PrivateTim

Because the author needs her to.

I love it when you are on break and can pop out chapters quickly. I hate it when you are on break and can pop out chapters quickly and in the middle of work day that it distracts me so badly I can't go back to work until I've read it. Spreckelsville, where Will's new home likely is, is the home of a lot of wealth and money that makes the money in Kapalua look embarrassingly nouveau. In the 1880's it was the site of Claus Spreckels sugar plantation as he controlled huge chunks of land in Hawaii. Today it is still a site of big money, there are two 3 bedroom places for sale for $10.5 and $9.5 million respectively. $3 million a bedroom is NYC prices..... Love, love, love the drama. So nice to see Brad release some pent up frustration. Will this be the event that makes Claire wake up and reevalute her behavior? Jack seems to growing weary of the situation too and he gets where the problems are. I'd love to be a fly in the wall in Jack & Claire's bedroom tonight.

I could be wrong, but I assume you have a rough idea of where the story is going, both 9-11 and CAP in general. If Will sleeping with Scott helped get the story to where it is going, then it would be okay. But if not it just becomes gratuitious and a distraction from the from the story. I think Brad's reaction would be to kill Scott if he found them in the act. For Scott to sleep with the 14 year old son or daughter of someone from high school that he had sex with would be beyond creepy, it would be pathological.

JP shouldn't have to do anything. I am shocked that Claire & Isidore have not come to their senses and in the cold light of day reflcted on their behaviors and seen how badly they have treated a family member and a young one to boot. Claire especially (with Jack's help) now that she sees that Marie has lied to her and mislead her should have had an epiphany. But then I guess that would be too easy. I don't read anything into Will buying a Maui house other than he wants to be close to the best surfing he can and he can afford it. In a bit of poetic liscense Mr. Arbour has swells at Ho'okipa in the summer, but it is really a winter break. The better surf in summer will actually be at Honolua Bay right next to the Kapalua condo. Will and Scott is just too creepy to think about, not because of the age difference but because of the relationship between Scott and Brad. It would be wrong on so many levels to have sex with a friend from high school's son or daughter.

Wow, so disappointing.... probably the most unrealistic chapter in CAP history...... Dewd, no local on Maui owns a tie unless they work the front desk at the Four Seasons! Ok.... feel better now I do find it disappointing that Isidore and Claire haven't spoken to Will yet. I get that it is only two weeks in CAP time (six weeks in real time), but I figured both would realize what complete Massengills they were being by now. That they have not is disappointing, maybe beyond disappoining. I can't imagine my grandmother being like that, nor my mother. I am still looking forward to Will and Kai hooking up

Happy Father's Day Mark, thanks for posting Fun chapter. It was good to see Brad giving Will a glimpse into his and Robbie's life. For all intents and purposes, Robbie is one of Will parents and most 14 year olds don't talk to one of their parents about stuff like this. Kai sounds like fun, I am sure he and Will will wind up being friends along the same line as Will and Ryan were. We remember what a rocky start their friendship got off to. Interesting insights into Brad and Maman's relationship too. While the last chapter was fun and light and just a rollicking good time, this chapter opens several storlines for drama.

Geeze, are those what pass for butch in DL? Here is CA butch.

I see Mason more like Billy Unger. And here is Mason when he visits Will in the 'Bu.

Well you are the author so you better than anyone should know, but I don't believe he has really strong feelings for Will, I think he THINKS he has really strong feelings for Will, but no one who has really strong feelings for someone would have treated Will the way he did the last few days they were together. You invite someone to visit you, you don't blow them off so badly. I guess I am confused why you are mad at Will, maybe you didn't read the passage correctly. I don't think Mason was looking to have Will tell him he was gay, it was more of a rhetorical statement by Mason, it wasn't really a question and as Will mused, "he'd already figured it out". And the Will didn't say, "yes, you most definitely are", he said, "yeah, pretty much" a fairly non-commital statement. Mason isn't confused about his sexual orientation and never really was. He'd already bottomed before, Rachel was his attempt at conformity, but it wasn't really him all along as Will acknowledged when he thought, "although I think he'd already figured that out." I like Mason because he seems genuine and hope he gets to stay that way.

Ha ha, I so knew you were going to post a chapter before the Stanley Cup Finals came on! That is my favorite chapter in a long time. Will was making love with Mason not just having sex. Please leave Mason a nice guy. He seems like just your sweet Midwestern guy without the kind of baggage that a Tony has or even Gathan.

