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[LittleBuddhaTW] A Free Man in Paris


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Here it is (in two formats) ...

 

https://www.gayauthors.org/anthology/summer...lebuddhatw.html

(Special thanks to Luigi for doing such a wonderful job with the design/layout! :wub: )

 

OR

 

http://littlebuddhatw.gayauthors.org/short...n_in_paris.html

(And check this one out to see Xandra Kitee's fantastic logo design! :worship: )

 

And, as usual, many thanks to Kitty for doing such a fabulous job editing! Also, Xandra Kitee was a great help reviewing the story (twice) to make sure it was accurate and authentic when it came to the French stuff. So, big thanks to both of them! ;)

 

I look forward to hearing everyone's comments on this one. It was a lot of fun to write.

 

Enjoy! :boy:

 

*Hugz*

 

Buddha

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I look forward to hearing everyone's comments on this one. It was a lot of fun to write.

 

Buddha, it was excellent!!! I loved the "breaking away" aspect, of just saying "what the heck" and doing what you felt like. THAT'S a VACATION!!!

 

I was also astounded by the amount of detail you were able to add. That worked VERY well, and gave a feel of reality to the story. I've spent a fair amount of time in Paris, and it rang true for me.

 

Actually, one reason I love this story so much is that when I was 17, I spent a week in Paris. I was visiting family in the UK, and decided to head for Paris on the spur of the moment. Yep, my folks were pissed, but I had a blast, just like your protagonist (but, without a guy, in my case... :( ).

 

Thanks for bringing back some darn good memories, and for one heck of a good story!!!

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A very nice story that needs a sequel: how will mommy react????

 

And a slight mistake: KLM does not fly to Brussels but to Amsterdam

 

Congratulations on your first post!!! Welcome!!!!

 

I certainly like the sequel idea! I wonder how things will work out with Joey (the best friend he has the hots for) with Austin's new-found confidence? Or will Austin decide to go to college at the Sonborne?

 

But, as for KLM... Ummm, that's odd, because I've flown on KLM into Brussels. I recall having to change planes at Schiphol in Amsterdam, but it was definitely a KLM flight that got me to Brussels.

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I certainly like the sequel idea! I wonder how things will work out with Joey (the best friend he has the hots for) with Austin's new-found confidence? Or will Austin decide to go to college at the Sonborne?

 

The magic of a short story - you get to decide all that yourself! You can imagine any continuing threads you want. :great:

 

I enjoyed the story. As for KLM I haven't a clue! BUT... les Francais have never really been our friends. (no, I am not a freedom fry kinda guy.) They hung out of the Revolution until it was clear who would win, and then came to defeat their arch enemy, Angleterre, not to help the colonies. If not for the insistance and persistance of LaFayette, they would not have come at all. Alors - a pleasant diversion on a rainy Sunday.

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BTW, feel free to stop by the Story Archive and rate the story, whether you liked it or not. ;)

 

Just click on the link below:

https://www.gayauthors.org/archive/archive....=LittleBuddhaTW

 

:businesssmiley:

 

Just a heads up for anyone having trouble doing this:

 

For me, it pops up a box asking for my user name and password. My GA username does not work for this, but the e-mail used for my GA account does.

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I really enjoyed this story! At first I thought Austin was kind of frustrating, but he soon turned into a really great character! I'm really glad he decided to be impulsive and go with it. As C James said that's what a vacation is all about! I like to think I'd have made the same decision.

 

I also really enjoyed the part where he was debating having coffee with Mathieu and he remembered how is mother had told him not to talk to strangers but then he realized she'd never told him not to have coffee with them! :lmao::lol: Anyway it was a thoroughly enjoyable story and while the ending might not have been exactly what everyone was hoping, it was realistic and as Austin says "it was definitely it"

 

Great job, David! :2thumbs:

 

Kevin

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les Francais have never really been our friends. (no, I am not a freedom fry kinda guy.) They hung out of the Revolution until it was clear who would win, and then came to defeat their arch enemy, Angleterre, not to help the colonies. If not for the insistance and persistance of LaFayette, they would not have come at all.
You mean like the USA waited more than three years BOTH times (and six million victims in concentration camps plus a direct attack on their soil by an ally of our enemy the second time around) before they found the guts to act ?

 

Now before you go all miffed about what I just write, just know that I don't think a word of it. I just wanted to show that there isn't a country that ever acted out of pure altruism in any war.

