The month was January of 1975, and things were as they always had been between the two friends, Calum and Stephen.

“Don’t worry” laughed Calum, although Stephen was doing nothing of the sort. “Your time will come. We can’t all be as lucky as me.”

Calum’s immodesty was delivered in such a deliberate state of awareness that it was hard for Stephen to be offended. Although he knew Calum believed it to be true, he also knew that his friend was simply playing a role that he had began to love more and more as time went on. His only worry was that Calum, like the actor who is only known for one film, would not grow out of this act and would let it consume the intelligent soul that lay beneath.

The event that Calum was currently obsessed with was the party they had both attended the night before. It was labelled a New Year’s party, but had in fact continued in the same vein as the previous year. Calum had had his way with almost any girl he laid eyes on; such was the natural reward of natural beauty. He passed on from girl to girl at will, causing in each case his last conquest to hold their heart in sadness. For many of them he had seemed so special, a spectacle of wit and looks combined into an irresistible charmer. It was to them an insult that someone who could live as a king was living instead as a tramp who set out to keep his head in the gutter.

Stephen was the flipside of the coin, the tail end to be precise. He had been gifted with the insight to see what Calum truly was, so he was the only person in the room to not make a judgement, whether it may be good or bad. He had know Calum all his life and had resigned himself to consoling the wounded that his friend left behind. He was significantly less attractive than his counterpart, so this provided those who approached him with a great feeling of comfort. They saw that he would expect nothing in return for his kindness, and indeed this is true, as he had never been rewarded apart from being granted a pure and untainted soul. If both the boys’ essences were to be painted as physical appearance, women would faint from Stephen’s beauty, and this is what drove him to stay so kind.

“I don’t need to get with anyone to be happy, Calum” replied Stephen, returning to the present. “I’m perfectly happy as I am”

“I can’t believe that for a second, I’m afraid” Calum scorned, with a tone that sounded sincere and light hearted at the same time. “How can you be happy? You’re eighteen years old for crying out loud, people are starting to talk!”

Indeed it was a pathetic gossip point for some of the pupils at their school, and a mild source of amusement for even the more respectable students. If Stephen had developed any sort of insecurity about it, he would have been torn up inside. Fortunately he had confided in the few that had not yet soiled their souls in darkened night clubs, and stayed a lifelong friend of Calum’s for tradition and amusement.

“Oh well, let people talk. Soon they will realise that they are as alone as I am. They will look back at their memories and cry that their romances are in the past, rather than the present. I have nothing to compare my present to, so I can live more in comfort.”

“I can live more in comfort than you!” cried Calum, who took offence to the way Stephen was brushing off such a serious problem. “I’m confident with myself, and can have a relationship any time I want! I can live in the present with the knowledge that I can grab the world by its horns! Anyway, I want you to experience it too, so next time I will set you up.”

Stephen looked into Calum’s eyes and realised that his friend genuinely thought he was doing him a large favour, so he decided to pretend to appreciate this act of generosity.

“Ok, ok, just make sure they’re really nice” sighed Stephen, with a half-smile.

“Oh don’t worry” Calum grinned, “They’ll be smoking hot!”

“That’s not I meant…”grumbled Stephen as Calum walked off. His soul lurched inside, afraid that it was going to be blackened by whatever foul creature of the night Calum could conjure up.

A few weeks later and the opportunity had arrived. The setting was a garden, usually so picturesque, but it was scarred by the upturned mud and cans of cheap cider. Stephen was sitting with a few quiet friends in the lighted patio area, when Calum emerged from the depths of the dimly lit lawn. He was dressed far less conservatively than Stephen, and was secretly gleaming that others were wearing trousers and shirts that he had modelled for the previous party. In one hand was a woman, the other a man, both looked as fazed out as Calum himself. Stephen and his friends watched on in amusement as the three stumbled forwards.

“Ok! I have returned from my long search” declared Calum grandly, his voice still melodious even if slightly slurred. “I have found a girl for you”. He thrust the girl in his right hand forward in a manner that surprised Stephen, she must have been under the influence of either alcohol or Calum to tolerate such behaviour. The king of underworld, as Stephen liked to call him, then continued to dominate the situation.

“Right… I know you have all your…weird little ways, so it won’t be full on, Stevie. Just close your eyes… you won’t even have to do anything.”

“That’s ridiculous, it’s just weird!”

“No… it’s not! You just need to experience it. Look… I’ve worked very hard to find suitable candidates…it would be rude to refuse.”