Unfortunately I don't see Tony dying anytime soon either. But the only thing that pulls Will back to Tony is great sex and he can find great sex other places. So far I haven't seen anything redeeming about Tony's character. Despite being at Stanford he doesn't seem like an intellectual giant, or motivated to great things. Will and Tony might stay fuck buddies, but I don't see Tony ever catching up to Will emotionally or intellectually. My experience, my observation, you don't go back to a places you've been before*. Ten years from now Will will wonder what he ever saw in Tony (unless Mr. Arbour is too chintzy to create a new character). I still see Will with someone more like JP (Alistair or Mason like), someone more cerebral and committed. I think it still is not too late for a tragic drowning (or not so tragic from my viewpoint). I was thinking Tony had made an inch of progress last chapter, but I think this chapter confirms and expands something I said last chapter; that dropping Dana wasn't about Tony's committment to Will, it was about the fear that Will and Rick would hook up on the trip and now even worse, it was that and Tony's own wanting to hook up with Rick on the trip. Dana, who no one liked anyway, was going to be in the way of that. Dana will figure out sooner or later that it is because Rick and Will are better pieces of ass than she is. *I am applying this epsecially to freshman in high school. Very few wind up with their 9th grade love.

Great chapter as usual, loved the Mason detour, that was sweet... Carmine not so sweet, just sex.... it could have been a hallowed out pine cone for all Carmine cared. Still not too late for a tragic drowning, or not so tragic from my viewpoint. I thought Tony had made an inch of progress, but I think it confirms and expands what I said last chapter. Dropping Dana wasn't about Tony's committment to Will, it was about the fear that Will and Rick would hook up and now worse, it was that and HIS wanting to hook up with Rick on the trip and Daan was going to be in the way. Still waiting for the Dana shoe to drop...... hope people keep their doors locked

I think for Tony, the idea that Will would wind up hooking up with Rick (based on what Tony already knew about Rick) drove him more to dump Dana then and there than having any sudden epiphany about who he wanted to be with Dana or Will. I really hope Will and Mason hook up; love those little guys hung like bulls. I knew a 103 pound wrestler once and he had to have 60 pounds of d*ck, it was totally hot. I wish Will would drag Tony off to Hawaii, but that isn't going to happen because we have to have drama and confrontation in MO where all the players are.

Great chapter, setting up lots of drama downstream (so to speak). I think a lot of people have nailed the basics. Not a secret I am not Tony's biggest fan, but in seriousness I am willing to allow that he is a work in progress. Dana will try to cause problems, but Tony's family knows he is gay or knows he has the tendency and probaly know about his hook ups, guys are never as discrete as they think they are. I don't think Tony's friends know other than Mason and Mason being smaller and quieter is one of the guys who takes in everything and see things others don't. I don't think his friends will care much once they do find out. A lot of people who think they don't like fags find out that they do afterall when someone they know and like be one. There might be an adjustment time and process, but they usually come around. If I was Will I'd get Tony out of MO and off to Hawaii for a week or two, but then we couldn't see what drama Dana is cooking up, could we

Be still my heart, I can see the blaring headlines now, "Tragic double drowning mars friends float trip!". Dana and Tony headed to watery graves in the mighty Mo! Really a fun chapter... apparently Dana doesn't have a lot of fans anyplace. I'd like to say I found Tony's actions disappointing, but no they are exactly what I would expect from him and why he is poison for Will. Will has handled it well so far, but how long until the 14 year old side reappears? Then is when the fun really starts.

Well that was an innocuous little chapter.... not a lot of drama, one potential future character (Jake) and only one sentence that promises future drama. Will saying of Tony & Dana, “I don’t know. I almost think that unless something happens to force him to do it, he won’t. He’ll avoid it. He’s like that, where he’ll dodge an unpleasant conversation.” So what is going to force it? Will arranging to have Dana catch them in flagrant delicato? That could lead to more drama of Dana trying to mess with them, but that would be a side show at best. Anyway, fun read, always nice to meet straight boys who are into showers with 'mo's and don't take offense at a friendly hummer

Neither Stef nor Warren Buffet are investment geniuses, what they are is disciplined investors who follow their models, not "gut feeling" or instincts. The warning signs were all over the place for the tech bubble (2000). You didn't need to a genius to know that a company trading at 100x its PE ratio was overpriced and risky nor to know that there was a massive housing bubble (2007) since people had been talking about the coming collapse for years (and are again since no one apparently learned any lessons the last time around). People who got hurt in the tech and housing bubbles were people who WERE following gut feeling or instincts, not what the numbers actually said. Hope spings eternal when times are good that they will never end, even thoughthey always do. Laissez les bons temps rouler.

No fancy fonts or special inserts, just a very sincere Happy Birthday and a huge thank you for your amazing contribution to the advancement of the gay/bi community through this site.

I got teary eyed when JP mentioned his mother and aunt. In a testament to your skills as an author Mark, these people are very real to me. I feel like I am 60 something and have made this journey with JP and how he feels the old ties of family and heritage. It must be truly heavy on his heart that Claire doesn't feel those ties and as a result Marie feels them even less. One phrase that leaped out at me, apropos to nothing other than the contrast between generations. JP said to Will “As you mature, controlling your emotions will become easier, but you do not have the luxury to lose it like you did." For JP and Stef and gays of their generation you had to learn early on to control your emotions, control your reactions and not let your expressions give away what lurked inside your head. They had to learn not to check guys out too obviously, TO check out girls and how to maintain that veneer or face possibly dire consequences. Will has no such pressures to deal with. While certainly there are large swatches of the country where in 2001 and even 2013 guys have to maintain the low key approach, that isn't the case in much of California, certainly not in the areas Will has lived. I don't remember when "bi cool" and "gay hip" became things, but I do remember a time when it seemed like every guy I met was at least "bi something". Quite a contrast to the 1960's world JP and Stef grew up in.

