Becoming a man

It seems that most coming-of-age stories you come across feature a scene where a boy goes into a newsagent or convenience store and buys an "adult magazine." They might end up buying a half-dozen other (generally totally useless) things to divert attention from the magazine; they might simply steal the magazine; or they might take it like a man and take it, trembling, to the counter, only to be stared at by some old woman at the register with a look of disgust in her eyes.

I never had that experience.

On Friday I was doing some shopping at the local shops near my pop's place. While I was there, I decided to grab a copy of DNA Magazine. This was my first such experience, perhaps a little later in life than most guys, but at 22 was no less nerve-wracking. Its not a porno magazine, but I was still a little worried about the woman behind the counter giving me a look of disgust, or (perhaps a little more irrationally), having the crap beaten out of me for being a fag.

I put all that out of my head and marched into the newsagent. I knew where the "gay mags" were because I've scoped the place out some months ago (although I lost my nerve on that trip and didn't buy anything). There was a man in the aisle looking at something, I didn't have a chance to see what he was looking at, I had a mission. I grabbed the DNA magazine, waltzed past him and went to the counter. I slapped the mag down on the counter and waited as the sexy guy on the cover looked at me.

The place was set up with two counters, one on each side of this little island where the staff stood. A young woman was serving a bloke on the other side. And taking forever. My nerve was starting to waver. A small line was forming behind me. I stared straight ahead. I chanced a glance behind me. A guy, perhaps 30 was behind me, probably buying Sports Illustrated or some other straight magazine. "Fuck!" I thought, and promptly turned the magazine over, only to reveal another sexy guy, this time advertising a watch of some kind. I couldn't win. The young woman turned around and told me that someone would be with me shortly. "No rush" I thought.

A bloke with greying hair, maybe 45, appeared in front of me, and in one fell swoop grabbed the magazine and scanned it. Next, he dipped it below the counter fumbled around a little and then produced a plastic bag with the magazine in it. I'm not sure if he did it because he always does it, or becuse he saw what it was... but hey I don't care! I stuffed it into my green shopping bag, paid the guy and hobbled out.

I am now officially a man!