ColumbusGuy

Okay, I didn't see that curve coming up. No wonder this family is a train wreck in slow motion. While it could explain much of Preston's attitude, I have doubts that it explains his homophobia--I don't think that aspect of his life is due to transference of hatred toward his mother. I'm holding out for some unknown incident from his past coupled with the religious propaganda of his church. Now we see what lies at the root of Drake and Jimmy's problem--his supposed bisexuality. Knowing how Richard screwed him over, I can see how any hint of that in Jimmy could have poisoned the waters for them. Drake is so damaged by bot hhis family history and past loves that he sees Jimmy with all the faults that were in Richard, and that will be hard to overcome on Jimmy's part. Being tarred with the same brush as Richard is all in Drake's head, and Jimmy won't make any progress until Drake can see behind the presumed sins of commission that aren't really there. At least Drake has given Jimmy a chance to look through the window in the door to tomorrow, if not having yet opened it.

Being the completist I am, are your anthology stories listed in your arcana on the front page? If not, tell me where to find them via email! So far as I know, this was all I hadn't read...

Okay, it takes the Newsletter to discover this? It's an amazing story that had me nearly in tears and on tenterhooks for Darren. Yes, Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus, and he's got coal-black eyes. What else have I missed by you G-Man, that's hidden away in an obscure corner?

Thanks Gary, I know you have shared the same loss with Mallory, and all we can do is extend our sympathies. It's appreciated but only time will lessen the pain, though not obliterate it. I read this again and was nearly crying myself though it's been forty years since I lost her. So many scenes of us together running through my head, so in a way, she's still with me. In a perfect world, pets would live young forever along with us, but that's just a dream. As long as we remember our departed ones, they are never dead. As the ancient Egyptians believed, to speak the name of a departed insures immortality. So, 'Duchess, I love you still.'

We know who did this, and it was really clever of Troy to figure out a way to try and catch who did this to him. I hope the picture shows enough for the police to get involved and do their job properly. Come on Ivor, next chapter will be out by Friday, yeah?

Looks like Dot may be sincere, for now. Have to see what happens when the father comes into the picture. A test of fire will reveal any flaws. I'll wager that Preston tries more shit before the day's over, perhaps on their father. It would be so cool if their dad told Preston to shove it and get out of the company. Can't wait to see this Richard piece of work Preston is holding over his brother's head...wanna bet he's not a happy camper living a lie under cover?

I guess I missed his because it came out just before my b-day...sorry G-Man. Okay, if Drake doesn't realize what he's tossed away in Jimmy, then he's a bigger fool than I thought he'd be--a man who would stand up like he did to Preston and Dot for an 'ex' is remarkable. We know that Drake's problems aren't all in his head where his family is concerned, but if he lets them prevent him from forming a lasting relationship with anyone, then he lets them win. Come on Jimmy, you got Preston and Dot's heads out of the sand...now pull Drake's out of his ass! I guess though, that I can relate to Drake's view having seen all the failed marriages and dysfunctional pairings of my siblings and parents....

My dentist would love it, though I just got through spending a butt-load of money with him. All of it would be bad for my diabetes too...sigh.

Last I heard, I'd take the euros over dollars--they're worth more. Same for pounds! I'd love a million pounds of currency, or pizza...or chocolate....

Wow, when I first read this off-site, I told Ivor it'd get a lot of responses...sadly I was right. I say 'sadly' because this is the first of his stories at GA that got so many comments, and the others are equally deserving. I began with Pick of The Bunch at Nifty, then found his other stories elsewhere. Some comments I've seen say his stories are too 'British'...well, what do you expect? He is, and that's a fault because? Are Americans so ignorant these days that they can't grasp a story in anything other than current American English? A good story is a good story in any language or variant of English, be it Canadian, British, Scottish or Australian. I have no clue how you could 'spoof' a phone number or email because when I was younger you called from a 'land line' and computers were huge business or government machines. So, I don't think Mike and his goons are smart enough to do that--they got lucky enough to catch Troy on his run home, and without his bike, a truck could catch him easily. Ivor, being the sweet man he is, won't spin this out too long...come on, old chap, get back to your tale and stop sleeping or eating for a few days!

