Summerabbacat

@Paladin I wondered if you had this story "brewing" before @empath commenced posting Kept Boy to Made Man given some of the comments you made on that story; in addition to the fact you had less explicitly explored paedophilia in Andre & Chris.

I don't recall Matt ever mentioning his father and his mother is physically and financially disadvantaged. This combined with his taller than average stature, his awkwardness which could be attributed to all the aforementioned and more, has likely led to him being shy and insecure. Whatever the reason or reasons for this, I also find him very likeable @Cane23. I think @Robert Hugill's portrayal of him thus far has made him so, although I have to say the banana and jam sandwiches (I assume they were combined on the one sandwich) made me feel somewhat nauseous. 🤢🤢🤢🤢

Thank you @ChromedOutCortex. As you will observe I am an opinionated SOB and I loathe bad manners, which fucking mobile phones seem to "encourage".

"Hey Dad, I know Keith doesn’t make it easy for you... but I’ll go in myself. We had a good weekend.” Very pleasing to see Alex recognises his brother is an arsehole, although he does not say so directly. Perhaps if Alex expresses the enjoyment he derived in spending the weekend with their father, it might challenge Keith to open his closed mind, although realistically I think it will take a small miracle for him to think of someone other than himself. I don't "get" the fascination with boxing at all, but as long as it is safe it should be good exercise for Alex if nothing else. Hopefully he will not give up his swimming as it is great exercise. A most enjoyable chapter @ChromedOutCortex. The questions posed by Alex to his father about his relationship with his mother and his being gay displayed an emotional maturity far beyond what I thought him capable of, putting his older brother to shame.

I had a vague recollection eye colour had been mentioned at some time, but could not recall when (and I was too bloody lazy to research). I even looked at the cover picture of Rafael and Grayson to see if I could determine what colour their eyes are, but it did not help at all. Perhaps I should have relied upon some old faithfuls for the song inspiration - Fernando, Chiquitita, Hasta Manana or Put On Your White Sombrero, but their lyrical content did not suit and they did not pop into my head.

Very well written opening chapter. "Sitting alone in the apartment, I can hear everything. The hum of the fridge as it kicks on, then off again. A faint drip-drip-drip echoes from the leaky faucet in the kitchen—I should get that fixed. I hear the neighbors’ children above, their feet pattering across the floor. It’s not the silence that gets to me; it’s the noise. The emptiness behind every sound" a stark illustration of Jim's anguish and regret. I have to ask how old Keith and Alex are @ChromedOutCortex? By my calculation Keith must be 23 or 24 and Alex 16 or 17. If I am correct, then Keith in particular needs a serious attitude adjustment. He is behaving like a spoilt petulant brat, thinking only of himself. Oh woe is me. Grow up dickhead, get your head out of your arse and maybe walk a mile in your father's shoes. As for Alex, he is at least trying, but he also needs a lesson in manners. Do not play with your phone at the dinner table, and at least feign interest when your father he is trying to engage you in conversation. If the opening chapter is an indication of what is to come @ChromedOutCortex, then I believe we readers are in for an interesting and entertaining ride. I hope for the sake of Jim and for his own sake, Keith examines his behaviour and finds it wanting. At the moment I could only describe him as a selfish arrogant prick.

I so admire Graham's candour "However, our last encounter, after I had received the news about my job at UEA being canned, had descended into a vulgar shouting match. My fault! So, I could hardly reach out to him", and his self-deprecating sense of humour "For your information, I am crap at relationships, so I have no boyfriend". I did not find Graham's remark which caused Matt to flee at all bitchy, although given Matt's subsequent "awkward" admissions, he could have perceived it as such. It did however, prompt a fruitful discussion between the two, culminating in a hug. Could this be the start of something grander, l'amour perhaps? The most eventful chapter yet @Robert Hugill, the awkwardness between Graham and Matt beautifully captured and wholly believable. I found the awkwardness endearing, making each more attractive than what they already were. The perfect recipe for a song of angst by the Pet Shop Boys or the Cure.

