The One He Loved by Ieshwar

[C James]

The One He Loved by Ieshwar

 

 

:nuke: :nuke: Spoilers Below!!! :nuke: :nuke:

[Graeme]

Set near the end of World War II, this is the story of Jake and Keith and their doubly forbidden love. Forbidden once because Jake is a Jew and Keith is a German, and forbidden again because they are both male.

 

Keith is described as the ideal German warrior -- blond and blue-eyed. He states that he's been forced to do things, but I got the impression that it was probably only after the death of his brother that he really started to question what was going on. He knew guilt, and saving Jake and Owen were his way of trying to redeem himself.

 

Jake and Keith find a common spark, but they're ripped apart almost immediately by the retreat of the German army.

 

Jake kept his faith, kept his hope. We never find out what happened to Keith. The idealist and romantic in me wants to think it was circumstances beyond his control that stopped Keith from returning -- and there are many such circumstances to choose from. He may have been killed during the closing stages of the war. He may been accused of war crimes and executed. We don't know.

 

I found myself being proud for Jake. He stayed on the course he had selected, though I suspect he would have been pressured many times to recant his love. Even to the end, he kept his heart for Keith.

 

Thanks, Ieshwar!

[Krista]

Oh my goodness.. this is a great read Ieshwar! I'm glad I chose this as my first anthology to read, I liked the ending the most as it really does cause mixed feelings. As much as everyone would want Keith to be alive, they also kind of hope circumstances beyond Keith's control is the reason he never showed after the war. Even if that's the most tragic outcome for the "family."

 

Anyway, you wrote a great story.

 

Good Job! Thanks for sharing it.

 

 

Krista

[CarlHoliday]

Great story Ieshwar!

 

Two boys, one an anathema to the other's culture, the other lost in the horror of war but still holding a tiny spark of humanity. Their love grew, but was dashed upon the pages of history. They, as a couple, could not continue. It was as if they were not meant to be. In a way this was a very sad story, but a good one.

 

Thanks Ieshwar!

 

 

Carl

[C James]

Great story Ieshwar!!!

 

Your characters were wonderfully developed, including in their confusion and conflicted feelings. The feel of the story fit very well, and in the end I can't help but feel very sorry for Jake, and wonder what happened to Kieth. Did he die in the final days of fighting? Or did he lose his nerve and not go to meet Jake? My guess is the latter, and thus the road not traveled is what might have been, and Kieth didn't realized that he was condemning Jake in the process.

 

Very well done, Ieshwar!

[Meeko]

Wow

Just wow!

Simply amazing Ieshwar

 

Such a touching story yet in the same sense very sad. Now my question to you is will we someday see a second part, hopefully Keith's story and what had became of him?

 

Thanks for a very touching story.

 

-Mike

[jkeeling]

Wow

Just wow!

Simply amazing Ieshwar

 

Such a touching story yet in the same sense very sad. Now my question to you is will we someday see a second part, hopefully Keith's story and what had became of him?

 

Thanks for a very touching story.

 

-Mike

O O O O excellent question.... Ieshwar I must say excellent job

 

Wow are all the members of this site other than me Blessed with the skill, talent, and the awsome ability to write?

[Graeme]

O O O O excellent question.... Ieshwar I must say excellent job

 

Wow are all the members of this site other than me Blessed with the skill, talent, and the awsome ability to write?

Several members started writing (or at least posting their writings) in the anthologies. It's good practise and you can be surprised at the responses. I'm not sure, but I'm pretty confident that Ieshwar is one of the members who started via the anthologies

[Bardeara]

When I started reading this I didn't know what to think, mostly due to the fact that I've never been much for war stories. By the end of the story I sat here thinking to myself 'boy... that sucks' but not in the sense of the story being bad, but rather the ending was bittersweet.

 

On one had you created a masterpiece, and on the other hand I want the perfect happy ending. No matter what you should be proud as you did a wonderful job. Keep it up.

[Ieshwar]

Set near the end of World War II, this is the story of Jake and Keith and their doubly forbidden love. Forbidden once because Jake is a Jew and Keith is a German, and forbidden again because they are both male.

 

Keith is described as the ideal German warrior -- blond and blue-eyed. He states that he's been forced to do things, but I got the impression that it was probably only after the death of his brother that he really started to question what was going on. He knew guilt, and saving Jake and Owen were his way of trying to redeem himself.

 

Thanks, Graeme. You had it right, Graeme. He may have disapprouved it but after Alan's death, his eyes opened and as in the story, meeting Jake was the final straw.

 

Jake and Keith find a common spark, but they're ripped apart almost immediately by the retreat of the German army.

 

Jake kept his faith, kept his hope. We never find out what happened to Keith. The idealist and romantic in me wants to think it was circumstances beyond his control that stopped Keith from returning -- and there are many such circumstances to choose from. He may have been killed during the closing stages of the war. He may been accused of war crimes and executed. We don't know.