Like mogwhy, this is my natal month--five days away now--and this is a great surprise! I love were-wolf stories, and the HOmestead Pack ones rank up near the summit for me...great to see a new one!

It was nice to see Adam being more assertive, a first for him showing he's on his way to recovery from the treatment his parents inflicted on him. Troy is a great person to have in his life, and it helps that he shares some of the same fantasies as Adam...anotther thing that will help them in the long run. Massages were always one of my favorite activities, especially with some sort of oil, but that is best if the receiver is relatively smooth-bodied. I tried scented oils a few times, and they were nice, though the scent better be one the massaged likes.... For me, anything coconutish was a big no-no. More please, Ivor!

The only phrases I can remember hearing in my little town were 'ass-hole' and 'ass-wipe'...not nearly as fun as they were too close to the subject to feel like a fun insult. I can picture Jay laughing his ass off using it while Mikey blushes furiously!

Well, my dear, I have a confession to make...from the description I wasn't too intrigued, but it was by you, and I knew nothing bad would make it's way out of your head. So, with barely a stall, I dove in.... Man, this is going to be one roller-coaster of a story! I feel sorry for Drake that he feels the need to do this just to survive a family affair, but I get it. My parents' divorce wasn't amicable--my Dad did the silent role, and didn't try to influence me...my mom on the other hand played the angry, innocent card and never admitted to any fault...and talked bad about my Dad at every turn. Fault was on both sides, but later facts from my sisters told me she was the first who broke their bond. As for Preston, not knowing anything more yet, the jumpable conclusion is that he isn't so clear as to his own sexuality despite marriage--maybe an old event from his past? Or, it could be he's truly just an ass hat. I love that phrase, by the way! So, more please...and what's the interval between chapters? A week like for Morningstar? Pure torture....

It was great to see Tom again, and I hope the lines of communication will be more open from this point on--a best friend is worth making the effort for, even if othercommitments might have priority. It may not be daily contact like when they lived together, but even a few minutes every few days can be enough to keep the bond strong. I always wondered if Tom was as straight as he claimed, and perhaps the separation from Robbie brought home to him that there are other options for him that can be as rewarding? We don't know why the girlfriend didn't work out, but it presents the possibility that Tom might be bisexual rather than gay...some theorists assert that that is the natural state of Mankind when no cultural inhibitions are allowed to take root. My best relationships were with bi guys, but I myself was never tempted to the 'dark and frilly' side of the gender line.

I'm glad Eric and Andy were able to find some 'common ground' this time, and I think the final scene portends a breakthrough for both of them. Eric is proud, and Andy needs to realize that when he offers any sort of help--but Eric also needs to accept the fact that too much pride can only deepen his suffering. I'd like to say something about droughtquake's comment on marginalization of some groups in the community...I hate seeing the racist card being played in the gay culture, but I'm also a realist--intentional or not, it is still there as in the rest of our society, overlain with the veneer of political correctness gone mad. As a white gay man of nearly sixty--a couple weeks to go--I want to say that I never felt part of the 'gay world' either; for me it's due to growing up in a rural farm town with no contact with other gay people until college...in the 70s you didn't 'do' out at all, and with no positive, or any, examples on television, I grew up like my friends--wanting a solid relationship with another guy rather than a girl being the only difference. I had interests in many things my neighbors didn't, some of them would be termed 'gay' like art and decorating, but most were things like history, literature and wide-ranging musical interests that prevented me from being a typical 'hick'. All this combined to mean I felt no kinship with the bar-hopping, one night stand philosophy that was then prevalent in the gay culture, and so I seldom mixed in. I was all for equal rights, but beyond that I felt like an alien in the community at large who held values I thought shallow and transitory. Where were the people who wanted long-term relationships? Where were the guys who wanted a boy next door type? I didn't find them in the bars, and my longest term relationship, I found through a straight friend. So, what I'm saying is, droughtquake, is that minorities weren't the only ones to feel isolated and set aside--it happened to a large segment of white guys too...and we still don't fit in with the 'radicalized left' who seem to dominate the country these days.

