[Jack Scribe] That's the Chicago Way

[MikeL]

Jack has posted chapter 7 of That's the Chicago Way, "Cordiality is a State of Mind".

[MikeL]

Another great chapter, Jack. I understand some readers don't like sex scenes; this chapter has one.

 

Evan seems to have a problem. Well, he has several, but one in particular which shows up in this chapter. I don't want to ruin the chapter for other readers. I'll only say be sure to read Evan's musings following Kris' departure...maybe read that section a second time.

He sees himself as the perfect seducer, then is somewhat remorseful afterward.

Do I have that right, Jack?

 

I don't think Kris gained much intelligence to help Rob.

Evan is also beginning to fear for his life.

 

[Jack Scribe]

I don't think Kris gained much intelligence to help Rob.

Evan is also beginning to fear for his life.

 

 

Actually, Mike, there are two important pieces of the puzzle revealed while Kris is with Evan.

[MikeL]

Actually, Mike, there are two important pieces of the puzzle revealed while Kris is with Evan.

 

 

Well, they now have Evan's address which I think they did not have before and Evan confirmed that he worked for Marv. It was unfortunate that Kris didn't get to check the caller ID after Sean called.

 

 

Is that it or is there more?

[Jack Scribe]

 

Well, they now have Evan's address which I think they did not have before and Evan confirmed that he worked for Marv. It was unfortunate that Kris didn't get to check the caller ID after Sean called.

 

 

Is that it or is there more?

 

Details will unfold in Chapter 8.

[Bill Christiansen]

Just finished reading chapter 7.... The Second Story Bar has to be the seedest gay bar in Chicago, well maybe next to Little Jim's, but then Little Jim's is 5 times (maybe more) larger . Being from Chicago a note... It is "Soldier Field" not Soldier's Field. But hey, it's Chicago... Right... And we're getting a new Mayor... hummmmm...

 

Bill

[Jack Scribe]

Being from Chicago a note... It is "Soldier Field" not Soldier's Field. But hey, it's Chicago... Right... And we're getting a new Mayor... hummmmm...

 

Bill, thanks for pointing out my boo-boo. The great thing about our new software to post stories is that I can go into my stories and correct problems. Soldier Field it is!

 

With reference to the new mayor, this will appear at the end of the story:

 

Footnote: I loved the following comment of the Chicago Tribune's political columnist, John Kass, on the morning after Rahm Emanuel's mayoral election victory.

 

Chicago, meet your new boss: The Rahmfather. You can call him by his formal title, Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel. You can call him the Rahminator. Yet no matter what you call him or what you think of him, by winning Tuesday's election without a messy runoff, Rahm Emanuel is boss of Chicago.

 

Have you been watching the new show on Fox, Monday evenings - The Chicago Code? Great cityscapes and some nice eye candy.

[MikeL]

Have you been watching the new show on Fox, Monday evenings - The Chicago Code? Great cityscapes and some nice eye candy.

 

Great show. Seems very realistic to me. Jason Clarke is a great actor; really liked him in Showtime's Brotherhood.

[theschnauzers]

Don't forget that "The Good Wife" (CB) is also set in Chicago; and while the series is based in L.A., the exterior scenes are filmed in Chicago. Tonight's episode had characters standing in a Chicago winter snow.

[Jack Scribe]

Don't forget that "The Good Wife" (CB) is also set in Chicago; and while the series is based in L.A., the exterior scenes are filmed in Chicago. Tonight's episode had characters standing in a Chicago winter snow.

 

I'm a big fan of The Good Wife. I thought that vixen who hangs around the son was going to give him a little hand combat last night. The guy definitely wanted something to happen.

[Bill Christiansen]

Bill, thanks for pointing out my boo-boo. The great thing about our new software to post stories is that I can go into my stories and correct problems. Soldier Field it is!

 

With reference to the new mayor, this will appear at the end of the story:

 

Footnote: I loved the following comment of the Chicago Tribune's political columnist, John Kass, on the morning after Rahm Emanuel's mayoral election victory.

 

Chicago, meet your new boss: The Rahmfather. You can call him by his formal title, Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel. You can call him the Rahminator. Yet no matter what you call him or what you think of him, by winning Tuesday's election without a messy runoff, Rahm Emanuel is boss of Chicago.

 

Have you been watching the new show on Fox, Monday evenings - The Chicago Code? Great cityscapes and some nice eye candy.

 

[Bill Christiansen]

Great show. Seems very realistic to me. Jason Clarke is a great actor; really liked him in Showtime's Brotherhood.

 

I'm haven't caught it, but then I'm more a reader and enjoy keeping up to date with all the stories I follow here in Gay Authors, and if I miss you here, I have CRVBoy as well.

 

Just reading Chapter 8. In it you talk about gay marriage and such.

 

“Mike and Dave exchanged vows during that window of opportunity in 2008. They and about eighteen thousand others in California. I don’t know if Illinois will change the laws any time soon, but Rob and I will take the leap when it happens.”

I am assuming that making a little assumption that the time frame of the storyline is current, if this is not the fact then my comment doesn't really matter.... and perhaps you missed the news in Illinois, but Gov. Pat Quinn sign Civil Union into law on January 31 effective June 1 (I believe). So Illinois in effect does have same sex marriage, we just call it Civil Union. Pretty exciting, so are you going to have Rob and Rick walking down the aisle? If so, I'd love to perform the ceremony.

[MikeL]

Great chapter 8, Jack. So, it appears that Kris really did learn something significant while at Evan's apartment. Getting AOI involved should really shake something loose.

[Jack Scribe]

Getting AOI involved should really shake something loose.

 

AOl's local guy, the last major character, will appear in Ch 10.

