Summerabbacat

What a wonderful chapter @Robert Hugill, riotously humorous one moment, warm and intoxicating the next. The Fags for Football proved to be warm, welcoming and very funny. "The language was just as colourful as his mates’, though Keith doubted that any of his mates would use phrases like ‘Get your arse into gear you great fairy" had me in stitches. Perhaps because I have recently been listening to Queen I immediately thought of Freddie Mercury and one of his reported famous quips "I'm as gay as a daffodil my dear". I was also very amused by Hughie's wry response to little Joe's question about what happens at gay football games “Same things as a straight one except the guys moan about their boyfriends rather than their girlfriends!” Keith's straight friends have proven their loyalty by treating him no differently than before, apart from the odd "gay joke" when they are laughing with him rather than at him. The nude jigsaw puzzle sounds fascinating. I checked them out on the internet and suffice to say it is obvious from what is available there are many gay men who share Keith's delight with jigsaw puzzles of the homoerotic kind.

I am not as angered by Mitch's actions as many of my fellow readers. I recognise he lied to Peter and certainly led him on, but they were not in a relationship (fortunately for Peter), so my reaction is not as furious. What I am really pissed off about on behalf of Peter is that he wasted his money, time, and effort cooking a gourmet meal for that lying, scheming, using, fucker. Peter has been dealt many savage blows in the past, both physical and mental, and in comparison this betrayal by Mitch is barely a blip on his radar. Peter will emerge stronger for the experience, Mitch however may suddenly find himself out of favour with more than one of his friends. I don't think Mitch is very smart. If he is as closeted as he indicated to Peter, he is playing with fire hooking up with guys without much if any forethought. He only has to hook up with the wrong guy, someone who assumes he wants more than a quick fuck, to be outed in an act of revenge. One has to wonder though how much of what he told Peter, and perhaps has even disclosed to his best friend, Bobby, is the truth. His act as the vestal virgin may bely the fact he is a kartrashian, a complete ho. Perhaps you should have named him Kurtis, Kendrick, Kane or Kyler @Al Norris. And finally, when is Uncle George going to admit to his nephew that he too likes cock? For someone who is as book-smart as Peter, he sure is blinkered when it comes to his Uncle at least.

Whilst the story dealt with some serious issues such as religious bigotry and intolerance and the difficulty of coming out for someone who was raised in such an environment, I chose the 'ha ha' emoticon for the two following statements: "I tall, well-built without being disproportionately large, he had dark hair, blue/gray eyes, with a boyish smile that won him over with the cheerleaders, and it was painfully obvious that he was there with a sports scholarship and not for his intellect or grades." and "I was all too new, and there was a small voice from my upbringing that called for me to stop sinning or I was bound for Hell where all the other faggots were, but there was a stronger, more powerful voice crying out that, if all the gays were in Hell, the orgies must be amazing!. I had no idea what a redshirt freshman is so consulted Dr. Google for an explanation. Being the avid sports fan I am (NOT) I just don't get it, even with the explanation from Dr. Google. Short and pithy @John Henry. Tyler was a surprise, a very pleasant one at that.

I think it was you I "horrified" when previously commenting on GA that I do not like The Beatles at all @weinerdog. I will probably horrify you again by stating that I am generally not a fan of what is considered the Stones' 1960's classics, but love most of their 1970's output, especially the albums Black and Blue and Some Girls. I do like You Can't Always Get What You Want. Boris certainly possessed many cars and many guns. Did he have a case of penis envy? If Boris, his wife and Albert had been in the 1975 GAZ-24 Volga one could easily imagine them having an "accident" without any "encouragement" from a third party. Both Manny and Rocky "grew" on me in this chapter; both are less obnoxious than what they first presented. I am guilty on many occasions of forgetting (usually purposefully, but not always) children have growing up to do and may transition from obnoxious brat into pleasant adult with the benefit of maturity. I have been remiss in prior comments in not considering Rocky is likely to be grieving the death of at least one or perhaps both his parents, and this is likely to be affecting his behaviour. I was pleasantly surprised when Bass chastised him that he did not throw a hissy fit and remind Bass that he was merely his "manny". I have the distinct impression that both Rocky and Manny are going to improve the temperament and character of the other, bringing out a side of each other perhaps not previously realised or displayed. Then again it may just be wishful thinking on my part. I like the pace this story is moving at @Lee Wilson. Although the events which have led to the present have been of a more "serious" nature, I relish the moments of humour and mischief you are injecting into the storyline.

