Wayne Gray

You know, we tried to come up with a name for a while. Trainwreck stuck ... and now you can see why!

Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying it. 🙂

I'm so very glad you got that with your dad, AC. That's amazing. You're so right - the past stuff doesn't go away. But at least things progressed beyond those darker moments to something just a bit brighter. My loss happened ... but I'm so happy you avoided it. Thank you, AC.

Thank you. I'm sorry too. I would have loved to have had them remain a part of my life.

Thanks, spyke. I'm glad it spoke to you.

You are so lucky, that's true. Awareness of it is good, and you have that. It helps you to appreciate what you have in those who love you, tim and your nephew. I'm happy for you, and anybody who doesn't have to live through choosing to be themselves or to hang on to people who love them only because of a lie. Because there's no winning in that decision.

I thought about it right away, but I did need time to let it roll about in my mind. Your letting me know about WolfM's work, and his poem about his family helped too. Thanks, tim. 🙂

Thank you. The thing is, I actually expected less of him when I said the words. I expected to be rejected entirely. But he'd had years to suspect, and I'm sure he already knew. I never should have accepted this barely tolerated stance, but it was the best I could have hoped for at that time. It costs. But my hope is that it will help others know they're not alone in their struggles with family.

Great work. Thank you for posting it. You inspired me to post the short little poem I wrote concerning my father, and his ... "acceptance." And thanks to tim for pointing me at your poem.

"You can come home, but never bring him." He said as he stared at me. Like a coward, in need of his love, I nod one time to agree. And now viewed through the clear lens of time, I know that was all he had. But I will not trade away my heart, just so I can call him ... dad.

Though there's sadness here, they are still quite lovely. The first ... allowing someone you love to hurt you, in the hopes that perhaps it will help them. The second, I particularly gravitate to the lines the bright beads of happiness ... scattered .. They're there, the beads aren't gone. They could be picked up and cherished ... but they remain unseen. The third ... I will say only that you are not alone. Thank you for sharing.

That's some real insight into Troy. He has had to scratch and fight just to survive, and he did it on his own. It was hard for him to even accept the fifty dollars above what he and Mr. Burgess had agreed to. Those are all good ideas. And look at you, writing my story for me. 😉

Thanks for commenting, tim. 🙂 Troy is having trouble on multiple fronts. He's unwilling to admit that he needs help ... and he will go as long as he can surviving only on his own. But he's close to the edge. He needs someone to convince him to accept a hand. Mr. Burgess was willing, but Troy just wasn't ready.

Thanks for the great comments, Danners. Troy could really use a break. He has been living in a van for sixteen months now, and he's nearing the end of his rope. Grant seems a decent sort, but we don't really quite know yet. What would he do if they met? What would Troy do? You're right ... they do both need a friend. You just might be right about that fence, we'll have to wait and see. They are using Epic. 😛 That's the same system we use at our practice, and yes ... it has a bit of a steep curve. We always pair experienced MAs with new providers for this reason. Blackberry and lime is a great combination. Drinks, desserts, etc. Your suggestion above sounds refreshing.

Thanks, Parker. There's a lot more for both guys coming. Troy has a few lessons to learn, but then again so does Grant. This part of the story coming up is a bit that I really like. I hope you do too.

Thank you, Chris. Grant is adapting to the new life he has made for himself, while Troy is still trying to hang on to some sense of independence, and pretend he doesn't need help. We know he does ... but Troy is stubborn, and for some reason it's very important to him to make it on his own. We'll have to see how that goes.

Thank you, Rupert. I hope that you continue to enjoy it.

10 November 2018, Saturday 8:42 a.m. Finally awake, Grant stretched under the warm blanket and his quilt. His handsome, narrow face slid into a grin as he did. He yawned, displaying most of his straight, white teeth, while a soft growl of contentment vibrated in his throat. Grant felt lazy and the house was cold. He had banked the fireplace well last night but he would have to go down and revive it to have any sort of warmth in the house. "Why just have a fireplace in a house like th

Thanks, Timothy. "Off screen" Franklin was told about Maurice. But, it's not as if Joan came in and stole both Daniel and Maurice away, forcing them to move, and leave everything behind. They're all still around, at least for now. And they do have a choice. She'd never demand that they follow her, but they do both respond strongly to her particular pack voice. And I do plan to come back to these characters.

Hello everybody. Stuck at home with a nasty headcold. So, instead of working I'm editing chapters of Ash and Ember. I was talking to tim today about how it amazes me ... no matter how many times I go through a piece of work I've written, I can always find something to fix or improve. My husband made spicy, savory ramen for me before he went to work. The base soup is a packet of miso, mixed with beef broth, and that turned out to be a great choice. Dried mushrooms broken up in the broth, chopped scallions, thinly sliced cabbage too. A healthy spoonful of garlic/chili paste too just for a bit of kick. Then a couple of bricks of our brown rice/quinoa ramen blocks dropped in until they softened. Even I can taste it with a plugged up face. Nothing like warm and spicy soup when a guy has a cold. 🙂 Anyway, I hope you are all well, and having a great day.

That works. It'll be there if you ever want to take it for another spin. 🙂

Thank you, Parker. Vermont is very cold in the winter months. Living in a van is brutal, like trying to survive in an icebox. It's only November too ... colder weather is coming.

Thanks, Chris. Oh, Terrence and Gail. There's so much more coming for those two. Their story runs parallel to the soap and that of the two couples as well. But, of course, the main event here was Ike and Devin. 😮

Thanks, Parker. I think you nailed it. Professionally, Frank and Ben have bought themselves some breathing room, while personally things are breaking apart. Stressed, vulnerable, and lonely the writers almost messed up ... but managed to display more self-control than their errant husbands. Next week we'll get to see the result of that talk. Stay tuned!

Thanks, rick. I'm glad you're along for this second spin through.