Summerabbacat

“Not obviously.” I giggled. “You realise they are probably going to be singing Dua Lipa or Taylor Swift or something like that.” “Or Abba or Ed-Fucking-Sheeran.” I had a great laugh at Neil's comment. I thought to myself, has he heard me commenting on Ed Sheeran. It was almost unforgivable of him to even mention Ed Sheeran in the same breath as ABBA, only the most suitable adjective saved him from falling into @Summerabbacat's bad books. Anne is very unfair in her inconsistent treatment of her sons, particularly her dismissal of Neil's talents and glorification of Charlie's. Alex's opinion in bold in "The minute the cards arrived from the printer, Neil phoned me and checked his message to his mum. It was fairly innocuous and I couldn’t realistically find any fault. What I really wanted to say was, “Why did it have to be him in the wrong every time?” mirrored my own. Charlie's apparent selfishness has arisen because of his mother favouring him at the expense of Neil. Neil is hurt by this, but does not appear to be resentful to any great extent. A most enjoyable chapter @Robert Hugill, with the comment about Ed Sheeran providing me with a very welcome healthy dose of laughter.

Have you got a "sense" in your bones, your waters or in your crystal ball of what is going to happen @weinerdog? I jest about your crystal ball, tarot cards and Eastern European clairvoyance, but you do so often predict what is going to happen in the stories I have read which have a "Who shot JR?" event.

"Like the night he’d inspected Lukas’s room, no one else but a few solitary birds kept them company. The wings of an owl fluttered, followed by the ominous call of the bird as it perched on a nearby wall. The frigid air was no longer a surprise; though the calendar might show sunny, warm days, the nights told no lies about the approaching winter. Lawrence could see the mist rise before his eyes with each breath as the wan courtyard lights guided their steps." What a vivid image you painted with this paragraph @Laura S. Fox. You are the "mistress of the mood". I immediately recalled the video for a song from the 1989's, specifically 1984/1985, by the German band, Propaganda, a song I like very much. The "grounds" in which the video was filmed are similar to what I imagine Veridien Academy may be like, and the evil Dr Mabuse strongly resembles the image I have of both Herr Becker (Boris) and Rector Rechinau, particularly the latter. I sense a strong connection between Ali and Bastien, one which has not been completely fractured, but remains tenuous. Ali might be the one person, apart from Lawrence, who does not kiss Bastien's arse frequently, and for this I think Bastien has a guarded respect for him. Whatever exists between the two now, I think they have a "history". A great video. The album version of the song is better though, 10 minutes and 41 seconds of Teutonic brilliance.

I am not by nature optimistic regarding human behaviour, but in this case I believe your belief is well founded @pvtguy. Matt has vocally encouraged Levi, with Luke's support, to challenge his existing beliefs and think for himself, recognising he will make mistakes as part of growing into the person he wants to be. Unless Levi's actions result in the death of someone, whether by his own hands or by Casey's hands and he, Levi, is viewed as an accomplice, I too think it will strengthen the relationship between Levi and his dads. One can only hope that whatever occurs does not cause too much pain, particularly if that pain is a repeat of what Matt experienced when the Monolith pressured Tony to report to the police that Matt had molested him. Speculations are rife @Mark Ponyboy Peters, although it is unanimous that whatever Casey is up to, it is likely to result in hurt for Levi and/or Matt or Luke. As an aside, given how many generations of the Thompson family have had at least one who was rotten to the core e.g. Frank who raped Jake, the one who molested Aaron and other boys (I cannot remember his name, maybe Paul), have the townsfolk ever contemplated changing the name of Thompsonville to something else? Maybe they could rename it Scottsville after Tony Scott and Scott (whose family name I cannot remember). You may not be aware of this, but there is a beautiful seaside town further north named Scott's Head, near Macksville where I spent many wonderful school holidays with my maternal grandparents.

I could “blame” them but I would be lying to do so. They are usually out of bed before me. LOL.

Very foolish I think.

