Parker Owens

Judge Harrison is a good ally to have; clearly Ms. Chandler didn't count on that. She's unlikely to let matters stand, but the restraining order/injunction now in place will force her to think of something else. Andy's urge to run overcame any thought of calling out for help. When has anyone come to his aid before? And I never want to race Andy anywhere. Could get hurt that way. Maybe Andy should have called out "pervert!" and watched the fun. He didn't think of that, either. Thanks for your thoughts and I really appreciate your continuing to read Andy's story.

The courtroom portion of this chapter was fun to write. What a good thing it is that 99.44% of all CPS workers and supervisors are great people. What a pity it is that Blackburn has someone in the 0.56% category. Andy has a slowly growing group of adults he can trust - and this is a great improvement over just six months earlier. But you are right that fear is back, and with it, anxiety. These are unwelcome acquaintances, back again. He hasn't run this time, at least. Andy wondered what the swim coach was teaching - probably didn't look like anything he's seen Zander do. Thank you so much for continuing to read Andy's story, and for your insights.

Ditto Mitchell's comment. Sam is gonna blow Mom and Pastor's minds completely - and not in a good way. Already wondering how David's father can allow the poison of that church to be anywhere near his kids. Seriously wondering how he can be married to a woman who takes that garbage seriously. What David witnessed is utterly cult-like and unchristian. David is trying to set up Twoey with Chuck, it seems - perhaps to assuage his need to feel normal, whatever that means? But maybe Sam's revelation can tear some of the veil away from David's definition of 'normal.' And David needs to let Sam know how much he cares for his friend, too. In my opinion, anyway. Thanks for a great chapter! Want more! Please sir?

I am so glad you liked it! I couldn't help grinning a little when I posted it, knowing you'd get to sink your teeth in it a bit. Better still, Ms. Chandler got smacked down in firm legal language. What's Swedish for "This is an embarrassment," anyway? Despite his victory, Andy is still rattled by this whole episode, and rightly so. Tak so mycke!

Andy's initial observation back in September was that Blackburn High School was much more laid back than Carlsberg. This seems to be largely borne out. It may be good training on the part of Mrs. Vetter (the principal) or maybe it's just good class dynamics. That Bruce was on his way to a third place finish before hurting himself may play into the coach's mind. But Bruce isn't likely to compete for a while, yet. Right now, Andy is badly rattled and entertaining fears, despite his victory in court. Ms. Chandler has done that much, at least. Thanks for reading this part of Andy's story, and for your kind words in review.

Sorry about rattling your nerves. If it's any comfort, Andy's are rattled more. Fear is back in his mind, and it's surely unwelcome. The grey-suited pair are both spooky and real; these things do happen. That Andy had allies when he felt threatened was a huge change from just a few months earlier. Zander must have felt stretched in several directions, too; anxiety, needing to be close, and then having to share Andy with this newcomer, Jeff. But he seems to put up with it, if only because Andy is there. The pole vault is such a tricky thing to learn - that Andy botched it, but came up unfazed is a big step. The court hearing was one of my favorite bits - so much I had to leave out or leave unstated. You have to feel for the county lawyer who must have felt like a sacrificial lamb that day. Doubt a bout of contempt-related jail time would have deterred Ms. Chandler. She'd have worn it like a badge of honor. Thanks for reading along with Andy again today, and for your generous and insightful remarks.

Frack, indeed. Ms. Chandler got her comeuppance, at least this time. The Judge's words were about as big a smackdown as you get in the courtroom, and she's certainly embarrassed the person who appointed her. We knew that would happen, but Andy plainly didn't, and now he's rattled. Very rattled. Fear has returned to him as an unwelcome companion. Thanks so much for your outrage - Andy would appreciate it. And thanks for reading another section of Andy's story, which I really, really appreciate.

Sometimes county functionaries can be dense as well as bigoted. If they are political appointees, that can happen. At one point, I had a whole Ms. Chandler backstory all figured out and outlined, but I discarded it as being too cumbersome. Guess it might have been useful after all. Yes, it's really good that two sharp lawyers are on Andy's side, plus a judge who is pissed off at Ms. Chandler. Not that Andy can see this clearly: fear has returned as an unwelcome companion. Thanks for your review and for enjoying another part of Andy's story.

Well, Andy sure doesn't believe FPS is done, and that's what matters. Yes, it was very close to kidnapping. The Judge didn't call it that, but his injunction makes it much harder for them to shadow the boys legally. But Andy may not reckon on that. Your impression on Zander's outing is about right, at least as Andy reports it - sometimes a dropped bomb is kind of a dud. Or, in this case, it explodes in a way very different to what might have been expected. In any case, neither Andy nor Zander get to hear the whispers in the corridors. But then, their minds are distracted. Thanks again for your kind words and reflections, and for reading another part of Andy's story.

