Dodger

We all know it was the pastor who put everyone in danger. He's a control freak, and a bully with an over-inflated ego. However, it's the skipper who is ultimately responsible for the safety of everyone onboard not the pastor. The church may own the boat, pay the skipper's wages, and even plot the course, but if the skipper decides it too dangerous to set sail or they need to return early, then his word is final. Even if he's doing it for nothing he's still the person in charge. The pastor knew this, but he still used his position in the church and his reputation to lean on the skipper and tell him what to do. If things had gone terribly wrong then it would have been mostly Joseph's fault, and the crafty pastor would probably have got away with it. Whether Sue takes this view remains to be seen.

By the time the skipper cut the engines, Cobourg was nothing more than a grey smudge on the horizon, and everywhere else was water. It looked like we really did have the lake to ourselves, but the dark rolling waves that pushed us in every direction weren’t friendly, and the conditions were slowly worsening. Despite an ever-decreasing window of opportunity for sailing, the pastor doggedly refused to admit defeat, and the lesson went ahead as scheduled. After steering us into the wind, the s

This is a very good comment. Don re-naming the boat has embezzled 'Elizabeth's Legacy' after embezzling from the estate to pay for it would not only be a despicable thing to do, but it would also suggest he has a sense of humour. Unfortunately, I've not seen any evidence of the latter.

It doesn't offend me. I have no time for religious bigots like the pastor either, and you shouldn't be sorry for disliking Don. After all, there's not much to like about him.

Not sure if Robbie would be happy if Don beat him up and left bloody marks, but I get your point, and if it did happen, the more witnesses the better. However, looking back at all their arguments, it's fair to say that Don has never been violent or even threatened to be violent. He's a big man who can be very loud and intimidating, and say some very nasty things, but he's not the type to throw punches. We all know the moment Don resorts to violence, it's over for him. Jo would drag his sorry ass through every court in the land, and Sue would file for divorce. Everyone would feel a lot better, but if he was that sort, we probably would have noticed it by now. His kids aren't scared of him, and there has been no mention of him ever hitting them. Sue doesn't suffer from the occasional black eye, and the worst thing he does when he gets drunk is annoy everyone with his singing. If anything, I think this makes Don even more dislikeable, because people want him to be violent, even I want him to be violent because it fits his character, but I need to stay true and I'm sorry to say, it's just not him. He has other ways to hurt people, but fear not. He won't get away with it!

The pastor calls it 'a knack for getting under people's skin,' and Robbie has turned it into a fine art. He's not scared of asking awkward questions, even when it invites confrontation and the inevitable upset that follows. On this occasion, it seemed like Don was looking for a reason to shout at him, and Robbie's response was predictable, but he's also very accomplished at playing the victim.

Robbie knows Jo will be there if or when he needs her.

Unless, of course, the local police chief happens to be part of the congregation. You're right, Don was in a bad mood when he got into the car. He may have been looking for an excuse to shout at Robbie.

I suspect the pastor already knows Don will fall into line, so Robbie may be going to church in the morning. I'm sure Hannah will be pleased to see him.

The pastor is good at playing games but on this occasion, he may have revealed his hand prematurely. He was wrongfooted by Robbie's ability to ask direct questions - an attribute for which he rarely receives any credit. The pastor describes it as a knack for getting under people's skin, while Don thinks it's just a simple lack of respect, but it's most likely a by product of Robbie's fatherless childhood. Robbie knows the pastor doesn't want Matthew to talk to him, and he's deliberately allowed him to think he has him fooled. Surely it's unthinkable that a not-so-bright schoolkid could outsmart the clever clergyman.

You've got the pastor nailed. In many ways he's more dangerous than Don, whose attempt to bully Robbie into line isn't working as well as it used to. Robbie isn't scared of him anymore because he knows that Don can't physically hurt him, and if he does, or tries to, Jo will hang him out to dry. This is a big advantage to Robbie and part of the reason why he has become more aggressive when dealing with Don. He's able to control his temper a lot better when he's up against someone like Mitch or Mr Symmonds. He needs to remember that Don and the pastor are singing from the same song sheet just using different tactics. Shades of good cop, bad cop, and it's surprisingly effective. If the pastor can get Robbie's ass in that church Don will consider it a victory.

