Philippe

As I too share the life of my own Brokeback Mountain, making me more of a Brian. Not that I couldn’t say I love him, for I did love and I did say it. However, at that age and experience I still had the mentality that he was still in another year of undergrad school, wanting to complete a Masters. I was headed for a very conservative career environment with military service required to gain access ; this all before the don’t ask, don’t tell…which still meant hiding and denying, only to face court martial and dishonorable discharge if ever charged for buggery and/or general sodomy…or even kissing a guy on the lips. It was very difficult to see another path without giving up on my career dreams and the educational path that had brought me to the point where we even met. He and I are still friends, we still say I love you, and we’ve hardly ever missed a birthday wish throughout the years. His parents had known of our relationship and even visited me once, together with my former lover. My parents never knew or at least acknowledged our relationship. My brother most likely knew/knows but has never said anything in reference to it. So I never made the move to stay, he likewise didn’t frustrate himself to not have over relationships and two marriages. Yes, his husband knows and has never discouraged our contact. My still legal wife knows of him but is very jealous of our relationship and hated that I had loved a man…even though neither of us has ever cheated on our partners. Yet my marriage is on paper only as the wife could not accept even what happened before I ever knew her. However she doesn’t want a divorce and doesn’t want to know if and when I play, as I told her divorce or I play if our marriage is to no longer cherish each other to the point of intimacy. Yup, from a long time ago, yet I still return to Brokeback Mountain as often as any sightseer make pass by.

Brian saying he wanted to be free of Tommy sounds more like Brian couldn’t fully accept himself or their relationship as being more than a friendship; so he wasn’t running from Tommy, he was running from the uncomfortable. Remember Brian liked the jock and social circles yet his true love and understanding didn’t fall within those circles. Did he value Tommy less than others or did he let social acceptance scare him away from his true self?

I hope it’s not more bad news that Brian is withholding from Tommy. I know from youth inexperience that the young Brian sometimes thinks we’re sparing someone pain if we distance them or ourselves so as to not be as close when…the inevitable separation occurs.

Hopefully, Brian was just considering the worst case scenario; a bucket-list reflection on life so to speak, but also considering that he knows Tommy doesn’t have to face such a life altering scenario and can remain within his protective shell.

Oh so sad, to live under false pretenses of shared expectations; parents living vicariously through their kids, but kids also guilty of not knowing or realizing it’s ok to say no it’s not what I want, I too was a teen that shared common interests in fixing up old cars, but then my dad overly enthusiastic and bought home more projects that I didn’t want as I was transitioning to go to an away college…I just needed time to be free of self imposed obligations. Dad took the frustrated outburst better than expected and apologized that he jumped the gun but then likewise said the project could be interesting so maybe we just sit on it to see if a school break hobby project was something of interest. We did take a while but still finished the project. Even now, I’m re-wiring an old trailer with LED lights and new electric brakes; it was a project from my junior year, chopping and welding a wrecked trailer frame to make a beast of a smaller utility trailer from what was a larger travel travel; it’s still a treasure from early-mid 70s. I use that trailer a lot and will not sell though I get plenty of offers.

How ironic that you should recommend and comment on Your Name Engraved Herein when I literally just watched that yesterday. I found it as I was interested in any other productions that had the same actor from “Had I Not Seen the Sun.” I agree that the story is very powerful in a setting not unlike many around the world when gay attraction is criticized and/or results in physical violence; unfortunately mental brutality is harder to show or prove but handy phone recordings and pictures are changing that too.

As the primary caregiver for my elderly mom, I can identify with the lack of real understanding and recognition by all others involved. Likewise, we always feel the inadequacies of not performing miracles when the circle of life is already written; the want ifs, or maybes will still haunt us from time to time.

I think Levi has somewhat accepted Luke and Luke has proven time and again to see what Levi is needing at the moment…so step father indeed, whether by name or practice. In reality, I believe Levi may not identify Luke as his stepfather, but rather his other father..as step father seems like only accepting his dad’s relationship whereas Levi and Luke have a relationship developing rather quickly itself.

Ahhh 😌, his teachings may have told him it’s sinful and to not gaze upon it, but his hormones hold his eyes upon the acts long enough to make him see and feel the pull of the devil within. He doesn’t want to be that way..just as the chick doesn’t want to stay within the egg shell that its outgrown…and that process is natural, and doesn’t require a coming out party. So much to process, no one to talk to…

Yes, the ole grandfather is not there physically but Levi still has that ingrained monologue; probably checking his palms for hair growth after those sinful moments on touching, and those are near impossible to stop until…the panting 😮‍💨 recovery and the need for fresh shorts after a wipe/wash. Luckily, Levi is not going blind yet either; otherwise he wouldn’t have seen his blond heart throb Adonis after exiting the school. So maybe the spells his grandfather spoke of take longer to manifest into the blind, hairy palmed monster locked within his soul. Now if only he can enjoy getting close enough to learn more of this blond eye magnet that has his needle pointing north already.