Feeling insecure? The comment was to clarify for discussion reasons. Did you mean pretend or portend? It matters since they mean different things. If you think it was mean, sorry, but it just wasn't. If you feel picked upon, I apologize. And I did address your points, with textual references as to why I felt the way I did. If you think Claire and Isidore are pretending to be nice, so be it, but you say you've read this series in the last month; can you show me where in 3,040,021 words of CAP that Claire & Isidore said or did things pretending to be nice that latter proved to not be nice? Sorry.... one "r" in future bouquets and brickbats As to who will be the heir to JP, Jeremy is probably right, no one. As generations move away from that zenith of a figure like JP there are more people, more diversity, etc. Who is the titular head of the Kennedy clan now? I think pretty clearly Teddy was until his passing, but now? Ditto for families like the DuPonts, Pritzkers, Fords and others. The further you get from the bigger than life figures, the more the centrality disolves.

I think you mean "pretend" not "portend". To portend is to be a signal or warning.. I gather you have never been a sports official? Never had to make a call as best you can knowing half the people are going to think it is the wrong call? Whether or not in your scenario the call is correct or incorrect is immaterial, the behavior of the coach gets hims tossed from the game and more to the point, he knows his behavior is incorrect. More times than not replays show umps, referees, officials, etc to be correct. Yes everyone can point to the well known mistakes, while overlooking the thousands of correct calls and how many times the non-neutral person was incorrect. But that is off topic of the point. Had Will chosen a different tack he could have easliy carried the day. I believe JP said so. While he pushed back at Isidore and Claire when they attacked Will's method, but ignored the message, later in his private conversation with Brad JP said, “Will made some very good points, and had very legitimate grievances. He has not yet learned that if he would have dealt with them in a more calm and deliberate manner, he would have gotten better results.” And Will did not just offend the sensibilities of Claire and Isidore, he later came to understand that he offend deeply the sensibilities of JP to the point that it was making him physically sick so he had to call JP and apologize in order to find peace in his mind. Like a veteran coach who knows how to work an official, Will needs to mature to the point to figure out How to Win Friends and Influence People.

1. Sharron is awesome, she has done a great job as has your whole team on polishing CAP to make it the jewel it is. 2. The point with Will is that many people have experienced as bad or worse misfortune without the reactions he has. JP points out in his musings over the lastest Will escapade that there were better ways to get his point across without the scorched earth approach. That is one of the issues I have with all those who praise this 14 year old for his great maturity. 3. I think Claire's reaction in the last two chapter's has been more, "the best defense is a great offense". She is covering her embarassment over what look like poorly thought out actions (dropping Noah and inviting Carter & Erik's families, but not excluding Carter & Erik) by staying in the "I didn't do anything wrong mode" and her embarassment over Marie's failings. Yes it is axiomatic that she is going to defend her daughter publically, that is a typical parental reaction, but I'd love to be a fly on the wall when she gets Marie home. When someone breaks the rules like Will breaking the decorum rules for Escorial it gave others the opportunity to address his behavior and not the issues and I am not sure that is wrong. I officiate a couple of sports and at a pretty high level. If a coach breaks decorum on addressing calls made by my partner or I do you think he is going to get the call he wants? No, more likely he is getting a yellow card. If the coach follows the decorum rules, asks his question the proper way and he is right, he is usually going to get the call he wants, but he will never, ever get it asking the wrong way. I think it would be interesting if the drama moved to Claremont; if Claire decided that Marie and John needed some family time in the mid-west to recenter themselves more than they needed more time at the Stanfurd Shopping Center.

That is actually how I envision JJ. Here is Scott Slater, the real one. The visionary who invented a hamburger that is 50% ground beef, 50% ground bacon. Add in a fried egg, anchovies, fried pickles and blue cheese on a pretzel bun and you are talking genius.

it is nice to see JP as the narrator along with Will in this story and maybe there will be others as well, who knows, there are no rules, just the judgment of the creator of the series to do as he sees best to move the story. I can't imagine Jack is in the loop much; most successful doctors I know have terrible home lives because they are gone so much. Not terrible in the sense they don't get along with their families, but terrible in that there is no consistency and little time so they catch up on family time when and where they can grab 10 or 15 minutes. I suspect some of Claire's push back is embarassment. When you are practically perfect and not used to disharmony, the first line of defense is a good offence. If Will could not sleep well I also think that Claire will not sleep well this night as well. Another well done chapter Mark and a great set-up for what is to come. Perhaps Claire will be in Claremont with two kids in tow and some progress will be made?.

I might suggest you have no idea what my life was like at 14 nor the life my son had when he was around 14. I also notice you didn't address a single point I made.