Dodger

Thursday was Canada Day, the annual national holiday that commemorates the anniversary of the British North American Act of the First of July, 1867, creating the country of Canada. I had been told that Cobourg was the place to be; a laughable comment on any other day, but I had heard enough evidence to warrant further investigation. I knew that on a summers day, the beach was a natural crowd puller and always busy, but according to the local rag, that day it would be supplemented by a funfa

Oh, I'm sure that Robbie would have been happy with that result, especially as Rory is a big Man U fan!

That is exactly how I was feeling a couple of years ago. Definitely do this, it can be addictive and frustrating but also very rewarding. There are a lot of good people on this site who will give you advice and encouragement if you need it. Don't put it off for too long, you may find that you have more than one good story in you. Good luck.

Thanks again Jay T. When I look at the number of chapters, I think, 'wow 68', maybe this should end soon. Then I read these comments and think, 'no point in stopping if there are still people out there enjoying it'. You're right though, I'm not ready to end it yet.

Sue has been watching Robbie since he arrived home and I doubt if she would leave him unless she was certain that he was going to be OK. It's not good that he's still having dizzy spells and memory loss, and he should not be trying to hide these from his family. Thanks for the comment.

Very true. Robbie has had his share of problems but the blows have always been cushioned for him. His family isn't perfect but he has had a fairly easy ride and a comfortable lifestyle since moving to Canada. Robbie seems to enjoy playing the victim, but his 'him against the world' outlook is wearing a bit thin. In reality, he has been quite pampered and should consider himself very fortunate.

He had been watching me for some time as I cleared my bedside table and unpacked the overnight bag that Nicola had brought in. Then I noticed him quickly look away after I threw it on the floor and swore at her poor choice of clothes. I thought my little tantrum had scared him, but when I stubbed my toe on the bed, he started laughing as I hopped around in agony. The sudden movement made me dizzy and I plonked myself down on the empty chair and closed my eyes until it passed. The boy opposi

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it and I hope it will keep you interested. Thank you for following the story, It's pleasing to know that people are enjoying it. Maybe not a lot more, but certainly a few more. It is already much longer than the original version that I wrote a couple of years ago. Every story has to have an ending and I'm a little wary that I may be taking it past it's 'sell by' date.

I admit it is a bit of a giveaway and Robbie making a full recovery was the only way it could have happened. He hasn't even started writing his story yet and he probably wouldn't have been able to with serious brain damage or lasting memory loss. With Robbie unconscious for most of the time, I found it difficult telling this part of the story in the first person. He would have known very little about what was actually happening to him at the time, but the reader needs to know enough for it to make sense. On this occasion, therefore, when writing the story, Robbie relies on friends and family to fill in the gaps for him and supplement his own interpretations of the incident. Thanks for a great comment.

This was intentional and probably a result of Robbie's confusion. The school would have a parking lot, but Robbie, of course, would always use the English term, 'car park'. 'When they want to be', is a good point. Maybe Robbie's not the only one who doesn't want to deal with the issue. It's hard to believe that they still haven't figured it out. Thanks for the comments as always.

Thanks, Tim. I've had a bit of time on my hands lately to get myself fit in body and mind. Robbie's definitely not fit in the mind and that's probably the reason why he doesn't recognise 'cat's whisker' saying which is widely used in the UK. That's my 'get out' clause and I'm sticking to it.!

I was having difficulty distinguishing my dreams from reality. It should have been simple; the dreams were loud, chaotic and repetitive, but when I was awake, it was generally peaceful, dreamy and dark. It was almost a reversal of the normal pattern; my brain seemed to rest when I was awake and go into overdrive when I was asleep. That was how it seemed, but there were inconsistencies in my theory which later had me questioning whether I was awake at all, or if the whole episode was just one big

Thanks for returning to the story, I appreciate your comments and your feedback on the earlier chapters. These have since been re-worked to eliminate the switching and to remove some of the unnecessary rambling including some of the Fran episode. It will basically streamline the story and should make it a lot easier to read. So I will probably post a new shorter version of it once it has ended. Meanwhile, the next chapter will be published in a few hours from now and Robbie's future will be revealed.

