-Start by cleaning the grates.

The janitor orders and ignores every silent protest of K-T made up of grumbles and disgusted expressions given the work that awaits him. The man moves a couple of boxes without worrying too much about spilling their contents on the floor and takes an old deck chair. He opens it, tests its strength, and then lies down on it.

-This is the place from where I will check that you do the job to the best of your ability. There is a kind of button on the edge of the grate. Press it and it will open automatically, but if I remember correctly, only halfway. Much better than lifting them. Don't you think?

K-T tries to press the button with his foot, wanting to avoid bending down. The janitor seems to read his mind.

-You should lower yourself. If you ask me to look the other way, I won't do it. Honestly, I find some of your behaviors strange; first, you do everything to take off your clothes, and now you show modesty.

K-T would like to tell him that he is more used to being seen by women than by men, on whom the suspicion of being gay then weighs. Once again, the janitor moistening his lips with his tongue decrypts his doubts.

-I understand. You are worried about being alone with me and you don't want to get down on all fours because you fear I might fuck you. I don't deny that your condition amuses me, but I'm not gay. I like the idea of having a guy who works half-naked for me. I will have the prison guard syndrome.

K-T believes those words, and even though the gaze of an older man on him conveys a mix of annoyance and pride for being worthy of that attention, without going so far as to get on his knees and palms, he leans forward, spreading his legs to have a more stable position. He presses the button while his dangling testicles smack against each other. K-T realizes that his penis has finally given him a bit of a break. It hasn't completely lowered, but it's less vertical and hard than before.

The grate slides open to K-T a world of dirt, litter, and a lot of dust. It would mean that it is a useless and punitive job, but the janitor anticipates him on the practical question he would have asked.

-At the back, you'll find a nice broom, a dustpan, and some bags. The grates are not very wide and you shouldn't take long. You get in there, sweep, collect, and bag.

K-T would like to tell him that if it's so easy, why hasn't he done it in years, but he remains silent and instead, seeing the edge of the grate, decides to ask the janitor something he never thought he would voluntarily ask in his life.