9.11

[Mark Arbour]

I agree, the teacher was being extremely callous, but it does happen.  I remember very clearly a teacher talking about one girls unplanned pregnancy in high school in front of the class, telling her that he was not going to cut her any slack because of her condition. He did eventually lose his job over it. It did have the mentioned effect of having the entire school become aware of the situation in record time, but since she was trying to keep it quiet till summer break...

 

 

I didn't see it as callous, but clueless. And yes, I don't think too many teachers at The Menlo School (or most top private schools in CA I know of) would be either, but that wasn't the point, this isn't a main character; it was someone who can drive the story in the right direction and get Will's story out in one fell swoop. As a literary device it was quite good. The author gets to have his poetic license.

 

Or perhaps there's another reason the teacher lost it like that.   Regardless, the author cherishes his license.

 

 

But the interesting part of the chapter was the issues between Brad and Robbie that we didn't know existed and maybe more to the point, Will didn't know existed.

 

Will in typical teen mode is so absorbed in his life that he doesn't think of the lives of his parents and the struggles they might be going through and how their actions towards him might be effected by what is happening in their lives. When I was a kid you never even really thought of your parents as being people, let alone human. They were just......  well parents. You didn't contemplate what drove and motivated them (until that first Psych 101 class freshman year when you came home over Christmas and psychoanalyzed everyone in the house including the cat's unconscious motivations) you just had these expectations of them to be perfect and not make mistakes and not to have fears and insecurities of their own.

 

I look forward to the tying up of loose ends, reconciliations and set-ups for the future.

 

Do we know if Ryan and Jeff have net yet?

 

Such an excellent observation about teen attitudes in general, and I loved your comment on the psych class.  I think I cataloged all of my pets, current and past, by personality type after that one. 

 

You've accused (or credited) me with often having some moralistic point to my stories and chapters, and in this case, it's pretty apparent.  I've been struck by how often people in relationships revert to the same destructive (or self-destructive) behavior when faced with stress or conflict.  For Brad and Robbie, they have a pattern where they each made each other insecure to the point of irrationality.  And Brad is asking himself now if it was worth it, if that roller coaster ride of insecurity was worth the emotional bliss that came during the up-cycles.  Hopefully he'll ask himself, before he gets involved in another relationship, whether the insecurities his potential partner stirs in him are insecurities he can manage. 

[Daddydavek]

Pvt Tim's point about most teens never catching on that parents have lives filled with pressures of which they might know nothing about is well taken.  However, in this family I think the kids all knew that Robbie and Brad had their rough patches and that those patches tended to recur.  Despite that I am sure that Darius, Will and JJ had the perception that Brad and Robbie were adults and could handle it.  After all, Darius, Will and JJ often accused Brad of being a controlling sort and they were right without thinking about the cost to Brad and his ability to handle other maybe less pressing issues.  

 

The poetic license card was used regarding the scene with the clueless algebra teacher.   I wondered in my review if Mark has some  bias against algebra teachers since he picked on one.   Having gone to a private all boys schools in the sixties, my experience with clueless teachers is a bit dated but at that time it was the art and art history teacher who was clueless.  And yes he in fact did hate to give make-up tests.

 

Now that Mark has answered the question as to why Brad was so persistently  inept in handling Will, I wonder whether the next chapter will be a transitional one or if he has another surprise waiting for us.   Looking forward to late Thursday or Friday for the next installment.  

[Mark Arbour]

Pvt Tim's point about most teens never catching on that parents have lives filled with pressures of which they might know nothing about is well taken.  However, in this family I think the kids all knew that Robbie and Brad had their rough patches and that those patches tended to recur.  Despite that I am sure that Darius, Will and JJ had the perception that Brad and Robbie were adults and could handle it.  After all, Darius, Will and JJ often accused Brad of being a controlling sort and they were right without thinking about the cost to Brad and his ability to handle other maybe less pressing issues.  

 

The poetic license card was used regarding the scene with the clueless algebra teacher.   I wondered in my review if Mark has some  bias against algebra teachers since he picked on one.   Having gone to a private all boys schools in the sixties, my experience with clueless teachers is a bit dated but at that time it was the art and art history teacher who was clueless.  And yes he in fact did hate to give make-up tests.

 

Now that Mark has answered the question as to why Brad was so persistently  inept in handling Will, I wonder whether the next chapter will be a transitional one or if he has another surprise waiting for us.   Looking forward to late Thursday or Friday for the next installment.  