 

It's hardly a matter of being "friends" but most likely a meeting of common goals and interests (political, economical, strategical and so on).

 

I may not approve what the USA sometimes have done *cough*segregation*cough* or are doing but that sure doesn't mean I'm automatically writing off 300 million people of my potential friendships list. If that was the case, I'd have to write myself off that list since there's many things I don't approve of *cough*colonialism*cough* in my own country and its History.

 

I'm mostly trying not to let preconceived ideas and generalizations about people get the better of me. And I thought, maybe naively, that this was, here of all places, the way to do things.

 

Now concerning LBtw's story, I'm not accepting his thanks. It's me who is thanking him for letting me in. I'm grateful and a little bit flattered that he liked my country enough to speak so well about it in his story (though it's a bit rose-colored but hey! I'm not about to complain!).

 

J't'adore LittleMarceltw. Grin_anim.gif

Edited by Xandra Kitee
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I may not approve what the USA sometimes have done *cough*segregation*cough* or are doing but that sure doesn't mean I'm automatically writing off 300 million people of my potential friendships list. If that was the case, I'd have to write myself off that list since there's many things I don't approve of *cough*colonialism*cough* in my own country and its History.

 

HOORAY! For the first time, in history, a Frenchman actually stands up for their beliefs! Apparently all those universities and schools built from looted neighbors and the slave trade profits paid off at last! :thumbup:

 

You are right - this is a place to praise the story. LB did a very nice job. And thanks CJ - I had tried to vote but could not get in.

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Three weeks in Paris with a cute guy - what a gay guy's dream! :wub:

 

I was a lot like Austin back when I was 16, except I was far from accepting my sexuality. But I doubt I could have ever had the courage to ditch the group. Good going Austin!

 

I've been to Paris many times and even spent a month living in a real neighborhood and working in a lab. Wonderful memories. Paris is truly the most romantic city in the world, and perhaps the most sexually free city, although some would argue in favor of Amsterdam for that title.

 

LB, you are right on about the Parisian attitude toward gays. Not everyone might accept it, but no one would think of making it an issue. There is no where better to be free. I don't think even Amsterdam has that feeling of sexual freedom - sure, prostitution is legal, but a lot of Dutch still have conservative attitudes and it shows in their faces.

 

Great story - what a wonderful fantasy! :2thumbs:

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Most authors are feedback whores...we just blithely remind our readers to actually VOTE for our websites and visit regularly, and tell us what they think.

 

At least they're not talking about electrical outlet plugs here....

 

 

I guess I should read the story...the last time I went to Paris I slept with a German and a Russian, but the Parisians were just too stuck up to be worth trying for...

 

(Okay, vague memories here of singing the old Soviet national anthem in Russian with the Russian guy, and then singing the Star Spangled Banner in English with him...no wonder the locals didn't like me...and the German...well he spoke better Russian than English as well...although the discussion of how the Germans always kicked French ass in war was in English, which a good portion of the people in that bar spoke...hmmm...maybe there was a reason the French didn't want to get to know me better? Wait, in my defense...I had to deal with a very rude french bartender in the first bar I went into...I ended up smashing my glass on the bar in retaliation...)

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Most authors are feedback whores...we just blithely remind our readers to actually VOTE for our websites and visit regularly, and tell us what they think.

 

At least they're not talking about electrical outlet plugs here....

 

 

Oh - do you write stories too?!?

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Not for you... :) I give them to you early and you don't even bother to read them until they've been posted for a week! (hehehehe)

 

 

David, beautiful story...and I noticed the Frenchman that was so nice wasn't really from Paris...see, I knew I should have gone to Nice or Lyon.

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More comments = faster posting of the next chapter of SOOTB ..........

 

I loved Free Man in Paris... Very well done, and I especially liked the feeling of authenticity that your attention to the details gave it. However, I think that, for me, the biggest draw was the idea of just cutting loose and saying "to heck with it", which for me the story epitomized perfectly!!

 

I also have to comment on the ending. It was superbly done, in that it didn't have the sadness and heartbreak that I was expecting/dreading.

 

(Yes, I know I'm a comment/feedback whore ... :P )

 

LB, I'm sorry, but you don't quite rise to the level of a true comment/feedback whore...

 

A true comment/feedback whore would post in someone else's forum, and find ways of working

in a mention of their story, plus linking and highlighting it:

 

For example, if I were to do such a thing (which of course I never would 0:) ) I'd find some way of mentioning that my Anthology Entry is called 'No Shirt? No Problem!".