Stephen groaned, he knew his politeness was being used as a weapon against him. He tried to resist, but then found that his friends were urging him on, this being the only time they had seen one of their ‘clan’ in such a position. He groaned again and turned around and grimaced as the girl was again guided towards him. As she touched his lips, he felt inclined to return the favour, but his morals and spirit froze him still. His eyes scrunched further as he continued to bear it, and they only opened when the girl pulled away.

“Anything?” Calum inquired

“Can’t say I felt anything. But I didn’t really try, it’s just not my time yet.”

“Can we go now?” begged the girl, trying to drag Calum away.

“Hold on” Calum ordered, pausing to think like a surgeon about to make an incision. “Ok one more time, best shut your eyes again.”

Stephen closed his eyes again, giving into the demands. He could feel his precious personal space being invaded again as the girl came closer. It was only when he heard the girl muttering in the background that he jumped up, his lips being glanced.

“I’m not gay!” he cried, as he directed the boy away, who returned to Calum’s hand. The boy himself was rather offended that he’d been rejected by a specimen which he saw as lower than himself on the social ladder.

Callum laughed with a majestic twirl. “Well I’m sorry!” he cried, “But I thought I’d just throw that one in there, you never know. There could be an underlying reason for your frigidness.” Stephen looked on in scorn. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of - this is the seventies for Christ’s sake. It’s not so taboo anymore, especially if you’re bisexual. I tell you, that one’s even becoming fashionable! I’m pretending I am just to add to the image, and it’s even helping me further! I would suggest you try it, but perhaps you’re a lost cause…you’re so quiet! Ok, I won’t say any more on the matter. I will just accept you for what you are and vice versa, yes?”

Stephen managed to grumble a yes out and Calum smiled.

“You know me better than anyone else Stevie, and I know you better than anyone else. I don’t understand you, but I will always love you.”

With that, he spun on the spot and clicked with both hands, as the boy and girl followed him into the looming darkness. Stephen stayed in the lit area for the rest of the night, and consequently for every party night after that. Calum had many faults, but he was true to his word and did not pursue Stephen’s disgraceful problem anymore. They continued in the same manner for their remaining years at school, looking on with contempt at every action of the other, but still remaining friends.

Neither of them understood each other, but they kept in contact nonetheless. It was more a case of knowing your polar opposite and making sure you didn’t become like the other. They needed to make sure they were in a constant state of repulsion, otherwise neither would be fully happy with their own personality.

University life was a shock for both of these boys. For Calum it was a paradise, like giving a painter the choice of any brush, paint and canvas in the world. It was his freedom, his passion. He became famous to some in the campus, infamous to others. By the time he left there was practically no-one left sacred, his conquests became a hobby. He had been to more dates than lectures, however there was rarely a second date for any particular girl. The time to leave couldn’t come soon enough, as soon he had exhausted all the targets he had set out for three years ago. His reputation preceded him and he was beginning to get avoided. Of course he didn’t mind, this was one city in a million. The world was his oyster, and he came out of university with the only added knowledge that he could do almost anything he pleased.

Stephen on the other hand had chosen his university for the course, rather than the city life. As opposed to Calum he came out with a meaningful degree in literature, not that Calum needed a degree to be equally successful. Oddly enough though, university had taken it’s toll on Stephen and he had given up holding on for his first proper kiss. This was, however, still a kiss of great worth, as he went on to have a long relationship for the rest of his remaining years there. He had naturally not thought anything of this girl at first, but when the news was delivered to him that he took her fancy, he decided to take a risk for once. It had paid off, and when they finally left, they were still in contact and by now very much in love.

The two young men had been keeping in touch often, and Calum took great pleasure in hearing of his friend’s romance. Only the crudest of questions were of interest to him, but Stephen laughed off the idea of answering such ridiculous inquiries. He liked to change the subject by asking if Calum had finally found a woman he could last more than a week with. This always seemed hilarious to Calum, who routinely replied with the same response.

“Stevie, I will only settle down when I am old and gray. Until that day, I will take pleasure in the flame that only shines strongly at the start of romances. You cannot deny that the start of a relationship is the most passionate. I am able to experience this on a weekly basis, rather than once in a lifetime like you. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure there are great factors that make a long relationship worthwhile, but they will never compare to the initial moments. So no, I will not settle down just yet.”

