Jason and Amare 1

Stripped For Florida: Jason and Amare 1

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This work is intended for ADULTS ONLY. It may contain depictions of sexual activity involving minors. If you are not of a legal age in your locality to view such material or if such material does not appeal to you, do not read further, and do not save this story.
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JASON AND AMARE

A Stripped For Florida story in eleven parts

PART ONE

New Jersey

Jason was looking forward to his Florida vacation, but the flight down from New Jersey gave him time to indulge in some of his worries. His aunt had seen him to the security gate at Newark Airport that morning. After that he'd been on his own except for the cursory attention paid by overworked airline employees assigned to make sure he didn't get on the wrong plane. Aunt Josephine was actually his Great-Aunt, a fact she didn't want to be reminded of too often. "Makes me feel old!" she would laugh.

"Well," thought Jason, "she wasn't exactly young." Jason had lived with Aunt Josephine from the time his mother had been diagnosed with cancer. Now his mother was dead. That was a fact Jason wished he could forget. Not exactly that -- it was a fact he wished weren't true. One of the reasons Jason was on his way to Florida was to get his brooding mind off that fact. The second reason was that his Uncle -- his real uncle, his mother's older brother -- had adopted a boy Jason's age. The two of them were supposed to meet one another, go camping, and supposedly have a happy life, forever and ever, sweetness and light, no more problems. Jason would no longer be depressed, the other boy would get over . . . whatever it was he was suffering from. Sure, right, fat chance, Jason thought. How is anything supposed to go right in my life. A 14 year old boy wasn't supposed to have no mother. He'd never had a father. He barely knew his uncle. And he lived with Aunt Josephine who was all right, but she wasn't his mother and no matter what she said, she certainly was old!

The plane banked to the left, drawing Jason out of his reverie. Below he could see the glint of sun off the ocean, and inland, the mirrored reflection of what looked like hundreds of watery snakes. Through the midst of them ran a broad, meandering river. As the plane continued to curve he saw that the land was as much water as it was dry in all directions. The chimes rang in the plane's interior and the captain's voice came through into the cabin. "Ladies and gentlemen, at this time I ask you to fasten your seat belts for our descent into Jacksonville International Airport. The local time is 1:23 pm and the temperature on the ground is a pleasant 87 degrees Fahrenheit. Please keep your seat belts fastened until we've made a complete stop at our jetport. Make sure not to leave anything behind when you deplane and we look forward to seeing you again on Azure Blue."

Jason strapped himself in, looked nervously around at his fellow passengers and turned back to the window. Florida. His uncle whom he barely knew was supposed to pick him up. There was this boy he didn't know much of anything about. These were submerged worries. What really intrigued him and had him nervous at the same time were the rumours he'd heard about Florida. Not exactly rumours, but facts he'd been told. What he couldn't sort out was which of these facts he really believed, and, possibly more importantly, which of them he might actually want to be true.

Seven years ago a worldwide treaty had been signed which gave local areas much greater autonomy in setting the standards that governed community conduct. The rulings that had gone into effect were called the DECENT laws -- a nice play on the words "decentralization" and "decent." Behind all this fancy language was a reality that made Jason very nervous about arriving in Florida. Most places in the world, including Jason's home state of New Jersey had used DECENT to impose much tighter, more conservative decency laws. In other words, when Jason and his friends went to the beach they wore long, baggy shorts and t-shirts. In town they wore long shorts with belts -- no sagging! -- shirts with sleeves and collars, and no bare feet allowed in public venues. Sports were conducted in modest attire as approved by local ordinances and the commissions regulating each athletic endeavour. The rules for girls were equally strict.

Jason had been told that Florida was different. He'd even seen vacation photos taken by a couple of his Aunt's friends that seemed to prove the point. Kids naked on the beaches! Women wearing bikinis, men in tight shorts, speedos, even thongs! This was all hard to believe, but supposedly very true. The rumours he'd heard were even wilder. Supposedly if you were a kid you could end up being stripped naked and have to stay that way for months, years, even for life! Jason couldn't wait to see if this were true, because he secretly wanted to see what all those tanned Florida boys looked like naked. On the other hand he was terrified that he'd be one of the ones stripped. Did they just rip your clothes off when you stepped off the plane? Was everyone naked or just a couple of kids here and there? The landing gear hit the runway and for a brief moment Jason's mind stopped reeling.

