Summerabbacat

Ruby is manipulative and controlling, her treatment of her mother particularly appalling. I cannot envisage why she has deliberately deprived her mother of financial assistance to care for Toby. She is less than a cheap tarnished trinket in a porn shop. I assume it is likely Ruby who has used Crackhouse Chrissie's debit and credit cards since her death. Hopefully it won't be long before she is "doing time" like her friend Jeff. Debbie seems like a kindly caring woman. Whatever did she do to deserve two daughters like CC and Ruby, the latter of whom appears to be far worse than her sister, and a son who walked out and abandoned his son. Her son should be paying child support for Toby. Apart from Debbie and Toby, what a horrid family. Ollie clearly inherited the "goodness and kindness" gene from his father, although Nona Debbie may have passed on some too. His compassion and generosity towards Toby did not go unnoticed by Chris and Andre. A very surprising chapter @Paladin. I was glad to be proven completely wrong in my speculation about Debbie, but not so to have it revealed Ruby is even more hateful than I thought. She is toxic and needs to be "neutralised" as soon as possible. Perhaps she can be taken by a shark at Terrigal beach, or liquified on the M1 by an out-of-control semi-trailer, or maybe Prentiss or Ned might visit and use their ka to explode her organs within one at a time. I am sure @Lee Wilson would be more than happy for them to lend a hand.

"The day before my prophesied death, I gave my remaining one-hundred-twenty-four million to the American Cancer Society and the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). Cancer was nearly eradicated, and I hoped the additional eighty million would put humanity over the top. Forty-four million would save a lot of animals." Way to go Prentiss. That $44 million could not have been better spent. Not at all my usual genre of story I like, but in your capable hands it was zeyer amiuzing aun farveylerishe @Lee Wilson.

This story did not grab me immediately like @Robert Hugill's other works published on GA. It was somewhat of a slow burner, but by the story's end I was glad I had invested my time in reading it. I did not much care for one of the two protagonists to begin with, but he "grew" on me as the story unfolded. As is invariably the case with a work by Robert, some of the minor characters were larger than life and very entertaining and/or amusing. Humour abounded and a little drama here and there kept the mix interesting. A trip into the Hugillverse, once again a 5 star experience.

Marvellous work again @Robert Hugill. You managed to make shallow people at least marginally likeable and perhaps a little interesting, except for Suki whom I despised from the outset, with her final appearance one which confirmed what I always thought of her, a backstabbing, sycophantic, narcissistic bitch. There were many interesting and likeable minor characters as is your wont. Amanda, Bill, Mae, Greg, Len, Donna McKee and of course Mother and Gran, but Dante and Vaughan shone above and beyond. I did not like Vaughan much for the first few chapters, I thought he was going to be a pretentious twat, but he proved to be so much more than a stereotype. And Dante, a gem from the outset. Your usual wry humour and the occasional colloquialism proved once again what a talent you possess and we readers are fortunate to be treated to it yet again.

Reading this chapter was like listening to the Stones classic Sympathy For The Devil. If only it were so easy to remove such menaces to world safety. The two recent failed attempts were clearly not the work of Megrezians @Lee Wilson. I think my ka short-circuited reading this chapter. Luckily I am listening to Arrival by ABBA or I may have been a mass of blurp on the dining table chair or the floor. Once again Agnetha's and Frida's extraordinary vocal talents were enough to rescue me from certain zlonq or at least xagutarna. Your imagination ran riot in this chapter @Lee Wilson. Maybe its the peanuts. Whatever the source, it is keeping we readers totally gliklekh (this one I did not make up, it is Yiddish).

Call Gloria @Paladin. We all know she can and will help. After all, she Never Can Say Goodbye either. She is a regular little Honey Bee.

