Summerabbacat

Until this chapter I have thought it likely Charlie is the one who has attacked, raped or otherwise abused Nathanial, but now I am a little concerned it may have been Alex, given his apparent jealousy of Charlie. Perhaps I am reading too much into it, but I thought the fact Nathanial's head had been completely shaved was significant, related to Alex shaving his body for his swimming. Charlie is dangerous, and such a parasite. He will no doubt dump Claire and has already co-opted the script written by Nathanial, which has become "our script" now.

A fatal dose.

A surprise birthday party, totally deserved. Nathanial is such a wonderful person, plagued by the voice of his hateful ex-boyfriend, Jake. It appears Alex may be the only person who has an inkling of Nathanial's mental health issues, his possible schizophrenia.

Levi's emotional farewell to Julie at the cemetery certainly had an effect on @weinerdog and me, and I daresay many of the other readers. In honour of that parting a beautiful song, written by Sinead O'Connor, superbly covered by the incomparable Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris.

Rather than delivering the bite of death, Theo's biting of his fellow pack members, including his father, was the bite of life, with the possibility of resurrection for the pack members as noted by @Doha. The Great Passing, seemingly awash with vampire mythology or Christian imagery@Laura S. Fox. "Sing, little wolf, sing!” Jack ordered. “You should let him use his mouth, Jack,” Vince said kindly. “Right.” Jack let go of poor Skarg’s muzzle but didn’t get off him. “Let’s hear a little trill. Like now, Skarg!” Vince realized Jack’s urgency almost too late. He jumped out of the way as a huge trunk fell, cutting him off from the other two. But the attack seemed to convince Skarg to help. A strange, low and sweet sound emerged from somewhere inside him. Vince blinked hard trying to stay awake but a languid stupor overcame him. He fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes." Might I suggest Skarg warble a few tunes by Adele; this would have Jack and Vince out cold very quickly.

They drove past the edge of town, the trailer rattling gently behind them, then Matt slowed and put his indicator on, before eventually turning. The trailer bounced and rattled some more as they travelled along the gravel road, and when they finally pulled into the driveway at Avalon, they found that Luke was already waiting on the verandah, smiling broadly. ‘Welcome home,’ Luke called as they got out. Levi climbed out of the car and stretched, then looked around – at the house and gardens, the bushland that surrounded them. He listened to the sound of the breeze in the trees, and the rolling waves just through the bush behind the house. For the first time, the word home didn’t feel quite so foreign. He was here. Really here. And this time, he wasn’t leaving. Another big sobfest @Mark Ponyboy Peters. Could Luke be any more supportive? Almost perfection, the only "chink in his armour", he is the nephew of the bloody awful Monolith.

I think Zack would be in his mid to late 20's now @weinerdog. I think we last saw Zack in the last few chapters of A Good Place, which if I remember correctly was set in 2011. I think Out Of The Blue is set in 2021 or thereabouts, so I think Zack would be about 25 or 26 now. We will have to wait for @Mark Ponyboy Peters to verify this for us. No reason Zack could not still be friends with Levi, but close friends like a close school friend, probably not. That line got to me too. It was Levi's acceptance he will not see his mother ever again and his acknowledgement he is moving on without her physical presence. I had a good sob, as has occurred frequently in this story thus far.

"They hadn’t even bothered coming over after his mum had died, or attended the funeral, yet he had known them for years. He felt strangely detached as he realised with a quiet jolt that most of them had never really known him that well. Not the real him. And they were already moving on, just like he was." The fact none of their fellow "Christians" seemingly attended Julie's funeral and gave no assistance to Levi whilst he single-handedly looked after himself and Julie, did the shopping, paid the bills and essentially ran the household, spoke very loudly to me as it did to @pvtguy. I found this more upsetting than any other fact presented in this chapter. It appears to me, although I am prone to reading what I hope is being said in statements, Levi was somewhat disenchanted by his fellow "Christians" and their lack of caring and charity when he and Julie needed it the most. The fact his grandfather had been a brimstone and fire tyrant, should not have kept his fellow "Christians" from seeking to comfort Julie and Levi. Frankly, I thought Mrs Hargreaves, her son and his friends, only came over to say hello to Levi as they were having a sticky beak as to what was happening with his childhood home. Levi was of course far too polite to do anything other than bid them goodbye. Once he has moved to Thompsonville he will be out of sight out of mind for them, and he may be far better off for it.