Oops, I misunderstood…that’s the reason I took the red hot glowing branding iron to your back; forgive me? Branding is beyond a misunderstanding, that’s a vicious attack on a person that rings of merciless power and corruption of their soul.

No one should have such an abuse thrust upon them. We can only hope that one day the perpetrators may get their own brand that marks them as the monsters they are; maybe a brand on their cheek, of a big hard cock nearly touch the corner of their mouth. They need to wear something beyond masking from the public (the scarlet A come to mind), that would let them suffer the public ridicule they thrusted upon others trying to live their private lives.

Hey now, even the most powerful engines may spudder and shake before reaching their most enduring state; sometimes that’s just the primer to clear the sediments of disuse. My big ole diesel requires a glo-plug to help kick over in a more sustainable manner, so I think getting the fluids flowing and piston walls lubricated is a great start before working at full speed.

Yet ever so fragile; handle with care as Ash seems to find in his nature.

The Devil made them do it!

Yeah, this was a chapter of growth but with growth there are farewells; for Levi this is farewells in mourning and also the realization that perhaps he hasn’t been living his own life after all. Its a very touching and emotional chapter, but a great transition to life after farewells and welcome to the new Life of Levi as he grows into himself. Another great chapter and story @Mark Ponyboy Peters, thanks again for this journey…where all roads lead to Avalon.

Oops, they apparently forgot to courtesy copy the author ✍️; another alternate ending, but will it make the draft?

OMFG, that’s what I feel when talking to, or more appropriately listening to, any self-proclaimers; I’m a good person, parent, Christian, Muslim, friend, etc., replace with whatever and the argument is most likely the same. Are they trying to convince me, or themselves? Just show me your character and I’ll judge for myself how good I see it to be.

It Can be bought in barrels, aged longer than the old battle axe herself; part of the beauty of it’s ability to remove the bitterness and sourness of the thick old skins of sour grapes or any other fermentations.

Two full bottles of Bitch Remover sitting on the shelf ready in case of another bitch outbreak 😷.

Hard to get a good count on the fingers…and that dang font looks like reading under water, so no, but people tell me it’s still Saturday.

Damn, the untouched and tarnished silver spoon. Perhaps a little polishing rub and a good spit shine will get things all squeaky clean and ready for return to the spooning display. Glad you’re on the mend and back to comments too, @Wayne Gray.

Dealing, from the wrong side of the tracks, or on the wrong side of the road…once recognizing which side of the road you’re dealing from; drive-thrus and curb-side pick-ups are difficult cross cabin, most important is not stepping from the curb without knowing which way to look before stepping, lest you change your shoe size post playing speed bump/wheel chock wth traffic. 😓 That’s the great thing about the big gas guzzler trucks of US favor…you can hear them coming about as soon as you can see them; dare not believe they will avoid crawling over, through, and back over you again, in their rock climbing monster truck that…just seems to be necessary for suburban fun 🤩.

See, electric vehicles are greener; if they’re out of service and the gas versions are already retired, then they’re not contributing to greenhouse gases..as power station emissions aren’t normally part of the sales job for going greener. Of course, the substitute Uber, taxi, or personal vehicles, are never considered for comparisons either; no down times are considered as the concept always shows fully capable duty loads, therefore no replacement transport gets considered including a larger fleet to allow for charging during the normal duty windows. It may seem I’m totally against greener solutions…nope, I’m for contracts that hold these sales jobs to their words. If a fleet adjustment is needed to provide same coverage, then that’s their problem in underbidding or overstating replacement capabilities. Give me cradle to grave coverage for contracted price..or be held accountable to replace the fleet back to the original working solution. The poison pill usually gets you more serious 🧐 bidding and less chances them for overstating capabilities to then charge more to get back to where they had promised to get you covered.

Boring, we do have a somewhat standard license, accepted across the USA … it’s just issued by one of the states or territories of domicile. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to collect the many different licenses with their unique state seals/deaigns; and the multitude of colorful vehicle license plates, that make a wonderful pub/bar wall or a garage collage. All this may be confusing to you Imperialists, but at least we sorted it all out to drive on the correct side of the road using a common language across a vastness greater than all the area of Europe…unless you want to edge out by including the permafrost state of Euro-Russia. So it’s actually very comforting…knowing just exactly where the person flipping you off, or shooting the bird, is from or perhaps why they’re in such a hurry for their 10 hour drive home. 🤷‍♂️Yup, the colorful license plates are likely similar to the driver’s license design itself, so it’s easy to identify the travelers and tourists. Yeah, standardized can be boring 🥱. 🤣