Summerabbacat

You hit it (Solsbury Hill not the monkey) with your Sledgehammer, under your own Steam of course. Just remember though, if the Red Rain starts falling Big Time, In Your Eyes, Don't Give Up just run for the hills because Here Comes The Flood. Of all these songs Game Without Frontiers is my favourite, although for me nothing compares to Biko. Before he even starts singing, the lengthy instrumental introduction has me in tears. Musically haunting, vocally devastating. A masterpiece.

Collateral damage is what he may have argued had he been aware of it @Lee Wilson, but like you I think he was totally absorbed by his own agenda and failed to see the end did not justify the means. George Sr and Vanessa did the right thing, the former motivated by kindness and the love of his son, the latter by the promise of a nanny. Methinks she did not aim high enough, she should have asked for a cleaner/housekeeper too (LOL). This song is rather apt for what took place in China and North Korea. A huge hit in Australia, with very prominent backing vocals by fellow Englishman Peter Gabriel.

For the moment I agree with you @Al Norris, but I sense (or perhaps I am projecting and it is more hoping) a connection is a possibility.

"What if it's not open on Sunday?" Asher asked. "Oh, shit!" I gasped. "What?" "Today is Sunday!" "And..." "I missed church!" "Too late to worry about it now," Aidan said philosophically. "The gallery is open. Their hours are on the website. Let's go." The conclusion to this chapter the reason for my ha ha emoticon @Josh Aterovis. Is this the end of Will's life of propriety, his life before he degenerates into a life of debauchery? A life of hedonistic pleasure, of lubricious carnality; life as a celebrated artist, moving in circles more akin to Studio 54 than an evening bible study class. Go for it Will, embrace your inner Grace Jones/Andy Warhol/Deborah Harry/Liza Minnelli/Halston/Bianca Jagger. I sense a growing connection between Will and Aidan, one which I think Aidan is acutely aware of, one which I don't think Will is aware of even in the slightest, yet. Will appears to have led a very sheltered life, such that although introspective in many ways, that introspection does not seem to have extended to examining his feelings in any great depth, his mind having been constipated by religious fervour, or at least the desire for religious fervour. Splendid chapter @Josh Aterovis.

Everything is "cumming" up rosy for the four men in this chapter, with Walter's mother unintentionally playing hostess to a quartet of queers, a garland of gays. Never has her home been blessed with such gaiety.

">Can’t believe it, Bri, you and Gordon married. “Can’t quite myself.” >Never thought you’d get there first. “What about Jasper?” >Don’t go there, Bri. Don’t go there." It appears the speculations a number of we readers have made in more recent chapters are not without merit. Has Jasper's rooster come home to roost? Very intriguing @Robert Hugill. I look forward to the truth about Jasper coming out. It will probably be Denise who will come by the truth and share all with Brian. Brian and Gordon are younger than I thought they were. I had guessed them to be in their early to mid-40's but they are only thirty-somethings. Brian must have only been in his early 20's when he fathered Toby, very young to have become a father in more recent times. The bed and the shower got a good workout. The latter is like I would love to have in my apartment, but it is not likely I ever will. Di is another of your startlingly "alive" characters you have created in your works Robert. Very efficient and business-like, and apparently a good cook. What more could Brian and Gordon have asked for. Gordon's realisation he is now part of a family of three was rather surprising as I thought him already very conscious of this. It has appeared to me he has been living as if part of a family of three for some time, perhaps it was the formalising of what already was, which has surprised him. Your usual high standard of story telling Robert. Always a pleasure to visit the Hugillverse.

Granny Vanessa, LOL. She must surely be Joshua's "older sister" or perhaps young Aunt? I assume she is in her mid to late 50's at the most, and is likely well "preserved", so realistically she could present herself as Josh's Aunt.

We were barely out of the womb when it was released in 1976 so we must have become aware of it in 1988 when it was a hit again, LOL.

Brilliant Josh, brilliant. What a smart lad he is proving himself to be. Edith Collins may be a busybody, a sticky beak, a nosey parker, a gossip, but her "innocent" gossiping has proven to be invaluable. Either "Dr Jackson" is incredibly stupid or incredibly arrogant thinking she can get away with impersonating someone and not having any red flags raised in a small town. And as for those Jenkins boys, all is well that ends well, again thanks to Edith's "innocent" gossiping (an image of Esme Watson arose @Paladin). Vanessa has really "come into her own" for me @Paladin. In her role as a grandmother she is far less a Mumzilla than she is in her role as a mother. I can honestly now say I like her. She has proven herself to be invaluable in helping Josh settle into his new environment, and she is very observant regarding his moods (maybe this is why she was such a Mumzilla). An excellent chapter @Paladin. The pace of the investigation is gathering, but caution is being exercised to ensure all i's are dotted and t's crossed. Very realistic pacing I believe. And the prawn risotto made another appearance. Delicious, even with the prawns, which I have to confess I do get a craving for at times.

And they live on Lantana Lane instead of Wisteria Lane @Paladin.