Thank you, Steve. I really appreciate you taking the time to make these points as well as your kind words. It was a difficult chapter and it did have an ending feel to it. I have to admit that I was tempted to wrap it up there, but I don't think that I would have been able to live with myself if I killed off Robbie in his prime or left him in a coma. Anyway, the next chapter will be posted in a few hours from now and all will be revealed. Thanks again.

According to Statistics Canada, 133 police officers were killed in Canada in the line of duty from 1961 to 2009. 92% were killed by firearms and most of these officers did not get the chance to draw or fire their weapon, which suggests they were either ambushed or more than likely they surprised somebody. 85% of homicides against police officers have been solved and in many cases, the person responsible was killed by another officer at the scene or shortly afterwards. The increasing availability of automatic firearms--mostly brought in from the States--has led to a rise since 2005 but recent years have shown an overall decline. In Canada, all police officers carry a sidearm as well as some security guards and even custom and immigration officers. Most of these will likely retire without being injured in the line of duty, but there is always a risk. I can only speak of Canada, there are better places to be a police officer, but there are a lot of places that are worse.

That's pretty cool. Some people get hurricanes!

Thanks, Jay T. A really good blog. There are a lot of similar websites on the net, most of which keep me interested for no more five minutes. GA has kept me interested for more than five years now and after reading these comments it's easy to see why. I've always felt comfortable here and maybe I'm being naive, but I've never considered it to be a happy hunting ground for stalkers or internet weirdos. There are easier prey out there than the discerning members of GA. I think that it's safe to assume that most of the regular members here are genuine and consider them friends. I came here with no experience of writing fiction and at first, I was expecting to be either criticised or ignored. Instead, I found even the most experienced authors, editors and readers here to be welcoming, accessible and very helpful. I've managed to learn from all of you and make some friends along the way, so for me, it's been a good experience. Of course, all of this is coming from a guy who hides behind a picture of the Fonz and goes by the name of Dodger (and I expect people to take me seriously), so maybe I'm one of these fakes or internet weirdos, because I'm nothing like the TV character that's for sure. Heeeeeey!

I must have been dreaming as usual!

Wow! Thank you, everyone, for your comments. Too many to reply to individually but I'm grateful for the response. There was a time when I would have been happy to get 4 comments from a chapter, so either my writing/editing has improved, the new site has made it easier to comment, or this chapter has stirred up a few emotions out there. It doesn't matter, as always, I appreciate all of your comments and suggestions. In the chapter end notes, I wrote, 'what happens next is up to you' and this is very true. This chapter is a deviation from the original story, which was written a couple of years ago. There have been some minor alterations along the way and a lot of editing, but this was a major change of direction and the first completely new chapter. This wasn't supposed to happen to Robbie, so I guess that I'm the one who pushed him down the stairs and not Daniel or Jake. I'm sorry; maybe I've been getting a little jealous of his popularity of late! Thankfully, this is not based on personal experience, although a recent health issue presented me with an opportunity to do some valuable research into hospitals. There is little that I can say now that will not give away the story, but there is a clue at the end of the chapter that most of you seem to have overlooked. It won't spoil the story but it may answer some of your questions. There is only one end of term show. Thank you so much for reading and following.

“Are you thirsty Robbie?” “No!” “How are you feeling now?” “I feel sick.” The middle-aged Indian doctor shared a worried glance with the young female nurse, but I already knew that I was in a bad way and I wanted to go back to my dream. “Are you still feeling dizzy?” he asked. “Yes…I don’t wanna talk. Leave me alone!” I rolled onto my side and closed my eyes. I was still tired and sleep seemed to be the only way to escape the constant, throbbing pain in my head. The

