Dodger

Watch out Calgarians, Don's in Cowtown!

Sue noticed Robbie wasn't too happy with the way Conner was following him around when he visited the house. She got it right, but she's a little behind the play.

It's not surprising that Sue's marriage is on the rocks. Don is gradually returning to his old ways and Sue has responded by trying to protect Robbie. Maybe it's time for Robbie to tell Sue about Nathan before she finds out from another source.

I always say I reply to every comment, but a few have escaped my attention this time, so I apologize for the delay. Robbie is definitely happier now and more confident thanks to Jo, Nathan, and Sue, but Don is most dangerous when he has his back to the wall.

“Just tell me what you want,” is a great line from Jackson as Luke's frantically undressing him. Actions speak louder than words but I wasn't expecting Luke to be so forward. Good for him. Now they've moved to another level, they may find it difficult to keep their hands off each other. Cool chapter.

And even if it was possible, it still wouldn't be possible.

Drew's doing exactly what the bullies want him to do and it won't help either of them. They'll be easy targets on their own and this will only encourage the haters to step up their attacks. I'm not sure if it was a good idea for Ethan to remove the graffiti, although I get why he did it and I probably would have done the same. Whoever did it though has now got away with it and the fact he hasn't reported it almost guarantees more attacks. They will know he's trying to keep it quiet and will try to out him. He can make it easier by beating them to it and coming out on his own terms. He needs to tell his family and close friends before they find out from other sources. He needs Drew's support and I'm sure he will get it. They'll be a lot stronger together. I feel for Ethan. It's going to take a lot of courage to get to the other side.

If the pipes aren't buried deep enough in the ground they will freeze. Best to leave the taps on just a fraction. You're experiencing a Canadian type winter, but Texas isn't equipped for those conditions. The temperature up here can dip as low as -30c during the winter months, but it happens every year so the houses are well-insulated with double and sometimes triple glazing. A mobile home would offer little protection from the extreme cold, but there are steps you can take to help you stay warm. Stay in one room. If there's a window then cover it with spare blankets, sheets, or whatever you have available. Move your bed away from any exterior walls or windows. Wear as many layers as you can, loose-fitting to allow air to circulate between the layers, and wear a hat (most important). You need to stay hydrated, so drink plenty of water and eat as many calories as possible. You may think this is all pretty obvious, but it works and people often forget to do the simple things. Good luck, I wish you well and hope you manage to get some sleep.

"You look a little stressed???" Ya think? Did she not hear the way her husband was talking to her son? Does she automatically zone out whenever the old man speaks to Zack? Maybe she thinks it perfectly normal for a boy to be so submissive to his father to the point where the kid's trembling with fear. Has she never witnessed a normal interaction between a loving father and son, or seen anything at all in the outside world that may have given her a reason to question if it was right for a child to be so petrified of his dad? Nothing at all? She's never noticed anything unusual about her son's behavior which may be attributed to abuse, but she makes a wicked breakfast. I get it. It isn't easy for her to stand up to her husband. He probably abuses her too, in which case she will know for certain what poor Zack's been going through. Most people know somebody they can turn to in an emergency. A parent, brother, sister, neighbor, or close friend. Someone they could stay with until the old man's locked up. If the monster ever has to face justice it will because of Zack's bravery, and not because of anything his mom has done. She has pretty much abdicated responsibility as far as offering any kind of protection for her child, and no amount of home-cooked breakfasts can rectify that. She's concerned about him looking wrinkled; she should be grateful he's still alive. What a powerful chapter in a very moving, if disturbing story. Compulsive reading. Hats off to you as always @Comicality

We don't know that for certain. This is Robbie's opinion based on his frustrations at their apparent lack of progress.

Robbie's still not sure if he can trust Sue not to take Don's side despite plenty of evidence to suggest otherwise.

Poor Sue means well, but she's still a little clueless when it comes to Robbie's fast-moving relationships.

I know that song well, thanks mainly to my sister. She always used to look at me when she sang the chorus. You'll know what I mean. 40 below is near artic temperature and not nice at all. The worst I've experienced is -30 c which was vicious. You can throw boiling water into the air and it freezes instantly, but it's better to stay indoors and listen to the Rodeo song!

Monday was Family Day; a provincial holiday in Ontario, which I had planned to spend looking after my former ex-boyfriend. That was before the Cobourg Taxi Service, and a creepy man in a car forced me into an unscheduled sleepover that subsequently revealed my location to Sue. Now I had to assume that Don also knew where I was, and he would almost certainly jump to all the right conclusions. Yet I was strangely unperturbed about the probability of a looming confrontation with my adopted fat

Great start. Well done, @astone2292I like the new format.

To hell with my reputation, whatever you're feeding that cat, I need to get myself some!

No colds for me this winter either. I'm so crammed full of vitamin D, C, B, and omega 3 common cold germs don't stand a chance. I'm flatlining on immune-boosting health supplements!

Oops! I fear I've foozled a few things in the past.

This was an outstanding chapter and superbly written. It captures the mood perfectly. I was there with Randy sharing his anxiety, fears, and self-doubt. Worrying over how she was going to react, but at the same time encouraging him to take the next step. At the end, I was crying with him, relieved that this enormous moment in his life had worked out so well and proud of his courage. I'm sure Ryan will be too. It must be difficult for anyone who hasn't been in that position to understand how scary it is to come out to your parent/s. Randy is fortunate to have a mom who loves him and understands that this isn't a reason to be ashamed. I was impressed by her response; it's not an easy moment for parents either, but when it really mattered, she did everything right. She truly nailed it. A lesson in good parenting.

Interesting. This one caught me out too.

I've also been accused of being finicky. It causes problems because I expect people around me to be the same way. This is why I have to live alone.

I spent much of my childhood living in Bermondsey; an area of London featured in Charles Dickens' novel “Oliver Twist.” We lived at Dockhead, next to Jacob's Street (Jacob's Island in the book). In Chapter 50, Dickens wrote, "To reach this place, the visitor has to penetrate through a maze of close, narrow, and muddy streets, thronged by the roughest and poorest of waterside people.' Thankfully, it wasn't that bad when I lived there, but many of the narrow cobbled streets were preserved and the area still had a very Dickensian feel to it. I saw myself as more of an Artful Dodger than an Oliver Twist, so my username was never in doubt.

Thanks, @Comicality for another great article. I can relate to so much of this, and my mom really does have a picture of me as a kid holding a frog.

If it's anything like Canada Post then you may be waiting quite a while for a reply. However, I'm sure Elon Musk has better things to do with his money than fund my screwing around, not that I do much of that kind of thing. My adventures are mostly consigned to my laptop. Thank you, @mg777, as always, for your kind comments.

Thank you, @James B.. This is a worthy point. The ending may not be to everyone's satisfaction.