PrivateTim

Pretty simple really. He has done the things people (Wade included) expected him to do; he got away from Tony, made up with Will, got serious about school, is done with hockey and Wade continues to have great sex with him and tells him he will always love him..... but they can't be together as partners. I think Matt asking, 'what else do I need to do', is both reasonable and understandable. It is Wade who has and has always had a communications problem dating back to when we first met him. If Wade had voiced his unhappiness with things much sooner, there was a chance to work things out before they got to the state they are. Matt has gotten to where Wade asked him to be, but now that is no longer good enough. He is moving the bar without saying what the new standard is because he is afraid that Matt will meet the new standard just like he met the old one because he is committed.

No, I think that misses the point. As has been articulated by Matt & Wade these last few chapters, Matt knows EXACTLY where he screwed up and he gave us insight as to why. He has changed his behavior and started to make amends, but Wade has been unrelenting. If it is Wade's own insecurity or fear that he and Matt will be like Robbie and Brad, then Wade is being unfair if he doesn't articulate that and if he doesn't step back and evaluate the Matt he has known and dated for four years. Based on the totality of his and Matt's relationship he should be willing to let Matt start at square one, not deny him a spot at the starting line altogether.

In my review I articulated what we are all feeling, but no one else had the guts to say. Mark Arbour is a bastard! In the last book he tears everyone up by breaking up Matt and Wade and everyone hated Matt. Now Wade is being a little bitch and we love Matt and wanna give him a hug! Dang manipulative, gut twisting bastard Arbour! Now before anyone gets on Mr. Arbour about "inconsistency" in characters or realism, I think this book so far has been incredibly real and the characters true to their own nature. Wade and Matt are both very loving, caring and responsible (yes I said responsible). Matt may not have been as responsible as people would have liked in his relationships, but he was still responsible with his school work because he still got pretty good grades at Stanford, he was responsible with his duties to the hockey teams and was probably responsible in other areas that were not covered in the story. Did he party too much? Maybe. Did he sleep around too much? I think so, but whose fault is that? It is partly his because he made those decisions, but is also Wade's because Wade enabled the behavior. In no way would I ever be in an open relationship because I have never, ever seen one work. They guys I know who are in them, one partner is really in to it and the other goes along because he is afraid of "losing" his man. Hey numb nuts, if he wants to sleep around you don't have him anyway. We are seeing Matt starting to mature. I think his retarded maturity is partly Wade's fault for enabling Matt. This idea of a "leopard can't change his spots" is a completely bogus notion. I can't tell you have many party hearty frat boys I knew who were womanizers in college and now are stable family men with important jobs in finance, law, government and industry. Some guys never did grow up or stop drinking to excess, but that is the exception, not the norm. So in all seriousness, this has been just fine writing so far and a very promising story. I have no idea where it is head or what real life drama will be woven into the story.... it is too early for a vacation in Phuket, but I am going back to read The Year in Review for 2002 so I can speculate on stories.

You really are a bastard, you do know that don't you?? One story you make every hate Matt and then the next, everyone love him. Rat bastard!

Interesting..... a number of people thought Sean might be a great partner for Wade, so I wonder if Ben was just a device to take Sean out of play? It is a shame that Brad went through all the effort for a great first date, including getting a room at the Fairmont, only to lose his date before the date really began. Although I think it was pretty obvious that Ben was never going to be the long term solution for Brad. While I don't think Brad needs someone his same social station, I do think he needs an intellectual equal, maybe not Chris Martinez, but someone more like that than a tradesman. Its okay to screw the stable boy, you just don't marry them.

This is massively hilarious. Hollywood liberals, who never met a "soak the rich" tax they didn't love, flee CA to avoid the work regulations, high taxes and rake in special tax break available only to them, even exporting jobs to Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Cracks me up. Build it with tax incentives

Something like a Jetta was popular, but I can see Stef buying her a MB CLK 550. Everybody in CA is concerned about the environment. The state has far more strict laws than the nation. Just because Mark doesn't write about it doesn't mean none of the characters care, especially the businessmen who know how to get the tax credits for solar initiatives, for investing in green energy and Silicon Valley was a hot bed of innovation for all that. Greenpeace is a joke in CA. Will & Brad would be involved in the Surfrider Foundation, Heal The Bay and the big environmental group in CA is the Sierra Club.

Interesting to see the set-ups for this story..... story lines in ChiTown & BeanTown, should be fun.... still wanting to see where this Zach with a girlfriend plot line goes. I do have to admit confusion about some reviewers thinking Will is being some kind of magnanimous character...... when you go from completely immature and irrational back to normal, that is like giving credit to the arsonist for putting out the fire he started. With Ben being a woodworker...... I figure him for a Stanfurd grad.

Lovely chapter. I think there will be a lot more to Ben than meets the eye.... or at least meets people's preconceived ideas about contractors. Matt seems to have come out of his funk and is focusing on what is important. Will it be enough in the long run? Who knows. More interesting to me is what problems Zach's "girlfriend" could cause.

I see Marie more wholesome looking like Olivia Holt.

If he would just let a damn cannon ball take out Granger he could focus.

Ugh..... I just don't get why people want Wade and Brad in a relationship. Sex is one thing, a lot of older guys want younger guys and vice versa, each for their own reasons, but partnering someone in such a different stage of life would be too weird. Wade is barely older than Darius and is Brad's dead partner's son's ex-fiance (back in Telenovela turf). It is nice to see Matt and Will starting to resolve issues and it hasn't been quick, its been six months of missed Escorial dinners when Matt has as much right to be there as anyone. I do wonder why he isn't moving in with Frank & Isidore in Lafayette though? Seems it would make more sense than Escorial once school is out. We also haven't heard where Matt is going to grad school yet. Any bets on BU or Northeastern?

