Ivor Slipper

regret

used up

Both of those would rate as 'cruel and unusual' in my book. Glad you avoided a personal experience of either. If you've not already discovered, this story is not set in current times.

Not quite sure how to interpret that comment!

I suppose you can have too much of a good thing...

Hey, was that another rant? @ColumbusGuy😀😀 I don't mind at all though as I think it's good the story can stir some emotions.

That's definitely another story! Glad to hear you want to read more.

head

chips everywhere

needful

Thanks for confirming my beliefs. The USA may be one country, but in some ways it can be 50 different ones. 🙂

Appreciate the comment. @travlbug has kindly answered for me the first point you raised. I am sure though youare correct on the second one.

Ethan knows the coach has referred to Wayne as 'the breed', so I'd say it's fairly obvious he's in the a-hole category. Especially as he's also agreed to let the team captain carry out his initiation scheme. I think if they went to the trials they'd be in a 'no win' situation.

Ethan's stated the obvious and probably wasted his breath, but wanted to let someone know how he sees the school.

A lot of interesting points @travlbug. I'll do my best to answer them. Firstly, the story isn't set in current time. There isn't a specific date, but to my mind it is in the mid/late 80s to early 90s. The Texas law on cp may well have been different then. People I have talked to who were kids in Texas then believe cp was not subject to such requirements. Indeed, I have heard that almost the opposite applied where after being paddled a kid would be given a note to take home to be signed by his parents. In some cases this would result in the kid being beaten again! It would seem that Wayne's mother has virtually abandoned him to his own devices since her husband went to jail. Her own survival is her only real concern. In that situation I'm sure she doesn't even know Wayne has ever been paddled at school - he certaibly wouldn't tell her. I take your point about the swim team initiation. It could be though that something similar is generally known to be a requirement for admission and thus there are very few wanting to join...

Sure looks that way. But, as you say, Ethan's parents are now aware of what is happening to them at school.

Watch this space Gary

It was strange how the time when we were cycling home after school had become a time for significant conversations between us. However, there wasn't any real opportunity to talk at school, especially now our lunch break was no longer solitary. It did give us a chance to talk about things without the possibility of being overheard, or indeed giving my parents the idea that we were keeping secrets from them. “Ethan, I think you need to tell your father about the conversation Willy overheard.”

stair

given up

ancient

I'll try not to let you down. Maybe what happened to the Native Americans in the US was only to be expected considering what happened to the Aztecs & Incas in South America. the Aborigines in Australia etc. etc. One would hope things have changed in more enlightened times.

It has been my pleasure. Rarely have my comments been more deserved. And one final thought on Toto and Michele's pendants. Swifts fly away each year from the place they were born, but they always return there for as long as they are able.

My guess as to where Dani had gone was right, but I can't prove that. 🙂 I had to wait a little while to type this comment as my palms were so sweaty from the tension created in this chapter. Was this the cliffhanger to top all cliffhangers? Toto appears to have decided on the next steps in his journey of life and whether it be in Ravello or elsewhere, we can be sure that it wil include Michele. And to cap it all Enzo proves he really does have a heart!

modem