I am perhaps being paranoid, but I have thought all along that Casey, either of his own volition or "encouraged" by another member or members of the Thompson family, intends to use Levi to cause reputational harm to Matt and Luke because of their encouragement to Aaron to report the member of the Thompson family who was convicted and jailed for assault. Payback may have been some time coming, but it will not surprise me at all if this is the reason for Casey's interest in Levi. After all, the Thompson family have continuously shown themselves to be scum, which is why they are much reviled by the residents of Thompsonville.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of, Levi,’ he said gently. ‘These feelings, these experiences – they are all part of growing up. God understands the heart of a young man. He sends these tests not to punish you, but to help you grow, to learn, and to find your own path in life. It is okay to sin and ask for forgiveness later. That is part of life. Just remember what I said last time . . . follow your heart. Don’t carry unnecessary guilt. What is in your heart will ultimately set you on the right path, even if there are some missteps along the way." Another surprise, especially for you @weinerdog, more positive comments about a clergyman. LOL. The advice above from Father Costas did not surprise me at all; he may be a "man of the cloth", but he has continually displayed commonsense and humanity in his dealings with Levi, rather than relying on historical, or should that be hysterical, nonsense written when humans thought the earth was flat (some things never change) and dogma. I particularly liked his comment that it is okay to sin, but did not state that Levi's sexual experiences, both with Brooke and by himself, are sins for which he should ask forgiveness.

"Levi tensed. ‘Dad and Luke have been good to me. And so have the others.’ ‘I’m sure they are,’ Casey said quickly, holding up his hands. ‘Matt seems alright. But living with all that . . . it can’t be easy, right? Two full-on gay couples under one roof . . . what’s that like really? Reckon it must really screw your mind sometimes . . . knowing what’s going on in the house, even if you don’t see anything." I agree @Ivor Slipper. Casey's reference again to Matt and Luke as 'fags' and his follow up comment above irked me no end. It is as if he is taunting Levi, trying to get him to explode with rage and admit Matt, Luke, Tim or Guy have had sex in front of him, or have tried to initiate sex with him, or touched him inappropriately. I have been dubious about Casey's intent all along, but after this chapter I am certain his intent is mischief as a minimum, or harm, either physical or reputational, to either Levi or one or more of the members of the 'Gay House' at worst.

It certainly appears that way, and Matt and Luke's attendance at a function could not have come at a better time. It is almost as if Casey knew Levi was going to be free because of this function.

Same "pony time" same "pony channel" Ponyman?

"Sunday morning was "sleep in" time and Martin and Nathan were taking full advantage of sleeping in, so it was about 8am when then they heard a light knock on their half open bedroom door. Martin looked vaguely in the direction of the door and mumbled "come in". I almost fell off my chair laughing at this @Paladin. 8.00am a sleep in? A sleep in is 11.00am, 8.00am is getting up early, even on a weekday, for me. I am obviously a night person. I have friends, similar age to me, who now go to bed much earlier and rise much earlier, but I have not followed their example. They are no healthier than I am, so I don't hold with the old saying "early to bed and earlier to rise, will make @Summerabbacat healthy, wealthy and wise". LOL.

Or the recent corporate decisions taken by Officeworks. Suffice to say, I hope Martin et al shop elsewhere now for their office needs.

My goodness, Hugo was like an overly excited puppy who had just been let out of his carry cage after arriving at his new home. He certainly has excellent gaydar and the fact his Uncle Martin, whom he had only ever known as straight, was now in a same sex relationship, was of no consequence, it was just a given. His sister Phoebe and parents had a similar response to Hugo's revelation Martin is in a same sex relationship. Bertrand's establishment of trust funds for Hugo and Phoebe in recognition of them also being the grandchildren of Martin and Leslie's mother surprised. He is a man of great character, a truly principled man. I was a little disappointed when Rick came to the seafood dinner for six "unaccompanied", but he redeemed himself when he attended the "coming out" lunch. "Rick and Simon had witnessed this from the edge of the pool and moved onto the patio as Leslie and John hugged Martin and Nathan. Rick held champagne aloft. "Time to celebrate folks." Rick would be welcome at my humble abode any time, particularly if he arrived with champagne of the expensive kind. I am curious to know what Liam's "personal reasons" are for needing to move to Sydney. I won't be surprised if his reasons may be the same as those which has necessitated Nathan's move. A thoroughly enjoyable chapter @Paladin, the highlight being the "outing" of Martin and Nathan by Hugo, the overly excited 'Jack Russell pup'.