Thommo aka Frank Thompson and Dumfuck aka Snoz aka the blonde streak of seagull shit with the Jimmy Durante nose are "known", and by all reports their reputations indicate they are not worthy of admiration. I look forward to the havoc Lachlan is hopefully going to unleash on them. I'd suggest the red Valiant (not a cliched purple one @Mark Ponyboy Peters?) may suffer at least a partial indignity, something which either cannot be fixed or will be very costly to fix. I hope the retribution is not restricted to Thommo's car though, both he and Snoz deserve so much more, public humiliation as a bare minimum. Thommo's reputation as a bully who has perhaps raped before may also be useful to Lachlan in devising a plan of attack. I too was surprised by the courage Danny displayed in asking Lachlan if he had any "grass" to help alleviate Jake's physical pain. He may only be 16, but he appears remarkably mature and resolute. It is very apparent his feelings for Jake are far deeper than one would perhaps expect from someone his age. I think Nate is becoming aware of this too and thus far it appears about as important to him as the colour of Danny's hair or his eyes. What a wonderful friend he is to Danny and now to Jake. After the horror of the last chapter @Mark Ponyboy Peters this one was quite heartwarming. I imagine Lachlan may suspect Jake is gay and may have an inkling Danny could be too. Even so, such things are not important to him, like his brother Nate he hates bullies and has a strong sense of justice.

Oui oui monsieur.

Touché. If it is a Mac keyboard with great fucking difficulty. Contrary to what is published online, I have found if you press the letter E and whilst holding it down quickly press Option it activates a selection of acutes for you to choose from, but it does not work every time (it seems to be dependant on how one presses the keys).

I agree with all you have stated @Cane23. Excitement and denial may duel for supremacy for some time yet, but if Nolan's promise "I'm having that arse of yours" is accepted by Ralph and delivered by Nolan, I expect excitement will eventually emerge triumphant. Once Nolan's tongue pleasures that pucker and his finger(s) and manhood gain entry and pound Ralph's p-spot, I expect Ralph's inner piggy bossy bottom will devour the rest. Move over Kevin Williams, Joey Stefano, Brad Mitchell, Armand Rizzo, Michael Boston, Devin Franco, Beau Butler and Bruce Jones, there is a new bottom in town and you bitches are amateurs. Ralph's final thought for the chapter "What had happened? He knew he should blow off Nolan next week, but he wouldn't. Couldn't. And part of him hated himself." demonstrates there is still much to be done though to break down the barriers he has built around himself, the lies he has told himself, to get him into a comfortable position where he accepts himself. I sense @Cane23 a vulnerability in Nolan and I hope Ralph proceeds with caution. Nolan has previously hinted at his lack of success in the "relationship stakes" and his plea "So, we go slow. And whatever happens, good or bad, you promise not to do a disappearing act. Please?" Nolan smiled, but there was an intensity in his eyes." confirmed this. Another fine chapter @Robert Hugill. This story like all your others is in no rush to be told and is unfurling itself at a leisurely and believable pace.

If you select a song as glorious as this one I am more than happy to share "my territory" with you @Cane23. Philly soul at its very best, however, I thought it might be a little "too disco" for you. I have quite a few albums by The Three Degrees amongst my collection. Fantastic harmonies and such style. Stunning.

Indeed @Mancunian, which is why I made such scathing comments about Sergeant Bailey. He was more concerned with why Danny and Nate had even found Jake in such condition and unbelievably about Jake's broken tail lights. I doubt he knew Jake had been raped, but I don't believe his attitude would have changed even if he did. His lukewarm response to Jake's beating (and I am being very kind) was to me tacit approval to the beating having been carried out, as Jake already suspected would be the case.

Indeed and I deliberately tried to not just stick to the hits that many are familiar with (which is probably why I chose so many from The Visitors). I do not seek sympathy or understanding with this comment, but I have to say my teenage years in the 1970's to early 1980's were only as happy and stable as they were because of music, and ABBA and the late, great Donna Summer played a part in that which I cannot overstate, hence their contribution to my profile name. The joy they have brought to my life has never waned, even when Donna became "the enemy" for alleged anti-gay remarks. Unless I develop dementia, I don't believe I will ever stop listening to them.