A leisurely stroll around the lake, the beach and the town centre, culminating in a visit with Bruno and mention of his famous meat pies and vanilla slices, what bliss. Languid and serene were the words du jour for this chapter @Mark Ponyboy Peters. As some of my fellow readers have expressed in their comments, small towns can be suffocating in that many know your business even if you don't want them to, but as @pvtguy stated, this can also result in love and support from people and a sense of belonging. I think this has been the case for Aaron, he is obviously well liked in Thompsonville and has had the support of any number of the towns population in addition to his friends, which has apparently sustained him to a degree since Tony left. Mrs Hamilton and Bruno have demonstrated this already. I found this thought of Tony's the most telling, it foreshadows much of what I believe is yet to come; the best is yet to come. "Doing that same thing again now brought back more memories of good times we had once shared, but it also brought with them a yearning for more memories to be added to the collection." Of course the chapter was not all ha ha hee hee, with one of the most profoundly sad moments of this story to date: "But then I would go home and I would start thinking about you again. . .’ ‘Oh god, Aaron.’ ‘I don’t know how many nights I cried myself to sleep, wondering if I would ever see you again . . ." This revelation from Aaron inspired a song, a song I have always love since it was first released in March 1976, even though it is essentially a pub rock song. Mark I am sure you will remember it as it became an anthem in our youth, with the unofficial "additional" lyrics merely adding to its anthemic status. Superb chapter mpb.

Maybe Peter Cetera and Danny Seraphine "offend" the acceptable AI algorithm and therefore are "deemed" dead as it is considered they should be.

Baby What A Big Surprise @Lee Wilson to Peter Cetera and Danny Seraphine as of those deceased only Terry Kath is deceased. According to their Wikipedia entries, Peter Cetera and Danny Seraphine are still alive and kicking, although no longer with the band. I only checked this out because I thought for sure I would have at least heard/read Peter Cetera had died because of his solo success, especially the ghastly duet he did with my beloved Agnetha Faltskog (what was she thinking). I actually thought most of the original members would have been older than in their late 70's and early 80's, so they must have been very young guys when they first became popular in the late 60's, roughly the same age as my mother. I hated If You Leave Me Now as a teenager as it knocked Money, Money, Money by ABBA off its # 1 perch in Australia after 7 weeks. It is a "guilty pleasure" now that I am older (although it has still not been forgiven), particularly given they released some other songs later which were way more puerile e.g. Hard To Say I'm Sorry and Hard Habit To Break.

Bugger. I had forgotten that and you only mentioned it not long ago when I made a similar comment, it may have even been on an earlier chapter of this story. Nevertheless, the response to this story must be pleasing you, if for no other reason than you have been reassured the bulk of your fans are clean and tidy, and don't expect anyone else to clean up after them.

I had the same thought @Lee Wilson, and then wondered how many of them are still alive anyway.

Thank you @drsawzall. It is always a pleasure to listen to this song. I think its parent album was the first Dolly Parton album I ever bought at the age of 40+ (I bought it well after it was originally released).

I suspect @Lee Wilson this little tale of destruction may have surpassed Manny Needs A Nanny on the average number of comments per chapter. It is almost 40 per chapter now.

As you know @weinerdog I don't care for their songs much, particularly when they sing them. Let It Be is one of only a few which I don't mind as sung by them. I personally find Hey Jude as sung by them their most appealing song and I have not heard anyone else sing it and like it. If I am to be very honest, which will no doubt astonish and infuriate some people, but the primary reason I dislike The Beatles is because of John Lennon. I have just listened to Dolly's version of Let It Be and it is very good.

She is certainly no Island In The Stream or Backwoods Barbie. The village of her birth is near Knoxville so hopefully she would have survived. She would no doubt be Starting Over Again like many others, including her friends, Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt, who were such a marvellous Trio, but with Linda unable to sing anymore they could not reform to raise money for those in need. Dolly is renowned for her generosity though so I have no doubt she would only be Two Doors Down from anyone who especially needed her help, unless of course she did take that Stairway To Heaven because she was east of the Appalachians. I assume you like Led Zeppelin and quite possibly like Stairway To Heaven. Dolly did a cover of it, which apparently both Robert Plant and Jimmy Page admire. I don't like their version (it used to get played all the bloody time when I was a teenager as it was hugely popular with teens my age), but I love Dolly's version. Have a listen to it, it might surprise you.

Dolly, as in Parton, not the cloned sheep. Dolly, as in Parton, was born in Tennessee in a town which borders the Great Smoky Mountains. @Ticklishboy30 can tell you more about her. I quite liked some of her music as a teenager growing up in rural Australia, but have discovered a greater liking for her music and for her as a person, in the last 15-20 years. She is known for her positivity and boundless energy, even at the age of 79 as she is now.

No non-human animals were knowingly killed @Lee Wilson. The story is a "winner", a breath of fresh air, except for those who died of course.

His ego required his sons worship his existence and obey his commands. Their mother must have had the patience of a saint, or she had "dirt" on her husband which held him in line.

Fuuuuuucccccckkkkkk. @drsawzall has taken all the tissues so there were none in stock, not even all the way over here in Australia @Lee Wilson. George Dunlop Sr is alive, so he must have been west of the Appalachians. Hopefully Dolly was there too as she is known for her generosity of spirit and uplifting nature. She may even be able to calm Lousie-Marie's hormones and get her to become a better person. The threat from China is ominous @Lee Wilson. Maybe Dolly can sort them all out too. Hopefully all will be revealed in the next chapter.

A chapter full of beauty, courage and despair @E K Stokes. I just hope whomever it was who witnessed Charles and Étienne in the throes of passion does not seek to take advantage of either one or both in exchange for their silence. I often think of music when reading @E K Stokes, and in this chapter I had Down, Deep Inside by Donna Summer swirling in my head. Rather appropriate given they were at sea and the occurrences which took place.

Another thought which has just occurred to me @E K Stokes. Étienne had been forcibly fucked on numerous occasions by his stepfather and at least once by Henry and was revolted and humiliated by both. This did not appear to be the case after his sex with Charles, even putting aside Charles superior station in life. It may not have been rape, but it was certainly a vastly unequal fucking.