This terrific song, a huge hit in Australia in 1982 (#4), is rather apropos to your comment @drsawzall. I don't ever recall seeing this video before and it is rather good I think, so thank you @drsawzall for inspiring me to search for a video.

A most amusing chapter @Vcs, even funnier the "second time around".

The most appealing place for the "delightful" Miss Dixie Mae to be would be lying flat, preferably face down.

You are too kind @Vcs. I have often stated in comments on other stories, and perhaps on this story too, I invariably "hear" a song when reading a story I particularly like. It may be a word, a phrase or a particular incident which elicits the song; in this case it was the mention in a prior chapter of the then unnamed Dixie Mae caught fornicating in the chapel, which made me think immediately of the song 'Chapel Of Love'. I imagined Bette Midler doing a "filthy" version of this classic, but it was the original by the Dixie Cups which gave me the idea of Shayna's mother being named Dixie, which I googled and to my delight found was a popular name for older redneck females. She could have been Dixie Sue, Dixie Lou or Dixie Belle, but Dixie Mae sounder "trashier" to me, suitable for a woman who would apply very "loud" make up with a trowel. When I reviewed this chapter initially it did not occur to me that in addition to being a bigot, Dixie Mae is incredibly ignorant. This was particularly demonstrated by her remark in bold in the following interaction with Bass: "Bass then turned. “When we’re done here, Shir, I’d appreciate a clean plastic bag so this can be kept for evidence.” Shifting to look into the lens of Jake’s cellphone camera once again, Bass added, “And, of course, I plan to have her bodily fluid tested for HIV and all other sexually transmitted diseases.” Pushed over the edge by the last statement, the woman became even more irate and started yelling again, “How dare you say such a thing! I ain’t no trashy lez .....!” On first reading I thought Dixie Mae was merely demonstrating her bigotry, but after reading it again it has occurred to me she may genuinely believe she is immune from contracting a STI because her sexual encounters, regardless of their frequency and variety of partners, have been solely heterosexual. This is the same sort of ignorance, whether wilful or not, which can lead to unplanned pregnancies e.g. it was my first time having sex, he pulled out before he came, I was having my periods at the time. I also had a truly horrid image when reading this chapter again of a sex tape by Dixie Mae finding its way onto the internet. Unlike certain "celebrities" whose "careers" have thrived when a sex tape was released, I doubt very much such a tape featuring Dixie Mae would result in her becoming an instant celebrity.

No, no, no. Tony would not allow this to happen. He has bought much of the surrounding property and left it as it was. And Levi, propelled by his grandfather's strict upbringing, he has become a "tree-hugging", sandal-wearing, environmental warrior, laying down in the path of loggers and Toyota RAV4's driven by Emma with a 'baby on board' sticker and twin 5 year old's Hamish and Olivia. She may be formidable and believe because she has managed to breed she has automatic "right of way", but she has never come up against anyone like Churchie before.

"A feather from my frock, a star from my sky, a kiss from the Sun, and he was born.” I swear you have channelled your inner-Stevie Nicks with this story @Laura S. Fox. The Moon has revealed herself to Theodore again and imparted her wisdom to help him find Jack and Vince. Stand Back, Theodore will find them, perhaps wrapped in velvet, leather or lace. Jack a Beautiful Child and Vince a Gypsy. And what of Theodore's pack, his father Tharion and his mother, whose name must be either Sara or Rhiannon, but I think the former more fitting. Are they alive or in an alternate Crystal universe. I Can't Wait to see if they have gone beyond the Edge Of Seventeen.

