desired. More importantly, wine was a better choice for Josh’s health, and while the younger man could indulge on his birthday trip without causing any demonstrable harm, it remained in his best interest to keep up with wine over beer.

“I’m sure that he would.” To that end, Sean turned his head, scoping out their waiter so that he could make eye contact to bring him over.

It took only a moment - the waitstaff was attentive here -for their server to return. “Have you made your decision about what you want to order?”

The telepath nodded. “My partner and I both want to do the unlimited wine and beer pre-fixe menu.”

“Certainly.” The server made a special annotation on his order pad. “And what can I get you?”

“For the appetizers, we’ll have the crab cakes and the Blue Point oysters. For entrees, my partner will have the roasted thistle-honey chicken, and I’ll have the grilled rib-eye.”

“And how would you like that?”

“Medium rare. My partner also has a question about wine pairings.”