It doesn't seem like the pastor listens to anyone, even the so-called skipper of the boat, but maybe that's because nobody dares to disagree with him.

I can't remember Don saying anything genuinely nice to anyone, so he would never say anything.

Robbie definitely has anger issues although it's mostly with Don, and I don't see any possibility of them ever resolving their differences.

Here it's March winds, April showers, May flowers. I drove past Stonehenge a few years ago and thought I would stop and take a look, but it's not that easy. You're not allowed to stop unless you pay, and then you have to pay again to get anywhere near it. The druids have it all figured out!

Saturday morning started overcast and windy, with heavy rain forecast for the afternoon. I was told we would be back before the bad weather hit, but we were still likely to get wet, so I followed Daniel’s lead and wore swimming shorts with a t-shirt and a hooded rain jacket. Before leaving, Sue pulled me aside to give me some special instructions. “Be careful today, dear, and look out for Daniel. He has a hard time recognising danger.” “Don’t worry; I won’t let anything bad happen to y

It's easy to be intimidated and I've allowed it to happen in the past without even recognizing it. I wanted to keep people happy and fell into all the traps you describe in your article. I learned the hard way by writing myself into endless corners that were impossible to get out of, and leaving trails of loose ends and unmissable plot holes. I've had to pause stories until I could figure out how to get them back on track, and you're absolutely right, because no one appreciated my efforts or even noticed what I was doing. They noticed when I messed up, though, and jumped all over it. I may have done this anyway, but messing up because of other people's ideas really sucked, people who I didn't know, had never met, and was never likely to meet. Never again! Now I listen to ideas and suggestions but that's all, and I've sworn never to post another story until it's completely finished, no matter how long it takes.

Well done, Aaron. Eight stories in under two years plus Ask an Author is quite an achievement. Congratulations and keep up the good work.

This is a great article, and I truly understand your frustrations. I really get it. It's so difficult not to get angry when someone feels the need to criticise something you've worked so hard and for so long to produce. I've had all kinds of nasty, hateful, and sarcastic comments from readers who are angry because it's taken me too long to update a story or it's not going in the direction they want it to go. A reader recently used the story comments section of The Cockney Canuck to let everyone know that he wouldn't read it anymore because it was too long and not going anywhere. He waited until the 158th chapter to criticise a story that was almost at the end, and he did it in the most disrespectful way and in a place where it is likely to be seen by anyone thinking of reading the story. Why did he read all those chapters if he didn't like the story, or was he enjoying it up until that point? Thanks, pal. What have I ever done to you except entertain you for who knows how many hours free of charge? I wouldn't have the audacity to leave that kind of comment. If I don't like a story I simply stop reading it like most other decent people. I've gotten into trouble when I've told people what I think of their comments, so now I have to watch what I say, but sometimes it feels like I have no recourse other than to put up with it, and it's frustrating. I have no problem with anyone pointing out an error or plot hole, and I'm always grateful for friendly advice or suggestions, but these comments are just plain nasty, and I can't remove them. It makes my blood boil.

Thanks, @Comicalityfor another great article. You must write nonstop to do these every week on top of your usual stories. However you manage to do it, your efforts are always appreciated. I love the way you use video clips as examples. The Psycho shower scene is still scary today, sixty-two years after it was released. I can imagine the impact it must have made on cinema audiences in 1960.

I'm more of an explorer. I'm familiar with Rush and believe it or not Tangerine Dream. In my schooldays, I was a fan of German electro pop.

The pastor is a wily old fox, for sure. Robbie is doing the right thing by being cautious. We will see if he can keep his cool.

Definitely, and you won't be the only one hoping.

Whatever happens, living in such a small town will be difficult, although Stephanie mentioned about moving away, she's unlikely to do so on her own. Looking ahead, Robbie will turn 18 in just over a year. Then he can go wherever he wants.

Thank you, @JHarrison. I've been meaning to reply to this comment for some time now, so I apologize for the delay. I'm glad you're enjoying the story. Comments like these are very encouraging and it makes a big difference. Robbie seems to have struck a chord with a lot of readers and whenever I hear this it's a huge compliment. You have caught up at a good time. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story.