 

I'm going with the surprise option.     I could be wrong...your mileage may vary.

[methodwriter85]

 

For Brad and Robbie, they have a pattern where they each made each other insecure to the point of irrationality.  And Brad is asking himself now if it was worth it, if that roller coaster ride of insecurity was worth the emotional bliss that came during the up-cycles.  Hopefully he'll ask himself, before he gets involved in another relationship, whether the insecurities his potential partner stirs in him are insecurities he can manage.

 

      I think that's part of the reason why Brad feels often like he's emotionally about 23 years old- like he never fully grew up. He and Robbie were still relating to each other like the post-adolescent guys they were in Man In Motion.

 

      I think it's inevitable Brad will wind up dating a college-aged guy because of that, though hopefully because of his experiences he'll finally grow up. I honestly think Will has more maturity to him than Brad does.

[Gene Splicer PHD]

*affected

 

::runs away::

[Carlos Hazday]

Will vs Marie....... Cleared up

 

Will vs Brad......... Clearing up

 

Brad vs Robbie.... Close to completely clear (Probate Court will be interesting)

 

Matt vs Wade...... Low simmer

 

Wade vs Elizabeth..... About to boil over

 

The rest is filler.       

[PrivateTim]

*affected

 

::runs away::

 

Yes one of the great mysteries of life is when to use affect vs effect and how to use it without making yourself appear to have an affect. 

[Mark Arbour]

      I think that's part of the reason why Brad feels often like he's emotionally about 23 years old- like he never fully grew up. He and Robbie were still relating to each other like the post-adolescent guys they were in Man In Motion.

 

      I think it's inevitable Brad will wind up dating a college-aged guy because of that, though hopefully because of his experiences he'll finally grow up. I honestly think Will has more maturity to him than Brad does.

 

I think it's probable that Brad will have a fling with a college-aged guy, because they're hot.    I think you should allow some room for Brad to mature from all these events.  It is possible.

 

Will vs Marie....... Cleared up

 

Will vs Brad......... Clearing up

 

Brad vs Robbie.... Close to completely clear (Probate Court will be interesting)

 

Matt vs Wade...... Low simmer

 

Wade vs Elizabeth..... About to boil over

 

The rest is filler.       

 

Filler.  Yep. Should be done in a chapter or two.     Because I never manage to come up with new dramas. 

[Carlos Hazday]

I think it's probable that Brad will have a fling with a college-aged guy, because they're hot.    I think you should allow some room for Brad to mature from all these events.  It is possible.

 

 

Filler.  Yep. Should be done in a chapter or two.     Because I never manage to come up with new dramas. 

 

Smartass! 

 

Filler doesn't  mean mean boring or irrelevant, secondary in MOST instances.

Buddy you can create more drama than all my biker buddies put together, trust me that's a heck of a lot!

A chapter or two? Yeah right! Even if that was true the drama would just carry over to the next book. I'm still trying to figure out which Hayes boy you're going to off in Afghanistan. DADT was firmly entrenched in 2002 so it can be one of the "out & proud" ones..... 

[KevinD]

 

KevinD

Yesterday, 04:57 PM

(Chapter 44 Review)

 

Well worth the wait… Have been looking for this since Saturday!

 

 

 

 Reply from Mark Arbour (author)

I'm so glad you weren't disappointed! Thanks for the review. 

 

Damn, you guys are a demanding bunch. :-)

 

 

 

WE JUST LIKE TO BE "REGULAR" as time advances.  regularity is good!

[centexhairysub]

Sorry, I was late in getting to read this and join the discussion as I have been visiting a third world country, Alabama, and am having computer issues while here.  Having to use my phone as I cannot seem to get my laptop to connect to anything in this area so sorry for any typos or issues with spacing.

 

 

I find car trips are a great place to try and connect with someone and find out what is going on with them.  You are in a moving object and really can't just step away to get out of answering any questions.  Most people can't stay silent for any length of time so it works well on longer trips...  I thought that Brad did a great job of clarifying what was going on with him and Robbie.  He really had to begin to work on what had been happening because of wanting to go over it in the right way with Will.  I do believe that Brad will come through this but he needs to man up and realize that a bunch of the issues between him and Robbie were due to his lack of maturity.  In many ways Brad is about twenty years behind his age in maturity.  An amazing amount of Brad's self-worth seems to still be tied up in his sexual prowess.  I can see Brad dating a couple of guys much younger for the ego boost but I do think when he gets ready to settle down, he will find someone closer to his own age.  How old is Cody exactly???  LOL...

