Speed Bumps

We’re pleased to be able to offer writer Shawn Syms’ reminisces as a former Tina user in the serial feature ‘Speed Bumps.’ Each month we’ll bring you another article by Shawn as he shares his experiences, memories and insights. Shawn writes frankly and intimately with the clarity of someone who’s been there. We hope you enjoy this series. Send us your comments here.

Archived Features

Sex and drugs

A funny thing happened when I went to the baths Sunday night.

I'd just come from Folsom Fair North, where I couldn't help but notice how the dance floor was basically a bear circuit party. Anyway, I left there horny, so I stopped off at the Cellar. (After a bit of a drought for the past while, I'd had a great time there a few nights before.)

While I was there, I spotted a sexy guy with his beefy ass arched outward, on display through the doorway of his room. So I went and took it. That was a bit out of the ordinary for me, I usually wait for boys to come to me; that way I know for sure that they want it. But I was feeling pretty aggressive.

He asked me to start slow, but before long we were going at it pretty hard. It felt great, and I had no problem staying hard with the condom on, a relief 'cause sometimes I'll run into that issue in random scenarios like that. I fucked him a few different ways before I pulling out to ride his face for a while. Then he asked me to spray my load onto his butt.

As I was getting close, he reached over discreetly and then smoked some crack out of a tiny crackpipe that I hadn't previously noticed was there. I almost didn't even realize it—because I was busy getting ready to pump off—but I know what crack smells like, and I recognized its scent.

At any rate, next thing I know I'm shooting onto the guy's mouth and face, and that wraps things up. He thanks me, I thank him and I head out the door. It's not till I get back to my locker that I realize that I feel totally high because of the ambient crack smoke I'd inhaled in his room. And I felt high on crack for the rest of the walk home. It wasn't the same sort of crack I'd wanted a piece of when I entered the room!

The experience was very weird, and it relates to issues that had already been on my mind of late. I recently had a talk with a potential play partner about my past with crystal and how that influences my experiences today. This guy uses crystal on rare occasions, and I wanted him to know my history, because it's really important to me that I don't come into contact with the drug in any way. I don't want to accidentally be exposed to it in anyone's saliva or cum or piss or anything else. Basically, I wanted to know for sure that he would never be on crystal when we played. I got a really supportive reply from him, and I feel that I can trust him.

But the scenario the other night reminded me that this guy at the baths could just as easily picked up a meth pipe rather than a crackpipe. In that case, I think I would have felt a lot more uncomfortable, because I've put a lot of effort into staying away from crystal, and I don't want to end up screwing that up by being exposed to it in a circumstance where it's not wholly my own choice.

I don't have anything against the guy I met on Sunday night. But the whole situation has given me much to think about. I thought I was pretty well versed in issues related to sex and drugs. But I'm learning more and more that the topic is far from simple.

-Shawn Syms