Beautiful chapter with a very moving conclusion (again glad I don't wear eyeliner @Mark Ponyboy Peters). And the first chapter yet in this story with a chapter title. Is that significant or of no consequence? I have not "heard" any songs in this story for a while now, but one came through loud and clear. It was the mention of Promesa and Rafael's confirmation it is a Spanish word. I am unsure why I heard this song. It is one I heard for the first time ever in the original British version of Queer As Folk and the scene in which it was played was quite moving if I remember correctly. I cannot recall if it has been mentioned what colour Rafael's eyes are, but for this chapter (at least) they are blue. A song by another of those wonderful Italian-American crooners who were popular from the 1950's to the 1970's. Not the kind of music I liked as a teenager, music I have developed an appreciation of later in life. I was also very pleased to learn Richard is seeking professional help to address his teenage trauma. It will likely not all be smooth sailing, but hopefully he will emerge stronger and more forgiving of himself.

There were some very interesting developments in this chapter, one of which I anticipate will greatly please @drsawzall, and if truth be told, it pleased me too. It appears Jordan is very attracted to Calvin, given his comments regarding Calvin's then-pending photo shoot. The questions remain though, will Jordan attempt to do anything about this apparent attraction, and if he does, will Calvin reject any such advances out of a sense of misguided loyalty to Alan. Jordan has a quick wit. His comment regarding Calvin's mother perhaps not wanting others to know she is the author of best-selling trashy, "bodice rippers" was very amusing. It appears Trevor has been truthful with Calvin and Alan regarding the modelling they have participated in thus far. I sense Alan will happily perform in any of the scenarios Trevor apprised him and Calvin of, however, I don't think Calvin will. If Alan gets heavily involved I daresay he will "leave Calvin behind", which may free Calvin up to become involved with Jordan. There you go @drsawzall, problem solved, all we have to do is "sell" it to @KKirk.

Domenico's return to school has been welcomed by all his friends, including Rod, at least initially. "Oh, God. It would be so embarrassing being beat up by a fag. Even a fag that's bigger than I am! I couldn't go home again. I can't let that happen" and "Dad will understand why, he hates faggots even more than I do". And there we have it, the explanation for Rod's homophobia; learned behaviour from his father. I strongly suspect Rod fears a beating from his father if he was to show anything less than hatred of "faggots", or was "weak" and allowed a "faggot" to beat him up for being homophobic. Admittedly he is old enough to think for himself and form his own views, but he has been subjected to his father's anti-gay rhetoric for all his life I suspect. Has he attempted suicide or was he just attempting to drink away the pain and confusion? Whatever his intention, I am saddened by what he has done, far more than I thought I would be. Rod is clearly a very troubled boy, someone who likely needs as much help from a professional like Dr Paulson, as Domenico did. I imagine his father is likely to view mental health issues as a sign of weakness, something only women and "faggots" suffer from. I just hope Rod's mother does not share his father's views. A very suspenseful chapter @Lee Wilson. Rod may not be the complete arsehole he has led us to believe he is. I strongly suspect his homophobia is not so much a fear of "faggots", it is more a fear of his father and what he may do if Rod shows anything other than contempt for such people.

Solomon has been a very naughty boy. He is being suitably punished for his misdeeds with clothes pegs affixed to his nipples and balls by his mistress, Gladys the impaler. I hope it won't be too long for both their sakes before Gladys ups the ante and punishes Solomon with a different kind of pegging. Mary has apparently discovered the joy of self-pleasuring. Before she attacks all the laundry which apparently needs doing, she should test her new skills in the Ryan-scented sheets and saturate them sheets with the spoils of her fingers. To quote Peter Gabriel, 'Here Comes The Flood'. A tsunami of pleasure from Mary's new best friend, Cli Toris.

Recent election results in a number of countries certainly support this statement @Lee Wilson. I very much fear that election results in Australia some time this year, will also support this statement. I think Rod is truly sorry he may have contributed to Domenico's breakdown @drsawzall, and I still suspect his feelings about gay people have been been impressed upon him by family member(s). He does not appear to have any religious convictions which have poisoned his mind, so what has precipitated these negative feelings towards gay people. An uplifting chapter @Lee Wilson, with Aunt Carmela growing a spine (to a certain extent) and Domenico returning "home" in a more positive frame of mind. Domenico's friendship with Rod will undoubtedly be strained, but with effort on both their parts, it should return to be at least a cordial one.