* * *
Jacksonville

Jason pulled his bag out from under the seat and waited patiently while his fellow passengers on the flight from New Jersey gathered their things and slowly shuffled up the aisle. He nodded when the flight attendant said good-bye at the door and stepped into the jet way. As he walked up the slight slope he peered ahead into the terminal to catch sight of his uncle. It had been so long since he'd seen him that he worried that neither he nor his uncle would recognize one another. Just then he saw his uncle's face -- how could he forget? Uncle Jim looked like a slightly more handsome, rugged version of his mother, Janet. Suddenly bashful and feeling tears coming on as he thought of his mother, he put his head down. His uncle came up and wrapped him in his arms and held him tight. At last Jim said, "Welcome to Florida, Jason. It's so good to have you here. I'd like you to meet Amaré. We can talk more as we drive, so let's get your things here and find the car, a place to eat, and catch up on the news!" Jim took each boy by the shoulder and walked tall between the two of them. Jason and Amaré looked across Jim's chest at one another, curiosity in their eyes

With his arm around Jason's shoulder, Jim gently guided him around a bend in the corridor. They emerged into a large atrium. Bright Florida sunlight spilled down onto potted palms and a gigantic blue-hued floor mosaic. Jason looked around and gasped! "Hey, you're going to fall on your face if you stop so suddenly," laughed his uncle.

Amaré giggled. "You see something you like?"

Jason blushed. Naked boys. There were naked boys! Actually there were naked girls and naked boys, but it was definitely the naked boys that caught his attention. Feeling embarrassed he pulled his eyes away only to be confronted by a larger than life image of two blond adolescents. Jason was mesmerized. He caught himself wondering if the two boys were lovers. As he stared he suddenly realized that one of them was quite distinctly male, but not the other. In fact, even though Jason had not really seen many -- if any -- adolescent girls in the nude, he knew quite clearly this was a girl. Still, the resemblance was uncanny. These two were as similar as two non-identical twins could be.

"I see you've noticed the Sunshine State's unique concept of saying 'welcome'." Jim's voice caught Jason by surprise and he turned and looked up at him questioningly. "Oh, you don't know what that is, do you? I forget how much things have changed in Florida . . . and in New Jersey, too, I'm guessing. Do you know about Stripped For Florida and all that?"

Jason slowly shook his head back and forth. "No . . . I . . . no, I mean no, I don't even know what that means."

"Hmmm, I see. Well, let's just take it one step at a time. Florida's going to be a bit of a culture shock for you. Just like it has been for Amaré, but for completely different reasons. I hadn't thought about it, but Ethiopia, New Jersey and Florida are all completely foreign to one another in odd sorts of ways. For starters, you're going to be seeing lots of naked kids and teenagers. Get used to it, because that's the way it is. I can tell that you like some of what you see, so I have a feeling it won't be such a bad experience." Uncle Jim gave him a wink and a mischievous smile.

The trio headed across the broad atrium. Jason tried hard to get a look at all the naked boys without being too obvious about it. There were very young kids, kids his age, and teens. Some were sunburnt, tan lines obscured by recent sun exposure, dragging bags and Florida souvenirs. Obviously tourists heading toward flights that would take them back to wherever they had come from. Fewer in number, but more striking to Jason were older kids and even some young adults that strode through the airport as if they'd been naked all their lives. Clad in skin colours ranging from chestnut brown to deep coffee black they seemed as right and natural as any creature in this world going about the business of daily life. Who would want to see a leopard in a suit, thought Jason? This thought was a new one, and he pondered it as they exited the terminal and walked across a bridge into the parking garage.