 

I found myself being proud for Jake. He stayed on the course he had selected, though I suspect he would have been pressured many times to recant his love. Even to the end, he kept his heart for Keith.

 

Thanks, Ieshwar!

 

Living like Jake mustn't have been easy and not many would have been able to do it. That's why I like him so much. He's unique. And as for Keith...well, even I don't know anything!

 

 

Oh my goodness.. this is a great read Ieshwar! I'm glad I chose this as my first anthology to read, I liked the ending the most as it really does cause mixed feelings. As much as everyone would want Keith to be alive, they also kind of hope circumstances beyond Keith's control is the reason he never showed after the war. Even if that's the most tragic outcome for the "family."

 

Anyway, you wrote a great story.

 

Good Job! Thanks for sharing it.

 

 

Krista

 

Oh Thanks, Krista. I'm flattered that you chose my story as your first read. Yes, it's a very tragic story. Amongst my stories, I find this one even more tragic than 'Once Upon in Blizzard'. At least, in that, they were together at last...

 

Great story Ieshwar!

 

Two boys, one an anathema to the other's culture, the other lost in the horror of war but still holding a tiny spark of humanity. Their love grew, but was dashed upon the pages of history. They, as a couple, could not continue. It was as if they were not meant to be. In a way this was a very sad story, but a good one.

 

Thanks Ieshwar!

 

Carl

 

Thanks Carl. Sad story indeed. Love happens wherever whenveer, sometimes, when it shouldn't...

 

Great story Ieshwar!!!

 

Your characters were wonderfully developed, including in their confusion and conflicted feelings. The feel of the story fit very well, and in the end I can't help but feel very sorry for Jake, and wonder what happened to Kieth. Did he die in the final days of fighting? Or did he lose his nerve and not go to meet Jake? My guess is the latter, and thus the road not traveled is what might have been, and Kieth didn't realized that he was condemning Jake in the process.

 

Very well done, Ieshwar!

 

Have you noticed that it's the third comment (consecutive) which said that it's a 'great story' ? Can it be that great ?

 

I'm glad that you find the scharacters well-developped. Personally, I think it's not as good as the story which was formed in my mind. I couldn't make justice to My Muse. But if you liked it, it's ok!

 

Hmm, I never thought about that road. For me, the road not travelled would have been the love life which Jake and Keith missed for some unknown reasons.

[Ieshwar]

Wow

Just wow!

Simply amazing Ieshwar

 

Such a touching story yet in the same sense very sad. Now my question to you is will we someday see a second part, hopefully Keith's story and what had became of him?

 

Thanks for a very touching story.

 

-Mike

 

Thanks, Mike. But unfortunately, I don't think there'll be a second part. I never thought about that and I think the beauty of the story resides in the untold Keith's story. Hope you don't mind.

 

O O O O excellent question.... Ieshwar I must say excellent job

 

Wow are all the members of this site other than me Blessed with the skill, talent, and the awsome ability to write?

 

Thanks, jkeeling. But believe, I'm was once so bad that today I cringe when I saw that story. Being in GA has helped me to improve a bit But I'm still nowhere as good as the great gay authors like Graeme himself.

 

Several members started writing (or at least posting their writings) in the anthologies. It's good practise and you can be surprised at the responses. I'm not sure, but I'm pretty confident that Ieshwar is one of the members who started via the anthologies

 

Almost right, Graeme. I have started a few stories here but I started writing well with one of teh anothologies here. In fact, t has ben exactly ne year, I had started at the Winter Anthology 2006 with 'Once Upon A Blizzard' (another saddie). And the response at the antho is always very great. I never missed one since.

 

Give it a try and see!

 

When I started reading this I didn't know what to think, mostly due to the fact that I've never been much for war stories. By the end of the story I sat here thinking to myself 'boy... that sucks' but not in the sense of the story being bad, but rather the ending was bittersweet.

 

On one had you created a masterpiece, and on the other hand I want the perfect happy ending. No matter what you should be proud as you did a wonderful job. Keep it up.

 

Truth to be told, I'm very flattered that Bardy has read one of my stories. I'm a fan of his since I read 'RUTTE'. If I knew you would read this, i would have made more effort. Seriously.

 

But I'm glad that you liked it. My day (or night right now) is made! Thanks Bardy.

 

Thanks to all of you!

 

Take care,

Ieshwar

[YaP]

a very touching story... even though i am not really a fan of war stories. What if more german soldiers would have been like Keith... or .. any soldier on this planet actually. The world would be a better place...

