Marty

I'm not 100% sure, but my memory is that the word gay started to be used in its modern sense around 1969/1970. I know I was still at university when I first heard it being used. I think it was a few years before 1969 that I heard the word queer being used to denote homosexuality, maybe 1966 or 1967. Before that the terms homosexual (often shortened to homo), poof, puff, and puffter (sometimes pronounced poofter) were the terms that I heard while at school. There was a popular brand of detergent in England at the time called OMO, which would often cause myself and my peers to giggle when we heard it being advertised. As far as the term in the closet (or coming out of the closet) is concerned, I honestly can't remember when that first started being used. A quick Google search suggests the term coming out may have been used in the early 20th century (From Wikipedia: The present-day expression "coming out" is understood to have originated in the early 20th century from an analogy that likens homosexuals' introduction into gay subculture to a débutante's coming-out party. This is a celebration for a young upper-class woman who is making her début – her formal presentation to society – because she has reached adult age or has become eligible for marriage). Another result from the same search also suggests that the closet term was probably only added post Stonewall. Thanks for the comment about how I'm conjuring up the epoch. I'm currently writing about my own formative years in the novel, so that may be why it seems realistic (at least to others of my generation). Hopefully, as we move through the decades of Danny's life, I shall continue to recall the different periods reasonably correctly.

That's exactly how much I paid for my first pint of dry cider when I started university. So, yes, the price is correct. Mild ( a variety of beer) was one and sixpence, and bitter (another type of beer) one and eightpence. As there were twelve pennies to the shilling, and twenty shilling to the pound, that meant one could buy twelve pints of beer for a pound in those days... I'm not sure what you are referring to when you suggest Nick is an ideal candidate. But as for Uni being about partying, there is a possibility that Danny may participate in that side of university life to the detriment of his actual studies. And bear in mind this all happened in the mid to late sixties, when there was more than just alcohol available to fuel the partying... (Of course, I could just be laying false trails here..) Danny has already hinted (in Chapter 2, I think) that he's just waiting for the right girl to come along. We'll just have to wait and see whether that ever actually happens. And if it does, we'll see then whether he can put aside his confusion. Thanks for taking the time to comment, Bard!

Both Lowry and Jock are loosely based on two of my old friends from grammar school. The character that Lowry is based on did actually turn up for prize giving after the A Levels dressed much like Lowry in this story, and with the long flowing hair. We were all a bit concerned that the headmaster may have banned him from the stage because of it, and discussed a possible boycott should that happen. However, the head didn't bat an eyelid over it, so we didn't have to threaten a boycott in real life. I still occasionally meet the character Jock is based on. He's married, retired now, with two grown children, and is really the only friend from grammar school that I am still in touch with. Although I've never actually told him, he was the person who first made me realise that I may be different from most other boys (but that's another story). I'm honestly not sure. I know it's still available to buy in stationary shops, so I suppose someone must still use it. I've a much later chapter already written (it needs the intermediate chapters writing before it can go online) in which I mention photocopying. I'm not sure whether I should mention in that chapter that in the 1960's photocopying machines produced a wet copy that needed to be left to dry before it could be put into a folder... And who remembers spirit duplicating machines? Most of my original class handouts when I first started teaching second level in the 1970's were done using those.

It's possible that Danny is kidding himself. He's certainly hinted in an earlier chapter that he has an attraction to the male body at least, but that he hopes it's something temporary. Maybe he's that far in denial that he doesn't even realise there's a closet he could come out of? But the original story notes state that he's hiding part of himself, even from himself. So if it's not his sexual preferences, just what could it be? I suppose the only way to find out is to keep reading (or, in my own case, to keep writing). Derek is... Derek. I don't think there's any hope he will change, but who knows? Stranger things happen at sea, as my mammy used to say. It looks like Danny's stuck with hm for the rest of his first year at university, anyway. Thanks for the comment, Gary. And don't worry too much about not reading all that fast. I'm not writing as fast as I'd like, either.

Thanks for the kind comments, @Bard Simpson. Thankfully, I never suffered any anti-Irish sentiment when I was a grammar school in the Manchester area in the early 1960's, even though I made no secret of my Irish background. The main discrimination I found was on account of my poor working class, single parent, background. Although, looking back, I think a lot of that may have existed mainly in my own head - insofar as I allowed myself for the first few years to feel inferior. As you may be able to tell from the above paragraph, a lot of this story is based on my own memories of growing up in that time and circumstance, so that may be why you say you almost feel as though you were there. It's certainly not an autobiographical piece; but a good bit of Danny's story is very similar to my own. Other bits are based on people I knew at the time; and the rest is pure fiction. And, no, I'm not going to say which bits are really me!

Very nice of you to offer, Clo... But I think I'll pass.

Cheers, Gary!

I noticed! (And now we're only 11 away)

I'm seriously considering the getting a puppy bit, myself...

I first read this story on Ronyx's website (www.themustardjar.com) a good few years back, and it is as good reading it again as it was the first time I read it. Many journal type stories fail to hold my interest, but this one certainly did! Believable characters and a believable storyline, combined with plenty of both humour and pathos, made it a joy to read. I would highly recommend this story! @Ronyx

I'm sure Danny would have accepted the job, but for the fact that it was only a few months before his exams. Who knows how his life may have turned out if he had? But, I suppose that's the nature of life, anyway. It's full of all those little "what ifs"... Thanks for taking the time to read and comment, @Valkyrie!