After a short drive, Jim pulled into a Waffle House and unlocked the doors. "Hope you don't mind simple fare, me lad," he laughed. Amaré hopped out and held the door for Jason, smiling at him shyly. Jason looked at the menu and then nearly dropped it when the waiter came up to take their order. A stark naked lad of 18 or 19 stood there smiling at them. "What can I get for two charming boys and their caretaker? Want the full treatment or just a snack!" Jason blinked back at the boy's white-toothed smile and cheery demeanour Jason wasn't complaining, but Uncle Jim was right -- pleasant or not, this was culture-shock. Not able to scan the menu or think any further on the subject Jason decided to order the same thing as his uncle.

While they were eating Jim explained that they were going to drive across the peninsula to the area around the Suwannee River. "I've got a little travel trailer. Amaré and I have been living there. We can also camp by the river, explore some isolated springs, swim, catch some fish . . . it's a great place and I think you'll really enjoy it." Jim went on to explain that his own life had experienced a wonderful and unexpected change when he'd decided to bring Amaré with him to Florida. "I met him while working on an environmental consulting job in Ethiopia. There's a huge dam going up -- possibly one of the most disruptive hydro projects in the world right now, outside of China, and that's saying a lot. Anyway, I was part of a team called in by the United Nations to suggest ways to lessen the damage for peoples living downstream. Not stop the project, mind you, that wasn't given to us as one of the options. While I was there I met Amaré in a Red Cross refugee camp. He had no family, and no place to go back to. We took to each other and here we are! Amaré is shy like you," Jim winked at each of the boys in turn, causing them both to giggle. "But he's got a better excuse: he's still learning English! I hope the two of you will become friends so we can all be family together."

* * *
Forest

"Okay boys, I think it's time for a bit of wilderness experience. Maybe it'll get the wildness into the two of you as well -- everyone's being a bit too shy and we don't have forever before we have to send you back, Jason."

Amaré and Jason both nodded. They'd been good boys--too good, thought Jim. Time to help them forget their inhibitions and start living a little. He started issuing requests for particular items stowed about the trailer.

"Let's get our stuff together for camping." Jim showed the boys how to put up the camping tent and fold it up tight again; How to choose items that didn't weigh too much; and how to get everything to fit into their hiking packs.

"Where are we going to go, Uncle?" asked Jason.

"There's still a bit of wilderness left in these parts if you know where to go. After awhile we'll be pretty much out of the way of civilization and then maybe we can start making our own Stripped For Florida plan." Jason was too embarrassed to ask what he meant. He was eager to experience whatever there was to do in Florida, but he was a little disappointed to hear that they were getting even farther from other people. Jason was still apprehensive about the nudity part of Florida, but in the short time they'd been in Jacksonville and in the small towns on the way to Jim's cabin he'd enjoyed the sight of naked boys. He was surprised to see totally clothed kids and completely naked ones hanging out together as if it were the most normal thing in the world. They'd spent the last couple of days at Jim's cabin, helping clear pathways, chopping wood, making meals together, and playing simple games. Amaré's English didn't seem that bad, but he was shy about using it. Jason was accustomed to living with his Great Aunt and had gotten used to being fairly quiet, so it was mostly Uncle Jim doing the talking and coming up with ideas for what to do next. Going trekking was the current idea and the boys were ready to go along for the adventure.

After a couple of hours walk, Jim hoisted his pack off his back and leaned it against a tree. "I've got to take a leak and then there's something special I want to share with you two." Jim ambled off into the woods about 10 feet and peed against a tree, doing nothing much to hide what he was doing. Amaré grinned at Jason, who grinned back. Pulling up his zipper Jim came back and smiled: "You can take those packs off and leave them here. No one's going to be wandering around these woods. If you come with me I want to show you something."

Jim led the boys down a small slope and told them to watch their step as they descended a craggy limestone outcropping. This was very different from the flat pine-needle trail they'd followed until now; finding their way between short bright green palmettos in the airy longleaf pine forest. Jason followed, pushing through some thick bushes and caught his breath. A round eye of blue shone below them, as if the sky itself were bubbling out of the earth. The water was so luminescent that Jason forgot his shyness and blurted out, "But, where does the light come from, underwater?"

