Pete Bruno

Once again Mark treats us to another well written, well researched chapter. One can only hope that he continues to provide us with this captivating tale. There is only one way for him to improve, and that is to post faster! Please.

I've read quite a few stories on GA and it seems to me that the descriptive sex scenes are very limited. What I'm not sure of is that generally the rule, or is it just that I happen to have picked those stories and missed the others.

Thank you so much, I've been really enjoying this story, I wish he would post a new chapter.

There is a story out there about a college professor who has powers to fight evil. His lover was killed by a demon, then he finds a young man outside of his house bleeding and dieing. He saves him and embarks on a journey with his new lover and old friends to fight a demonic coven. I just can't remember if it was here or on another site or the name. Does anyone recognize this story and know it's name?

How about... Or Beckham Brady Quinn

I won't argue with a German he surely would know best, but the best "Wiener Schnitzel" I ever ate was in Munich; so Austria, Germany, either place is great just make sure you try it, ours was made with veal, but you'll never have made in the US quite the same. As for Italy, being a first generation Italian, I can tell you that there is a big difference between the food over there and what we call Italian/American cuisine, especially if you will be traveling in the northern regions of the country. There you will find the food to have a heavy German influence and quite different from the heavy reliance on tomato sauce/garlic you will find further south. If you are in the north of Italy, try Ossobuco, which are veal shanks, there again, you'll never get the same over here. As for wine, no pun intended, but a nice Chianti always works; and you will find good quality selections there at a reasonable price. But whatever you do, don't leave Italy without trying the pizza! Again, it's nothing like what you're used to, the Italian government actually has a specific recipe and has a department the oversees it's strict adherence; and believe me, some of it can be better than sex! Have fun! Forget the raspberries, give me men in kilts and a good glass of whiskey and I'd die happy!

I'll just stick to this reply to the post in question back on page 2: All very well stated.

Is it always your practice to read up to the point you disagree and then make your impassioned comment. Let's review the rest of the reply you quoted for context. (Oh, and the gay pride comment? Those are the people who actually fought for gay rights. The people who could pass as gay were too busy hiding.) Martin I think that you meant to type "could pass as straight were too busy hiding." If that is the case you really don't know what you are talking about. It says that you are a 21 year old gay man from the UK, if that is correct you really do not have enough information to make such a comment; but fortunately I do. Being a gay 13 year old boy in 1969 or a 21 year old man for that matter was not easy, let alone safe, you forced to "butch it up" as much as possible or risk getting your ass beat on a daily basis. There was also little help available for gay men in small town America, almost everyone was homophobic from your teachers (priests and nuns included) to the police and even parents. Myself, I was lucky, my size and build along with the fact that I played sports deflected unwanted attention, but when I was a young and skinny 10 year old with a lisp I got plenty of unwanted attention in the form of bullying, so I did what I had to do. It wasn't hiding as you put, it was survival. Remember that the men who fought at the Stonewall in '69 had the protection of living in a huge city, or that scene would have ended much differently in small town America; and remember they were the ones "who actually fought" for gay rights, they were the brave men who risked everything so there could be gay pride parades. Finally, I envy your youth, and the fact that you are lucky enough to live in a time that gives you much more freedom and safety to be yourself than was ever afforded men my age and older, but please try and remember the next time you feel the need to accuse anyone of "hiding" you must remember the times and circumstances we lived in. I did not "immediately" dismiss him. In fact, I thought my reply was very considerate considering what he wrote was inaccurate, and I thought combative as well. Again, when you read my reply in the it's full context, I was indeed correct; and I will agree that I'm not the only person in the world to suffer pain. However that was not part of the discussion, I was answering a completely inaccurate and false charge against an entire generation of gay men. You wrote, "So what if he's 21 and lives in the UK, he could be subjected to things you could only imagine", and you are correct he just may have been, but we were discussing something. Yes you are correct, I had relevant and important things to say, and I think if one were to read my comment in it's full and correct context, one would see my point. Now let's look at your comments, you say, " It's a very self important phrasing, as if you are the sole experiencer. (sic)" Actually I thought I did a pretty good job speaking for my generation and those before me. Than you wrote this, "Don't throw your age around like its your proof that what you say is more important. Gosh its like having a degree right now. And you know what degrees are worth, right now? Nothing." Again, I don't see how I was throwing my age around, I was responding to a specious claim using my own life experience as an example. But of course my favorite, "but willing ears and open hearts and attitudes are hard to find when you come off as self-rightous (sic) and what one has to say is more important than anything that anyone else has to say", that is rich, after all you wrote, admonishing me, and accusing me of not having "willing ears and open hearts" you call me self-righteous"? Really?

