Krista

I have a joke lined right up for that, but I can't say it. We've only just met them at this stage.

You would think I'd remember, seeing as how I'm slowly reading my way through editing this whole thing. My mind is still firmly in the ending chapters of this story, so I forget small things. Yeah, Lisa's mother is still alive and living in Utah, if I'm remembering correctly. The farm was Phil's parents, who are no longer living. Thank you for remembering my story better than I have... lol.

Every summer and winter I read stories such as this, pets, kids, mobility challenged adults, elderly... it gives me so much rage.

Compassion is getting him off the bridge after realizing it was more than just bullies and a broken down truck. He had to be observant in that moment as well, because very easily, compassionate people may never have noticed the true distress of and entire picture of the moment. At least, that's what I pictured when I wrote the first chapter. Realistically most people live in their own worlds, Trace doesn't, or didn't in this instance at least. The rest of it, I'll have to hush right up about.

You always have a way of commenting that sounds poetic to me. I'm glad you noticed Trace through all this as well.

Back to the ranch. Back to hushing now. lol. Yes, I most definitely will develop a complex with not being able to respond to some of these theories in the off chance I ruin the reading. Thank you for your comment.

A wuss and a weinie? Damn go easy.

Same. Our liquor laws are so weird here. It used to be a law that you absolutely could not sell it on a Sunday. It may be in the books, but not enforced. Restaurants could sell it, but not grocery stories, variety stores, or any other merchant. They couldn't obtain a liquor selling license either. They have to be privately owned with the license attached. It is still that way where I live. In other places I see that it can be sold anywhere, Dollar General all the way to CVS and other medicine/drug stores and I just think that's a bit strange to see picking up a prescription and seeing the liquor section off in the corner... lol Then I go to a different state and damn near every touristy place has: A Candy shop neighboring a cheap-clothing shop, neighboring a cannabis/marijuana vape shop, in some semblance of that order every couple of miles. I don't know where the connection in those three things comes into play... but when you notice it, you can't unsee it.

I honestly can't remember which grandparent gave them that farm and land. So, woopsies. I don't know who got to marry into that house or who inherited it. lol... it is no secret who owns it now though. And yes, I absolutely cannot stand when families bicker over property and some thinking they're more entitled to it for such and such reason, and lord over everyone else because of that mentality.

I can see all of that as unexpected reactions to what is playing out in front of them. Now, I'm just going to hush. I must come to terms that I know and y'all don't. I hate the feeling. I don't know how people live with themselves. I feel like I should be Oprah and be like "You get a spoiler!" and, "You get a spoiler!" but, unlike a brand new car, there's no fun in that.

Through the writing I was on the fence about this dynamic. It is interesting to see the takes people are making as regards to at least Phil, because he not the vocal and most in the forefront of this whole thing. The man doesn't like conflict, I think that's safe for me to say, as he showed that with Lisa and Trace, and somewhat with Joel. I guess the weight of that is where the dynamic becomes a bit muddled. I've only ever wanted to take one person by the shoulders and shake them, tell them to wake up and see what they're about to give up on. It isn't something I like seeing in people, but I understand how someone can feel powerless and in doing so, ruin their chances at being on the right side of something.

My family has been in the same state since my ancestors came from England, more or less. I've seen the good and bad, how people feel they need to fly away to escape, those who are so rooted here that the place fell off the map tomorrow, they'd still try to stay. I am one of those people, I love this place, it isn't perfect, but it is home. I got teary-eyed when I read this. I personally never had a stable father figure in my life, he's still alive just not here. I wouldn't be able to imagine what losing both parents at sixteen would feel like. I'm glad you had your aunt that still hovers protectively over you, and that through other people who knew your mother, can imagine her love for you because of her. It is difficult to know how people are going to respond about anything, especially these days. My mother has always been on the fence about homosexuality. Then I bring in two guys that needed a place to live after their families threw them out. I saw her struggle, but then she realized that the boys needed her and a roof over their heads. She struggled with going to their weddings later on down the road, but she went, told them she loved them and wished them happiness. They playfully tease her about all of that, she asks about them often and invites them over for family functions. There was no huge flip with her, she still struggles, but she always takes people at face value. If they are good people they're good people. Of course I hear things I don't want to hear, from people that I always expected. I have been so nicely surprised over the years as well, from people I never thought would ever be accepting, say they're perfectly fine.

I agree. Joel was already given their worst, so more of that wouldn't be as punching as it was the day prior... just added weight. The good is getting his belongings and seeing things for what they are. I had to give up on someone once. It wasn't a family member, a romantic relationship, after I went through something very impacting. So, I just imagine Joel's experience being somewhat on a larger scale than that experience since it was family that did that to him, where as I had family that kept me sane through it.

I picture him as tall, but not Trace Adkins tall. I didn't know he was 6'6". I'm well above average height for a woman at 6'3" though, so I pictured Trace Connley to be more around my height, if not just over 6'1"ish.. but I tend to not put a ton of weight in exact height measurement when I write, so if you see him as a towering giant at 6'6" go right ahead.

Thank you! Although you may have missed the contest, you're not that far behind in reading what's posted so far... decided to write the rest of it before posting the next chapter. Took me a bit. That and it ballooning to over 250k in words when at most I was aiming for 30k. I am my own worst enemy sometimes.

