A Letter To My Son & Another Letter To My Son

[NickolasJames8]

I'm not sure if Gaeme meant for A letter to my son & Another letter to my son to come off as comedy, but I thought they were hilarious, especially when I listened to the sound file on Real Player.... For people who haven't read his writing yet, you're missing out on something special.

[Graeme]

Nick, if you weren't sure if they were meant as comedy, then I think I need to get a humour transplant. Of course they were meant to be funny!

 

The sound files Nick refers to aren't on my home site, but you can find them at the AwesomeDude Audio page. I'm planning on doing some more recordings at some stage -- I just have to pick the right short stories and then find the time.

[Razor]

Those two were absolutely ADORABLE, but the short story of yours that I found most appealing was Dear God, made me all teary eyed...

 

Of course, these two did too, but only because I was laughing so hard that my lungs started to hurt. I just got this image of a really old guy with a bad back taking WAY too many painkillers and blissfully unaware of his son's attraction, hehe. It'd make a hilarious movie.

[Graeme]

Those two were absolutely ADORABLE, but the short story of yours that I found most appealing was Dear God, made me all teary eyed...

 

Of course, these two did too, but only because I was laughing so hard that my lungs started to hurt. I just got this image of a really old guy with a bad back taking WAY too many painkillers and blissfully unaware of his son's attraction, hehe. It'd make a hilarious movie.

Thanks, Razor!

 

I remember hearing that Arthur C. Clarke would get upset when people would say one particular short story was the best he'd ever written. He was upset because it was the FIRST he ever wrote, and that implied he'd been going downhill ever since

 

For the record, Dear God was my first short story (though I'd been working on my novel for several months at that stage). However, unlike Arthur C. Clarke, I recognise that different stories appeal to different people. Dear God has a beautiful simplicity about it that I also love.

[knotme]

These letters are funny as hell! Speaking of which, why in hell would an Australian fly to Canada in January! Brrr! Liberal marriage laws? I'm not aware of the status of gays in New Zealand, but I gather Australia is no better than the US.

 

All strong humor has a rough side. You can glimpse in these letters one of the reasons why many straights resent and distrust gays: they are violating an assumption undergirding social customs: segregated dorm rooms; choir boys with priests, choir girls with nuns, and so on. The only way out from under this cloud of resentment and distrust will be full disclosure and acceptance.

 

The daftness of the letter writer, "Dad', reminds me a bit of Stick in my favorite among Graeme's works, New Brother. Whereas Dad has so far been able to live in a bubble, Stick did not have that luxury. New Brother is my favorite because it tells a familiar story from an unfamiliar view point: the stubborn neanderthalian bigot who, under extreme duress, slowly but thoroughly turns around. It would be fun to see Dad come around, also.

[Xiao_Chun]

Lovely stories, and absolutely hilarious.

 

Hugs,

Michael.

[Marty]

Absolutely hilarious!!

 

I haven't listened to the audio files yet, as I'm off work sick at the moment, and only on a slow dial-up connection at home.

 

But now I have an incentive to get back to work where we have broadband, and I can download them onto my laptop.

 

Now I've found your site, I must read your other stories.

 

:mutter: And I haven't managed to read all the Fall Anthologies yet... :mutter:

 

~ Marty ~

 

[Matthew]

These were both really funny. Loved them.

[C James]

Ouch, my side aches!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Graeme, those are classics!!! Perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

The father is perfect!

 

I was a bit apprehensive when I started to read "another letter", because I just didn't see how it could be as good, but it was. Wow!

 

I truly love humor, so these really, really appealed to me.

 

You know that you just have to write the anniversary letter, right?

 

[Graeme]

I'd love to write another letter, tentatively titled: "A letter to my gay son" which would be a recap of what happened at the wedding and reception, but humour is something I can't force out. It has to flow or it reads falsely, and I haven't had that inspiration yet.

 

Marty -- I know what you mean. I have SO many stories to start reading that I don't know where to start.

 

Thanks for the feedback, everyone!

[Xiao_Chun]

I was wondering if you could write another letter, after the wedding, in which the father is still delusional. Something along the lines that he realized that Foster and Steven are playing in a movie, since there were cameras there. The father realizes how hard it was for a straight guy like Foster to play a gay character, and even kiss another man

[Graeme]

Until I have some inspiration, I couldn't say. Personally, I don't know how he could still be ignorant after the wedding... but if I think of something plausible, I might go with that

[DarkShadow]

Until I have some inspiration, I couldn't say. Personally, I don't know how he could still be ignorant after the wedding... but if I think of something plausible, I might go with that

 

I just read the letters, and have every intention of working my way through all of the stories on this page. They were Great!!! How someone could harbor this much innocent delusion is beyond me, but strangely enough I know it's possible.

 

I wonder how the poor man will react when he realizes he has been so incredibly oblivious to the truth.

 

A parents ability to wear rose colored glasses never ceases to amaze me. Loved the letters Graeme. I'll devour the rest shortly!

