Dodger

Thanks Tim. I don't think Jeff's evil and he certainly doesn't want to hurt his kids but his actions are causing a lot of harm. He's narrow minded and desperately needs help and a voice of reason before he loses his family altogether. Simon, the boy with the most to lose, regrettably is the scapegoat.

Thank you @Thomas Haworth Jeff is naturally gifted in that department. Thank you for your interest in the story. More next Sunday.

Thanks @Ivor Slipper Jeff is very self-centered and the alcohol, of course, will only add to his list of problems in the long term. Thanks so much for your support.

Thanks @Canuck You make an interesting point about vets and I can see how true this would be. We all act a little different when we are put in a situation where we know there is a good chance we can be killed. I was doing some research for a story based in wartime London. During the blitz the city endured 57 consecutive nights of indiscriminate aerial bombardment. It's hardly surprising that during that period there was a very noticeable drop in public morality. Everyone was at it apparently and it became a problem for the government because people weren't turning up for work. There were record number of pregnancies at a time when they needed women in the factories. Not much of this made the history books of course. There was also a much wider acceptance of gay people who enjoyed unprecedented freedom during the war years at a time when homosexuality still carried a prison sentence. There were more important things to worry about. Sadly, when the war ended the government began prosecuting people again and many homosexuals were imprisoned and even forced to undergo chemical castration. The story of Alan Turing, a hero who helped break the enigma code is very interesting.

I know it's ridiculous. Jeff is angry at Simon for looking and behaving like a normal teenage boy! He was obviously trying to infiltrate and corrupt his family. As you put it, he wasn't acting gay enough for him to notice. Thanks Israfil.

Thanks Steve. I was expecting people to be angry with him but I've been surprised by some of the reactions. Jeff is a thoroughly dis-likeable person but a lot of people are still willing to give him a chance to redeem himself. I suppose it makes a difference him being the narrator. It gives us an insight into his character which we wouldn't usually get with the villain. I am hoping people will be able to see him not just as an aggressor but also as a victim. I agree with everything you've said and I like it when you get on the philosophical soapbox (I'm glad I didn't have to spell that word).

Well so far the reaction to this chapter has been better than expected. I suspect your editing has softened the blow. They may not like what the read but at least they can read it. Thanks again Carlos. Despite the constant flashbacks and increasing need to blot them out with alcohol, Jeff doesn't believe that he's ill at all. As far as he is concerned it's his son who is sick and Simon who made him that way.

I hung up the phone and stared into the frightened boy’s eyes. It seemed preposterous. I had known Simon since he was a young boy and he had never acted like a homosexual. He wasn’t the most masculine of boys but he certainly wasn’t girly either. At first, I suspected it was another lie to cover for something more sinister but I couldn’t think of anything that could be any worse. It wasn’t what I was expecting but it made sense. It explained why his father had acted the way he did and wh

It all makes sense in the end.

Thanks @Rndmrunner I'm not one of the 'Bob Bashers' although I wouldn't refer to him as lovely either. Bob is Bob and if you know what he's like then you know what to expect. Andy does and that's why he's worried but he also knows that Bob hasn't witnessed anything particularly bad and he's also quite naive. For example, I doubt if he would believe anyone who told him that Andy was gay.

Thanks @Parker Owens for reading and commenting. There's a bit of comedy here but as you point out, it could also be true. I suspect crazier things have happened in real life. Whether this unlikely pair can ever iron out their differences enough to be anything other than enemies may be asking too much but we shall soon see.

Hey Ray. Glad you're still around and reading. I was pleased to see your comment earlier. Bob's a bit unpredictable but he doesn't know much anyway. The last he saw of Andy was when he left him to retrieve his phone but there are a few surprises to come yet.

Thanks @FanLit Yes, I think Andy would have been better off leaving when he had the chance. It would have preserved his dignity and kept him in a job and maybe saved him years of back problems too.

There's a real love-hate relationship developing here between the two main characters. We will see where it goes soon. Thanks Chris.

