Summerabbacat

@Libby Drew never has shade been so deliciously descriptive, although without any real malice, than with “Based on how his day had begun, he shouldn‘t have been surprised when it was Sasha who appeared. As usual, her skirt barely covered her ass and her T-shirt clung to her chest with enough gusto that the people in the next county could see she wasn‘t wearing a bra. Pretty to look at, if you went for that sort of thing. She was sweet, actually, and not stupid. It was a shame nobody had ever helped her see that there was life after being crowned Homecoming Queen.” Rachel appears to be sweet, but the “chemistry” between her and Marc isn’t going to ignite any fires. Perhaps it is a lavender relationship for not only Marc, but for Rachel as well. Or in her case, Marc may be arm candy to ward off any interest from unsuitable suitors, whom she would likely be very wary of given the treatment she apparently received at the hand of a former boyfriend. "She sniffed at him. “Hello, Marc. Excuse me, please?” She clacked by in her three-inch heels and started up the stairs. Rick, on his way down, plastered himself to the wall until she passed. The poodle growled as it trotted by, and Rick snarled back, then jogged down the last few steps. “If I get a chance to step on that thing before we finish here, I‘m taking it. Just letting you know.” “Get in line,” Reba said." For a brief moment I thought Rick was referring to Mrs Kennerdale as the “thing” he wanted to step on (or was it wishful thinking on my part). I am not fond of yappy dogs, but could not forgive myself if I hurt one (unless it was attacking one of my beloved felines). Dare I say the yappy poodle is a mirror image of its human companion. Marc leaned back over the banister. Tim‘s pale face greeted him from the floor above. “Man, you have to talk to Mrs. Kennerdale. She decided she wants me to paint the molding in the library.” He gripped the railing. “It‘s freaking mahogany.” WTF. This woman has nooooooooo taste. She would probably lay carpet over polished floors. Forget the yappy poodle, it should be her that Rick and Reba (gotta love that name) quibble over stepping on. She must meet the same fate as Eddie in Rocky Horror Picture Show. Perhaps Karen can inflict the fatal blow with one of her heels.

In this chapter every pleasing interaction with Nancy provoked Tommy's wonder what it would be like to experience the same interaction with Matthew as he loves Matthew. Methinks he may not be bisexual @weinerdog. At his age a breeze blowing on his skin could give him a hardon, therefore, Nancy giving him one may not necessarily be an indication of a genuine attraction to Nancy. I am pleased he is not only thinking of his own curiosity and pleasure. His concern he may not only sour his friendship with Matthew, but also hurt Matthew's feelings if he does not enjoy some sexual activity with him, is testament to his strength of character. I think both he and Matthew would flourish if they were to have a relationship beyond friendship. And don't worry about Nancy, Tommy, there will be plenty of other boys (and maybe even some girls) keen to enjoy her company.

Brian and Tanner, both too frightened to advance their friendship to what they seemingly want. I am surprised they have not even seen each without a shirt on. They really are "blushing virgins". Tanner probably has more to lose if a seduction of Brian was rebuffed given how unstable his home life is. Perhaps Brian's mother will have to intervene to get things moving. I think the word you may be looking for to describe Tanner's mother's "boyfriends" is loser @drsawzall. We know at least one of them, Charlie, brings her booze and drugs. He certainly would not be doing this without some kind of "incentive", an "incentive" which is loud and raucous according to Tanner. One can only hope she insists her "boyfriends" use condoms during sex otherwise she could be in for a "whole lotta hurt".

I am glad it is not just me who did not get CYMO.

Part of the reason for my "rage" on this issue is because of the number of times one sees a news report and a child has died from neglect, abuse or torture at the hands of parent(s) who are alcoholics or junkies. This infuriates me, particularly when the prevailing attitude amongst so-called experts is that children are better of living with their biological parents even in circumstances where they may be in danger of neglect, abuse or torture. BULLSHIT.

The accident that killed Tanner's father and brother must have been devastating for both Tanner and his mother, however, they have reacted in very different ways. Tanner, the child, has withdrawn into his own world, whilst his mother, the adult, seemingly drowns her sorrows in booze, drugs and copious amounts of sex. I don't have an issue with any of Tanner's mothers methods of coping, she can fuck up her own life however she wishes. But I do take great issue with her fucking up her sons's life. With all due respect to my fellow reader @JohnnyC, my heart does not bleed for Tanner's mother at all. My heart rages against the selfish bitch. She has seemingly forgotten she has another child, one who is alive, for whom she is also responsible. I doubt she has even noticed Tanner is also grieving, she is too busy having a good time. If I were Tanner I would ignore her restriction that he cannot sleep over at the home of friends. If she can have her boyfriend's over at any time for "sleep overs" why shouldn't he. As I have stated on other occasions @gdaniel I am generally not fond of children; however, I detest parents who have them and then believe their responsibility for their emotional, physical and financial wellbeing ends with the birth or at any other time prior to their adulthood. If I were able to speak to Tanner's mother I would say "get your shit together bitch and start behaving like a responsible adult, and if you cannot cope seek some professional help; Tanner should NOT have to put up with your shit." Perhaps Brian's mother can deliver a few home truths. If Tanner's mother cannot be bothered to make the effort to behave like his mother, then she should do him the ultimate favour and shoot up a fatal dose. Harsh yes, but she also has someone other than herself that she should be thinking of.

