Gerald and I have known each other since childhood, or at least as far back as I still remember of it. I understand him so well in fact that I am one of the few folks that are aware of the life he had known before his family lost everything and I mean literally everything resulting in their having to start again from nothing.
Everyone else simply knows him as “Jerry” and he lets people call him that and even lets them get away with spelling it the common way so that he does not have to deal with the resentments that inevitably come when someone thinks you have more than they do or might have been born with more privilege and opportunity than they might otherwise have access to.
There are still those occasional, yet subtle tell-tale signs that anyone who was from old money would recognize, but the rest of the world would fail to notice. These little things have given Gerald a step up in negotiations. As an unintentional result less informed rivals would lose out to him over what amounts to a subconscious recognition of there being more to Gerald than meets the eye.. In his humility “Jerry” was always so self-effacing and would never acknowledge such as being the case simply saying that he was grateful for the day’s bit of good luck.
One of the things that stood out to me the most that Gerald was more than he seemed was one afternoon when he had back to back meetings and could not get away from the office and I had a few spare moments available. I was the only person he trusted enough to send on a particular errand that proved quite enlightening in retrospect. “Jerry” made an effort to never “dress to impress” or own anything obvious that would make him stand out from the rest of our colleagues as being better than anyone else. The one exception was his unrelenting loyalty to wearing a well tailored shirt.
To the casual observer you would not think anything was particularly special about his attire since he intentionally chose fabrics that looked like something you would buy off the rack at any conventional store. I never noticed before either, until he asked me to pick up an order with the one tailor that has earned his patronage due to their steadfast policy of never acknowledging or divulging the names or identities of their clients which has garnered their respect from all those in the know so it was hardly any surprise they would also be a strict by appointment only proprietorship.
Gerald gave me a receipt with an order number and had called to arrange for me to pick up his latest acquisition. I was to go at the exact time specified and I was not to loiter about before or after the appointment. I was to go no earlier and no later than five minutes of the appointment. Gerald was unusually emphatic about that particular detail.
With anyone else I would have told them to go take a jump off a short pier, but this was “Jerry” who had always been there for me through thick or thin so I went along with it out of a loyalty that I only really had for him and him alone.
Out of respect I never opened the parchment wrapped bundle and brought it directly to him after picking it up. Gerald was always so grateful that I understood that about him without having to be told to do so. It was a point of pride at this phase in our friendship, I looked out for Gerald and he in turn looked out for me.
I have never been one for gawking so it never occurred to me that there would be a difference in the manner one of Gerald’s shirts would be made for him over what one might buy off the rack.
Growing up with “Jerry” I knew that he had certain sensitivities that I always had attributed to being just part of his personality and charm. One of these was just how much of a perpetual “clutz” my dear friend has proven to be.
As a result of one such mishap Gerald rushed into my private office moments before his next presentation that was scheduled just after lunch with one of those parcels under his arm. In one smooth, swift motion he had managed to close and lock the door deftly followed by pulling the shade obscuring the view from any onlooking passers by.
I have always hated constantly fighting with my shirts coming untucked. Gerald never had this problem which always kind of bugged me because I never knew why before that day.
My gaze naturally wandered to the progressively naked body standing a mere inches away. I was always so jealous of how Gerald had a strong physique like he does without being obsessed about it. Sure we would hit the gym together sometimes to work off some steam or frustration, but nothing compulsive or scheduled.
The ketchup and mustard from his hamburger and the grease from the patty were unmistakable. Gerald was right to change out of that poor ruined rag before standing before our clients trying to be professional while the whole time their eyes would have been fixated on the bright yellow and red stains staring them in the face.
Gerald’s shoulders were broad and muscular in a way that were proof that there had to be a God. The way he shrugged out of the sleeves were so sensual in that casual yet obliviously innocent way of his. As he pulled the cuffs away, you could see the biceps and the perfect amount of hair on his fore-arms attesting to his physical maturity.
As he shucked the undershirt that had also suffered the same fate “Jerry” asked if I still had a spare in my desk drawer he could borrow. Fortunately for him, I had just bought a few that were still in the packaging. Nothing fancy, but serviceable. Those kind eyes of his glinted in the light as I handed a T-Shirt to him inspiring a sweet natured “Thank You” in return.
I tried not to stare at my buddy as the pants came off next exposing that handsome heart-shaped butt of his and those sturdy and powerful legs that likewise possessed a satisfying coverage of hair similar to his upper body. “Jerry” refrained from wearing underwear because of how he never could find a pair that would not bind, constrict or pinch painfully in all the worst places and subsequently granted a delightful view of those exquisite hidden assets of his.
As it turns out those shirts he had specially made possessed a longer tail than what you would find in a standard shirts. To my amazement Gerald had found the perfect solution to the shirt tucking and underwear issues. He would pull that elongated tail up between his legs and would secure it to the front panel of his shirts with those buttons that were sewn into them and voila the perfect tailored shirt. I was flabbergasted!
I had never seen such a set up before that day. Why has that not been the norm for all shirts? Wow, what a grand idea! I thought at first I had imagined seeing that, until “Jerry” had me swear to him that I would never divulge his fashion secret.
Later I would ask why he had not patented it and sold shirts made with it. As it turns out, that was exactly what had bankrupted his father and why I had been able to grow up with my friend as we had. What should have taken off had proven to be too forward thinking to be marketable.
Gerald’s Father had believed in the concept so vehemently that he had sunk everything that he could get his hands on to finance the dream of making shirts like that a reality and had failed at every attempt to sell them commonly worldwide.
Unfortunately, that would prove not be viable and instead of becoming rich from a wonderful idea, they became destitute and had to set the idea aside. After beginning life again with nothing to their name but the determination to make a living and to raise the family Gerald was born into with as much dignity and self respect his parents struggled like so many other families similar to mine. I guess it just goes to show, genius is not always recognized for the brilliance that it is.
Over the years I have considered taking my friendship to the next level, but I have never been able to get over the reticence and fear of losing the best friend I ever had; if in fact my feelings were not shared by him also. One look into those trusting puppy dog eyes of his and I was smitten.
With everything he had lost in his life, I could not countenance the thought of heaping more hurt onto that heart of my dear Gerald. So I struggled to satisfy myself with what we had together until such time that maybe “Jerry” might show some sign of possessing similar romantic inclinations for me as I secretly harbor for him.