 

I hope you don't mind if i point out that there are 2 little things that for me don't really fit to the place and time the story plays at. Well, you can always skip over the rest of this post and just ignore it .. maybe i am too picky here ;-)

 

The names are all engish - "Keith" would not have been used as a name for a german kid back then...and "Owen" or "Jake" don't sound French or Jewish either.

And Maypo - besides that the brand name was first used in 1953 - is a US brand that would not have been known in Germany or France during WWII, even if it would have been on the market already...(besides - pancakes for breakfast is soooooo american ;-))

As i said.. its really small things, but i think if you consider things like this, your stories will be even better ;-)

 

YaP (Yet another Pete)

Edited January 8, 2008 by YaP

[BeaStKid]

The room watched as the two stripped out of any question or hesitation that would have stopped them. Their eyes held the flame of love, which reduced the obstacles and bigotry received in heritage from their fellow ancestors to ashes. They were so close that it felt like one

[Ieshwar]

a very touching story... even though i am not really a fan of war stories. What if more german soldiers would have been like Keith... or .. any soldier on this planet actually. The world would be a better place...

 

I hope you don't mind if i point out that there are 2 little things that for me don't really fit to the place and time the story plays at. Well, you can always skip over the rest of this post and just ignore it .. maybe i am too picky here ;-)

 

The names are all engish - "Keith" would not have been used as a name for a german kid back then...and "Owen" or "Jake" don't sound French or Jewish either.

And Maypo - besides that the brand name was first used in 1953 - is a US brand that would not have been known in Germany or France during WWII, even if it would have been on the market already...(besides - pancakes for breakfast is soooooo american ;-))

As i said.. its really small things, but i think if you consider things like this, your stories will be even better ;-)

 

YaP (Yet another Pete)

 

Thanks, Pete! I know there're many small things which are just odd. I did very few research in this story. I'm sorry.

 

This is by far the best paragraph I have ever read in a story!

 

Ieshwar, you've done it again! (God knows how many times I'll say it!! :lol ) Seriously, I loved this story a lot. Being a son of a military officer, this story was even more closer to my heart. I have no words to describe how it made me feel...So I'll let a smiley do it--->

 

BeaStKid

 

Thanks, BK. I'm glad that you liked it so much. That paragraph... I had to find a way to evade the sex scene and did some imagery thing.

 

Take care,

Ieshwar

[YaP]

Thanks, Pete! I know there're many small things which are just odd. I did very few research in this story. I'm sorry.

 

oh no, please don't be sorry, i really liked the story ! You did a good job !

Its just that - as i am German and know a bit about that part of our history - i notice those little things. The main plot of the story is really nice !

(and if you write another story playing in Germany/Europe and would like someone to check for things like that i would be happy to help out ;-) )

 

Pete

[FrenchCanadian]

awwwwww, dang it, I'm a cry baby.... WOW, This is such an awesome story Ieshwar!! It's sooooo sweet.

 

I gotta agree that Owen and Jake really aren't french name, that's the only bad thing I can think of. But if you concentrate yourself about the story, you don't care about that much.

 

More than sixty years has passed but Jake still lives at the restaurant in Paris. Often, a person called Owen, accompanied by his wife, came to see him, telling him things he doesn’t recall. And there are many other people who say that they know him. But he doesn’t.

 

But the one he remembers never came. Everyday, he waits for a glimpse of that smile, those blond locks, and those blue eyes…

 

That must be the saddest/sweetest end of a story. Of course, I'd rather have keith coming back, oh well.

 

 

keep writing , you can only write good things it seems

sacha

[Ieshwar]

oh no, please don't be sorry, i really liked the story ! You did a good job !

Its just that - as i am German and know a bit about that part of our history - i notice those little things. The main plot of the story is really nice !

(and if you write another story playing in Germany/Europe and would like someone to check for things like that i would be happy to help out ;-) )

 

Pete

 

Thanks!

 

awwwwww, dang it, I'm a cry baby.... WOW, This is such an awesome story Ieschwar!! It's sooooo sweet.

 

I gotta agree that Owen and Jake really aren't french name, that's the only bad thing I can think of. But if you concentrate yourself about the story, you don't care about that much.

 

In fact, there is an explanation to these two names. But i didn't get the place to sqeeze in the information in the pplot. There were other things to say. (Btw, it's Ieshwar )

 

That must be the saddest/sweetest end of a story. Of course, I'd rather have keith coming back, oh well.

 

 

keep writing , you can only write good things it seems

sacha

 

Oh thanks!!!

[FrenchCanadian]

In fact, there is an explanation to these two names. But i didn't get the place to sqeeze in the information in the pplot. There were other things to say. (Btw, it's Ieshwar )

:wacko: Oh dang! stupid typo, , corrected now. At least, I think I haven't made a mistake in your name while I nominated it

[Ieshwar]

No, it was ok. And these things happens so no worries. Anyway, I don't think there's any Ieschwar here.