I think to date they have been exclusive @Cane23. Whether by design or default I am uncertain, although I do recall (hopefully correctly) this question being discussed as Dan revealed he has not had much success with relationships. The corpulent Martin and party boy Bart are an odd couple, which I am certain Vaughan alluded to in a prior chapter. I have known several couples in my time whose relationship dynamic was quite similar, one party extroverted and somewhat tactless and indiscreet, the other more reserved and admonishing at times. Suffice to say on occasion things could get quite prickly and heated if the extrovert was admonished a little too like a naughty school boy. It appears both Martin and Bart are very interested in the "comings and goings" of Frances Heyward. I doubt either will learn much from Vaughan or Dan as they both appear to be very conscious of Dan's position and ensuring it is protected. I imagine anything salacious Dan becomes aware of will reach the ears of Vaughan, but he certainly gives the impression at least of not being one to pass on gossip. I found much humour in this chapter @Robert Hugill, whether intentional or not. Whilst kept civil and without any malice the relationship between Martin and Bart was most amusing, but could it turn nasty at times? Perhaps, perhaps not. I also enjoyed how Vaughan toyed with Bart in particular, giving him little if any information to satisfy his lust for salacious gossip.

And a delightful debut too @Mark Ponyboy Peters. I have read many of your stories on Nifty and Crvboy over the years and have enjoyed all of them without exception. If you intend posting your historical works on GA may I suggest the various works which form the "Thompsonville tales" might be a good place to start and would I believe be very popular. As a fellow Aussie who grew up on the north coast of NSW I loved these works particularly. Your recently completed works Stockroom Secrets and Beyond Salvation would also I believe be a treat for readers on this site.

You have lost me @Lee Wilson. To quote Meatloaf, I would have said that thus far Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad. And as I have read far fewer books than watched films or listened to music, I may have missed a literary reference opportunity too.

I have always thought money was Calvin's motivation for returning to "claim his boys", but it never occurred to me that said boys may be the beneficiaries of an estate or at least Calvin thinks they are/may be the beneficiaries of an estate. You may well have hit the nail on the head with this speculation @JohnnyC. Clarke's questions to his client certainly did not paint him in a favourable light nor did the texts between Calvin and his mother. By the time Billy finishes cross examining him I believe (hope) he will have lost any pretence at civility and let his guard down completely to reveal what his true motivation is for wanting to "claim his boys". Crusty was surprisingly fair for the most part during Calvin's questioning. Was this legitimate or merely window-dressing (or maybe cross-dressing? could this be the "Achilles heel" which Charlie discovered when researching Crusty, knowledge Billy revealed to Crusty in chambers?) I eagerly look forward to the next chapter, one in which I hope we see Billy's rapier-like wit and eloquent destruction of Calvin's claims in abundance. Well done @John Henry.

Mmmmm. I am not liking Rocky much. An entitled little snot isn't he. He is 13, looks 9 or 10 and is concerned Manny might fancy him. Clearly his ego is larger than his physique. Bass is apparently over 7 feet tall. I had an immediate image of Richard Kiel as Jaws in The Spy Who Loved Me. Let's hope for Manny's sake Bass does not have a mouth full of metal otherwise sex may be painful. Let's hope for Manny's sake that Carly Simon was correct. Rocky's grandfather apparently had some shady business connections which may have led to the death of Rocky's parents. Methinks if the Russian mafia are involved it may not be as easy as sending them a message that Rocky wants nothing to do with them that will stop them in their tracks. Let's hope for the sake of both Rocky and Manny that the man with the passion for poison has no score to settle with Ivan. More intrigue @Lee Wilson. I love a story which invites literary, cinematic and musical references and this one is certainly lending itself to at least the latter two thus far.

I immediately speculated a "romance" angle between Manny and the manny. Suspicious Minds think alike @drsawzall. Elvis or Fine Young Cannibals? I am not an Elvis fan (except for Viva Las Vegas and Edge Of Reality), so for me it has to be Fine Young Cannibals. Taenov? According to Google, a family name most popular in Kazakhstan. Family wealth from ill-gotten gains quite possible. Human rights abuses quite possible. Links to organised crime quite possible. Intriguing most definitely. Manny improved somewhat in this chapter @Lee Wilson. His boss, Charlie's, assessment of his character was hardly encouraging, although he at least appears to be relatively pleasant.

"A few minutes later, the lawyer walked in with a small boy, Manny thought ‘if he is thirteen, I’m Liza Minelli." The fact Manny apparently knows who Liza Minnelli is is the only thing I found appealing about him in this introductory chapter. He is seemingly lazy and slovenly and somewhat of a drunk. Not the ideal candidate for parenthood, particularly when the promise of an inheritance is the only reason he is even contemplating assuming "responsibility" for Rockland aka Rocky. I suppose he displayed some degree of thought for someone other than himself when he asked if the expenditure on a nanny for Rocky's care at night would be covered by the estate. Rocky appears to be no fool and I cannot imagine he will put up with any nonsense from Manny. He came across as being somewhat smug. Perhaps he and Manny will have a positive affect upon each other. An intriguing premise for a story @Lee Wilson; the first story written by you that I have started to read. BTW I am very impressed with your profile picture. Almost as beautiful as mine which is of my favourite cat, my beloved Bassey.