They only released 8 studio albums in their 8 years together with a 40 year break before they released Voyage in 2021. When Voyage was released in 2021 it came at the end of the saddest year of my life with the death of two of my cats (including my most beloved cat ever) within 4 weeks of each other, the death of my stepfather and a year of unstable health, much of which I attribute to one of the COVID vaccines (and I am NOT an anti-vaxxer). I was overwhelmed when the album was released and found a great degree of solace in it. They were much loved in Australia as evidenced in Priscilla Queen Of The Desert and Muriel's Wedding.

Dancing Queen by ABBA, the catalyst for an unlikely relationship between Todd and Barrett? With such an auspicious start what could possibly go wrong, or right as the case may be. I am not going to divulge, you will have to do yourself a favour and read the story to find out. A beautifully and authentically written story by the very talented @Superpride. A relatively small cast of characters and only a few moments of melodrama, but what transpires between chapters 1 and 25 will leave the reader with the full gamut of emotions. Strongly written characters and character growth are the real strengths of the story, characters who provoked much commentary from the many followers of this story. Read and enjoy this charming and delightful work.

Say it isn't so @Superpride. This cannot be the end of this wonderful story. I blame @Cane23 entirely for the story finishing far too early. If he had not "insisted" that Barrett also needed therapy this would not have happened. We could have had at least another 20+ chapters of angst, drama and ABBA. I am beside myself with grief. I will need therapy to recover from the story concluding. I am completely and utterly verklempt. Like @drpaladin I was not surprised Vanessa and Sabrina coupled, in fact I thought they already had when Anthony attempted to hit on Sabrina a few chapters prior. Andrea proved herself to be the mother Barrett had yearned for since being given up for adoption. The adoption of adult Barrett a very meaningful gesture for both I imagine. Daddy dearest made remarkable progress as the result of therapy. Maybe Barbra Streisand has been right all along, perhaps there is something to be said for it after all. Anthony and Cynthia? I believe he will thrive in a relationship and she may very well stop spilling coffee. And finally, the moment you have been waiting for @Tris. What ABBA song have I nominated for this chapter. Given how sad I feel it has to be Knowing Me, Knowing You. Although the polar opposite of the HEA ending for the characters in this story, it is apropos in that it is a masterpiece and moves @Summerabbacat (SummerABBAcat) like no other. The only criticism I have of the song is the video and another fucking fur cat worn by Frida. Times were different then and from what I have read of her in recent years I don't think she would wear one now. Masterful story telling @Superpride. You have brought joy and enrichment into the lives of many for the past 23 days with this most charming and delightful story. ABBA and Felix bless you.

He changed his name when he realised he did NOT have 666 carved into his head.

One can only hope @Talo Segura. This type of crime invariably went unpunished and still does. I wish I could believe in some kind karmic justice, but I have just seen too many revolting humans get away with too much to believe in it.

And the restraint with which you wrote it made it even impactful. If only Aunty Jack were passing through Thompsonville at the time. She could rip Thommo, Dumfuck and Sergeant Bailey's "bloody arms off".

In Australia as in many other parts of the world at the time (and some even now) you are only a "poofter" if you take it up the arse @Al Norris. If you fuck a "poofter" then you are not a "poofter", and if you rape them and/or bash them then they are only getting what they deserve and you are a decent bloke for doing so. There is no intimacy or love in the act, you could just as easily be fucking a sheep, cow or watermelon as many of these morons do. This is the mentality we are dealing with with Thommo, Dumfuck and Sergeant Bailey. All three are cucking funts and equally as bad as each other. Sergeant Bailey is a disgrace to the police force, but there were many like him and probably still are. All his snide accusations proved what a small minded prig he is. I like @VBlew's idea of retribution. Jake knows what car Thommo and Dumfuck drove so perhaps some damage could be done to it and if so I hope it is serious damage which renders it unroadworthy. The only positive to come from this bashing is that it has awakened Danny to what he faces in the future, particularly in a small town. An infuriating chapter @Mark Ponyboy Peters, all the moreso because it reflects what life was like for gay men then and still is in some places. What I found particularly disturbing and sad was that Jake has been raped before in similar situations and realised the futility of even bothering to report it. No amount of ABBA could have made up for what happened to him.

