Summerabbacat

My mother did not like me listening to Kate Bush, specifically Wuthering Heights, as Kate sings it in a very high pitched voice. My mother said Kate's voice hurt her ears. When I listened to Kate I had to close my bedroom door. The first time I can ever recall the "c" word being used was by my mother. I was about 11 or 12 so she would have been in her early 30's. She was hanging up curtains she had washed and the curtain rod fell off the hooks it hung on and hit her on the head. She let fly with the "c" word as she did not know I was inside in my bedroom. She was very embarrassed when I sang out "Mum". Suffice to say, we have both used that word many times since. LOL.

Tell “Primrose” she can probably order it from the Pony Palace in Fyshwick.

I think I saw that one @drsawzall. You, sorry Randy Steel, topped Rock Hardon, and then had a three-way with Rock and Spike Long. Your gymnastic training certainly came in handy too, very impressive display of the splits on several occasions, in fact, I wondered how Rock would be able to walk after finishing that second scene. I think I got a sneak peak of your Volvo in it too.

Were you in this video @drsawzall? This song was a huge hit in Australia and nowhere else.

You were certainly very versatile @drsawzall; handsome cowboy stud, handsome surfer dude. Did you ever have a guest appearance in Magnum PI, a John Hughes teen drama with the Brat Pack, or a Falcon or William Higgins porn flick? The Pizza Boy He Delivers In Boston or These Bases Are Loaded In Boston or The Other Side Of Boston Part 2?

Bastien worshipping seems to be very prevalent amongst the students; even the teaching staff are not immune to his charms, with Herr Becker practically salivating in his presence.

To quote Ohio Express, Yummy, Yummy, Yummy.

Pretty bloody obvious you lived in Sydney wasn't it. Duh @Summerabbacat.

A teenage Paladin. Did you spend your formative and teen years living at the Central Coast too? I think you may have been a teenager when Elvis was a sensation. Was he as popular in Australia as he was in the USA?

@Laura S. Fox mentioned early in the piece the story was set in the 1980's. I have had an 80's soundtrack in my head right from the start of reading this story, but funnily enough no Madonna or Prince, both of whom I think are brilliant. My soundtrack has been almost exclusively English with lots of New Order, Dead Or Alive, the Cure, Pet Shop Boys and Bananarama. This chapter it was The Cure. Lawrence's admission that he wanted to fuck Bastien made me think of Why Can't I Be You by the Cure, a simply marvellous song, one of many they have released over the last 47 years.

@Mark Ponyboy Peters I seem to recall having P plates which were magnetic, which stuck to the car like a fridge magnet. Am I imagining this, or was this a thing?

I vaguely recall the time when the wearing of seatbelts was not compulsory, in fact, I don't remember if cars were even fitted with them. When one thinks of this now it is with horror. My parents had a powder blue Datsun Sunbird I think, which I don't recall having seatbelts. I also remember well when we were still permitted to smoke in the workplace. How filthy and inconsiderate I was, although I was never a heavy smoker. 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮

Perhaps this is what Ted Mulry portrayed in one of @Mark Ponyboy Peters' songs from the 1970's he is very fond of, Jump Up In My Car. He may have been practicing his calisthenics or changing a baby's nappy, Ted Mulry that is, not Mark.

I guess it would have made it easier to shell a bucket of peas, or string a bucket of beans or knit a nice cardigan in the front seat @Paladin. Knit one, pearl one, sister.

Bloody hell. You must have had nerves of steel @Paladin. Were you about 16 years and 9 months at the time?

I thought maybe I had imagined this, but I am almost positive the car I was taught to drive on by my mother, a Holden H-something or other, had the gears on the steering wheel. I hated the wretched thing.

A 'bit of a wanker' you say @Gary L. LOL. I would say a complete tosser, a total tool, a right prat. Another lovely descriptive Hugillism @Robert Hugill. Lummock. I can't say I have ever come across this word before. "Alex! What a surprise! Is everything all right? “Yes, Mother. I just wanted a quick word about Charlie.” >Charlie? Why? “Is he still doing things at the Centre?” >Why, yes. He’s working with his choir and helping lots of the lads with their English and reading. He’s really involved. Malcolm—who runs the Centre—is so pleased, and Charlie is earning money, too." Could this be the same centre and the same Malcolm from Not Just Another Summer @Robert Hugill? Neil was a little, well a lot more, saucy in this chapter. Love that word 'saucy' Robert, it makes me think of Barbara Windsor or Mrs Slocombe and her beloved pussy. As an Aussie teen growing up in the 1970's English TV comedies were a staple of my rural upbringing. Are You Being Served, Some Mother's Do Ave 'Em, Man About The House, George & Mildred, The Liver Birds, Bless This House and probably many others which I have forgotten. They were all shown on the ABC, not on the commercial stations, so were enjoyed ad-free. My all-time favourite comedy is English, and it is Absolutely Fabulous.

This smacks of being deliberately set up for a high failure rate @weinerdog. Does San Diego have adequate public transport or is a car virtually essential?

I was a terrible driver; grabbing the shaft did not present a problem, but changing gears was always a struggle and that wretched clutch thing, forget it. I wasn’t too bad with an a u t o-matic, just impatient.

As I have commented, shades of the Thompson who molested Aaron at the beach that time, amongst other boys.

Now, now don’t be greedy @drsawzall. You have your hunk-attracting vintage Volvo, your huge “guns”, ripped torso and sleeveless denim shirt. I imagine your dance card is still quite full. What more could you possibly need?

I think there is a third possibility @Ivor Slipper, one I expressed when Casey made his first appearance. He may be same-sex attracted and assume because Levi lives in the "gay house" he would be agreeable to experimenting with Casey regardless of whether he, Levi, has a same-sex attraction or not. He may have the same modus operandi as the Thompson who molested Aaron at the beach and who was convicted because Aaron and one other boy, whose name I cannot remember, was brave enough to report him to Sarge (I think that is the name by which he was known).

One on which he could take a joyride?

Levi has broken his expletive virginity, with the "brown" word being his first ever time. Methinks now he is learning to drive it won't be the last time he uses colourful language, he might even resort to the "f" word, and I don't mean fag, a word Casey seemed to be very comfortable using, a little too comfortable for my liking. If Casey wasn't a Thompson I would likely think him a friendly lad, one who is attempting to welcome Levi into a new environment, but he is a Thompson and for that reason alone he is tainted and cannot be trusted. It is quite likely he has an ulterior motive, whether to harm or humiliate Levi himself, or to set him up for harm or humiliation by a Thompson family member or members. Another WMP chapter @Mark Ponyboy Peters, one with a mix of amusement, the calm and steady demeanour of Matt as driving instructor (for the moment) and possible trepidation on the part of both Levi and Matt. I seem to recall Matt's beloved black Commodore has not been named before, but Aaron's ute was, she was known as Bessie if I remember correctly.

Hot dam @drsawzall, if that is you rocking the sleeveless denim top you won't need your Volvo to attract the moths to the flame. Show 'em your guns "Daddy" and they will be queuing for miles. And watching that video again I was reminded of how funny Burt Reynolds was and how young Willie was.