They liked to argue about the merits of passion and long term fulfilment, but neither one could ever bring himself to agree with the other ones logic. They made the most convincing of arguments, having both studied English to a worthwhile standard, and because of this it was very hard to say that either was wrong. What is certain is that the lifestyles of Stephen and Calum were both as contrasting as could be, and that each person’s choices suited them to a tee.

The years flew by, as they do when someone is either in love or having too much fun. Calum stepped into the modelling world straight from university, not content that his gift of beautiful features had given him enough. He moulded his life around how he looked from an outsider’s point of view, using it for his job and personal life. As he turned thirty, his features matured without falling apart, so he was never forced to change the way he chose to go about the world. To be fair on Calum, Stephen was never forced to change either. He maintained his level of modesty and high morals, and it bode him well, albeit in a less obvious way than the success of Calum. He wrote for a national newspaper, a very sought after job, but one that he dug into with ease. His articles appealed to an audience who would never even glace at the same sort of magazine that Calum appeared on the cover of. His personality had finally reaped it’s reward as the readers took a shining to his honest and refreshingly non-bias viewpoint of the world.

As the age of thirty approached for Stephen, he decided it was time to tie the knot. His fiancé had been forgivingly patient with him, as he had previously been too shy or busy to even think of marriage. It was the same girl, Marianne, who he had dated since university days. They had broken up for a year in between, which crippled Stephen for a while. He had not ever been in the situation before, having never allowed himself to be ruled by the thought of a woman. Luckily for him, his love eventually came back to him, having realised that despite his obsessive work rate and quiet exterior, he was still the most caring and devoted man she had ever met.

At their wedding, Calum was invited to be Stephen’s best man. To his credit, he accepted this role and undertook his duties with the utmost responsibility. This did not stop him criticising nearly every part of the ceremony, from the choice of appetisers to the location. He claimed that the wedding should be abroad, in Antigua to be exact, and that it should be outside by the seaside. This criticism did not fare well with Marianna, who was annoyed immensely by the sleazy Calum as it was. However Stephen was proud of his friend’s suggestions. It showed that Calum had at least thought about how he would have his perfect wedding, and showed that there was a soul capable of commitment beneath the shallow exterior. This was rarely displayed in the best man’s speech, where Calum was at the peak of charm and wit, yet delivered a message so beautiful that it brought a tear to even Marianne’s eye. However he then went on to leave many broken hearts at the wedding reception, including the maid of honour. This did not only undo all his good work, but also proved to be the final straw with Marianne. She insisted on never having to be in Calum’s company again, which Stephen agreed to with much regret.

Married life for Stephen tore the two apart for many years, and it was only when Calum phoned up that they arranged to go out together again.

“Stephen” Calum greeted down the phone, “I have missed you greatly. We must meet up! Does the theatre still appeal to you as it once did?”

They had both stayed fans of literature, still interpreting it in different ways as was the custom. It was not because of this that Stephen agreed, but because it had been too long for someone who meant so much to him.

When they met at the theatre, it was clear that they were both changed men. The years had treated Stephen as kindly as they had in his youth, and his receding hairline silently shocked Calum, who was not used to seeing such things in his line of work. Calum was as striking as ever, but his voice indicated that life had treated him harsher than ever before. It was not long before Stephen asked what had happened.

“I suffered what you did year ago, Stephen” The fact that he was calling him Stephen was enough to show things were different. “A broken heart is a tender thing, and I am still in the act of repairing it.”

It turned out that for all his experience, Calum did not fare so well in any relationship beyond a week long. He had for the first time given love a chance to surface, only to have it sink to shadowy depths when his lover ran off with another man. The relationship was a matter of months, and initially Calum had found it impossible that another human could be chosen over himself. When the vanity went though, it was clear that he was deeply hurt, and went through a dry period for longer than he could ever remember.

“I am back to my old self again now” Calum continued. “Much to your annoyance I’m sure, but I have genuinely realised that this is the best lifestyle for me. I will find love again one day, perhaps when my hair looks like yours! For now though, there is no harm in playing the endless field. The women I leave behind will hate me, not love me, so there is no need for guilt. Time is the only requirement for love, and as long as I cut it short, I can continue as I always have.”

Stephen sighed, as he saw that his friend had returned to his usual ways. But there was a glimpse of change on the outside now, and he consoled himself with the thought that there may be hope for Callum in the future.