 

 

Have a really hard time believing any instructor at a school like Menlo would not have been made aware of what was going on with Will, just so they could be there to step in if needed in a situation.  It would not surprise me for Will to have a few more outburst like this one.  He is trying to hold in a great deal of emotion and deal with things no one his age should ever have to; hard to do without some of it spilling out from time to time. 

 

 

Have to wonder if it won't be Claire dealing with the school about this situation.  I would think she would be the family member most tied into the situation at Menlo with both of her kids going there. 

 

 

Will be back later when the horde of rednecks I am dealing with are more subdued. 

[PrivateTim]

    I think it's inevitable Brad will wind up dating a college-aged guy because of that, though hopefully because of his experiences he'll finally grow up. I honestly think Will has more maturity to him than Brad does.

 

I don't think Will is more mature than Brad I think they are both products of their upbringing and a reflection of their times.

 

Remember the shy, reserved Brad who became blood brothers with Stef? Brad having a mother who actively hated him, a father he never knew who wasn't his father at all. Being gay in time when being gay was still not all that cool or accepted.

 

For good, bad or indifferent Will always knew his parents did not actively, viscerally hate him the way Brad's mother did. Will was able to be openly gay easily both from a societal and familial aspect.

 

I have a lot of friends like Brad, Brad's age and close to Brad's power status. Very few of them date people their own age or get into relationships with people their own age and it doesn't matter gay or straight. It is especially true for guys used to control and who enjoy control. I can see Brad screwing some college twinks, but for a relationship getting serious with a 27 or 28 year old. That is someone a bit more mature than a college party boy, but not a 39 year old either. Brad is going to attract that age range like flies to a cow patty. Those guys want someone older, more stable, but still in good shape. The 28/29 year old is so over his peers he wants more mature and is looking for someone who can take the lead in a relationship. The idea of equal partners is great on paper, but it is a lot easier when someone is leading when you waltz.

 

How old is Wade's lawyer?? That is the kind of guy I can see Brad with.

[methodwriter85]

How old is Cody exactly???  LOL...

   

Okay. Since I'm the "keeper of ages" here, I'll mention the ages of all our current CAP players.

 

JP and Frank- Both should be about 65...weren't they in the same grade together?

Stefan- 56 (although he'd shoot me for saying that in public)

Ace- 39

Brad - 38 (turning 39 in October)

Jack- about 37 (I believe he's the class of 1982, while Brad was '81 and Claire was '83.)

Claire- 36 (turning 37 in October)

Cody- About 31 (he was mentioned as being 25 in If It Fits, which was set in 1995.)

John Carullo- 22-ish

Matt- 21 (born April 1980)

Wade- 21 (born May 1980)

Tony- 19/20 (born either in late 1981 or early 1982)

Darius - 19 (born January 1982)

Jeff- 19 (born in 1982)

Gathan- 19 (born July 1982)

Kristin- 18 (born 1983)

Ella- 18 (born August 1983)

Kai- 17 (which means he was born either in late 1983 or early 1984)

JJ - 15 (will turn 16 in December)

Marie- 15 (born April 18, 1986)

Will- 15 (born September 14, 1986)

John- 14 (born July 21, 1987)

Courtney- 6 (born September 1995)

Maddy- 1 (born September 13, 2000)

Riley- 1 (born September 14, 2000) *Riley and Maddy are DESTINED, I'm telling you. DESTINED. I'm going to call them Raddy.

 

     Wade's lawyer is probably in his early 30's...28 at the youngest.

That is someone a bit more mature than a college party boy, but not a 39 year old either. Brad is going to attract that age range like flies to a cow patty. Those guys want someone older, more stable, but still in good shape. The 28/29 year old is so over his peers he wants more mature.

 

      I think that's pretty true. I'm 27, nearly 28, and I'm REALLY into crushing on guys in their mid/late thirties right now. Think Michael Fassbender, Bradley Cooper, and Alexander Skarsguard. I think there's something pretty sexy about a man who has some miles on him, but who's still pretty spry and the like. Every time I see a handsome 35-ish guy at the mall or something, dressed in sperries, yachting shorts, and a nice button-down, I just can't help but start drooling.

 

      I do kind of wonder how Darius will react if Brad brings home a guy who's his age. I mean, I know Darius probably isn't blind to the fact that both Brad and Robbie have fooled around with guys that are his contemporaries, but never anything serious.

