Carlos Hazday

Glad you liked the chapter, Will. Thank you. Writing confrontations like the one here is something I thoroughly enjoy. Between your name and your father's affiliation with the USAF, I think you might enjoy the last chapter in this story.

The South was seeded with Thread-eating grubs who even provide protection high up in the canopy. Don't recall exactly how that happens. In the north, knowledge the grubs were beneficial was lost over time, and they were dug up and killed when found.

First chapters tend to attract more reactions and comments than subsequent ones, but I was happy a couple of other ones in this story garnered an even larger number.

The first tattoo I ever got was a dolphin, so you can figure out how much I like them. This was and still is an experiment in creating new myths.

LOL - Sorry, Thiago's not one of the characters I plan on holding public office. We know CJ does, but there are a couple others who will run in the future too. Thanks, Parker!

Thanks, KDM- My penchant for tackling current, controversial subjects made me do it. Once again, it was fun to have someone else be the center of the story while CJ played a supporting role. I can keep doing this for a while! LOL

Thanks, buddy.

I read numerous accounts and watched countless clips of the events at Lafayette Park. I tried to recount the confrontation accurately while allowing for this being fiction meant to entertain. I used to be a news junkie but find myself drifting off while watching the evening news.Elected officials care little about actual events and see everything through a political frame of mind. There's only so much I can deal with when it comes to the pandemic of racial inequality. I don't want to lose hope and keep hoping a few CJs will come around to restore balance to our society. Thank you, my friend.

It's a shame you feel the way you do. I wrote something from one man's point of view, which some in the black community could accuse me of being "too white." Thiago's a character I've written plenty about, but he's rarely ventured into controversial issues. My goal was to show how having a son has changed him. So much so, I mentioned Fabricio being a motivation for his action in both scenes. Racism, something very few of us experience unless our skin color is different, lies at the root of many of the issues you mention. I tried to describe the events in the first section factually, the second was more of way of showing even within the black community there are differences. If we continue to approach everything with preconceived notions and set attitudes, unwilling to place ourselves in someone else's shoes, we're doomed to repeat the errors of the past. When Obama was elected, one of my mother's best friends made similar arguments to the ones you make. Communists would take over our country the same way they had done to her native Cuba. Guess what, they didn't, and after 8 years we had a peaceful transfer of power. I hope the same happens next time we have a change in the White House.

Thanks, Dave. Considering CJ's a middle-of-the-road guy, I assume his friends will have similar attitudes. I think of his beliefs as a Chinese food order, one from column Liberal, one from column Conservative, and a bunch from column Moderate. While his views are often colored by his sexual orientation, Thiagos would be affected by his race. I so agree with you, if we approach every issue with blinders, set in our way, and unwilling to listen, the dialogue we need to come together as one country will never take place.

LOL I often wonder if President Trumps realizes how all the make up he wears makes him look. Thiago's still quieter than CJ, but I've tried to "age" the teens and show their attitudes change based on their experience. As close as they are, Squad members will naturally share some beliefs, but I have tried to make each one and individual. Brad may not like Trump, but he's still a conservative and I foresee him supporting conservative candidates in the future. Unless Cj's on the ballot of course! While they may not all be activists, I've tried to create a group with above average intelligence, willing to listen to each other and sometimes disagree without rancor. Something sorely missing in our country. Thanks for your, as usual, insightful comment. PS. Ajax without the X? LMAO I'm not sure to be honest, but that's a good one to go on. I liked the way it looked on the page and have pronounced it different ways in my head.

They need sound proofing. Liebe wore headphones to her father's graduation...

Told ya CJ was easy to write for. Brett's the other one. I need another scene with Papa Brett, CJ, and Randy!

Remember when we talked about Liebe being at her first protest? I have seen video clips of babies at some rallies. Some characters, particularly CJ, are easy to write humorous stuff for or about them. Personality wise, his cousin Randy is close, and I just had a blast writing a couple of short scenes involving him.

It wouldn't be a Carlos story if there wasn't at least one chuckle-worthy line. Even when I write serious or sappy stuff.

Thanks, Val. And thanks for humoring me.

We take too much for granted. For those who think their vote won't make a difference, I suggest looking back at the margin of victory in Florida in the 2000 election.

I needed to write this but I'm too focused on another story and didn't think it wise to stop that one completely to develop this one. I'll get around to Thiago again.

Thank you, Bill.

SO many straight boys, so little time. Almost done with the third chapter of that other one.

We have to be the catalysts for change. In a democracy, voting is the way to do it. We should al take Thiago's final comment to heart.

My, how quickly they turn. Maybe instead of being honest, I should have marked the story as complete, and made people believe it was a one chapter short. I could have then surprised readers when I returned to it.

Thanks, Wes! Political issues are often part of my stories. As long as we stick to discussing what I wrote, I don't think a warning would be issued. At least I'm not aware of anyone getting in trouble for doing so.

This story will be part of the CJverse where the pandemic does not exist. I've written too much into the future and I don't feel the need to revise what's already been posted.

Thanks! Take a look at my response to the previous comment.