Is their no end to Peter's talents? I can just imagine when he starts having sex in earnest he will deep throat effortlessly with no gag reflex and will be equally adept as a power-bottom or power-top. His cooking skills are certainly not what one would associate with a 14 year old boy. Has Mitch already tired of him? Perhaps, perhaps not. We shall have to wait for the next chapter and @Al Norris to reveal all. I am sooooo disappointed by the comment above @Al Norris that Mary will not figure in Peter's life going forward. NOT. I sincerely hope she learns of Peter's success in life and realises what a dreadful mother and person she is. I somehow doubt this though as her arrogance and conceit appear to have no limit along with her venom and bile.

My apologies in advance to Rodgers & Hammerstein, and the marvellous Julie Andrews. How do you solve a problem like Maria? Dump her for a man named Thomas. I don't know if it was your intention @Robert Hugill, but Maria sounds ghastly. Pretentious, arduous, demanding and argumentative. All together far too much work to bother with. Thomas must be a breath of fresh air in comparison for Keith. I empathise with Keith in that I know nothing of art and frankly cannot see what all the fuss is about for many supposed masterpieces. As for spending huge amounts of money on art as an "investment"; frankly I find that obscene. I admire both Keith and Thomas for their consideration of the other, wanting to ensure that neither monopolises the "entertainment" which is suitable for both to attend. Another delightful male couple populating the "Hugillverse" in the UK, a world not without its share of unpleasant characters (think Jasper, Nathan, Miles, Den, Deirdre and Connie), but by and large a world with characters to charm, entertain, delight and learn from, with the occasional eccentric to keep things very lively (think 'Mr Russ' and Grandma Evie and Grandpa Drew).

My favourite Devlin-Major featured more in this chapter than he has for a while or so it seemed. Rascal was joined by his canine comrade, Toby, for part of the fun, and what fun they had. I had no idea what biltong was so looked it up on the 'net. I am sorry that I did, but wonder if one could make a vegetarian biltong. I guess most vegetables probably contain too much water to be able to cure. Given your experience in hospitality @Andre Delport have you ever seen a vegetarian variation of biltong? Marie's grief must have been extreme to lose both parents to COVID. I have been very fortunate and have not had it and have not known anyone who has passed away from it. I had much the same thought @drsawzall. If I recall correctly Paul and Marie primarily moved to Canada to be closer to her parents. With them both gone it might be time to return home.

Dessert is the mock lemon cheesecake, so presumably the use for the pint of whipping cream and two 8 oz. packages of cream cheese. I found the gun lessons disturbing and the enthusiasm by all concerned, all politically and socially moderate seemingly, bewildering. I cannot understand the fascination a majority of American's apparently have for guns. Having levelled this criticism yet again, I must also criticise my own nation, Australia, for the spate of knife attacks in recent months, including one which killed six shoppers in one of Sydney's more exclusive shopping centres where one would not expect such an attack to take place. Whilst my tolerance of my own species decreases with age, I cannot imagine actually killing the majority of humans without any degree of remorse (although the thought may cross my mind on many occasion). I am pleasantly surprised neither Peter nor Uncle George have yet had any contact from Peter's "birthing canal", even if only to berate them for embarrassing her. Perhaps her children and friends (if she has any) know to leave well enough alone. Imagine the venom spewing forth from her putrescent oral cavity regarding her first born. She has likely erased him completely, not allowing his name to ever be spoken in her presence. I sincerely hope her life is a train wreck, poisoned by her toxic persona. Another informative and enjoyable chapter @Al Norris.

Intellectual he is not.

Elko seems to be awash with such creatures @drpaladin. Cretinous county.

And hopefully covered Mary dearest with its stench.

Vaughan and Dante are not unlike fan favourites Owain and Colin respectively. Vaughan is introducing Dante to new experiences in the "gay world", experiences he appears to be relishing. Unlike Colin, Dante does not appear to have any body dysmorphia, his hitherto restraint having seemingly been as the result of his former vocation as a police officer. Now the shackles of his former vocation have been loosened at least, he is exploring his sexuality with relish. Those Hugillesque descriptions of the physical attributes of strangers, on this occasion naked and unable to conceal any "imperfections", were to the fore again. "He doesn’t look the type to me, scuzzy toilets and floors covered with human emissions don’t strike me as his scene.” and "We found a corner and I tried to avoid the sight of a hairy arse winking at us as a bloke bent over.?" two of the funnier observations made by Vaughan and Dante. Another chapter filled with humour and charm @Robert Hugill. You have once again created characters your fans can relate to and whom your fans are prepared to invest their time in to witness the growth of their friendships and/or relationships.