 

And then, sneakingly, find a way to mention the highlighted link for the feedback thread

 

Of course, I don't know anyone who would actually be so blatant... 0:)

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OK OK, I figured I'd better read the story and comment so you would post the next chapter of SOOTB quicker. Also I hate having newbie next to my profile :angry: so I'd better move my butt and get more involved around here :2hands: .

 

So what happened ? I ended up reading one of the best short stories I have ever read :worship: You even got a few tears outta me. :,( Thanks for sharing this beautiful piece with us. I remember that age and I remember my first escape away from home and my first time making love with a boy I met while we were vacationing at the beach. We stayed away from our families for 2 days and half the state of Maine was looking for us. It has been years since I thought about that. Thanks for bringing the memories back. I truly loved your story and I thank you.

 

Marco

Edited by Marco
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Great story!! Gave me goosebumps at the end I loved that conversation between Austin and Mathieu when they were talking about Austin having to leave. I'm glad I finally read it and sorry I waited so long! :*) Thanks for a great read what a great way to start a Saturday!

 

*HUGS*

Vance

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Great story!! Gave me goosebumps at the end I loved that conversation between Austin and Mathieu when they were talking about Austin having to leave. I'm glad I finally read it and sorry I waited so long! :*) Thanks for a great read what a great way to start a Saturday!

 

*HUGS*

Vance

 

Awwww! Thanks Vancey-pooh, you just made my day! :hug:

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I loved that story. I was also impressed with the French...it was quite accurate. I will go to my French teacher the FIRST day I go back to school and ask what "sauter" means...hey...we WERE supposed to read french stuff in the summer.

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Great story like everything you write. Nice way of dealing with ignorance and prejudice. Fortunately Austin is smart enough to see it and change his whole attitude. There are nice people everywhere you go but you have to go toward them with an open mind.

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Buddha, it was excellent!!! I loved the "breaking away" aspect, of just saying "what the heck" and doing what you felt like. THAT'S a VACATION!!!

 

I was also astounded by the amount of detail you were able to add. That worked VERY well, and gave a feel of reality to the story. I've spent a fair amount of time in Paris, and it rang true for me.

 

Actually, one reason I love this story so much is that when I was 17, I spent a week in Paris. I was visiting family in the UK, and decided to head for Paris on the spur of the moment. Yep, my folks were pissed, but I had a blast, just like your protagonist (but, without a guy, in my case... :( ).

 

Thanks for bringing back some darn good memories, and for one heck of a good story!!!

Hi C James and Buddha :2thumbs:

What a nice story ! :great: My first visit to Paris was 1946, just after the war. I was connected with a lot of people in St. Germain-des-Pr

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LB, I'm sorry, but you don't quite rise to the level of a true comment/feedback whore...

 

A true comment/feedback whore would post in someone else's forum, and find ways of working

in a mention of their story, plus linking and highlighting it:

 

For example, if I were to do such a thing (which of course I never would 0:) ) I'd find some way of mentioning that my Anthology Entry is called 'No Shirt? No Problem!".

 

And then, sneakingly, find a way to mention the highlighted link for the feedback thread

 

Of course, I don't know anyone who would actually be so blatant... 0:)

:lmao:

 

I have seen him do this actually, in Dom's forum several months ago, only without the highlighting. It was effective too, I finally started reading his work. :boy:

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I loved that story. I was also impressed with the French...it was quite accurate. I will go to my French teacher the FIRST day I go back to school and ask what "sauter" means...hey...we WERE supposed to read french stuff in the summer.

No need to go !

"sauter une nana" = f**k a girl . Another word with the same meaning is "tringler".

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  • 1 month later...

I totally identified with Austin until he met Mathieu. Lucky so and so! I cannot imagine anyone I knew at 16 having the gumption to do what Austin did, but if there was ever an example of "better to ask forgiveness than permission", this is it :D

 

I also loved the detail, the sights of Paris, those delicious French interjections, right down to the gay mayor of Paris.

 

There's lots of room for the truth between the tone of this story and "damn beret-wearing, arrogant, stuck-up [smelly] frog pricks" :P . Although I too have had the experience of being ridiculed by a Parisian waiter, I accept easily that Mathieu's friends would be friendly to Austin, especially since he wasn't wearing a "USA" t-shirt and handing out flag-spangled baubles :P

 

The details make this fantasy great fun to read. And by the way, I put SOOTB on hold a while back, so this post is not a bribe. :D

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