Irritable1

Sappy beyond belief! I love it! Maybe the guys should go to Arron's to eat their takeout... I have an awful feeling...

You know, I can totally see the points other people are making here, but I still have to disagree. Chet is Chet. He won K & M's friendship, and Arron's interest, with his unstinting compassion and integrity. Had he been less noble, he probably could've found a way to snap up Kendall into some kind of short-term relationship but he didn't. He held off, in case Kendall's straight best friend came around somehow. For better or for worse, Moondoggie does what he thinks is right, and if that means he's not going to toss his naked, weeping, disoriented ex out the door... I'm just going to have to support him in that. If Arron is a good match for Chet, then he'll find a way to deal. I may be wrong, but I don't think Chet will be punished for his decency by some awful outcome with Arron. Let's see.

The first thing I like so much about this is how you have conveyed the difference in scale between an adult and a child--the boots actually sound intimidating--and then you come to the uncle's hands holding "his little mouse"--was it a real mouse, or a pet name?--and the reader realizes the tenderness of the interaction. Then the following stanzas underline how safe and loved the child feels, not only in a physical sense but in other unique interactions also ("for me"/"for me"), and how sad the loss of this precious friendship must've been. It's beautiful, Addy.

This is pretty awesome! I had a small content quibble with "make the worries hear of troubled minds" because I couldn't tell if you meant something like "voice our worries" or "clear your mind of worries." The remaining lines are really fantastic... they come across as a real speech, a genuine exhortation in poetic form, and they flow so well. You did such a great job with "fought and wrought," and the repetition of "king and friend" and "turn the wheel of fate" is such a lovely heroic metaphor! I just love this, Dolores.

Sigh. Just cried at Cinderella...

Well, if it was Piers Anthony he probably liked it.

So, wait. Look. Look. This isn't fair. It's like you're accusing the author of being insincere and mercenary-minded because he would not say that he either loves or hates rutabaga. But some vegetables just ARE like that for some people. I myself am quite lukewarm about broccoli, even though I loathe zucchini with an obsessional hatred. I can't pretend to hate broccoli the same way I hate zucchini, or with the same intensity with which I love cauliflower. That would be wrong, you know?

I can count on my fingers the films that don't make me cry, and that includes children's animation and slapstick comedies. Actual sad movies send me into a funk that can last weeks. It's something about the immediacy of the screen. It's a bit of a social handicap

Oh, Arron! Chet is not like that! Be nice to him!

I've never wondered, because I agree--someone needs to do it and it seems to me you do a good job. Maybe you should talk to someone about fostering

OMG, Jim, that is so sad and funny I don't even know what to say

Well, of course you HAVE to say that now...

Also you never invite us to your nice brunches. I had this gay coworker once I still have this grudge against. Whenever I asked him what his plans for the weekend were? He and his boyfriend were catering some kind of elaborate brunch for a select party. He would describe in detail every item on the menu, for god's sake. Was I ever, ever even once, invited? NO.

Ok, that was pretty dreamy

Wow! Gary, this whole chapter absolutely rings with integrity and truth. It's turned out so much better than the ideas we were tossing around in the forum. I'm really thrilled that you were able to take this difficult turn in the storyline and keep it believable, if optimistic. I just love it, and am so happy about the whole thing. Congratulations!