SUBURBAN LEGENDZ: A FLY BOY

  

He suddenly appeared before me as I turned around, thinking I had been bamboozled. On the dot, as I was promised. His squatted position showed off his bare chest and the full breath of his long legs. No clothes on him except a black hoodless jacket, a necklace and black boots. My eyes were immediately drawn to the bulge in the underwear he was wearing. Tight white briefs that had a grip on his waist.

Ironic that I had to go to a city rooftop to meet the talk of the town's outskirts.

“You wanted to talk.” A statement. Not a question. His voice was gruff, each word with its own cutting edge. The cause of such a voice, two balls sitting in his underwear, no doubt constantly producing testosterone. Ashamed to admit it, but I did lick my lips. The full sight of him was something. “My eyes are up here,” He said, words softer now, his face amused with a sly grin. He knew he had me from that point on.

“Who are you?” I asked, clicking my pen and preparing my notepad. Recordings were not allowed.

He stood up with a lazy swagger, pretending to almost fall back. It was a lie. He was in control of his body and his movements. All that muscle, all that size. His to command. He looked down on me from his platform, like god on Olympus. I wanted to walk forward and cup his pouch, reach up between his legs, and feel the hairs prickle against my fingers. But I was a professional.

“Why don’t you tell me? That’s why you got someone to reach out to me.” He walked about the roof.

“Well, I don’t know and honestly it doesn't seem like anyone else does either.” I watched him move in long strides, playing to entertain himself. “But if I had to guess you could be Zachary Delgatto.”

A soft chuckle from his lips, “I remember Zach, but nope, I’m not him.”

“Or Franklin Kowalski.”

“Oh yeah, Franklin was a cool dude, a real party guy.”

I gave him my best shot. “Then how about, Tony Morrison.”

The man froze and spun to me, legs spread out, hand pointed out like a gun.

 

“There’s one I haven’t heard before,” He pretended to fire.

“So, you admit, You’re Tony then.” I began to frantically scribble notes. 

“Tony?” He repeated the name and looked up to the sky. I wondered if he was seeking validation or confirmation from the clouds. There was no hate or fear in his voice, rather a subdued wonder. He put his attention back on me, “Can’t say I’ve ever heard the name.”

“I interviewed Tony’s parents. Or I guess ‘interview’ isn't the right word, as their memories even to this day are hazy. They can barely even recall Tony. It was a real struggle and I’m sure they forgot completely by the time I left. But his disappearance does align with your emergence. And now Tony’s nothing more than a story the young people are telling each other about the dangers of going into the city from the suburbs.”

“You don’t think so?” He asked.

“Do I think Tony and his parents came into the city to shop for good deals and Tony turned into you? That's preposterous." I waved my arms out, “This whole city and it picked Tony?” I shook my head, “I won't believe that. It makes more sense that people living outside the city are too precious about their youth getting out and seeing the world. Tony being a cautionary tale is a convenient excuse to make up a myth about how city life will change you.” I stopped speaking, realizing my voice had gotten agitated.

“I agree with you. It is preposterous.” The man said. “But I know I've seen some pretty preposterous things, done some preposterous things…like to Zach and Franklin.” Then the man disappeared from my sight. He was just gone. Standing there one second and gone within a blink. 

“Comes with being me,” his voice came from another part of the roof.

I went looking for him and found him sitting against a window.

 “I don’t remember Tony. And I remember everyone.” He said quietly contemplating, sun hitting off his jaw line. “I remember having parents though,” the corners of his mouth turned up. “Not what they looked like or anything, but I loved my mom’s smile and her laugh.” He got back on his feet, walking about as I got closer. “My dad gave the best hugs,” He closed his eyes as if remembering. Then turned to me, “But none of that is what you really want to ask. So go ahead and get it out.”

It was expected he knew. I hadn’t exactly been subtle in my reason for seeking him out. “There was a disappearance on 243 Baker Street. New homeowners and their guests are all gone. You already implied a hand in Zach and Franklin’s disappearances, was this also you?” My pen was pressed to the edge, ready for a confession.

“Sorry, but I had nothing to do with that.” He shrugged.

“But it has to be you!” I defended.

“Why?” He asked, tilting his head almost innocently.

“What you said before, what you’ve done today.”

“To prove to you that while I COULD have done it, I didn’t. I have no reason to lie to you.” He stated as plain as day. Why admit to Zach and Franklin and not the rest, it seemed absurd. Which meant it probably wasn’t him. Not that it mattered. I wasn’t here for ‘justice’ I was here for ‘truth’.

“So where are Zach and Franklin?”

“Oh, they’re around.” He waved his hand to the city behind him. “Out there somewhere. But in the same way I guess ‘Tony’ is still around.” he put quotes around the name.

“Do you ever wear other clothes?”

“Oh,” He looked down at himself. “Sometimes I forget when I’m with people from outside the city.” black jeans appeared on his body. “Better?” He opened his jacket, tempting me to step closer and run my hand on his abs.

 

I bit my lip fighting the urge and put my pen and notepad away. There were no more answers here. He frowned. I wasn’t done with him yet though. “When you're done with the city or ever find yourself in a lull. You should think about giving Tony’s parents a visit.” I turned away, but he started speaking before I reached the door.

“I don’t remember Tony.” His voice was a soft whisper, but firm in every word. “But I remember the drive. I remember the jacket falling from the sky and me putting it on, while my parents weren’t looking. I didn’t want them to think I’d stolen it; I was only going to try it for a minute. The moment I had it on, I knew it belonged to me. My body. Whoever ‘I’ was began to grow. I got so fucking big and the jacket didn’t tear once. I was older, taller, stronger. My entire self just morphed into something else. Collapsed on the street, I was sweating, my other clothes ripped apart except my underwear. Which I don’t recommend if you're suddenly surging in sizes.” He said the last sentence with a laugh under his breath.

“And then I was ‘me’. My former self sacrificed for this. I don’t remember Tony, but I remember someone.”

I let him speak. I got the feeling he didn’t want to be looked at while he spoke and decided to honor it. When he stopped, one last question popped into my head. I turned around but he was gone.

There had been reports of a young man walking on air. That’s how some believed he’d got the nickname ‘Fly Boy’ around town. I thought it was due to his fashion choices. But it seemed that question would stay a mystery.