WEST Conference Round 1 1. Chicago Blackhawks vs Nashville Predators - Chicago in 7 games 2. Minnesota Wild vs St. Louis Blues - St. Louis in 5 games 3. Anaheim Ducks vs Calgary Flames - Anaheim in 5 games 4. Edmonton Oilers vs San Jose Sharks - Edmonton in 6 games EAST Conference Round 1 5. Montreal Canadiens vs. New York Rangers - Montreal in 7 games 6. Ottawa Senators vs Boston Bruins - Ottawa in 6 games 7. Washington Capitals vs Toronto Maple Leafs - Toronto in 7 games 8. Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Columbus Blue Jackets - Pittsburgh in 5 games WEST Conference Round 2 1. Winner of 1 vs Winner of 2 - Chicago in 7 games 2. Winner of 3 vs Winner of 4 - Edmonton in 7 games EAST Conference Round 2 3. Winner of 5 vs Winner of 6 - Montreal in 6 games 4. Winner of 7 vs Winner of 8 - Pittsburgh in 6 games WEST Final 1. Winner of 1 vs Winner of 2- Chicago in 7 games EAST Final 2 Winner of 3 vs Winner of 4 - Montreal in 6 games STANLEY CUP FINALS Winner of 1 vs Winner of 2 - Montreal in 7 games Hope that I'm not too late. I'm either optimistic or stupid, but I've gone for a Canadian winner for the country's 150th birthday.

Thank you for your support and kind words Lisa. It's my own fault for not knowing about Skinny, the blog was there for everyone to read, but I didn't see it. I'm only blaming my own stupidity for that. The point that you make about not knowing whether or not to run to ER is spot on, and after getting an opportunity to talk to the experts, their message is clear. No matter what age you are, male or female, if you have chest pains, always seek medical help. Most people will have a few warning signs (dizziness, shortage of breath etc), and it's important to recognise these and act on them. You are not wasting anybody's time and you could be saving your own life. If the doctor tells you that you have a bad case of indigestion then you'll be laughing all the way home, but If you leave it too late then you are in the hands of the Gods and the odds are not in your favour. I was incredibly dumb but also very lucky. I wouldn't fancy my chances of being able to repeat that luck so I'm not going to be taking anymore chances with my health. I hope after all this talk, I don't go out and get run over by a bus or something, because you can't account for everything or live your life in a bubble, but you don't have to be stupid either. This is a generalised rant of course, for anyone who wants to read it and not aimed at you personally Lisa. I know that people will soon get tired of me rattling on about this, but hey, who knows, somebody may read it and think twice about ignoring a similar problem. I would love to be able to share my good fortune with others. Thanks again Lisa.

I think that you have been very brave by posting this, but you have done the right thing. I agree with Tim and Graeme, it's hard to see any other way forward, but you must remember that no matter what the outcome, you are not alone in this world. It's disturbing to read of your attempts to hurt yourself, but I'm also pleased that you are able to talk about it, which tells me that you're receiving good help. I'm glad that you're safe and hope that you are able to see your way through this.

Thank you so much, AC. I'm sorry that you have been hurt recently. I have noticed your recent absence from GA as no doubt have a lot of others. You bring a lot to this site, not just your fine work but with your comments, advice, and support and it's a gap that cannot be filled so I'm hoping that you are able to find your way through your mess. I know that I'm not alone in these sentiments and your honesty is easy to see but difficult to respond to. I can only answer with the truth because we don't have enough time in our lives for bullshit. It may not help that much and you will probably hear this from a lot of people, but it's clear that you have a lot of good friends on this site and that is a valuable asset that you should use. I was unsure whether or not I should share my own issues here. I had been hesitating right up until the moment of posting, worried about what people would say or if anyone was going to say anything at all. I nearly deleted the content at the last minute, so sure I was that no one would want to read about my real life problems on a site where people come to read fiction. I was also unsure about adding my own health issues to a blog that was meant to be a tribute to Skinnydragon. I didn't want people to think that I was being disrespectful in any way, but rather to show how this terrible news, in the end, made me realise how lucky I was. I'm glad now that I chose not to keep this to myself because the messages of support, including yours, were priceless and sometimes I think that no matter how self-confident we are, at times we all need reassurance. There are a lot of good people on this site and it is a close community that I have only just started to appreciate. I hope that we will soon see you back to your normal best my friend.

I think that it would be totally out of character for Daniel to do something like that, even if he is annoyed at Robbie for whatever reason. We haven't seen anything to suggest that he has a violent streak in him, but I'm not going to say outright that it wasn't him either. Thank you for your comment. Nicola's not all bad, in fact, she's convinced that her treatment of Robbie has been justified and Robbie even admits to playing the sympathy card whenever he can to get an advantage. Her battles with Robbie are family squabbles though, and contrary to what Robbie believes, she has always accepted him as a part of that family. This is evident in the last chapter when she rushes to help him, in the same way as she would have done for Daniel or Amy.