Carlos Hazday

Water skiing was in part a reaction to a story I read a long time ago (not on GA) where the author got rid of a bunch of women so the men could frolic. Lack of imagination had him killing everyone in car wrecks or through breast cancer. That laziness has stuck with me, and I've tried not to repeat myself. I've done the car crash, a helicopter accident, a death from unidentified cancer, a skydiving accident... You get the idea. Varying situtations is one way of keeping a long series fresh. I mentioned before I covered some of what you describe in Ranger and as i just mentioned, I don't like to repeat myself. This was a character sketch which in my mind should be a short introduction. I covered the past (his accident), the present (college success) and the future (heading to DC), It felt as if that was enough for us to know who Brion was when he pops up again. Haven't thought about Caleb. I could make him a jerk or a caring friend, but I haven't decided. You know how our guy uses CJinDC as his handle? His campaign logo/slogan will be CJ 4 DC. The bumper stickers and yard signs will be available in early 2024, They'll feature a cherry blossom branch. EDIT Forgot to address his peeing, pooping, and boinking in my response. I left them out of the story on purpose. The guy who inspired the story at some point said too many damn people want to know out of morbid curiosity. If it's ever relevant to a story, I'll deal with it then.

Took a bit, but as I told Dughlas, I had to wait until the right time for it. We have 18 years before the 2040 election, I think I have lots of years to write about.

Thank you, Cody! I've written CJ as an self assured youngster, willing to learn, and willing to take action when he feels it's necessary. I'll put him in some tough spots, but they'll be possible if not likely situations. If you've enjoyed yourself so far, I think you'll like what's coming. My writing style does evolve as the series ages, but I hope it's seen as an improvement.

@dughlas You, better than others, grasp what's involved in writing and publishing a story. Sometimes inspiration strikes and you whip something out quickly. That was the case with this story, but I had to wait until the right time to share it. Thanks for your assistance, Dugh.

@Clancy59 What a lovely recollection. As the story's front page says, Brion was inspired by Carson Tueller. I know @dughlas googled him. Carson is in a wheelchair and often writes/talks about ableism an living with a disability. I think you'd enjoy what he shares in social media and speeches. I may want to pick your brain when I'm ready to write about a clambake in Newport.

I have a few Everhope Dinners outlined but not that one. I will when I see light at the end of the tunnel. Brion may be surprised at the type of people who jockey for invitations to those parties. Particularly after they were suspended while our guys were in Cuba. Their dining room table accommodates 10 people comfortably.

I told you about tearing down Everhope and building a commune? Damn! I wanted to surprise everyone.

As Brion mentioned, Plan A failed so he had to take a different approach. Since I wrote plenty about Brad dealing with his legs, I didn't want to repeat myself. I think Brion and Brad will bond when they meet. As for CJ, he obviously doesn't ignore the outside but was more interested on what goes on inside Brion's head. Did you notice this story's part of The Squad+ series?

As Brion mentioned, CJ resigning his post as ambassador and returning to DC surprised many, but now he knows why. This is the first time we see CJ fold somebody into his circle for political reasons. The fact I plan on Brion sticking around for a while will give me a chance to flesh him out. I've already written a story with a small part for him and one where he's talked about. You'll see him roll your way soon.

Considering I've been stringing together CJ-centric stories for the past few years, you should realize I have something in the works at all times.

It was either one chapter today or nothing. It takes forever to write multi chapter stories and I'm as impatient as readers. I want it all out there as soons as possible.

Fraud! Fraud! We need a recount.

That's the type of person I've tried to create in CJ. He might be irreverent, but he'll treat most people with respect.

Let's see, in two weeks we see CJ, Owen, and Liebe return to DC in a three part short story. September's offering will be my contribution to the anthology. As I promised @Cia, I'm currently working on a Premium story. You may want to start thinking about becoming a premium supporter to read it. Hopefully I'll be able to finish one about a wedding in Rhode Island and a Christmas story. That one will revolve around baseball. Already written and going live on 01/01/23 I'll share 13 chapters covering a family vacation in May 2027. Hopefully that will be satisfying.

Thanks, Tex! I do try to infuse humor in my work since life can be a pain and a chuckle can help us deal with real shit. As for hot spots, there may be a conversation or two about the Supreme Court, abortion, guns, and Marco Rubio in the near future. You know, CJ's usual stuf. LOL

You know me better than that! Hey, at least there were no cliffs in this one.

That was the intent! With most of the supporting cast, we've had years to get to know them. Brion will be thrown into the mix as an adult and I thought a short character story could set the background. I have another one of these planned I'd like to turn into a Christmas story. I better find the time to write it soon.

CJ's all that, but he can also be ruthless. Unfortunately, anyone entering the political arena has to make hard decisions that might not always fit with their personality. I'll try to show him treating everyone the same unless they're a Fox reporter. LOL I actually know where Brion will wind up living, but I haven't written that story yet.

Before I wrote Ranger, I spoke with someone who had lost both his legs. He was on a racing wheelchair on a street by my house when I rode by in my motorcycle. I stopped and asked him if he wanted to race. They guy laughed and at one point thanked me for treating him like a normal person instead of a crip. That was the inspiration for Brion calling himself that. If he does go work for CJ, he'll be treated as an equal who happens to have wheels instead of legs. I think I dealt with most of what you mention about how disabled people are often ignored. As Brion would probably say, his legs might not work, but his brain does.

LMAO Impatient much? How about I post another story in a couple of weeks?

Google the guy who inspired the story, he's an interesting dude. CJ's group of friends is varied and Brion adds a new dimension. Whereas Brad lost his legs, artificial ones help him walk. Brion won't have that luxury. As CJ said, the wheelchair's now an integral part of him and will probably be for the rest of his life.

Yes, it has. It did in Key West when CJ and Owen modified what they had foreseen as their path to the White House and shared the information with Ritch. The rest of the summer of 2022 will see their plans slowly being moved forward.

Thanks, buddy. Glad you enjoyed this one. We'll jump back in time in the next story and see what happens when CJ, Owen, and Liebe land in Washington after their time in Key West.

Rolling right along... They should since i have a couple more light-hearted stories coming up soon.

It's kinda sad you missed the last two words in the chapter. LOL