It was almost noon in La Vida Variado, a magical place where men could transform their ages and bodies. Nestled in the beautiful and exclusive island of Buena Perspectiva, a getaway unlike any other. The sun was shining bright. Palm trees swayed on the beach and the jungles covering the unusually hilly island were filled with adventure.
"You guys can't be serious."
Gus looked up at his adopted father's face. Ray was a distant cousin of his but they shared the traits for smooth black hair. But whereas Gus looked like the kind of kid that got to be on the Mickey Mouse show, with an adorable mug that could light up the world with his smile, he had lighter skin than his tanner, craggy faced new guardian. Ray looked like he was straight out of a TV Western, a tall, velvety voiced cowboy with unbelievably handsome craggy features, lines that accentuated the masculinity of his face and sideburns to match. Smooth black hair that hadn't yet turned to gray. Ray was often told he was a dead ringer for Clint Walker, that famous TV cowboy who dripped sensuality with his sandpaper stubble, gorgeous voice, looks that could kill, not to mention height. Ray stood only a few inches shorter than Clint Walker, standing at a height of 6'4". He was an imposing man but his attitude and personality had been a surprise to Gus. Ray had spoiled him with adventures, non stop traveling and enough fun to make up for the years of neglect that Gus had endured. He had been showing Gus the time of his life at carnivals and boardwalks, movie theaters and restaurants, flying kites in parks. All the stuff he had always dreamed of doing with a Dad some day.
"We are being completely serious...Dad." The grown man rumbled his words. He was at a loss. He was overwhelmed. "From here on, I want you to be in charge of me. You can be the Dad and I'll be the son"
"Okay. If you're really serious? For real? Seriously?"
They all nodded encouragingly.
"This is so cool. Yeah. I can be the Dad. I can really be the Dad! You have to do whatever I say? You can really make me big? And I can be a grown up??"
"Yes," Veronika told him. "You can be. After you decide, you will be asked to practice for one day. You will take your new son across the island and he has to do everything you tell him. You will carry his wallet and cash. He must obey you."
At that, Ray gave his wallet over to his pint sized companion. Gus held the wallet in wonder. A man's wallet full of money!
"You have full adult privileges during this time," another man interjected. His name was Stefano. "You can drink alcohol while you son is prohibited. You may even smoke tobacco but you should be warned that your body could become very ill since you haven't built up any kind of immunity to tobacco. However, once you switch bodies it should be no problem as Ray here is accustomed to it."
"I do enjoy cigars, so...I mean, Dad." Ray suddenly looked shy. "I feel lightheaded."
"That's the magic taking its course," Stefano replied. "From here on, you will find it much easier to act the part. Enjoy the rest of your day, Mr. Upton," the attendant looked down at Gus when she said "Mr. Upton".
"What do you want to do now, Dad? Do you want my body, Sir?" Ray asked, feeling uncomfortable in his big body. He was beginning to feel fidgety, the way he did when he was a small boy. He suddenly felt insecure and felt like he shouldn't be this tall. Was he really this tall? It felt wrong somehow. He truly felt like he was in the wrong body. More than usual. He had dreamed of the day when he could be a boy again and now his dream was about to become reality, as long as his new Dad allowed him to change his age.
Gus thought about it a while. "You know what, son? I think I will take you up on your offer. I'm gonna trade bodies with you, boy. Yes, I've made up my mind. We're going to switch bodies so I can be you. So. We'll do it tomorrow?"
"Yes, Sir," Veronika told Gus. Gus was normally confident but he seemed to be more confident than usual. His boyish boisterousness had faded and he had adopted a pose that was suddenly very mature. He adjusted his shirt collar and began to strut around as if he was a man who had lived in the world for a much longer time. As if he had years of experience to back up his confidence. No longer did he feel unimportant. No longer did he feel overlooked. He felt important. He felt like a grown man who had lived for decades, and it felt like he was already remembering some adult things.
"Excellent. Then we'll switch bodies tomorrow. And there's no business to take care of between now and then?"
"No, Sir. Simply enjoy the mental adjustment. You two will find yourselves feeling more like the role you plan to take on. That process of mental maturity takes a day to complete. Enjoy your day, Sir."
"Time for me to check out the bar," Gus said, walking down the hallway with a strut to his step. "Come along, boy!" the 8 year old said, much more authoritatively than he had ever said anything in his life. His small voice now dripped with an unnatural authority.
"Yes, Sir." Ray Upton followed his new 8 year old father, shuffling his big feet a bit.
Ray followed his new Dad. He felt so grateful. Like a huge burden had been lifted off of him.
"I think I'll get a beer at the bar," Gus climbed up onto a barstool. His feet couldn't even touch the ground. Not even close. "Excuse me, waiter?"
"Yes, Sir?" the mustached old man asked. The man was balding and had a gray mustache. He looked like Alfred from the Batman TV show, the one with Adam West and Burt Ward. Only he had huge muscles, bigger than any man Gus had ever seen. Gus was astonished. He could soon be a man, with Ray's muscles! Ray had muscles that weren't quite as big as the man in front of him but Ray was a giant compared to Gus. He felt himself salivating over being in such a tall, muscular man's body. A body that would be his!
"Dad, c-c-can I have a beer, too? Please? It can be my last one." Ray asked, as if he knew it was a question that was going to be shot down.
"Minors are not allowed to drink, young man," the muscled old man, old enough to be Gus' grandfather told him. "No adult drinks for you. Your Dad can order a beer, though."
"I'll have the Dos Equis and my boy here will have some milk. You're going to have milk and like it, son."
"Yes, Sir." Ray sat down next to the boy. I'm just the boy in this relationship now! No one is going to even let me do grown up stuff! he thought.