I was way off with The KLF @Lee Wilson. Their Ancients of Mu Mu are rank amateurs compared to your Megrezians. I was certainly not smoking any of the wacky stuff, but I cannot be sure about you. Your imagination is extraordinary. Are you a native of Georgia like Keith, Cindy and the late Ricky from The B-52's? They have extraordinary imaginations too, so maybe it's a Georgian "thing" if you are a native. I must say I would love to have the "power" Ned possesses to rid the world of evil, although if I possessed it I certainly would not stop at 5. 5 million maybe. I have to wonder if there are already Megrezians living amongst us today who have altered the synapses of many of our fellow species. This could account for why reality TV shows, particularly those about families with no talent or philanthropy are so popular, not to mention the election of many world leaders and certain mega-wealthy ultra-crazy business "leaders".

I think @Superpride is writing this story with great authenticity @Cane23 because you and I are observing a very different Todd. Much like real life we see things in people that others do not. I agree Barrett is still very emotional over the death of both of his parents, but is he a mess. I don't see it, nor have I observed any commitment issues. What I have been meaning to comment on is his aversion to alcohol. I have to wonder if he subconsciously remembers his mother as an alcoholic as a child and how after a drink she behaved differently (although it is unlikely he would have realised she had a problem and what its source was). As to the identity of the eponymous Troublemaker, we have all assumed it is a human, but what it if is not. Is it possible the Troublemaker may be alcohol. Barrett's mother was an alcoholic and Todd has been known to drown his sorrows of late. What if this causes trouble between Barrett and Todd. Or might it be those burgers that are the Troublemaker. They have already clogged Anthony's artery causing him to have a heart attack.

The one in this chapter demonstrated Todd the power-bottom taking control again and the results were explosive and messy. In the bedroom he is like a Tiger (another great song by ABBA from Arrival). Head Over Heels was released as a single in many countries with The Visitors as the B-side. Personally I prefer The Visitors, particularly after seeing the video for Head Over Heels with Frida wearing what appears to be a fur coat (possibly the same one she wore in the video for Chiquitita). I think in the USA the songs were flipped with The Visitors as the A-side and Head Over Heels as he B-side.

That is very sad @Al Norris. I am not close to my father who is 89 years of age, primarily because he is very religious and politically conservative, so I can in some way relate to what you are saying. Regarding Daddy dearest I must say I got a helluva shock, and an even bigger shock when Anthony stated “And don’t forget about me,” Anthony said. “And as soon as I get out of here, you’re teaching me how to cook those healthy vegetarian meals you’re always begging me to try.” With both Todd and Barrett using the "L" word for the first time they are now seemingly head over heels, which just happens to be another ABBA masterpiece from The Visitors @Tris (beardless Bjorn though).

Tom of Finland dating Arabian Nights @Carybr, very amusing. The party was an anti-climax like fizzling fireworks. When all is said and done Francis Heyward surrounded himself with hangers-on. Dante's comment about them being "D-list" deliciously cruel. I have to ask @Robert Hugill did the messy business of settling in together involve the throwing of plates or other objects at each other or was it restricted to verbal barbs only? I can only but imagine some of the hilarious bitchy snipes they would have made at each other. Are they going to have a party to celebrate their co-habitation, and if so, for the sake of Susan (maybe) and Gran (definitely) I hope it is not a nude party?