That's probably what the future holds for this kid. We'll see how loyal the record company is to him once his career starts taking a nose dive. No more Mrs Dewsbury to smooth things over. No more blank cheques and special privileges. That'll knock him down a peg or two. Of course, Andy may be able to preempt that with a little retribution of his own.

Thanks, for a wonderful comment Tim. You have tremendous insight and put this into words much better than I could. Your personal experiences have no doubt taken their toll and I know that you can never fully recover from that kind of thing but the fact that you are able to talk so candidly about it, is a credit to you and those closest to you. As for Jeff. There is no doubt that he is hopelessly out of his depth here but he has people around him who are better equipped and have some good advice for him if his stubborn nature will allow him to think for himself instead of following the preset guides. This story is set a little before our time when it was still very difficult and quite dangerous for gay people even in the US. I did a lot of research for this story and I didn't realize how much attitudes have changed in recent years.

Thanks Tim. Yeah, well spotted. It seems that Jeff can be quite accommodating when there's money involved. He has an expensive habit to fund and Simon may prove useful to him in the kitchen.

This is so true and Andy at least recognizes and understands how it works even if he is his own worst enemy at times. Celebrities need publicity to remain celebrities and in the music business, bad behaviour is generally rewarded. He's getting a bit old now and has to start to broaden his appeal to the older teenage market. He's going to have to move from pretty boy to bad boy. Maybe if he can throw a few parties and get himself arrested a couple of times. Smashing up an expensive sports car usually works too. Throw in a few tattoos, some earrings and a bit of stubble on his chin and........sound like anyone we know?

Tyrone is still finding his limits and surprising himself by how far he can push people and what he can get away with. As long as he can keep picking up Brit Awards, the record label will cover his tracks and make excuses for his behaviour. I think that Tyrone may feel guilty enough about destroying Andy's life to offer him a job of some kind but whether Andy's stubborn nature allows him to accept it, is another matter.

Thanks, Edward. Yes, they make an unlikely pair. Tyrone has a long list of problems associated with child stars when they get older and is fascinated by Andy's refusal to give him any special treatment. Bob doesn't really know what happened during the night but he'll want a share of the publicity.

I was shaking uncontrollably from the near freezing temperature and probably also from fear as the ledge beneath me began to crumble. There was nothing under my left foot anymore and when I looked down I became dizzy and disorientated. I slipped and my heart jumped, then the world began to spiral as I fell forward. My body somersaulting as I plummeted to the ground. It was all over in a blink of an eye. I didn’t even get to see my life flash before my eyes. I guess it was too short a fall ev

Thanks Tim. You're another one who's opinion matters a great deal to me. Ha ha. It frightened me because I found it very easy to get into his mindset. I wonder what kind of reaction Jeff would get if he tried to post a blog on GA. 😠

Thanks JP. You know how important your opinion is to me. I naturally write in British/Canadian English but for the soldier story I needed it to be totally American. There are a lot of subtle differences as you know even between Canadian and American English which Carlos has been helping me with. It can get even more complex when you start taking regional differences into consideration but i doubt if anyone's going to be that fussy. Sorry for hiding Nicola. I've been trying to get her to join GA, that would be fun. She would definitely be my biggest critic and fan at the same time. She doesn't get a lot of free time these days with her hubby and kids. Yeah, she's married with two lovely kids who I get to spoil.

Thanks Steve. I was hoping that you would comment. My connection with Robbie is just personality. I'm glad to say that the story is a pretty much all fiction but I have to admit to being every bit as stupid and troubled as the character when I was his age. I wasn't the most congenial person to have around but they put up with me. I think the story has run it's course. It's already twice as long as I originally planned but the ending hasn't changed and I'll stay rue to it. With the Soldier's guide, the spoiler has always been in the story description. @Timothy M. wanted me to change this but I really liked the way it sounded and figured that most people would work it out very quickly anyway.

Haha. Don't worry, she's not nearly as formidable or intimidating in real life. In fact, she is a very, very, very, nice person. She's also super intelligent, witty, generous, good-looking, and extremely popular. I should make it clear that she would never dream of using blackmail or the threat of violence to influence what I write about her and even if she did, which is preposterous, I still wouldn't agree to it.