A conclusion one could draw from this fact is that it is not without good reason.

Which will be of great comfort and joy to Ollie, a boy who seemingly has experienced little, if any, since the death of his father. If Chris and Andre are approved to foster and ultimately adopt Ollie, this will also add a sense of security to Ollie's life, which at the moment must seem uncertain at least for him. Given his recent ordeal with his mother's boyfriend, combined with her rejection of him, he is remarkably well adjusted and resilient or at least appears to be.

OMG those bloody Tim Tams again @Paladin. At least Chris had the good sense not to pollute good wine with them. Tyron, Bradley and Ollie had better watch themselves for zits though eating all those Tim Tams and drinking soft drinks. It appears Ollie's mother has still not changed her attitude even though "the boyfriend" is now apparently going to plead guilty. What planet does this woman live on? Methinks she was a crap mother even before her husband was mistakenly killed (allegedly) and she took up with "the boyfriend". I am becoming increasingly suspicious of this woman and possible involvement she may have had in the murder of Ollie's father. It was very pleasing to observe the integration of three gay couples from the family business being welcomed to the party. My apartment complex is currently undergoing major remedial work and I have spoken with a number of the tradies. One of them, a man of 63 years of age and a refugee from Bosnia and Herzegovina, has taken a shine to one of my cats and we have had a number of friendly chats. I asked him about his experiences in Australia with, if any, gay men in the building industry. He revealed he has worked with many over the years and by and large there has been very little harassment of them. He recalled one job he worked on in Surry Hills (an inner-city Sydney suburb) had about 80% gay men working on the site. A most enjoyable chapter again @Paladin. I am very keen to learn what Ollie's mother's story is. On face value she is a cold-hearted bitch who does not deserve to have a son, but is there something unknown which has "warped" her mind?

I think it is delightful and indicative of what a wonderful person Keith is that he cherishes such fond memories of his "Gran". It is a shame the joy the memories of her bring also invoke thoughts of how vile his father was, but he can seek comfort in his memories of "Gran". His reaction to Thomas' query as to why he did not seek help to deal with his father's abuse rang so true; it was not the "done thing" in yesteryears to admit one had mental health or emotional or physical abuse issues to deal with. Thomas' offer to comfort Keith and be his sounding board when the dark clouds caused by thoughts of his father surface was indicative of what a caring person Thomas is and how far their relationship has advanced. His offer appears genuine and thoughtful, perhaps motivated by his fractious relationship with his father. He did "disappoint" though with his derision of ice cream and his insistence "to quote all the things in it that were bad for you". Thomas you really must learn that ice cream, whether it be dairy or non-dairy, is one of those foods for which nutritional value is completely irrelevant, much like potato crisps and champagne. A terrific chapter @Robert Hugill. Although anger, sadness and regret reared their ugly head for Keith, much of the chapter was joy-filled for him and Thomas, forged by the strengthening of their relationship which continues to delight this reader at least.

I suppose it is a vocational hazard and it appears Dante is not bothered by it. I am just a contrary old bitch at times and if someone made such a statement to me I would not take to it kindly. I don't recall you describing Vaughan's physical appearance in any detail @Robert Hugill, but for some reason I have had a very vivid image of him in my mind from the get go; his physical appearance strongly resembling the actor, Robert Bathurst, who played David Marsden in Cold Feet, which I saw sporadically when it aired on TV in Australia in the late 90's/early 00's.

The initial description of the party at Chateau Heyward had me reminiscing of the parties at Jay Gatsby's, even though it appeared to bear little resemblance to the ultra-extravagance at Gatsby's. Unlike the euphemistic and kind descriptions of the less attractive humans who populate your stories @Robert Hugill, your description of Chateau Heyward pulled no punches. "Seen for real, and up close, the house was as hideous as I’d expected, the neo-classical gestures all seeming to clamour for attention individually rather than hanging together. And its huge size didn’t help. It evidently had all the extras a modern house needed, indoor swimming pool, gym, cinema, the lot." I had a great laugh reading this, the nouveau riche are invariably "guilty" of tasteless ostentatiousness and signor Heyward apparently possesses it in spades. And it appears he may be a size queen too. I got the impression that signor Heyward's actions are carefully planned to maximise benefit for himself. The analogy of a Bond villain as commented by @Carybr a very good one. One of Vaughan's statements filled me with trepidation when I read it. He may not have meant it literally, but I bristled when I read "But no, he was not wearing it to the party, we’d found him a suitably colourful shirt and I’d allowed him to pair it with chinos in the make that he liked". The statement of a pompous and superior know-it-all to a less sophisticated charlatan. I certainly hope not.