Jake's Place in Key West

I can tell the story now. It's all true.Twenty some years ago I had a workout buddy who was twenty years my junior.  I'll call him Jake for purpose of this blog. He was as cute and as well built as gay boys come in Key West and he knew it. He worked as a waiter at one of the major restaurants at night and had a part time job being houseboy at a the home of a famous gay couple.  Their house had everything money can buy including a true chef's kitchen, dramatic master bedroom with a sexy as all get-out bath with marble floors and mahogany French doors which opened to the garden, large pool surrounded by a tropical gardens, and a storybook guest cottage where Jake lived.

During most of the year Jake's days were routine was similar to MTV's The Situation's - gym, tanning, and laundry. Jake didn't have a lot, but everything he owned was perfect.  He was meticulous in his appearance. He even showered before he went to the gym.

He shared stories about the couple but never said anything derogatory. He didn't describe them as being demanding, not in those words, but I interpreted the words that way. They had plenty of money and always got what they wanted when the wanted it. Jake's job was to wait on them from dawn to dusk when they were in town. He altered his routine to meet their needs.  I was surprised to learn that the chef at Cafe des Artistes went to their house to prepare all of their meals while still doing his full time job. Jake was there to serve the meals and to perform other houseboy tasks.  Jake would sometimes have to fly to the owners' house in the Hamptons to be houseboy up there.  His houseboy skills were legendary.

There came the time when the couple decided sell their Key West home. I showed the property to a couple of different buyers when it was listed. In fact I showed the house to one couple twice. I had worked with the couple for a year or so before that visit. They always stayed at the Marquesa Hotel and were always genuinely friendly. On that trip we looked at a couple of houses in the Truman Annex, a large Casa Marina house, and Jake's place. I scheduled a second visit to Jake's place where we spent a long time absorbing everything. Long second visits often lead to offers. We stayed at Jake's place a very long time.

I remember feeling very optimistic that my buyers would be making an offer on Jake's place up till the moment I opened the front door. A homeless drunk was sitting on the bricked steps nursing an extra large Colt 45 in a paper bag. I could have killed the guy. He said "Excuse me" or something lame and got up and left. The damage was done. Once a buyer sees something like that, the damage is done. The image, whatever it is, never goes away.

The house did sell, but not to my customer. Jake moved to Miami where e thought he would find the man of his dreams. There were hundreds of houseboy types in Miami all  just as good looking as Jake. I saw Jake a couple of years ago. He's got gray hair now. He was still very handsome and still very well built and still single. I go past the famous gay couples' former home every now and then. I have never seen a homeless guy on the porch step nor any wandering on that street.