Here is Ben Carter. (Theo James - Downton Abbey)

Here is Chris Martinez

Sorry the name just isn't grabbing me. I can't get the flux capacitor out of my mind.

All I can say is I am glad Wade is going to Harvard so we don't have the fucking community organizer as a teacher I like the idea of Matt and Brad as narrators and it makes a lot of sense when you think about. They are both, each in their own way, struggling to find themselves. You'd think that is something you do once and then move on, but getting lost is pretty easy, it is the way back that is hard and both of those can be pretty good stories to tell. Looking forward to this

Wow, you really are an evil bitch.... you make everyone hate Matt in the last book and make him a narrator in this one. What can one do, but quote Maro Channing?

In so many ways this must have been the hardest CAP book to write. I think so many people enjoy CAP because of how real life entwines itself in the story, but things like the Vietnam War, the sinking of the USS Thresher, airplane crashes and skating competitions are either history to us or foreign territory. But September 11, 2001 is different. It is a day and events that touched everyone who reads these stories and we all probably have different reactions, but I suspect most were deep and visceral and the echoes of that day still reverberate around the world. For many people is it The Day That Changed Everything. Mark and his support team did an amazing job, through meticulous research, keeping the story true to actual events of that day and maybe bringing back a bit of the pain to those who lost someone or maybe created that feeling of loss for those who didn't. I also think it is important to never forget the pain of the day and days that followed so we don't forget those that have sacrificed since and are still sacrificing as we speak.

Well that can't be the complete chapter, did a page fall on the floor or something? I mean Will didn't have sex with anyone....... Thank you Mark from the bottom of my heart. Not just for this perfect ending to a very emotional book, but for the entire saga. It is a monumental work of fiction and your output is simply astounding. Congratulations on another triumph and thank your team for their efforts as well.

More's the pity for Delaware. Only in a podunk state, that would be the 23rd largest COUNTY in area in CA and the #11 county in population, could a callow 29 year old be elected to the U.S. Senate. As to Ethan and Will and even JJ, this is the second time that you've mentioned Harvard Westlake in the last couple of days. Will goes to The Menlo School now and I am not sure JJ is still at H-W (unless you are dropping a major bomb that Will is returning to H-W for the next story). Also, as GLH points out, by 2001 AIDS was being managed pretty well. AIDS related deaths in the U.S. (and the developed world) fell off a cliff starting in 1995 with the first drug cocktails and have stayed low and edged downward even as new infections have edged upwards.

One word on how messed up Delaware is, Joebiden

Man..... tough crowd around here...... I think people miss the important point of the scene of only one condom between the three of them and on Stef's plane. The author has to have poetic license to move the story forward and the scene was important (in his mind and his is the only one that counts) for a healing between Gathan and Zach and Gathan and Will. As to Goodwell, in the words of Riley, "What a revoltin' development this is!" There wasn't even a straight sex warning! It was nice that Ethan seemed accepted, but it also seems like he has been consigned to the dustbin of characters with Ryan, Will's driver Pat and Sean the lawyer, among others. I do hope Elizabeth finds redemption. Maybe being a mother to Ethan will be it.

Wally is not very strong or very sure of himself, otherwise he would not still be a garbageman on a route 20 years into his job, he would have moved up the ladder. He is easily intimidated by people like Frank and Frank in particular as well. If Wally were a strong character he would have pushed back at everyone, especially Will, than he has already. And we say that because Will didn't set Zach's Durango on fire because of the girl, Will is growing up? If Zach is going to maintain his facade in high school and college he almost has to have a girlfriend or people are going to talk. What star football player doesn't have a girlfriend? Even if a guy doesn't want one, girls throw themselves at the guys and apply huge pressure and start dating you two weeks before you know you are dating. I think time will tell how long Will can survive in this arrangement. Kind of off topic? And that outfit is ridiculous. It screams "I am insecure, look at me" like a male version of Gaga. On a completely different topic..... how healthy is it for Will to fly off to see Zach every weekend? That means he is ignoring his friends from Palo Alto, which isn't good for those relationships, and it has to be pretty obvious to some of them that there is more going on than just Will going to see his cousin.

I hate when this story gets completely unbelievable! As if anyone thinks Frank and Isidore would ever live in Walnut Effin' Creek over Lafayette or Moraga!

This was a cute line and probably too much fun to pass up; “Like that dude in Popeye?” he asked. “I’m not trying to fuck Olive Oyl.” But Matt is a senior at Stanford, not a 4th year student at Skyline Community College. I have to believe Shakespeare would come to mind before Popeye. I continue to be perplexed by Will, Ruler of the Universe. Apparently he gets to decide who lives at Escorial, he gets to decide when Zach's parents get to see him and it is acceptable when he lashes out at anyone who crosses him. This is the "mature beyond his years" man child? More he reminds me of Billy Mumy in Twilight Zone. It's good we're having a good time. Not so sad about Wade kicking Matt to the curb, I'd have done that two years ago. Three chapters to go and I'm looking forward to them to see the set-up for the next story. I do hope Will stays a narrator, because even though he frustrates me, he is also very compelling and I hope we get to stick with Wade & Brad too. Not ready for a new character narrator quite yet, I can barely keep track of the ones we have now. Thanks Mark for the story in general. Your output continues to amaze.