The drinks arrived and Gus drank his first beer with gusto.
"That was quite what I needed." Gus paid the bar tab. Gus paid the bar tab and nodded to the bartender, making eye contact as if…they were on the same level. Gus thought of the man not as a large, muscular grown up but rather as…an equal.
"Come on, son. Let's see what this island has to offer us."
Gus led the way while his new son lumbered behind him in tow, just wanting to follow the young 8 year old boy who now led his son all over the colonial town. Cars were never imported to the island. The locals preferred to keep things old fashioned. Hailing a horse drawn carriage, Gus and his new son took a tour of the town.
"Wow, this is so cool! Everything here is awesome!" Ray exclaimed, giggling uncontrollably. He began to jump up and down in his seat.
"Stop jumping up and down!" Gus barked, with a command to his voice. It might have been hilarious had someone been watching them. Gus was certainly taking on an adult air now. "Don't jump around! These are living horses up here! You don't want to startle them, boy."
"I'm sorry, Daddy," Ray immediately apologized.
"From now on, behave yourself. Don't act like some little monkey. Now. Would you like to have a little fun? I think we should take a walk on the beach. I think that would be just the thing for us.
"Yes, Sir. I would love that, Dad!" Ray exclaimed. He didn't even mind that his new Dad had admonished him. It felt wonderful to have someone else to look up to. It felt so good! This island made him feel perfectly comfortable giving all his power over to this small child.
The first beer he ever drank started to go to Gus' head and he felt the buzz of it. So this is why adults drink alcohol. Feels great! he thought.
Gus decided to go back to the hotel, leave his new wallet there, and they got dressed in some beach clothes. He ordered Ray to bring along a towel, suntan lotion, and a canvas bag that he filled with essentials, as if he was used to organizing things that a parent normally would. He looked at their reflections in the mirror. He burned with desire to be in a bigger body. It wasn't fair that he should be this small! He should be tall and have stubble. He rubbed his face in frustration.
Meanwhile, Ray was rubbing his face as if he had never had stubble before.
"This is weird, Dad. I feel...do you feel weird?"
"Yes. It's almost as if we don't feel at home in our own bodies anymore. Well, it's just the same to me, son," the 8 year old looked up at his giant hulking boy. "We have one day left to enjoy these bodies before we say goodbye to them. Now let's go! Time's a wastin', son!"
"Thank you for bringing me here, Dad." Ray said, even though it had been his plan to come here.
"You're welcome, boy."
The beach was only sparsely populated, almost exclusively by men and boys of all ages. A few women strolled about here and there. Gus wondered if any of the women used to be their husbands. It was most likely, he thought, with a sly grin. He felt truly at home in the world but he resented having such a puny body. He really couldn't wait to switch bodies already, he thought. It was almost as if he was itching to get out of this prepubescent frame. He was a man trapped in the body of a child! Gus thought. Then he thought, Wow, I am a man. I am man. I am a man. I'm not a boy. He stared at his tiny hands. Soon...
They played frisbee on the beach. Gus felt strange and Ray felt strange. Both man and boy experienced loss of balance on their respective legs, as if Ray had never been that height before, or Gus hadn't been that height before for a long time.
They played in the ocean and Ray lifted up his Dad and flung him around.
"Put me down, son!"
"Sorry, Daddy! I just know I'll never be able to do that again. Unless you wanna go back afterwards and stuff."
"Yes, I can see that you're excited. But don't ever pick me up again unless I give you permission to. I'm your father and it doesn't feel right. It feels, to be honest, a little humiliating. I should be the one picking you off the ground! That’s a Dad thing to do, and you’re the little boy now."
"I was just trying to play with you, Dad," the grown man suddenly sounded scared and admonished, looking down at his too big feet. I can't to be little! he thought desperately. He wanted to look UP at his Dad! That was the natural thing to feel, right?
"I forgive you, son. But don't worry. I don't have any intention of swapping back once I get that big beautiful body of yours. Then I can have some real fun!"
They resumed their fun frolicking in the waves for a time and Ray was laughing more than he had in decades. This was so much fun!
"Daddy?" Ray said when they were sitting down after coming out of the surf, wiping the water from his face.
"Yes, son?"
"I love you, Dad!"
"I love you, too. Now let's shower and get some lunch, kiddo!"
Ray bolted across the surf the way a small child would.
"Race ya there!"
When Ray got to the bathroom first he jumped up and down. "Woo! I won! I did it! I'm faster than you are!"
"Of course you are, you have the body I should be in!" Gus exclaimed, half jokingly. Ray smiled nervously. The two went to the showers with their outdoor brick enclosure and open air cement floors. The tropical breeze floated through and suddenly man and boy were looking at their genitals in horror. Ray felt disgusted by his large penis. He couldn't believe how big it was! He shouldn't have such a big penis, he thought. Meanwhile, Gus was silently fuming over having such a small dick. It just isn't right! he thought. I just have the large manhood in this family!
Gus decided they would get lunch at a bistro not far from the hotel. He had them change again. Again, they were quite embarrassed over having to wear adult and kid clothing respectively. Both felt like they should be wearing the other's wardrobe.
Ray wanted to order a large dessert but his new father put his foot down.
"No dessert until dinner, young man. You eat your salad, too."
"Do I have to?" Ray mumbled, somewhat poutingly.
"You do if you want dinner and dessert tonight," Gus warned him.
"Yes, Sir," the grown man replied. When he was wiping food off his face, he felt like the stubble on his face was foreign. Like he wasn't used to it. It was so rough and scratchy! he thought.
“What do ya wanna do now, Dad?” Ray followed his new dad like a puppy dog.
Gus considered what to do next.