 

Thanks for the heads-up concerning civil unions in Illiois. The timeline of the story is fall, 2010, so I guess Rob and Rick's relationship becoming official will have to waitfor another story.

 

In California, there was a window in 2008 when GLBT marriage was legal. Over 18,000 couples took advantage of that act. Of course, Prop. 8 derailed any further marriages until the appeal process runs its course. However, the 18,000 marriages cannot be rescinded.

[theschnauzers]

While the California Supreme Court considers the certified question(s) from the federal Ninth Circuit on the question of whether the proponents of the Prop 8 ballot initiative have standing on the appeal in the federal courts, some of the other parties are now seeking to have the federal court lift the stay on the judgment while the appeals are heard. So it's quite possible.

 

And Rich and Rob could always elope to Iowa and get married. Iowa does permit non-residents to get married in the state, regardless of the gender of the parties. And because of Iowa's quite strict requirements for amendments to the state constitution, the earliest any change could appear on the ballot is now 2016; and that's because in the state senate, the Democratic majority leader and his caucus have agreed that no resolution to amend the state constitution as to same-sex marriage will come out of any Senate committee during this legislative term (2011-2012). Iowa requires any amendments to be adopted in identical form by two consecutive General Assemblies (each last two years), and given the movement of opinion in public opinion polls, by then it may no longer be an issue.

 

I've seen two polls this past week; one has the national opinion virtually evenly split 45-46 (and it was 42-48 a year ago, and 37-51 two years ago -- Pew Research, IIRC; the other one came out of a university and had support ahead of opposition to same sex marriage, 46-40 percent. One thing is clear public opinion in support of same sex marriage is growing fairly rapidly in the last few years, and it looks as if by 2012, a majority (and not just a plurality) will be support of same sex marriage.

 

I loved the chapter and the way it sudden took a turn towards the express train of pacing; With the AOI and "Splash" guys showing up, I am almost expecting the now college-aged guys from Life's A Grind to show up somewhere, too.

[Jack Scribe]

Iowa requires any amendments to be adopted in identical form by two consecutive General Assemblies (each last two years), and given the movement of opinion in public opinion polls, by then it may no longer be an issue.

 

I loved the chapter and the way it sudden took a turn towards the express train of pacing; With the AOI and "Splash" guys showing up, I am almost expecting the now college-aged guys from Life's A Grind to show up somewhere, too.

 

As a former Iowan, I was so proud of 19 y.o. Zack Wahls as his impassioned speech concerning his two moms before the General Assembly:

 

The express train is coming in. I hope the pacing in the first seven chapters has been too slow. LOL thinking about the guys from Life's a Grind. You've given me an idea concerning a new story down the road.

[MikeL]

Just read chapter 9, "Networking", Jack. Some very interesting developments in the plot.

 

 

Kris' near miss with Evan served to add some suspense to the potential danger that Oleg urged Kris to avoid.

 

 

I'm left with one burning question at the end of the story:

 

 

Is Kris' professor friend, Dennis, an AOI agent, the one who will try to connect with Evan on Sunday evening?

[Jack Scribe]

I'm left with one burning question at the end of the story:

 

 

Is Kris' professor friend, Dennis, an AOI agent, the one who will try to connect with Evan on Sunday evening?

 

Answer to spoiler. No. The Chicago AOI guy will be introduced in Ch 10.

[MikeL]

Answer to spoiler. No. The Chicago AOI guy will be introduced in Ch 10.

 

OK, I just wondered about the cancellation of the plans for Sunday.

[Jack Scribe]

OK, I just wondered about the cancellation of the plans for Sunday.

 

That's just a little dead end path in this garden.

[theschnauzers]

I liked the way Rich and Rob, and Kris, handled each other, and I'm especially glad to see that Kris used his noggin when he realized what had happened in the clothing store.

 

In a way I'm not surprised about Dennis. Kris may have the gold standard of charm (and he has it), but not everyone is cut out to have a share of it. I rarely make this sort of conclusion about characters in a story, but Dennis is a user, and I think Kris isn't. He's better off that the date was called off, and hopefully not reset.

 

I'm looking forward to how the events for the weekend evolve. This ought to be interesting once Oleg gets to town, and I hope the Splash guys are in town before this story ends.

[Jack Scribe]

I liked the way Rich and Rob, and Kris, handled each other, and I'm especially glad to see that Kris used his noggin when he realized what had happened in the clothing store.

 

The opportunity to develop real friendships is not that common...Kris realized that (with the one-night stand out of the way) the chance to have these guys in his life (pals and big brother types) is special. Kris knows the 'Evan situation' is too dangerous for him.

 

In a way I'm not surprised about Dennis.

 

I've known several Dennis types and have been with a few. Users, I've found, often burn bridges and find out too late that friends are few.

 

I'm looking forward to how the events for the weekend evolve. This ought to be interesting once Oleg gets to town, and I hope the Splash guys are in town before this story ends.

 

Oleg is the catalyst to the action that's about to crank up. But look for his local guy, Scotty, to be the point man.

[MikeL]

Pow! Things really start happening in Chapter 10...and on a Sunday yet.

 

A great chapter, Jack...a good bit of action and a big dose of mystery.

It sounds like someone is no longer with us.

 

With AOI on the case, the bad guys are on the down hill side of their little game. Just how innocent is Evan?

[Bill Christiansen]

Just finished the new chapter. Loving it... being from Chicago... sad to say the Eagle has been closed for at least 2 years. sigh.

[Jack Scribe]

As promised, the action is gaining momentum. Yes, Mike, AOI's arrival on the scene should keep the bad guys scurrying. With Evan, there are several gray areas in his envolvement with these characters. Don't give up on him, however. I was aware that the Eagle was no more, but it fit in for the story. What's going on in Chicago's leather scene today?

 

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