Travis Flatt
On Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at Studs, his taut biceps and pecs oiled, his flanks brushed to a sheen, where he’s got a stable of regular fans—customers, rather—to cheer at his flexing and gyrating, the mist from his mane thick as glitter in the strobe lights as he spins his “Texas Twirl.” They’re Southwestern transplants to Philly, who slip away from their soft-handed urban cowboys to slide bills into his saddle—before it’s unfastened and shed; women who miss their childhood Flickas back home on the range.
On Mondays and Tuesdays for fun, alone in his apartment, baking apple crumbles and listening to Prince or Otis Redding, but never, ever, “Pony” by Ginuwine, which plays endlessly in his sweat-soaked dreams and at Studs.
On Wednesdays for his OnlyFans channel, where he has one dedicated follower, Godde$$Epona. Most people drop by once or twice, grow tired of his limited repertoire; there’s the Texas Twirl, the Tumbleweed, or the Giddy-up Buck. He and Godde$$Epona, though—more and more, they spend the entire evening in text chat. She’s divulged her name, herreal name (he’s pretty sure), which is Kate. He’s thinking of arranging a meetup. She’s not shared a picture, but he’s ready to entertain love, no matter what: number of limbs, length of face, etc.
On Sunday afternoons for easy money, innocent prancing at kids’ birthday parties, horsey-rides, candy-sticky fingers tangling his mane, muddy sneakers matting his flanks, where he’ll sometimes indulge flirting from a curious mom, occasionally get slipped a phone number, and then go clip-clopping home, sick with guilt, to pray for forgiveness, worried he’s betrayed Kate—or, the idea of Kate—who says she’s forgone dating and lives for their chat sessions, who’s saving her waitressing tips to buy a plane ticket, thinks the end of the summer is doable for a meetup, and hopes he’ll keep an open mind.
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Travis Flatt (he/him) is an epileptic teacher and actor living in Cookeville, Tennessee. His stories appear or are forthcoming in Iron Horse, Necessary Fiction, Bluestem, Scaffold, Fractured Lit, Cleaver, and elsewhere. He enjoys theater, dogs, and theatrical dogs, often with his wife and son.