The glimpse soon disappeared as they entered the theatre. They sat down next to an attractive young lady, with Calum naturally insisting on occupying the seat closest to her. Before the show and during the interlude, he made it his business to converse with her, as opposed to the friend he had set out with. Stephen didn’t mind, as he amused himself with the programmes and ice creams that came his way. Calum disappeared off with the woman after the show, appearing some five minutes later in Stephen’s car.

“That wasn’t long now, was it?” mocked Stephen, both laughing as they pulled away. They drove through the streets of outer London, casting majestic shadows as his expensive car glided under towering streetlamps.

“So you’re not even going to follow it up slightly?” Stephen asked, hoping without expecting.

“Of course not, you know how I work by now.” Calum grinned.

“Well think of love as a swimming pool” Stephen said philosophically as Calum pulled a stupid face. “You need to graduate into the adult’s pool at some point. You’ll never know what it’s like to swim if you never jump in the deep end!”

Calum laughed before countering.

“Ha, I’ve been in the deep end alright! But I found that I was drowning rather than swimming.”

He spoke with comfort in metaphorical discussions, which was a rare thing to see in a model. It was this among other reasons why Stephen still genuinely enjoyed his company.

“Anyway, you can’t deny it was more fun when we were infants in the children’s pool, no matter how shallow it may be. Getting away from water, I’ve tried love once and I have no plan to try it again. As I said to you long ago, I like to try everything once. That is all my relationship was to me now, an experience.”

“You are horrid sometimes, but I suppose I wouldn’t have you any other way. Besides, I can see there is a small part of you that is different, even if it needs to be inspected under a microscope.”

Calum went very defensive at this, as he realised that Stephen was implying that they weren’t complete opposites anymore.

“I’ll have you know that I am perfectly happy with how I have lived my life! I will be remembered as a great, romantic lover, like Byron or Casanova. My grave will be a tourist attraction, visited by admirers and dreamers who wished they had met, or bedded me, before I hit the dust! I won’t be like you, blending in with every other tombstone, like any other man who has a normal marriage. No my friend, a life a greatness is what I have achieved!”

Stephen turned his head, showing an unusual sense of annoyance.

“Calm down, I just said I thought you might have some decent morals deep within that cold old heart. But fine, I see you’re just being the same person you’ve always been, always thinking you’re greater than…”

He never finished that sentence, as they careered off the road that very moment.. Stephen’s annoyance, or Calum’s rant, had caused the driver to take his eyes off the road. Out of the corner of his eye, Stephen saw a cat in the road far too late, causing him to swerve and brake in a dramatic fashion. Even more dramatic was the way they hit the wall of a street corner, causing them to scream through the windshield. When the fire brigade and ambulance services arrived, they could tell simply from sight that it was too late. The two men were finally equal in appearance; that is that they were charred and broken to similar measures. At least Calum would never be burdened with becoming old and gray from now on.

Just over a week later, and it was the day of both men’s funerals. In death, your life is often reversed, and it was now Stephen’s turn to shine. His funeral was magnificent, planned out meticulously by the grieving mother-to-be that was Marianne. The attendance of his funeral was brimming, overloaded with teary eyed individuals who had come to know him in his time of thirty two years. Calum on the other hand had only a splattering of mourners, and these were only his few surviving relatives and his employers who had barely spoken to him during life. The hundreds of women he had romanced were a great distance away, either angry or heart-broken, but nonetheless oblivious to the death of their previous lover. As opposed to Stephen, his friends had left him long ago, shallow enough to be driven away by jealously, or moral enough to leave him out of disgust. The friend who would have missed him the most was sadly the one who lay next to him, as motionless and cold.

The summers and winters and weeks and months all passed for those left behind. The two graves told stories of their own. ‘A loving husband, father and a priceless friend to all that knew him’ was the message on Stephen’s gravestone, superior to the standard name and dates shown emotionlessly on Calum’s. Stephen’s grave was kept immaculately clean by the regular stream of visitors it received, whereas Calum’s started to grow weeds. They were only cleared once, when a lady arrived who he had loved long ago. She had left it too late to make things right, and it was with much sadness that she cleared up his resting place. She saw the gravestone next to Calum’s as she was cleaning the headstone, and realised the one fact that Calum had missed his entire life. One true love is better than a thousand women, something that even Casanova experienced with Henriette. To miss out on that is to die with nothing, to mean nothing. Calum’s only true love was not with the sole woman who wept at his grave, but with the friend he’d spent his whole life with. The man who spent each and every year trying to explain the power of pure love, which could, unfortunately for Calum, only be made most clear in death.