[rjo]

Jeremy sorry to tell you are wrong about ACE's age he was born March of 1963, Brad was born October 4th, 1962. As for the person I think Brad should look at is Alex who is in the early thirties.

[rjo]

I've been thinking about the relationship between Robbie and Brad. After the revelations in the last chapter, I am wondering if Robbie's loss is not as great as it could have been if their relationship would have been perfect.

 

Tim brought up a point, that part of their relationship problems Is Brad's emotional maturity or lack of it. I am wondering if Robbie was not in the same boat. I also agree that you really can't compare Will and Brad. They may seem a lot a like but they grew up in a totally different worlds. Brad was afraid of people knowing he was gay, Will could care less. Brad was shy and needed ce to help him out. Will seems much more open.

 

Who should Brad look for to replace Robbie? The first person that comes to mind is Cody, but I feel Cody won't work, Cody is not ready to settle down, Some have thought of Matt or Wade. bt I don't see that either. So for the only one I see is Alex the new CEO. So far Alex seems to be a good guy. What do you think?

[Kitt]

The only problem I see with your logic rjo is that Brad is not limited to the current cast of characters. Mark can and probably will introduce more people who very well could catch Brads interest at some time in the future. If not in this particular work, then there is always the next book in the CAP saga.

[Daddydavek]

Who should Brad look for to replace Robbie? The first person that comes to mind is Cody, but I feel Cody won't work, Cody is not ready to settle down, Some have thought of Matt or Wade. bt I don't see that either. So for the only one I see is Alex the new CEO. So far Alex seems to be a good guy. What do you think?

 

You don't replace someone who has died.  If you loved them and Brad did, he will never be able to replace Robbie and will not want to.  Hopefully, he will find someone else to love and share the rest of his life with as Robbie told him.  As far as it being Alelx, I think not, at least not for quite a while.  I see Brad playing the field and taking his time and trying to really get to know someone before he commits, BUT it is Arbour's story and he does like the drama....Just my humble opinion.  

Edited October 2, 2013 by Daddydavek

[rjo]

Sorry the word replace is wrong. I am not trying to lessen the loss of Robbie for Brad. I just feel because of the relationship problems Brad may not be as hopeless is he thought.

 

 

When people die, we who are left tend to remember all the good things and forget the problems. If Brad builds up Robbie into the perfect soul mate, he might not ever find another person to love. Brad needs that person. Robbie knew that. That's why he wanted Brad to find someone. He wanted Brad to be happy.

Edited October 2, 2013 by rjo

[methodwriter85]

Jeremy sorry to tell you are wrong about ACE's age he was born March of 1963, Brad was born October 4th, 1962. As for the person I think Brad should look at is Alex who is in the early thirties.

 

    You're right. For some reason I thought he was born in March 1962 instead of March 1963. Ace and Robbie were born during the same month and year, although Robbie's birthday was never specified.

 

     There was a snafu with Claire and Billy's age, though in the end Mark decided to shrug it off, so we're sticking with Claire's birthdate being October 27, 1964. That actually would have put her in Jack's grade in California, but that's not something we stuck to...we were a little more loose about details like that when Mark was writing the story in 2008/2009. (For those of you who weren't reading them, Mark's pace was even faster than it is now.)

 

     When it came to Will's generation, we were much more tight with details like that. It was interesting- for example, JJ and Will wouldn't have ordinarily been in the same grade in most states- JJ would have been with the class of 2004, and Will would have been with the class of 2005 (John's grade), because the typical range for that class would have been people born between September 1, 1986 to August 31, 1987. I thought about asking Mark if JJ possibly could've been held back (like I was) so that Will and JJ could've been in the same class. That could've even been a good contention point for Bitty in her custody battle with Brad and Robbie. (Which wound up...not happening.) However, California's cut-off date was until recently December 2nd, which means that the California high school class of 2004's range would be anybody born between December 3, 1985 to December 2, 1986, so we were able to have JJ, Marie, and Will all in the same grade. However, it also means that we're not getting John and Will in the same grade...which could've been interesting.

 

 

The only problem I see with your logic rjo is that Brad is not limited to the current cast of characters. Mark can and probably will introduce more people who very well could catch Brads interest at some time in the future.

 

My general belief with this is that if there were a past/current character that Brad could've really ended up with were it not for Robbie, it would have been obvious, like it was with JP and Stefan. I'm leaning towards Brad finding someone totally new.