"Don't throw your age around like its your proof that what you say is more important. Gosh its like having a degree right now. And you know what degrees are worth, right now? Nothing." I'm not quite sure to whom you're referring; but you know what, it's really not worth going on. Is it just me, or does it seem that you can no longer have a discussion?

You know, I never think of anything to say at a time like that, usually because I'm just so stunned by how rude people can be. But now all us "old bastards" can be prepared, if opportunity ever presents itself again we could always say something like..."Sorry boys, if you want privacy when you kiss, don't leave your trailer."

I'm assuming the poster is alluding to the Penn State situation and JoePae. After reading the Grand Jury transcript, I can say that there should be more people fired than just Paterno. The grad student flat out told him that he saw a ten year old boy being sodomized in the shower room, along with a janitor who was afraid of losing his job and did not come forward; at that point all bets are off and you confront the so called longtime friend; and by the way, when Sandusky retired he and JoePa weren't even on speaking terms. As some one who was raped as a nine year old, I can tell you it's not something you ever forget; and the damage permeates every area of your life. What two people over the age of eighteen do is nobody's business, but when it comes to children ethics remain ethics, whether they be old or new. "Our character is what we do when we think no one is looking. ...Hugh B. Brown

I found this great website, it's worth a look for anyone writing stories. One cool feature is that it sends you daily tips by email.http://www.dailywritingtips.com/ Check it out.

Crap, I forgot the best of all, Auntie Mame..."Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death."

That is part of my point. Being MUCH older than most of you guys, I had the advantage of living the care-free life before AID's, I also spent time working in a big city night club and I saw a lot of self-destruction. Tim is correct about turning 30, although I found that turning 50 was much more liberating. Yeah, maybe a little less hair and you may have to work out a bit more to fend off the spread. So don't trap yourself, go out and live your life. Remember what Auntie Mame said, "Yes! Live! Life's a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death!"

What everyone says: "Be honest with me. What do you think?" What everyone means: "Don't be honest, just agree with me." What should be understood: "Nobody really wants to hear the truth or what you think." "And I am unanimous in that." Mrs. Slocombe

Actually from my father, who always said it in Italian. un giorno mio figlio, vi chiederete come ho avuto modo intelligente, e hai ottenuto così stupido In English...someday my son, you'll wonder how I got so smart, and you got so dumb

This may not be hip, however, if a cautionary tale for Gay men has ever been written and sung, this is it. Now my life hasn't been quite as tragic as this song, but I will offer this warning to all of you young people; it was just yesterday that I was 22 and graduating from college, and now in two days I will wake up and be 55. The good news is, life gets really good after 50! Tempus fugit......

Maybe so, but those big butch straight daddies are fun to look at!

I agree, and don't forget Home Depot and Lowes or your local hardware store!

You make some very good points, and I like the lesbian take; one explanation for it I think is that lesbians are not threatening to male sexuality in fact most of my 'straight' buddies love lesbian porn. A strong male character as you suggest would freak them out, and I think your point is an excellent. As to the reasons why there hasn't been one yet I'm not sure, there must be plenty of writers out there who can develop the character, but my money is on the executives not buying it, thinking it wouldn't sell to middle America. The only character I can think of that comes close is from "Tourchwood" named Captain Jack Harkness from the BBC.

I think that you meant to type "could pass as straight were too busy hiding." If that is the case you really don't know what you are talking about. It says that you are a 21 year old gay man from the UK, if that is correct you really do not have enough information to make such a comment; but fortunately I do. Being a gay 13 year old boy in 1969 or a 21 year old man for that matter was not easy, let alone safe, you forced to "butch it up" as much as possible or risk getting your ass beat on a daily basis. There was also little help available for gay men in small town America, almost everyone was homophobic from your teachers (priests and nuns included) to the police and even parents. Myself, I was lucky, my size and build along with the fact that I played sports deflected unwanted attention, but when I was a young and skinny 10 year old with a lisp I got plenty of unwanted attention in the form of bullying, so I did what I had to do. It wasn't hiding as you put, it was survival. Remember that the men who fought at the Stonewall in '69 had the protection of living in a huge city, or that scene would have ended much differently in small town America; and remember they were the ones "who actually fought" for gay rights, they were the brave men who risked everything so there could be gay pride parades. Finally, I envy your youth, and the fact that you are lucky enough to live in a time that gives you much more freedom and safety to be yourself than was ever afforded men my age and older, but please try and remember the next time you feel the need to accuse anyone of "hiding" you must remember the times and circumstances we lived in.

"it fits the stereotype that a still basically homophobic society wants perpetuated" This is from my original post, I really don't know how much clearer I can state may point; and I also think that it also supports my discussion.

Then I would suggest that you do; or at least go to the link I provided in my original post to support the quote I used to support my argument.