They advertise on eBay too @Mark Ponyboy Peters and @weinerdog, and I think I saw something on eBay recently that St Vinnies have a live auction every Friday, but I might be mixing them up with another charity.

Paul Lekakis, Lana Pellay, Divine and Sylvester perhaps? These were all massive hits in Australia, not just in gay clubs. Paul Lekakis was #1 for 5 weeks and one of the biggest hits of the year.

1976 top 5 hit. From the album How Dare You.

“Saying what? ‘I’m gay. Fly me?’ ” Is that a reference to I'm Mandy, Fly Me by 10CC @Robert Hugill? "Oh God. Pray he does not turn into a Wagner fiend. I enjoy Wagner in small doses. But the idea of having to sit through his interminable operas because my boyfriend loved them did not bear thinking about." I guess you won't be inviting Alex and Neil over to your castle in Valencia when they visit Spain @Gary L. When Rupert was driving recklessly with gay abandon all I could "hear" in my head was Autobahn by Kraftwerk @Robert Hugill. Neil continues to impress, embracing new things whilst acknowledging he is scared shitless of making a fool of himself. His fear of flying and getting lost is perfectly rational to me as one who has the same fears. Twenty two chapters in @Robert Hugill but there seems to be much to still learn about these delightful characters you have created. Neil's sense of humour surprised me in this chapter, especially: “There’ll be others.” I grinned. “Better be!” “The Greek bird.” I rolled my eyes. “Iphigenia.” “Yeah. Need to learn that one.” “Lila’ll be pissed if you call the play The Greek Bird.”

Bugger. I read that conversation twice. The first time I read it I thought it was Nathan who made the statement, but the second time I read it I thought it was Martin. "Nathan, I love you and I also want there to be the two of us in that sense." (obviously Martin) "I know I love you and I feel comfortable loving you." (obviously Nathan replying) Nathan paused. "Why do I feel a 'but' coming?" (I thought this was Nathan continuing after he had paused, but reading it for the now third time, it seems pretty bloody obvious it was Martin) "Because I'm not comfortable about telling people about loving you. I'm especially scared about telling my siblings and their families and my cousins. I don't know how they'll react. I mean I'm thirty seven and they've only ever known me as a straight male." I am going to blame it on my mucous saturated sinuses, heavy as lead head and freezing everything even though I have the aircon on. I will go to the naughty corner and hang my head in shame after Frida has delivered my punishment. I don't remember the age gap being mentioned before, but from your comment above I assume Martin is in his early to mid 40's, which means he was in his 20's when Benjamin and Maria were born. This is still quite young, maybe not so when we were born, but nowadays it is.

Hopefully Grace does not live up to her name. Hopefully Grace has, as yet undiagnosed, telekinesis. Hopefully Grace's favourite person is her hero, Carrie White. Hopefully Grace's least favourite person has the same relationship with her that Carrie's least favourite person had with her. Hopefully Diana is on the phone one day and suffers the same fate as Margaret White. Hopefully Caleb does not have to wait until Grace is 16 years of age for this to happen. Hopefully Caleb is not at home when it does happen otherwise he will probably be blamed for this as well. It appears Diana's mistreatment of Caleb may have started before she became aware he is gay. I have little doubt she broke his arm and pushed him down the stairs, or at least broke his arm and he fell down the stairs trying to get away from her. Is it possible she was medicating him even then too? She is a psychopath, possibly a lot more like Margaret White than I have imagined. One thing is puzzling me at the moment @Topher Lydon. It may be something you are yet to reveal. When Caleb asked the police to call his father, was he referring to his biological father or his stepfather?