Jim laughed. "This is a Florida spring -- not one of the big first or second magnitude ones, but a wonder just the same -- and quite secluded, which makes it even more special for us. The water is so clear that the sunlight from above shines right down to the bottom. That's what makes it look as if it were lit up from inside. The blue colour is from the limestone and other minerals the water brings forth from underground. The minerals have another nice quality -- they make your skin feel wonderful! Come on, let's take a swim."

With that Jim began taking his clothes off. Jason could see right away that his uncle planned to strip completely naked. To his surprise he noted that Amaré was doing the same. Jason began to undress as well, but not with the same nonchalance as the other two. In fact, he didn't have much time to look over either of their naked bodies as they were running nude down the slope and diving into the water while he was still worrying over whether to take his pants off first and then his shirt, or the other way around.

"Come on in," shouted Amaré, "it is too wonderful!" Jason hastened down the hill, worrying that his penis was too small, that he looked too pale, that he'd forgotten how to swim. Then he touched the water and stopped. "Jeez, this water is cold!!!"

Amaré and Jim both laughed. "It is invigorating, shall we say," remarked Jim. "I suggest you get in quickly and don't think about it too much. It feels fantastic once you're submerged."

Jason braced himself for the cold and then plunged in, putting his head under and coming up for air. The water did feel good. Amaré splashed him and yelled out, "Last one to get to that rock is a rotten egg." Jason grinned at the American idiom and went into a fast crawl stroke. Amaré beat him, but just barely. They followed up with another race, tried out different strokes, found a deeper place where they could try dives, and pulled themselves out on some mossy rocks, laughing and catching their breath. "See," said Amaré, pointing toward the middle of the pool, "That is where the water comes from the earth. Do you think we can swim to it?"

"Why not?" inquired Jason. "It doesn't look so deep."

"The water is strong -- it is pushing up, so we have to be patient to get there." Amaré pantomimed swimming with regular strokes.

"Maybe you mean 'persistent' -- not patient," suggested Jason.

"It is a new word, what does it mean?"

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to be critical." Jason felt bad and blushed in embarrassment.

"No, it is okay. I want to learn English very well. You should always tell me the best way to say something. I have the same reaction as you," added Amaré.

"What? What reaction?" Jason was confused.

"I also turn red when I say something to make my friend feel bad. But I'm lucky -- my skin is already dark so you can't see it."

Jason laughed. He was also touched. Amaré had called him a friend.

"And you," Jason replied, "are my friend."

Amaré surprised him by touching him on the leg and then reaching over to hug him. The touch of wet skin felt good in the warm air. Jason wondered at Amaré's ease with his body. He's sitting here naked, giving me a hug, but he's obviously not naked all the time like some of the boys in Florida. Jason was seething with questions? Why were some kids naked and others not. Why had Jim and Amaré met him at the airport clothed, been clothed all this time, in fact? But, suddenly they were stripping off as if it were an everyday thing? Maybe it was just for swimming. That sort of made sense. Jason knew that before the DECENT laws some people had done something called "skinny dipping" even in New Jersey. He remembered one of his teachers telling the class about Ben Franklin and Walt Whitman and other famous Americans who were fond of swimming naked. "A charming old fag," was his Aunt's response when Jason told her about his teacher.

They made a valiant effort to reach the very bottom of the spring, but as Amaré had predicted it was hard work. The force of the water gushing forth from the spring was much greater than Jason could have imagined. At last they gave up and returned to their rocky perch. Jim swam over and suggested they continue their trek for a little while longer.

"We should make a little more mileage today. Then we can set up camp, catch dinner and prepare it. It's better to get all that done while there is still daylight. Two good things to keep you in good spirits. There's more water where we'll be camping, so you can swim again and catch some fish for supper. And, we don't have to bother to get dressed again. The weather's warm enough and bare skin feels good."

Is this how it works in Florida, wondered Jason. One minute you're all dressed, the next you're wandering the woods naked as the day you were born?

END OF PART 1

(The End)