This is why I initially insisted on referring to him as Stinky Shane @weinerdog and then sss Shane in response to a comment you made on one chapter. I am always annoyed (as a bare minimum) when someone makes a comment on something dreadful a human has done and refers to them as behaving like an animal. I also never refer to myself as the "owner" of my cats, at most I will refer to myself as their human, but it is usually their servant. I agree with @pvtguy that Oliver has once again injected some humour into the chapter. His innocence often comes across as him being blunt, I personally find it refreshing and invariably humorous. I don't believe he will be traumatised by witnessing Grayson masturbating in the shower. I am also impressed with both his parents, but particularly Pamela as she seems to treat such events with a sense of humour and in a very practical manner. I am almost certain Rafael will be able to walk. The fact he is beginning to think about sex and wanted a bacon and egg roll (🤮🤮🤮) suggests his qi is beginning to return, an essential to him walking again. Marvellous chapter @Mark Ponyboy Peters. The "shower scene" in this chapter was certainly far less scary than the one from Psycho and in hindsight I believe both Grayson and Oliver will refer to it humorously.

Wow! What a profound statement @pvtguy, so eloquently expressed.

Bringing the families together will be a positive for all, Brenda and Jack included. If all three children were to stay with Brian and Dwight every weekend or even only the occasional weekend, Brenda may be able to have a social life too if she so desires. Dwight appears to be easy going, so having his husband's three children stay with them would not likely cause any grief, maybe once a month to begin with to make sure all parties, including the children, are happy with the arrangement. I could almost hear Alex's brain ticking over, plotting to bring Neil and Gerry together. He already informed Neil of his protection of Gerry due to his small stature and timidity, and his teasing of Gerry in this chapter suggested to me that Alex is strongly invested in finding someone to give Gerry the love and affection Alex believes he deserves. A visit by Brian to the principal may have a positive impact, unless the story is set in one of the book-burning states or one of the states where hate groups like Moms For Liberty have hijacked the education system to "protect" their precious little darlings from other children who are "perverts, deviants, and all other manner of evil". Lucas being arrested again may not be ideal for him @Paladin, but it would certainly be better than being shot by the police and then asked what he was doing. His only "saving grace" in such a situation is that he is not African American. Ned has to find his big boy pants first @Lee Wilson. I fear he may not be able to find them as he does not own any.

I suspect as a consequence of staying the night with Toby and the visit to Russ' apartment, this may be the moment where Toby's relationship with Noah is "called into question". Gordon's assessment of Val and Marina may well be more accurate than Brian's, they may not be the liberal-minded couple they have portrayed themselves as. Toby's "fear" of the coffee maker in Russ' apartment was most amusing. Gordon again illustrated what a great stepdad he will be to Toby. It is the little things he does, from arranging to hire the minivan to transport Toby and friends for Toby's birthday, to the suggested birthday gifts in the prior chapter "a junior membership of the Royal Horticultural Society, the National Trust or the British Naturalists Association, something like that.” Brian and Gordon are doing a great job of raising Toby.

I am not usually a big fan of "love at first sight" (unless it is sung by Kylie) and "everyone get's along smashingly from the word go", but in @Paladin's capable hands I found myself responding far more positively than I would have imagined to love at first sight between Jordan and Cameron. It certainly helped that @Paladin did not dwell on how impossibly good-looking, stylish and well-to-do the newly in love couple were, and there was no mention at all of them having prodigious appendages which brought them earth-shattering, seizure-inducing sex. Thank you for small mercies @Paladin. Silliness aside, I found the story refreshingly real and the "cast" for the most part very easy going and likeable, although Jordan's mother was a little insufferable at times for me (LOL). The setting was familiar, being entirely on the eastern coast of Australia. All in all a thoroughly believable and likeable tale of two men who meet and fall in love, and the journey they begin in life together.

Some very powerful and wealthy people would disagree with you on that point @Cane23, people whom I hope I live long enough to witness their demise, hopefully in substantially reduced circumstances.

I was thinking Robert Smith from the Cure too @Mark Ponyboy Peters, but I really like the Cure so did not want to diss Robert, even if just in jest.