[centexhairysub]

The rednecks have gathered round the bonfire so I have a few minutes to myself. 

 

 

Like Tim, I had thought of the lawyer, since I am on my phone I can't go back and look up his name, but I do remember he was a redhead; but he strikes me as way to submissive sexually to interest Brad.  I could see Brad meeting a lawyer dealing with ongoing issues and developing feeling for them, a successful Brooks Brother wearing closet case could make for some interesting reading... 

 

 

I think that Jeremy was right as well though, if Brad was going to end up with someone already in the story it would be someone that would just make total sense to just about everyone and I don't think that person is available.  Cody is the only person that really pops into my head but I just don't see that happening long term.  Lark is single but I just can't see Brad going down that road; and everyone else really is paired off.  Now, I know in the CAP universe that doesn't mean that they will stay that way but I can't see Brad playing the role of a home-wrecker.   

 

 

I think we will get someone new for Brad to really get into a relationship with; I don't suppose there is any illegitimate unknown Hayes man about 30ish with lavender eyes running around out there???

[sat8997]

Stefan- 56 (although he'd shoot me for saying that in public)

 

 

Okay that made me laugh.

[Daddydavek]

 

 

I think we will get someone new for Brad to really get into a relationship with; I don't suppose there is any illegitimate unknown Hayes man about 30ish with lavender eyes running around out there???

 

I think a Hayes with lavender eyes and or somebody who 'snaughs' would be people Brad would avoid.  He doesn't need someone to remind him of Robbie.  That's a torch that will always have residuals.  Those that have mentioned that he will probably end up with someone in their twenties or very early thirties are more likely right.  

[methodwriter85]

   I remember thinking that Brad and Matt might wind up happening, but Sharon and Mark shut me down pretty quick on that one.

[PrivateTim]

The rednecks have gathered round the bonfire so I have a few minutes to myself. 

 

 

Like Tim, I had thought of the lawyer, since I am on my phone I can't go back and look up his name, but I do remember he was a redhead; but he strikes me as way to submissive sexually to interest Brad.  I could see Brad meeting a lawyer dealing with ongoing issues and developing feeling for them, a successful Brooks Brother wearing closet case could make for some interesting reading... 

 

 

I think that Jeremy was right as well though, if Brad was going to end up with someone already in the story it would be someone that would just make total sense to just about everyone and I don't think that person is available.  Cody is the only person that really pops into my head but I just don't see that happening long term.  Lark is single but I just can't see Brad going down that road; and everyone else really is paired off.  Now, I know in the CAP universe that doesn't mean that they will stay that way but I can't see Brad playing the role of a home-wrecker.   

 

Brad is waaaaaaaaaay too old for Lark. Besides, Brad and Lark were never about love, just lust. Cody isn't right because he is not ready for that yet.

 

Sorry the word replace is wrong. I am not trying to lessen the loss of Robbie for Brad. I just feel because of the relationship problems Brad may not be as hopeless is he thought.

 

Well now that word replace reminds me of a story.

 

A friend of mine had this conversation with his wife:

 

Mary: honey, if I passed away, would you marry again?

Larry: I suppose, I mean I am young and I think I'd get lonely.

Mary: would she sleep in our bed?

Larry: The bed isn't that old, so I suppose, sure.

Mary: would she wear my clothes?

Larry: you have great taste dear, so if she were the same size, yeah, why not

 

Mary contemplates that and asks one final question: would she use my golf clubs?

Larry quickly answered: oh no, she's left handed!

 

   I remember thinking that Brad and Matt might wind up happening, but Sharon and Mark shut me down pretty quick on that one.

 

Brad and Matt would be too creepy to contemplate. It is creepy enough that Brad hooked up with the boyfriend of his boyfriend's son.

[methodwriter85]

Brad is waaaaaaaaaay too old for Lark. Besides, Brad and Lark were never about love, just lust. Cody isn't right because he is not ready for that yet.

 

Brad and Matt would be too creepy to contemplate. It is creepy enough that Brad hooked up with the boyfriend of his boyfriend's son.

 

     I think Matt and Wade would be too old for Lark. He reminds me of Matthew McConaughey's character from Dazed and Confused:  "That's what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age."

 

 

    I think it would have been creepy and wrong, but I remember Adam Phillips was really into the idea...and I could kinda see why it could've been hot. Although if it happens now, it'd have this major tinge of sadness to it- like they'd be having sex in order to both feel closer to Robbie.