 

Take care!

[C James]

Until I have some inspiration, I couldn't say. Personally, I don't know how he could still be ignorant after the wedding... but if I think of something plausible, I might go with that

 

Hmmm, would something along these lines be plausible?

 

Dear Son:

 

Thank you so much for the invite to the wedding, and for the chance to take a trip so far overseas. What an interesting place Canada is, but Canadian law certainly is odd for allowing a wedding by proxy.

 

I'm so proud of you and Steven for being willing to stand in for the Bride and Groom like that! You played it off Beautifully! That kiss would have done a real married couple proud! I'm amazed that they require that much realisms, but, I suppose the law is the law and it is their country. Strange, isn't it, how oblivious foreigners can be about some things?

 

[Graeme]

Hmmm, would something along these lines be plausible?

 

Dear Son:

 

Thank you so much for the invite to the wedding, and for the chance to take a trip so far overseas. What an interesting place Canada is, but Canadian law certainly is odd for allowing a wedding by proxy.

 

I'm so proud of you and Steven for being willing to stand in for the Bride and Groom like that! You played it off Beautifully! That kiss would have done a real married couple proud! I'm amazed that they require that much realisms, but, I suppose the law is the law and it is their country. Strange, isn't it, how oblivious foreigners can be about some things?

 

My original idea was something like:

 

Dear Foster,

 

You must think your old man is a compete duffer. I just don't understand why no one has said anything to me before this.

 

....

 

Oh, and I'd like to apologise for the speech, too. I know the father of the bride normally says something, but there wasn't a bride, so how was I supposed to know that you were going to ask me to speak? I had to make it up as I went along and I didn't mean to offend those friends of yours.

 

....

 

Unfortunately I don't have enough to fill a letter yet.

[DarkShadow]

 

My original idea was something like:

 

Dear Foster,

 

You must think your old man is a compete duffer. I just don't understand why no one has said anything to me before this.

 

....

 

Oh, and I'd like to apologise for the speech, too. I know the father of the bride normally says something, but there wasn't a bride, so how was I supposed to know that you were going to ask me to speak? I had to make it up as I went along and I didn't mean to offend those friends of yours.

 

....

 

Unfortunately I don't have enough to fill a letter yet.

 

 

Well... I'm sure removing the garter and the dollar dance during the reception was interesting

[jalaki]

Well, I started by reading the "Letters" but quickly ate up the rest of the short stories, so I gotta mention more than just the original thread topic here

 

First off, the "Letters" were absolutely priceless. I read them then listened to the recordings...great, quality stuff there. The level of denial is almost not funny, since it's so close to reality sometimes, but still, I gotta love it

 

Then the "Black Swans" story...such a moving little story. Reminds me a lot of a short series by another author, which was also a sad, moving story. Definite kudos on this one, don't know what else to say.

 

"Ambush" was definitely cute. Kinda saw it coming, but you left enough to cause at least a little doubt.

 

"Bad News" - ouch. Just...ouch.

 

"Dare to Dream" was more than rather interesting. Haven't seen anything like it in quite some time, and definitely enjoyed it. Great way to leave us guessing

 

"Family First - saw that one coming too, and it made me smile. If only...but definite awesomeness there.

 

"Love Never Dies" just gave me chills. I'll leave it at that

 

"The Gift" and "Broken Pen" were quite touching. I find myself wondering how you can manage to write something like that and make it seems that real, and (most hopefully so) entirely fictional. Kudos.

 

I hadn't realized that was you that wrote "What Do I Say?" back when I first read that *chuckle* But another awesome short story, one that almost brought tears to my eyes a time or two (it probably would have if my eyes weren't so dried out at the moment ). But good tears - such love from a parent for his child.

 

And "Dear God" was also touching. I can almost see the little girl praying in her room while all of these other things go on. Very well-told.

 

 

Well, that got longer than I epxected, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Just had to let you know how much I enjoyed all of these and give you a pat on the back for a job well done

[Graeme]

Well, that got longer than I epxected, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Just had to let you know how much I enjoyed all of these and give you a pat on the back for a job well done

Thanks, Jalaki!

 

I'm not sure what to say. I'll just comment on a couple of them:

 

Bad News: I still don't really know why I wrote this. I think it's a reminder to myself of the possible consequences of not being faithful, but that could be rationalisation after the fact.

 

Family First: Yes, it was obvious from the start, but that's not always bad (at least I keep telling myself that). Sometimes it's the journey that's important, not the end result.

 

Dear God, What Do I Say? and The Gift are my first three short stories. In many ways, I think they are my best stories though my writing skills have developed a lot since then and so my later stuff is better written. To put it another way, they are the best tales, but some of the later stuff is better told.

 

Anyway, thanks again. I really appreciate it.

 

Graeme

[Kurt]

I listened to both letters this morning, they were very funny!!

 

 

Kurt