there's a new kid in town

Doyle wasn't sure what to expect when he met Stan at the abandoned farm house. He looked like a very old Andy Warhol that might have been a ghost, all pasty white. But he smoked a lot cigarettes, and he had a huge black cat with him.

"That's Angus. He takes him everywhere with him." Finn bent down and stroked the cat's back. He gave him a little spanking on his bum, and the cat fell to the floor wanting Finn to rub his tummy.

Of course, Stan said nothing to Doyle. Stan took another ominous drag from his cigarette as he sat there on the ripped couch in the bare living-room. Old wall paper peeled back, giving the place a rather haunting effect. Doyle looked around with his hands in the back pockets of his black jeans.

Immediately, the old man looked at Doyle through the lens of his camera.

"Was anyone else-" Doyle felt himself breakout into almost a sweat. What was he doing here? He didn't really know Finn. Dinner had been at the Sonic, a  frozen limeade and burger. Doyle shivered then. Maybe he shouldn't be here, but it might be too late now.

A girl in purple with pink hair and black lipstick showed up with some emo looking fellow and a fat guy with huge gages in his ears. Finn introduced Doyle to Tonya, Joel and Kristoff. Doyle just stared at them. Still wondering if they'd play a game, listen to music or what.

Suddenly, they were all talking about church. Doyle hugged himself, baffled by this.

"You two should really come on Wednesday night. Its all you can eat spaghetti." Tonya was Kristoff's wife. They both ministered at the Outcast Church. It was nondenominational.

Doyle almost cracked up. This was not what he expected.

Stan called for the steam punk jacket then. He asked Kristoff if he could borrow his chains. Before Doyle knew it, they had his coat off and him into the steam punk jacket. Tonya pushed on her black fingerless gloves over Doyle's fingers. Stan needed details for this shoot. She combed his hair back, then forward. Stan couldn't decide if he wanted to go James Dean or something more  FALLOUT BOY.

"Well, you are my true Fallout boy." He smiled at Finn then.

Finally, they got in the shadows of the stairwell. Finn in the background. Doyle in front.

"Now turn. Look back at me." He snapped. Finally he started snapping pictures. It was an old camera. He did not believe in digital. "Quit smiling."

Doyle didn't know he was even smiling. He did his best to look as grim as possible. Next he wanted the two to trade places, and Finn in the steam punk jacket. Doyle could see Finn knew what to do. It was as if he were the old man's muse.

"Love it. Thank you, Finn. For bringing me a blond." The way Stan smiled at him, Doyle had to wonder if maybe Finn already had a lover. Old enough to be his grandfather.

"What did he mean by that? Bringing him a blond?" Doyle asked later once they were loaded up and left the scene.

"He gets carried away, sometimes. He's an artist." Finn shrugged.

"What about those other people? Do you guys do this ..a lot?" Doyle asked as they drove down the snow covered farm road back toward the main highway.

"About once a month. You'll be in all the brochures." Finn smiled a him. "You're the church's new poster boy."

"What?" Doyle winced.

Finally, Finn's old truck hit the clean pavement and they were in a nearby town soon enough. Finn parked at the all night diner. "How about breakfast?"

"What is going on?" Doyle asked as they got out of Finn's truck and went in to the well lit establishment.

"Nothing. Really. Tonya just likes to advertise. And she kept asking if I had boyfriend. How I needed a boyfriend." Finn plopped down in the first booth he could find at the truckstop. "I mean, she sets me up on blind dates, all the time. I hate that. You know, can't I find someone, on my own?" He bit the corner of his bottom lip as he looked up at Doyle while looking over the menu.

"You used me..for a photo shoot?" Doyle glared at him as if he felt so belittled now.

"No." Finn winced. "I like you. Do you know how many old dudes I see everyday who are one step closer to the grave? All the time. I don't want to be one of them."

Doyle looked at the menu then.

"I guess...I guess..its good to know...you know..like this..instead of it being, a big secret." Doyle finally shrugged.

"You really rocked that jacket." Finn winked with a smile.

"You did too." Doyle had a feeling he'd be with Finn all night.