"Something inside told Levi to stay clear. But then something else was telling him to reach out, even if only to find what it was that Casey saw in him. It was almost like those cartoons he remembered watching on TV as a kid, where an angel sat on one shoulder, and a devil on the other, each encouraging the character to follow the path they suggested." A perfect comparison @Mark Ponyboy Peters. What a dilemma for Levi. On one of his shoulders his grandfather, old and bitter, lecturing him, finding fault with everything he has done since moving to Thompsonville, counselling him about the "sin" of enjoying life and the evil that is his father and his father's friends, and urging him to repent. On Levi's other shoulder, Casey Thompson, physically appealing with his blonde hair, tan and floral board shorts, his reputation as a trouble-maker, a member of the universally reviled Thompson family, but someone to whom Levi is attracted, at least physically. It was pleasing Levi finally acknowledged the true nature of the relationship between Jimmy and Dan, admittedly without meaning to do so. Seemingly neither was concerned Levi "outed" them to Brooke, perhaps she already knew. I hope she does not get too enamoured with Levi, although I suspect she is a very observant and sensible girl, although teenage hormones can make even the most sensible of persons, witless. Beachside Lane, an idyllic locale. Avalon and Bayview, both suggest a paradise unspoilt by greedy developers, overdevelopment and families with SUV's which have never seen off-road travel in their life.

A bisexual three way with Levi the "meat" in the sandwich?

After a somewhat awkward introduction Neil has really warmed to Liam, although it appears there may still be a little insecurity on his part. His display of affection towards Alex was almost comical, staking his claim it seemed, and his offer to drive Liam to the station obvious in its intent. He has come a long way though so one cannot find fault with him, and most importantly Alex does not. I have friends who travel to Europe frequently, with Milan and Rome especially and to a lesser extent Paris, being favoured destinations. Last year they travelled to Italy as they were contemplating partially retiring there. They had never driven in Europe and found the experience of driving on the "wrong side" of the road quite disconcerting, particularly at first. A fine piece of writing as usual @Robert Hugill; the mention of Christopher Street Day purely coincidental I assume. I cannot remember for certain if you have yet mentioned how many chapters there are in this latest Hugillicious delight, but I hope there are many more yet to come.

Capsicum spray? Rodent repellant? Anti-fungal cream? A face mask? Handcuffs?

From the description of Dixie Mae's appearance it is apparent from whom Shayna learnt her cosmetic "skills". From the description of Dixie Mae's behaviour during her two visits to Two Spirits Horse Ranch, it is also apparent who influenced Shayna's egalitarianism and intellectual capacity. Mother and daughter, Dumb & Dumber , or should it be daughter and mother, Dumb & Dumber? It surely cannot be a coincidence Dixie Mae has come a-knocking on Jake's front door on the evening her son, Reed, is attending a party/sing-a-long at Two Spirits Horse Ranch. Has someone tipped her off that her son will be visiting the home of the "fudge-puckers"? Speaking of the fudge-puckers, what is the meaning of Dixie-Mae's reference to Bass as "brown-piped" @Vcs? I Googled it but could not find anything definitive. Would I be correct @Vcs in assuming the likes of Dixie Mae would also be prejudiced against Native Americans, in addition to African-Americans, Hispanics and LGBTQI persons? I imagine she would also likely look down upon anyone with an intellectual and/or physical disability. It does not leave too many people she would consider worthy of her version of God. Never leaves home without her ‘face’ and red lipstick, mid-fifties, known for being caught on church security footage ‘fornicating in the chapel’, carries her bible everywhere, prefers bouffant or beehive hairstyles. Clearly Dixie Mae is another "cherry picking" Christian. She is certainly no beauty, either internally or externally. Her appearance is somewhat reminiscent of the late Tammy Faye Messner, better known as Tammy Faye Baker, in fact, she could be a pudgy Tammy Faye, without a sense of humour or love for gay men. Loves her sparkly-blue eye shadow and red lipstick, dresses provocatively, has been said to go after anything with ‘three legs’ single or married. I am not sure why, but this description of Shayna made me think her first sexual experience may have been with a barnyard animal, perhaps a "real" stallion. All I can say is, I hope the horse was not traumatised by the encounter and had his vaccinations up-to-date.