FitzH1943

On 3/26/2024 at 11:00 AM, Mark Arbour said:

I’ve written dark (think 1968), but I don’t think this is like that.  I thought it was a bonding purge. 

Yes, definitely a bonding purge. However, I wonder how our two gentlemen {remembering that there are already rumours of Calvert preferring men} will fair if Granger is required to leave the ship, as he is eventually expected to do when her rightful Captain returns, and then returns to London? Will Calvert follow him, I wonder? And will then the tongues begin to wag as we all know just how those of the Court care so little about reputations. Thin ice ahead for the pair m'thinks.

This is the first time I have read this story. There are not that many writers who can write a story with so many characters and, yet, keep all the characters alive or, in Andre and Billy's cases, passed away. The reality that has struck me in these 48 chapters is the realism. Any gay reader who lived through those yeas can easily relate to the story, the secrecy in which gay men had to live, and the various historical events which took place during that time.

I was serving as an officers steward aboard a merchant ship entering Manila Bay when we saw several U.S, destroyers leaving. Our Captain noticed that the destroyers were flying a large battle flag at half mast. He ordered the Radio Officer to inquire and when he heard the news, I saw him remove his cap and bow his head. After a brief time, he made an announcement in both Swedish and English informing the crew of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. As rough and tough as ocean going seamen usually are, that evening at dinner I don't think there was a dry eye in the wardroom.

I remember serving aboard H.M.C.S. Lauzon, a frigate in the 9th Escort Squadron based at the Naval base in Halifax, when the Captain made the announcement that the nuclear submarine, USS Thresher, was missing and presumed to have imploded in the Eastern Atlantic. Now, it's quite normal for Canadian and US sailors to destroy a bar or two when ships of those navies are visiting the same ports. Having served in a Shore Patrol on many such occasions, I was always surprised at how much damage can be caused by so few sailors when they get to drinking remembering that in those days Canadian warships had rum rations every day whereas the Americans {poor fellows} were always dry. The Canadian Navy at that time was still scaling down their fleets from the high numbers during the war years. We had not built any new warships and what submarines we did have on the East Coast were actually WW II built and crewed by British and not Canadian seamen. But the Thresher was brand new and on a trip where she was still carrying out sea trials. She was nuclear which made us all, not only grieve for the brave lads who had perished, but worried about whether there would be some horrific nuclear explosion. What did we know back then?

Thank you, Mark for a wonderful story.

I am not sure if I should say this  but "All's well that ends well". Capt. Calvert is recovering and their intensely personal relationship is slowly being re-kindled. Caroline has been controlled and, quite obviously, George has the confidence of His Majesty, the King.

Well! That went well. But I'm not nor ever have been a great rice eater. Not even during my few trips to the Far East.

I am enjoying this story tremendously. I feel like somehow I could interchange parts of my own story with this story. Crazy how life turns out.

It is certainly a glimpse, however small, into Adam's past. But somehow, I still can't get it out of my mind that eventually one day the Z will miss school and go back to Adam's place and eventually they will end up in Adam's bedroom with Adam's legs on the Z's shoulders and you know the rest. Artie comes home after school goes up the stairs, sees Adam's door open and finds his boyfriend well into Adam. Life's not fair but I've seen it happen.

I know what Dizzy's mother is going through. I know it from practical experience. My mother's boyfriend so pissed me off, I drew a knife but my mother moved between us. Now I couldn't stab my mother, could I? But it was a clear sign to me, and I never stayed under her roof again. Single parent homes can be so complicated. I know what the Z of our story must be feeling. 

On 8/19/2018 at 7:32 PM, Former Member said:

Yay! Messiah! The promoters must already have figured out that Ryder is in a downward spiral since they’re not playing in a larger, more prestigious venue. (The big venues include SAP Center, Shoreline Amphitheater, and Levi Stadium in Silicon Valley; Oracle Arena, Concord Pavilion, and the Coliseum in the East Bay; Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and AT&T Park in San Francisco.)   ;–)

 

San Francisco’s Chinatown is the most famous one in the Bay Area, but Oakland has a large and thriving Chinatown too. But Oakland’s isn’t as tourist-oriented as SF’s. Just like Oakland in general, Oakland’s Chinatown is more working-class and less glamorous. SF intentionally designed its Chinatown to look the way Westerners think China looks like, kind of a Disney version of reality. 21% of SF’s population is Chinese or Chinese-American while Oakland’s Chinese and Chinese-American make up is only 8.7% of the population.

 

 

Artie & Adam should take pictures of Dizzy’s injuries right away! They’ll need proof when/if Dizzy decides to pursue legal action against his mother’s boyfriend. People who batter their wives/girlfriends/spouses/partners/etc and their families should face charges!

Charges, definitely. A month or 6 for assault wouldn't be bad either. His attitude would probably have the other inmates beat him roundly.

My Word! The Grandparents? Now really. Jamaal seems interesting. I don't quite know why. Perhaps it's because he plays basketball. Now there's a game I never got into. Dodgeball and soccer, yes.  

One can read a lot into the words here. Adam & Dizzy playing the computer game; Z's mother not being the Boston Serial killer; the return to the bridge and the declaration of being boyfriends. But, I probably have it wrong. I think it will be Z and Adam in the end and Ky and Artie. Why? No idea but that's the feeling I get.

My word. There's steam in that boiler, I'd say.

Damn! Damn! And double damn.

On 6/30/2018 at 9:41 PM, Wesley8890 said:

Great chapter, you know if you wanted you could end it here and it would be nice and happy. 😉

Don't you dare. There has to be so much more to this story.

Well! That went along swimmingly. Up to this point, Dizzy doesn't seem too bad. But! M'thinks the times are a changin.

I knew that was coming but not in the way it did. I thought that Uncle would have had a male friend over and Artie stumbled on them kissing or something like that. I never had anyone to talk to. I just went with the flow until I met a neighbour's nephew home or visiting for the summer. Him and I met quite by accident I thought but by his design. Anyway, we had several sessions until the old biddy across the street told my father and he was run out of town. But my father never spoke to me of such things. And then, he passed away. My life and survival skills kicked into start mode. I looked after myself pretty much after that. This is a great story so far.

I feel a little sad at the moment for Ky. I'm still wondering if this is not Dizzy's seduction routine. Maybe, just maybe, there's another young male after Artie and we don't know yet. I don't think Ky has lost the war, Maybe this battle but not the war. hmmmmmm, we'll see.

On 6/22/2018 at 6:34 AM, Former Member said:

So the shunned outsider moves to the Bay Area and becomes the highly sought-after prize for two wildly different guys! Why wouldn’t Artie have an extremely difficult time figuring out what he wants? He doesn’t have experience dealing with issues like this. How many days has he known the three friends? Everyone seems to want him to pick a side, any side, just make a choice! But it’d be foolish of Artie to choose so quickly!

 

Why should Artie act more rashly than Ryder did?  ;–)

Whose Ryder?

On 6/5/2019 at 1:39 PM, drpaladin said:

This will be difficult for Artie to work out. Dizzy seems awfully confident he'll be the one. When these things happen between friends, they rarely turn out well.

I agree.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm, I wonder if this is a slow seduction. I can't remember what Dizzy looks like or how well a 16 year old like him is built. I hope he's built in all the right places. 

markM .... now don't you get ahead of the story.