For those of you we may have confused--I'm a long-time fan of all things relating to Great Britain and its history, like the old pre-decimal currency with farthings, guineas, ha'p'nies and quid...and of their measures, some of which didn't come over with us to the New World--like the 'stone'. That's a unit of weight equal to fourteen pounds, and it just sounds so cool to say 'I weigh twelve stone', or whatever that number might be. Ivor and I compared notes the other day, and it turns out I'm bigger than he is--nyah, nyah! Weight-wise of course--he's at twelve stone, and I'm sadly at nearly fifteen--but I'm several inches taller and have humongous shoulders and bones thanks to my gigantic dad, who was still 6'4 when I last saw him at age 70. As for the 'important' numbers guys always want to know...I have no idea, but I have had no complaints.

I loved the way Troy is helping Adam to realize his full potential, just what one should expect in a relationship. I won't comment on the Daubney Affair because others have said it. My only words to that are: why can't people just be glad someone is happy and leave them alone...who are they hurting? So many fun moments though--the problems of getting out of skinny jeans, the banana split surprise and Troy ratting Adam's running prowess out to the dreaded P.E. teacher. All things done in just the right way to bring Adam more into his social sphere and build his confidence. More please, my twelve-stone friend!

Don't worry Dodger--you're nearly there, because I'm easily distracted by stories like yours, and real life sometimes decides to kick my butt. Pictures are harder for me to find these days with the vision, but there is one already in my Gallery that I have plans for in the future. Won't say which one because it'd be a huge spoiler! I'm starting 55 in a day or so, but tomorrow I've got two teeth to come out, which means a day or two to let the pain ebb, and get back to solid food. Sigh.

I had two hostas in front of my porch I got from the neighbor shortly after I bought my house, and I had a kid do weeding about ten years back, and he managed to remove everything including the good plants. I was pissed to say the least. The two peonies are Sarah Bernhart and Jules ely, the hosta is Rainbow's End...no clue what that hosta will look like since it was a free bonus plant.

I don't think we have any flowers yet since it's only with the last few days that our snow is gone...it'll likely be back. I had my house mate plant two peonies and a hosta in front of my porch in early November, so they may be good this year. I wish I could get out and do my own gardening, but roses are too tough for me now with the new vision problem. I've only seen purple or white crocuses, but pink sure sounds nice!

As much as I now dislike cold thanks to arthritis pains, you remind me that it will end, and is a necessary part of life for the renewal of both the land and our hearts. I envy those people who live in climes that never feel the bite of Winter teeth or the glare of snow, but how much they are missing basking in their near endless sun and warmth! Like the old Joni Mitchell song, 'You don't know what you've got until it's gone...' I'll keep my Paradise of variety and forego the parking lots of sameness.

Of course, there's also the black and white pic of me in '66 at age 8 on my new red bike wearing turned-up jeans and a black and yellow flannel shirt...I won't mention the one a year or so earlier where my older sisters put me in a dress and heels and an oriental parasol. That day sticks out in my mind for some reason--could that be when I knew I'd be gay? I dunno because I didn't start thinking about other boys until I hit puberty, though I did like playing with other boys at recess more than girls....

Oh god no, please don't say things come back fashion-wise! In 1970-71 when I started middle school, I was wearing an orange double-breased shirt with a huge collar and buttons, and humongous purple bell-bottoms! At least I wasn't the only one to succumb to that fashion disaster in my school...I'd wised up and was wearing normal button shirts and slacks by graduation. I didn't have the guts to wear really tight jeans or skimpy shorts, though I did enjoy looking at the boys who did. The picture of me in the orange shirt is in my Gallery...for those morbid enough to look.

I do hope that Adam is right when he thinks he won't need counselling, but that dream he had isn't a good omen. He may not have been beaten physically until recently, but his life before that could be considered at best neglect, if not mental abuse. Now that he has found a permanent home with all the love and care he could wish, we can only hope that will be enough to restore his emotional equilibrium. I can't wait for the next chapter in the story--got some birthday's coming up soon, and more 'sleepovers'.