Uhmmm, Marty, I think a paragraph or two at the end of this chapter failed in the posting as it seems to have ended in a cliff hanger of sorts.
Young Mr. Byron seems a standin for many of us of that generation that conformed to society's expectations of us when there was little choice. However, once allowed a moment of freedom we took it. Some boldly flamboyant, others more simply. Nonetheless we all said this is me, accept it or not. I find it heartwarming that the majority of his peers refused to allow the powers-that-be to force "Lowry" back in to the closet.