Kitt

I am glad you enjoyed Lisa. Seems to me that we all have had one or two little glitches at a holiday dinner at one time or another. My little voice just seemed to want them all rolled into one meal!

Come in, sit and enjoy. And if you want help with your stories that can be arranged too! Welcome!

There's something about the taste of wood that attracts me. Perhaps the puppish urge to chew?

Maybe that's why the weather seems so out of balance?

Before the forum blows up again, may I add? Yes - Will was wrong to have slept with Kyle knowing the boy was attached to Eric. Yes - Matt would be wrong for sleeping with Tony knowing Will is into him, even tho they are not as yet "together". But they are both wrong for TOTALLY DIFFERENT REASONS and in my mind not comparable.

Congratulations and many pots of cat grass!

In my state, while you can get a permit to begin learning at 16 - you don't get a provisional licence till 17, and are under various restrictions for at least a before getting an unrestricted licence. And do I think it a good thing to give a 14 yr old a licence? NO WAY! But then - there are some supposed adults I would not give a drivers licence either.

Sorry people - but I don't think people are seeing the point here. He drank, drove, killed, and was tried as a child? He drank - like an adult He drove - like an adult He killed He should have been tried like an adult, and been subject to the same penalties.

Only 9 reviews - cut us a break - Christmas is coming! We didn't complain when you had the early term slowdown! Interesting to see an east coast Cody enter the picture. I am surprised Brad hasn't spent more time with Cody since the tragedy. I'm also waiting (not so) patiently for how things regarding Maddy and custody shake out - I cant see the grandparents just sitting back and accepting. If they were that easy to get along with the boys would have been spending more time with them! Interesting how people circle back to one another. Hank's ex now head of security in Brad's company? And he had little to do with it. I am sure someone who got passed over will have comments about the connection, as well as the idea that someone who was presumably a target of the discriminatory actions is now in charge. Would also be interesting to follow up on just where that policy came from, and who decided being gay was a potential threat to national security. I think you enjoy raising more questions than you give us answers Mr Arbour! As usual, a thoroughly enjoyable chapter!

Food for thought - Just because something is changing doesn't necessarily make the change one for the better.

The boy didn't get drunk with the intent of killing someone. Is that easier to understand now? The boy did choose to get drunk. Period. End of his "thought process". He never considered what driving while impared could (and did) result in. There is a reason people arrange things like key baskets at gatherings there will be alcohol served in - BECAUSE BY THE TIME YOU HAVE GOTTEN DRUNK YOU ARE NOT THINKING CLEARLY. By your reasoning someone picks up a baseball bat in a store and swings it to test weight and length, and hits someone walking behind them. They have no responsibility because they didn't intend to hit them? It is still a public place where "reasonable care" is the legal standard.

Perhaps I am being a bit set in my opinions, but he HAS KILLED four people, regardless of his mindset behind it. How would you feel if it was your family he had destroyed in a moment of unthinking action in getting behind the wheel impaired? I lost a friend in a very similar situation when I was a teen. She had been doing everything right, and was hit and killed by a woman who had mixed prescription drugs and alcohol. That woman was also sent to rehab, and had her licence back in her pocket in less than 6 months. Admittedly that was before DUI laws were stiffened in our state. Rehab didn't help the next person she killed when she next drank and drove. Thank god the second trial saw her convicted of vehicular homicide. I cannot help but think if the first trial had ended that way there would be two people who would have lived to see their own children grow up.

So we need to wait for him to kill one more person thru his negligence and stupidity before he should be punished? Then what do you believe his intent was behind ingesting alcohol, and apparently prescription drugs not belonging to him, if not to get drunk/high? While I believe he didn't decide to kill someone, no one forced the pills and booze down his throat. An acquaintance of mine was a high profile capital case attorney before being appointed to the bench. I once asked her how she could justify defending scum knowing they are guilty. Her reply was that if the prosecutor does his job she will lose and then she can rest easy knowing damn sure the ass belongs in prison.

Think I am a day late again, but ... Happy Birthday JC!

Quite true. In working with children I have unfortunately seen that time and again. While in general parents and their rights should be respected, the sad truth is that some simply do NOT deserve respect at all.

And don't let friends, family and guests drive drunk! We have the key basket, that is overseen by one of the tea teetotalers in the family. Keys go in when you arrive at a party here, and don't come out again unless the totally sober keeper of the basket feels you are sober. If you don't get your keys back you get a ride home from someone who IS sober, I'll call ( and pay for) a taxi, or give you a blanket and pillow and a corner to sleep it off in. Just like barkeeps are now being held responsible if they continue to serve patrons who have had too much, the hosts and hostesses should be careful of their guests!

Then don't end it. Leave us with a cliffie.

Actually there are two issues with the first statement - Was Will buying a car for Zach a mistake, and did he go about it the wrong way? Was it a mistake? We don't know yet - it might very well be but we need to wait and see if Zach gets into trouble with it, as his parents and Gathan seem to think he will. Was Will wrong in how he went about it? Hell Yes. He showed no respect for Wally and Clara's opinion on the subject, and in fact didn't even GET their opinion, but simply extrapolated what Gathan said to mean that the couple held exactly the same opinion. I live in the real world - to assume my 22 yr old daughters opinions exactly reflect mine would be a major mistake! Am I in the crowd that thinks he didn't make any mistakes with the car? Nope. Do I think this should be an earth shattering event that gets the kid condemned by every "adult" in his life? Nope. Mistakes are made - you learn from it - you move on. How can he learn from his "mistakes", if he doesn't see them as such? Simple - remember while it may be several weeks in our time - in Cap time this all went on in a matter of a couple days. Funeral, car, dinner making Austin uncomfortable and blow up over the car after, then off to Hawaii all in under a week. Will may not see it as a mistake YET. Have you discovered all your mistakes in life within minutes, or even hours of having made them? Sometimes it takes a while to come back and bite you in the ass, and some mistakes bite harder than others,

Is there something I am missing here? People make mistakes, sometimes quite juvenile mistakes, and those are not restricted to actual juveniles. My gram used to point out mistakes are necessary. The only shame is in not learning from them. So - Will makes mistakes. So do Brad, Stef, and even JP. Remember, he allowed Austin to be made to feel unwelcome at the dinner table. Clare and Isadore made mistakes with the Bastille day party. JJ and Marie ended up under psychiatric inpatient care because of mistakes. Why is it Will seems to be expected to live a mistake free, adult, never act like a kid life? The adults in the family aren't expected to.

Very true. We all seem to have one or two like that in the group somewhere. Thank you

As I said, it was originally meant for the anthology but had stalled and the one I did enter presented itself in my head. Thank you for taking the time to read and I am glad you enjoyed.

Kyle may have come out a little bruised, but he came out the better person too. As long as you and his parents keep standing with him he will be a fine young man. When my daughter was young she stood up for a smaller child being bullied and ended up suspended for a day due to a zero tollerance policy for violence. The same punishment the bully was given! I used the day to take her out and have a great time.

Thank you for taking the time to read it!

Who else can get under your skin better than family? Thank you.

Worse to be caught live in it! Thank you.