Yes, at least through the worst of it Trace was there to help him. Although, it was Trace's idea to go in the first place. But, Joel needed his things. There was a life he built in that house and practical things like shoes, clothes... I don't know if it is a good thing for Trace to have taken Joel back there, no one has really said much about it. The comments from Chapter 3, pointed towards that being a terrible idea. So much so that I was like.. "oh goodness what have I done?" And kinda dreaded this chapter, because I knew how it went. lol.

You do make an interesting point on Phil and Lisa's dynamics. That although he seems pushed around by her, and he seems weaker for it, that her blindly disowning her son, ostracizing him to the detriment of their entire family makes her a lot weaker than him. I honestly don't understand how people live in such emotions, it has to be tiring.

First: Incubator. 😮 I'd be entirely lost trying to write a story based in a City. I would base it solely on an experience I lived for like half a year before I bolted. I've been to New York for like a week and that nearly did me in. Wildthing keeps trying to sell me on Calgary. Atlanta is hell on earth to drive through. I've been to D.C, Orlando, I was in Chicago for like a day and was lost the entire time, which is why I was only in there a day... I legitimately found and exit and took it and didn't look back, but I'm counting that anyway. So, it is all small town stories for me. You can't go wrong with fields, sparse populations, trees, maybe cows... cornfields? And yes, idiots like John Lundst Jr. it is easy to see differences in small towns. A good example is when I was in high school we had four foreign exchange students at one time. They were so amazed at how quiet and empty our hometown was, and cheaper, and the food portions... but everyone knew who they were instantly, because they stood out. In an urban area they would have blended in a lot quicker. They loved their stay here though, all four of them were athletic in sports that my school sucked at, so they became instantly famous because they were different, and they helped win us a few more games in those various sports.

I would post the whole story, but that is a no-no and I don't want to be put in the time-out corner. I also think if I did, you'd go on strike and not listen at all my complaining as we go about this writing/editing dysfunctional relationship we have. So, I will behave, if I must. I like writing about small towns, mostly because the short time I lived in a City I was miserable. My husband is this weird mixture of growing up in a city all his life, but likes to hunt, fish, camp, etc. Where as I, who lived out with nature all the way up to my back door would much rather not hunt, fish, or go camping. My idea of camping is a resort cabin with a private hot tub and/or pool. Don't get me started on the idea of swimming in a warmed up soupy lake where all the fish poop is... just no.

As someone who lives in rural America where there are more cows than people. It isn't a lack of education or compassion. Hate is a choice people make, it is an individual choice. There are influences, cultural, religious, generational, but, it is still a choice, we have our own minds and we can choose to think however we want. For every one person that chooses to hate someone for whatever reason, there is someone out there living the same way that chooses to accept and love. It was her choice to take that path when it comes to Joel. Trace chose differently. I try not to look at geographic sections on a map and condemn a whole region because it overshadows the good and doesn't do anything but rewards division. Thank you for reading and leaving a comment! I'm on the fence about how deep I want to get into any debate about this topic really, but it is a focal point of the beginning of this story. As the author, I don't want to feel like I'm steamrolling my points through the discussion of these chapters as I think that may discourage people from making the comments they wish to make, and I wouldn't want to do that. It does break my heart to see people choose prejudices and hate over love, it is traumatizing. To see her do that to her own son, while her younger son is a witness to that makes it worse. Wes on the other hand, needs to be pushed out of the nest... maybe with a boot on his backside to get the point across. Not to move out, but to get out of the house and get a job and future sorted out of some sort.

Who didn't behave? 😮 Other than wildthing, I think most people are capable, fictional or otherwise. I also think, that he was prepared for a lot of different scenarios. I mean he had to have questions running through his head as to why a person like Joel would find themselves thrown out. Looking him over, assessing him over time, etc. And yes I finally put a name down on where these characters are, I named their locations... because I knew I'd be jumping between places... remind me to never do that again. It got confusing. Tempton for example is not a county, it is a town big enough to have a high school, in a County that I haven't given a name to yet - I think it comes a lot later in the story and I can't even remember it. When I do, it gets even more rough. I actually looked up "Most Common" county names and chose from that list... so I'm still playing the.. "I'm not telling where exactly they are... but I hope to tell you over time..." card.

There's bad and good in every walk of life. Trace and Joel's mother on paper are a lot alike. (in a lot of the ways that you listed) White, Rural living, working class, same geography. At least in this chapter one chose to stand up and beside Joel, and the other did not. Your suspicion may be true, at least on a subconscious level. Joel shows promise where as Wes never really has. Also, so far (I'm twitching because I'm starting to feel the strain of knowing how this story plays out and trying not to spoil anything), at least Trace is the 'best' example of white, working class, rural America.

Ooooh. I wasn't expecting to scroll down and read this gem of a comment. Lovely, thank you.

The flatness of the place wasn’t an illusion of darkness. In the far distance, I could see the highway, a black and yellow line in the green landscape that continued past it. The land was gently rolling, none of the small hills big enough to really be considered hills at all, just uneven ground smoothed by the grass. The fencing was uniform on both sides of the dirt road we drove up last night, both sides dotted with black cows, a lot of them, but not cramped in at all. Scanning the sprawling la