A tasty little chapter with Rick proving his worth by ensuring six flutes were kept full at all times, presumably with quality champagne. Love was in the air, with D'Artagnan and his three brothers sealing their brotherhood with kisses, sans tongue, between all. Martin and Nathan revealed their fear of coming out to their respective families, with Martin including cousins amongst his family. Although we know next to nothing about their respective sisters, I will be surprised if either experiences any grief from their sisters. Martin's cousins may be a different matter, but they are only cousins. I don't think Nathan has anything to fear from Amelia as she cannot "punish" him in any way, in fact, he may never have to speak to her again. Martin is not so fortunate, his children will "tie" him to Natasha forever in one way or another. It surprised me Martin is only 37 years of age @Paladin. This means he was born in the late 1980's and became a father to Benjamin and Maria at the age of 19. This is very young to have become a father. I presume Natasha was the same age or similar. Although I still despise her, it does perhaps explain why they drifted apart as they were still maturing, a process which seems to have come to a halt in the case of Natasha. May I suggest @Paladin if Natasha becomes a real problem, that you "borrow" Vanessa. She would have no problem "wiping the floor" with Natasha, Natasha would not know what hit her. I have little doubt the matriarch from Mosman would be a formidable force to be reckoned with if you pissed her off, something which take next to no effort from Natasha to achieve.

It appears Medea Holloway, if this is her family name, was a prize bitch even when at school. Perhaps she is the “real” motherfucker. Her treatment of Caleb is reprehensible; withholding his asthma medication for fear of addiction (I call bullshit) whilst pumping him full of downers because he is gay, starving him and failing to clothe him adequately. Meanwhile CPS turn a blind eye because Medea’s psycho-trist supports his birthing vessel’s claim he is without empathy. The only adult “seen” hitherto who seems to care for Caleb is Billy’s mother. Grey Harbour is in desperate need of cleansing. The problem one would face is once started where to stop. What this town needs is a visit from a grey “Devil Horse” @Topher Lydon. A swift kick to offending orifices may cause death, but if not at least the inability to reproduce.

It appears Medea Holloway, if this is her family name, was a prize bitch even when at school. Perhaps she is the “real” motherfucker. Her treatment of Caleb is reprehensible; withholding his asthma medication for fear of addiction (I call bullshit) whilst pumping him full of downers because he is gay, starving him and failing to clothe him adequately. Meanwhile CPS turn a blind eye because Medea’s psycho-trist supports his birthing vessel’s claim he is without empathy. The only adult “seen” hitherto who seems to care for Caleb is Billy’s mother. Grey Harbour is in desperate need of cleansing. The problem one would face is once started where to stop. What this town needs is a visit from a grey “Devil Horse” @Topher Lydon

Maybe it’s Dune. The English language is full of silent letters and the letter a is no exception. His parents are Kyle McLachlan fans. They did not want to name him Twin Peaks or Sex In The City so they settled on Dune. Both parents failed English at school and spelling was not their forte, which was why they chose Dune. It could have been worse, he could have been named Twin Pokes or Sux In The City.

If you like the third one I will take the first one.

He is usually so mild-mannered. A little self-deprecating at times and often a little “naughty”, but I have rarely witnessed an unkind word or harsh judgment of a character, even the vile ones. Unless my memory is fading, his less than favourable assessment of Margot is almost a first. I am a bit sick at the moment so I may be completely full of it.

We readers, well at least this one, are delighting witnessing another side of @weinerdog, a little sarcastic with the occasional bite.

That is why Margot wears those “sweats” when her parents are not home.

I loved the humour in this thought, in fact, I am loving the surprising amount of humour the conversations, especially those involving Jo, are peppered with.

Brilliant @TimeTraveller. I just hope Margot has not been scenting her territory with her anal glands like hyenas do.

If, and it is a very big if, Chloe is to be believed, Vickie's murderer could be any one of many of the town's residents, as Vickie apparently had no compunction about blackmailing her fellow residents. Chloe described her as a parasite; if she was as "popular" with the menfolk, and maybe some of the women too, as what Chloe has suggested, she well may have contracted at least one bacterial infection during her life. The one person who was averse to Vickie's charms was Caleb and it apparently drove her crazy she could not have him. Was her infatuation genuine or was she just a sore loser? You are not wrong, as usual, @weinerdog. The town has some very unpleasant residents, and thus far they are all female, apart from Detective Reyes. Caleb's mother is still the "supreme" bitch, but Chloe and Vickie herself, are not far behind. As for Ms Herrera, she is unbelievably stupid. I daresay Chloe would be difficult to say no to if interested in the female of the species. Is her relationship with Ms Herrera a power trip for Chloe or does she genuinely care for her? She is a prize bitch to everyone else so it is difficult to believe she has a genuine caring side to her, but stranger things have happened.