Yes, indeed! The pre internet days... I sometimes think that the younger generation nowadays don't realise just how difficult it was before the development of the internet to source information. There were only two TV channels when I was growing up, the BBC and ITV, and they were subject to quite stringent censorship laws. Even the newspapers took a very conservative stance when it came to reporting matters of a sexual nature, using terms like carnal knowledge, buggery and importuning in their reporting. And the dictionaries of the time didn't really explain what terms like that meant. I can remember looking up the word masturbation when I was in first or second year at grammar school, only to get the definition of self abuse... And things of a sexual nature just weren't discussed. An aunt of mine in 1963 tried explaining to me about the honeytrap the KGB had used to blackmail John Vassall, a clerical officer on the staff of the Naval Attaché at the British embassy in Moscow, into spying for the the Soviet Union. The news of his arrest and trial was all over the newspapers, radio and TV in the UK at the time. My aunt used terms like 'He liked to go to bed with other men' and explained to me that the KKG had used photographs they had taken of him with other men. But I didn't really connect the dots, even though I was 15 or 16 years old at the time. Such things as homosexuality just weren't seriously discussed in those days.

Thanks for taking the time to comment, @Bard Simpson! You might be correct when you hint that Danny may have been thinking negatively about his A level grades. And, perhaps, as I have hinted in a previous comment, that might be due to the fact that he has a perfectionist streak inside himself...

I think you have to remember that the events of this part of the story took place in England back in the mid 1960's. The law in those days would not have considered simply holding someone's arm to escort them from a room as being any form of assault at all. We'll just have to wait for the answer to that question. Who knows, maybe he'll charm him, or even hypnotise him, with one of his eloquent speeches?

Thanks for the comment, @Daddydavek I'm hoping you meant to write Mr Griffiths there... Lowry (aka: Mr Lewis) is far from being a knucklehead (or a bully). He's just a misunderstood artist.

The trip is actually over. I arrived home on Wednesday, after a road trip of well over 2,000 miles (well over 3,200 kilometers) that also involved ferries from Ireland to the UK, and from the UK to the Netherlands (and, obviously, back again in both cases). Had slight problems with the rear brakes on the car on the way to Frankfurt, which resulted in a repair bill of €370. It was an action packed holiday, and now that I am back home I feel as though I need to rest for a few days (or weeks), just to get over it! Here's a photograph I took from the summit of Grosse Feldberg which, standing at an altitude of 881.5 metres above sea level, is the second highest point in the German province of Hessen. It is the highest point of the Taunus mountain range which is situated only a few miles to the north of Frankfurt, and is a relatively low range, with smooth, rounded mountains covered with forest. The Taunus is bounded by the valleys of the Rhine, Main, and Lahn rivers and it is part of the Rhenish Slate Mountains. On the opposite side of the Rhine, the Taunus range is continued by the Hunsruck mountain range.

Evening, all Hope everyone's been keeping well during my absence. Unfortunately, I can't really stay long but I thought some of you might be interested to know that Chapter 9 of my story The Charmed Life of Danny Murphy is now online.

"With all due respect, Mr Griffiths," said Bill, "before Herbert Byron actually leaves this dining room with you, I think you should hear what I have to say on behalf of the rest of the ex-pupils in this room." "Is that so, Mr Lewis? Well, please be quick about it, because we have a busy schedule this afternoon." "Simply this, Sir. We have been informed that you will not be allowing Mr Byron to attend the prize giving in the theatre this afternoon." "That is quite correct, Mr Lewis."

Evening all. Can't stay, but thought I should at least let yous all know I am still alive and kicking. 🙂

Sorry not to reply sooner. Involved in a bit of travelling at the moment Basically @Talo Segura has pre-empted much of what i would have replied.

Beautiful sentiments, Gary. I wonder just how many of our generation look back on that first love that dared not speak its name? At that time when what we felt was considered by the rest of society to be so far outside the norm that we didn't even believe it to be possible ourselves. Thankfully many of the current generation do not need to deny their feelings. Don't need to hide their love away..

We'll just have to wait and see if Danny, Jock, & the rest of the gang can change Mr Griffith's mind for him, I suppose...

Probably because, as you so rightly say, he's a pompous, self important ass. And he's so full of his pomposity that he's not even stopped to consider that there's no punishment that he can mete out these ex-pupils. They're no longer under his command. He can no longer give them lines, detentions, or the cane, should they refuse to do his will. But he's so full of his self-importance that he's unlikely to have stopped to consider that fact. He probably still assumes that they will obey his every command, just as most of them had reluctantly done for the seven years they had been pupils at the school.

I've not got to Germany yet. Still in England staying at one of my sisters, but heading for the ferry to Europe in a couple of days. Might get the next cliffhanger chapter up whilst I am in Germany. The school cannot refuse to give them their certificates. But they could refuse to let them receive them in public on stage. The school's decision will be revealed (eventually) Anyway, for reading and commenting, @dughlas

Over one hundred replies since I last popped my head round the door and, just at the moment, I don't have time to read them.... So I trust everyone's well.... Can't stay, but I thought I would let yous all know that Chapter 8 of my The Charmed Life of Danny Murphy story is now online... https://gayauthors.org/story/marty/the-charmed-life-of-danny-murphy-working-title/8 Chat later sometime!