I wonder if John would be any happier if the Cuntess of Chicago was dead. I am certain she must have done some horrible things to others worthy of Rocky and Orlando's attention, or if they are no longer alive, the attention of their apprentices Rambo and Giuseppe. I am confident if she was to be splattered by an out-of-control refrigerated truck carrying food for the homeless or supplies for unwanted sons at Liberty Academy, no one would miss her or even shed a tear, unless they were tears of joy and relief (hint hint @empath). Unlike @Cane23 I still have a smidgen of feeling for John, likely because he is not intrinsically evil, just intrinsically weak and lost, totally unlike the C of C who is evil incarnate, the most loathsome character in Kept Boy to Made Man in my opinion, dare I say even more horrible than your sister @drsawzall?

I hope Rafael possesses the courage and determination that a younger @weinerdog and @Al Norris apparently possessed to overcome similar problems to those of Rafael. He is fortunate to have not only Grayson, but a large circle of family, friends and workplace colleagues, to support him. Several of my fellow readers commented in a prior chapter on the supportive workplace, something which should not be underestimated. Having such an employer will provide comfort that many others are not so fortunate to have. @Mark Ponyboy Peters I don't think I have had such a good weep over a chapter from the pen of the pony since Danny and Jake left Thomsponville and Nate behind. Thank Felix I don't wear eyeliner otherwise I would have looked like Alice Cooper (a much much much younger version of course).

Colour me orange. Let's hope so @Lee Wilson.

Is it possible a smorgasbord of sex might "turn" Solomon into a more pleasant, less dogmatic person? I think Gladys needs to "introduce" Solomon to some of her dildos, or perhaps some anal beads or bukakke, a frothy facial drenching with the results of her multiple orgasms. Solomon may return to Mary on Monday evening well and truly fucked, literally, but purring or grinning like a Cheshire cat. The delicious irony, Solomon, the "fallen" fornicator.

I am totally dumbfounded, gobsmacked, shocked @Paladin. This story has taken a dramatic turn I never would have anticipated it might take. When Joshua commenced telling Jordan and Cameron about his porn "career" and the shame he felt for having performed such acts, I assumed it was something he had done in an attempt to support himself. To learn he has been forced into making underage porn by his father's sister and her husband, and that they are part of a ring of paedophiles from well respected local families, protected by the police, is positively @empath-ian. In fact, I believe these people are even more heinous than the criminals in Kept Boy To Made Man as they are doing it to their own children. Jordan and Cameron may have to ask @empath if Rocky and Orlando are available for hire, or perhaps they have "cousins" in Australia, Vincenzo and Marco, who may be equally proficient at taking out the trash. I hope the police lied to Joshua about his brother Daniel having been murdered in an effort to ensure Joshua's obedience, but I recognise the probability is greater that he has been murdered than has not. I had not realised you had change the status of 'Part 1' to 'complete' @Paladin. I don't recall receiving an auto-generated e-mail; perhaps that does not happen, it relies upon one to be vigilant and check.

"When he emerged from his office, Simon proved to be a rather eager, over-weight 30-something bloke with a dodgy comb-over hair do." One of your more truthful physical descriptions of a character @Robert Hugill. I had a great chuckle reading it, converting it to a more restrained description akin to a usual Hugillesque description "When he emerged from his office, Simon proved to be a rather excitable, well-padded 30-something bloke with an unflattering hair do." This description, of a card, was far more Hugillesque and had me in stitches. "He walked over to the display of greetings cards; there were a few that were local photographs, a smattering of the usual museum-arty cards and quite a bit of kitsch. He picked up one of the latter. It was, frankly, hideous." The word hideous is a favourite of mine, the antonym of fabulous, another favourite from days gone by. In fact, I can imagine Edina and Pasty starring in a comedy titled 'Absolutely Hideous', where they have moved house from Holland Park to Finsbury Park, instead of eating smoked salmon nibbly things and Beluga and drinking Bolly, they are feasting on baked beans and drinking a pint of the cheapest beer. Graham and Vince each got a little prickly with the other again, displaying what they have most in common. And Freddie's disclosure did not surprise. I wonder how Vince will cope if Freddie is in fact gay, a gay son and a gay brother. Charming is the word which has reappeared when I have read each chapter of this story to date @Robert Hugill.