Summary

Gideon is turning thirty. Anyone would think the way he was behaving it was the end of the world. For Gideon, it certainly feels like it. But life is about to begin at thirty for Gideon, whether he likes it or not.

“How can this be happening to me?” Gideon groaned.

“It’s no big deal,” Francis replied.

She leaned against the counter in her small kitchen while Gideon sat, head in hands, at the fold down table against the wall.

Gideon looked up at his friend, annoyance on his face. “No big deal. It’s a big deal to me.”

“Come on Gideon. Don’t you think you’re overreacting slightly?”

“Overreacting. It’s fine for you.”

Francis kept her mouth shut as Gideon flopped back against the chair with a thud, his arms crossed over his chest. With the way he behaved one might consider they were back in high school. He’s immature stance something Francis laughed at.

“It’s not funny,” Gideon growled.

Francis put her hands up in surrender. “Sorry. But seriously – there’s nothing you can do about it. That’s life.”

Gideon huffed, frowned further; making his expression one Francis couldn’t look at any longer without laughing again. It was Saturday evening and despite Gideon’s miserable state everything in life appeared well for all of them. Gideon’s issue was with his birthday the following day, and not any birthday but his thirtieth. As though a fate worse than death, Gideon’s behaviour had been insufferable for days and now Francis wondered if she should put her friend out of his misery herself. Francis had already celebrated her thirtieth birthday two months prior. Her situation was no different to Gideon’s however; she didn’t have an issue with getting older.

Gideon was another story. Gideon took pride in his appearance and made every attempt to not show his age. At a glance one would never guess he was turning thirty. In fact, most men still mistook him for his early twenties and therein laid Gideon’s problem. In Gideon’s mind turning thirty meant he no longer belonged to the nightclub scene anymore? His reasoning behind this being he would now become one of those perverted older men he despised. The kind who preyed on younger men and devoured them. Francis knew Gideon would never be inclined to do anything of the sort but his fear at being accursed of this, as he had done so many times in his youth, now frightened him.

The very thought mortified him to the point the refused Francis’s suggestion of going to The Blue Bar for his birthday. The Blue Bar was where they had been going for close to ten years almost every Saturday night. They knew every bouncer personally as well as the owner of the club who Gideon dated for a short time. Moreover, the bar staff always knew Gideon never paid for a drink, which his two best friends always benefited from.

As Francis leaned against the kitchen counter watching Gideon from the corner of her eye, she sent a text message to their friend Merrick stating the situation in one word, meltdown.

Francis, Merrick and Gideon met the week after they graduated from different high schools at The Blue Bar. Back then it was the gayest place to be, and all three on their own accord, dressed in their best and made their way there for a life changing experience.

Francis, five foot three with bright red hair and a body her mother called big boned, had been swept up in the euphoria of the music and dancers. It had been Merrick who came to her rescue when almost swallowed up by the mass of sweaty bodies when exhaustion almost overcame her. Over six foot, short black dreadlocks, piercings in his left eyebrow and a tattoo down his neck disappearing under the shirt he wore that night. Frightened but in awe of Merrick, Francis willingly let him lead her to the back of the club to where one of three bars were found.

During the next few hours they became the best of friends, both having so much in common. They both liked the same bands, they were both bisexual, and they had started working full time rather than go to college. As the night progressed they saw glimpses of Gideon. He danced on the fringe of the dance floor, like an angel, moving hypnotically to the music entrancing all those who watched him. They both talked about his thin frame and long strawberry blond hair, falling around his face. There seemed to be an air of perfection about Gideon until confronted by an older patron.

In an instant, Gideon went from being emerged in pleasure to seething in anger. Merrick reacted instantly, stepping in and dragging Gideon away from the scene he was making. Once back over to where he left Francis, it took some convincing to calm Gideon down.

“They should ban anyone over thirty. I swear those creeps have no place here.”

Francis and Merrick had been stunned by Gideon’s tone and that first night all three went their own way. From that moment on, they regularly saw each other every Saturday night and over time they found themselves forming a close friendship. Soon they were inseparable.

Merrick let himself into Francis’ apartment with his spare key and coming into the kitchen stood next to Francis. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders as he gave her a kiss on the top of her head and asked, “So how is he?”

“I don’t know. I’ve been told not to talk to him.”

“All because he’s turning thirty tomorrow?” Merrick said in jest.

From across the kitchen Gideon opened then banged closed the nearest cupboard doors when Merrick mentioned his birthday.

“It’s only a number.” Merrick said.

“I’m over the hill now,” Gideon wailed.

Merrick ignored Gideon’s outburst and said to Francis, “He does realise that we are both older than him.”

Before Francis could answer, Gideon slumped in the chair and replied, “It’s fine for you two.”

“And why is that?” Francis asked, annoyance in her tone.

“People like you don’t have the same social issues as gays like me.”

Both Francis and Merrick stared at Gideon and Merrick said to Francis, “Should I be holding you back right now.”

“Nah, it’s fine. I’ll get him once he turns thirty,” Francis replied.

Gideon buried his head into his arms on the table and cried into them, “I’m one of those men now. What am I going to do?”

Merrick turned to Francis as he rolled his eyes, and asked, “So where are we going to celebrate?”

“We’re not celebrating anything,” came Gideon’s muffled voice.

“The Blue Bar will be rocking when we tell everyone it’s Gideon’s birthday.” Francis replied with a smirk on her face as they waited for the exact response they knew Gideon would give.

His head immediately shot up, as he yelled, “THERE IS NO WAY I’M GOING TO THE BLUE BAR.”

When he buried his head once more in his arms, Francis suggested, “Might have to be Club 45 instead.”

Gideon didn’t lift his head this time as he moaned in response, “Great, has it finally come to that. I want to die.”

Merrick gave a small laugh, and said, “What a waste of his last night of being twenty-nine.”

“Yep,” replied Francis.

“Let’s go out, shall we?”

Francis moved from the counter, and said, “I thought you would never ask.”

As they both left Gideon sulking at the table, they heard him call out, “Hey, don’t think you’re going anywhere without me tonight.”

Both friends smiled at each other, Gideon was so predictable.