This is a hard time for Andy - not physically, but in his thoughts. He is tormented by visions of what might happen. Fear has come back to stay, and it's not a welcome return. But life goes on through it all. All of Kaz's patient encouragement paid off - Andy and Zander would have beaten Bruce anyhow, but Bruce managed to injure himself trying to keep up. Karma. (Bruce's story is something else again...he's been losing in the pool to Zander all winter...). Andy appears to have sorted out that some adults are trustworthy - Monica, Garrett, Dr. O'Shea, Mrs. Marjorie (perhaps), the Judge (also perhaps) - and some aren't. Even so, that's getting to be a growing list - and a much, much bigger list of trustworthy adults than he had back in August. Losing Zander at night is a huge misfortune - a high price to pay to keep FPS happy in the event they come again. Thanks very much for your deep and perceptive review, and for reading another part of Andy's story.

Oh, how sad. How very February. But you aren't alone, Emi, not here, not now. Four short lines effectively breaking the heart. You write it so well.

Ms. Chandler got wrung out and hung out to dry. Her motives weren't clear in the first place, but she's got to be smarting from the reprimand Judge Harrison gave her. At least - for this moment - she has to back off, but that isn't likely to make Andy feel more at ease. Thanks for your perceptive review and for reading another chapter in the journal.

Lucky CJ; lucky Owen. A vacation romance with no aftereffects? Maybe CJ can be believed, maybe not. What does his caution say about his heart? What would it take for CJ to really give that most important part of himself away? If Owen isn't enough, then it sure as hell won't be a hot body or desire or considerateness or compatibility. Of course, this is why you tell stories, isn't it? Thanks for a great chapter; like it a lot.

March 15 – Wednesday Afternoon I have not enjoyed the past two days. Not at all. My stomach has been a nervous stew nearly every minute. For one thing, Monica and Garrett insisted that Zander and I split up at night. In fact, Zander has moved down the hall to Monica's little office and project room which Garrett pointed out to Ms. Chandler. Garrett explained that if Family Protective Services did another surprise inspection they would find Zander and me having separate rooms, and me with a pr

You know I think this is great...so tough to read, but exciting...thank you!

Thanks for these interviews. And I too ask Sasha to come back....

I wept at this - the image of words burning on their way back up - bile as harsh and vile as melancholy. You have written something very, very powerful.

Honest is good. Too much soul-purging unworthiness crap is not. If Ryan and Clayton can relate to the apprehensions each one has, fantastic. If they can explore each other without competition or fear, even better. That they feel comfortable enough with each other to agree that this is possible is already grand. Ryan and Clayton are already people I'd like to meet. Thanks for introducing us. As for Ben and Benoit, it sounds as if Ben could be in for a very rough ride. Great chapter, love how you are developing these characters.

Welcome, Dean. You've come to the right place for great reading, sound advice on writing, a caring community and civil discussion. Hope you enjoy your time here.

Oh David, when are you going to break down and admit you might actually be un-straight? You can still talk lax and baseball and running, and still be, well, um...gay. Come on, David.... Thanks for this chapter, SD, and for letting us see Mike more naturally. Chuck is going to be a wildcard...is he going to fall for Twoey, too?

You are probably right about Ms. Chandler being a little too heavily drawn. On the other hand, some places still have bullies and bigots in positions where they oughtn't to be. A certain county clerk in Kentucky comes to mind here. In any case, Ms. Chandler didn't want subtlety; hers was a blitzkrieg tactic. The problem was that it didn't work, and the repercussions for her might not be very pleasant. Perhaps she'll change her tune, or perhaps she's too wedded to her autocratic style of operating. The great difficulty in the US is that there are thousands upon thousands of agencies, and at least some of them have Ms. Chandlers in them. Thanks so much for your review, and for reading through 54 (!) chapters of Andy's story.

You are probably right about Ms. Chandler being a little too heavily drawn. On the other hand, some places still have bullies and bigots in positions where they oughtn't to be. A certain county clerk in Kentucky comes to mind here. In any case, Ms. Chandler didn't want subtlety; hers was a blitzkrieg tactic. The problem was that it didn't work, and the repercussions for her might not be very pleasant. Perhaps she'll change her tune, or perhaps she's too wedded to her autocratic style of operating. The great difficulty in the US is that there are thousands upon thousands of agencies, and at least some of them have Ms. Chandlers in them. Thanks so much for your review, and for reading through 54 (!) chapters of Andy's story.

You are probably right about Ms. Chandler being a little too heavily drawn. On the other hand, some places still have bullies and bigots in positions where they oughtn't to be. A certain county clerk in Kentucky comes to mind here. In any case, Ms. Chandler didn't want subtlety; hers was a blitzkrieg tactic. The problem was that it didn't work, and the repercussions for her might not be very pleasant. Perhaps she'll change her tune, or perhaps she's too wedded to her autocratic style of operating. The great difficulty in the US is that there are thousands upon thousands of agencies, and at least some of them have Ms. Chandlers in them. Thanks so much for your review, and for reading through 54 (!) chapters of Any's story.

Oh, man. How is anyone supposed to study now? Lovely to see discovery and sweet exploration, and so well described. Thanks.

Now it it's a wonderful thing to have Garrett the Lawyer for a guardian. Nice to know the Judge Harrison is at least moderately friendly, What's bad is that such bigoted loose cannons exist as bureaucratic functionaries everywhere, and apparently in Blackburn, too. Thank you for commenting and especially for reading this chapter in Andy's life.