Marc’s team are a delightfully motley crew. With just a few words @Libby Drew you painted a very vivid image of each for me. Reba - “Reba gave him the finger, then tugged at a lock of her hair. The curl—dishwater blonde streaked with gray—bounced back against her temple like a corkscrew” and “Reba whistled. She tucked a napkin into the collar of her Grateful Dead T-shirt and snatched her plate back from Rick.“ A mother to all with a no-nonsense attitude, little to no vanity and no fashion sense at all. Rick - "Rick pointed a beefy finger at her, beer bottle clutched in his fist. “No way, baby.” Rick leered and patted his stomach. “Nothing but muscle over here, head to toe.” and “Finally!” Rick shot up in his seat and pushed the sleeves of his shirt up over his thick forearms. He waggled his eyebrows at the waitress as she set the two pans on the table between them. “Haven‘t seen you around here before, darling. And I‘m in here every Wednesday night.” and "Granted, Rick was chewing like a cow, and one side of his mouth was covered in sauce, but his eyes were sharp." and "Rick grunted and shook his head. He pointed a sauce-stained finger at Sawyer.“ He is a bit of a slob and fancies himself as a bit of a stud. He is likely somewhat chauvinistic but probably quite harmless and definitely clueless when it comes to relationships. I also picture him having one of those classic 70's early 80's porn star moustaches like Tom Selleck. Karen - "It arrived just as the third member of his team did. Dressed in a tan, calf-length suede skirt and matching cashmere sweater, Karen hurried up to them, dropped her Kate Spade tote on the floor with a clunk, and gave a dramatic sigh. “Sorry I‘m late. Traffic leaving the city was horrendous. The damn show ended at two, but I still managed no more than five miles per hour from State Avenue to the 9th Street Bridge. It‘s like everyone and their mother decided to take off early today. It‘s Wednesday, for God‘s sake! Whatever happened to the great American work ethic? My three-hour trip took closer to five.” She slid into the booth next to Rick, giving him a good-natured shove. “And then—” Direct from an episode of "Absolutely Fabulous" (British version please). Chic, shimmering and shallow, although if prodded may reveal more depth than what first is apparent. A whirling dervish of pretence, artifice and coyness. “Don‘t flatter yourself. I stopped for dinner, not for games. I‘ve got better uses for my time than chasing some backwater closet case.” He jerked the door open, then shot over his shoulder, “Much better.” The door slammed shut behind him." OMG Sawyer brilliantly channelled his inner Alexis Morel Carrington Colby Dexter Rowan and reduced Marc (Krystle) to quivering rubble. Perhaps it was not a very nice thing to say, even if there is at least some truth to what he said, but it sure was fun to read and visualise. The sexual histrionics between Marc and Sawyer is akin to playing snakes and ladders (I think I heard a Mariah Carey song in there somewhere). Will one of them ever reach 100 or will they continue to just fall short of nirvana. Seemingly each of them is drenched in pheromones, particularly Sawyer, if the amount of heat and dizziness experienced by each, particularly Marc, is any indication. Thankfully neither of them has to worry about heaving bosoms or is wearing anything restrictive like a girdle or else there would be injuries for sure. I for one am not getting frustrated with their games yet, in fact, I am finding them very amusing.

Aunt May continues to delight. The humour of prior chapters made an appearance again, albeit a relatively brief one. "He‘d been daydreaming again, a frivolous habit that had been plaguing him for a couple of weeks. Even Aunt May had noticed, which meant his distraction must‘ve reached epic proportions. She‘d delighted in his embarrassment but admonished him to be careful. He had a business to run, she said, and couldn‘t afford to look witless. Then she‘d tugged on one of his pale locks and cackled, shaking like a fat hen. Marc had forced a confused smile onto his face and laughed along." I think Aunt May has a very good idea of what is going on, although she may not be aware of the object of Marc's infatuation, desire and lust. I had an image, a humorous one, of Marc and Sawyer as two male cats, circling each other, heckles raised, trying to bluff each before launching into a fight, although in their case it would more likely be frenzied kissing leading to further pleasures. Or maybe they might pee on each other like two male cats sometimes do to prove dominance and take it from there. At this stage their flirtation is amusing, with Sawyer appearing to be the more experienced of the two in the "love game".

I doubt Tanner has his own mobile phone (cell phone) otherwise why would he not have listed it. If his mother is entertaining her "boyfriends" on a nightly basis in a professional capacity, she would likely have her own mobile phone for business purposes rather than a landline which Tanner could perhaps use. As for him not providing a listing of his address, this may because he is ashamed of or embarrassed by the quality, condition or location of the home in which he lives, ashamed of his mother or concerned she will embarrass him in front of any friends or worse still hit on them. Then again, it could be something completely different, but speculating is always such fun. You are right @gdaniel. Brian's mother is a delight. Dare I say her friendly teasing of Brian is an indication of how comfortable she is with the concept of him having a boyfriend as opposed to a girlfriend. I must say I hate Tanner though. Perfect hair and perfect complexion. Not a mole, wart, pimple or whisker to be found. And he is a nice person to boot. I am so envious I want to strangle him. You will have to afflict him with something unattractive. Maybe he farts at embarrassing moments, or picks his nose in bed, or cuts his toenails in the kitchen sink, just something to take the gloss off please.

Marc is 27 and still concerned what small-minded people may think in his hometown if his same-sex attractions were to be revealed. Given he has his own business, this is understandable from a financial perspective at least. I suspect his self-esteem has suffered too due to the apparent indifference of his parents. Although he is an adult now, irreparable damage can be done to a child in his or her formative years by cruel, neglectful or indifferent parents. I like @weinerdog would not be surprised to learn Aunt May is aware of his inclinations and am prepared to bet that if anyone messed with Marc because of this, hell would hath no fury like Aunt May scorned. She strikes me as a formidable opponent, a lioness who would protect her cub if he was in danger. She would take no prisoners if someone hurt her son. Her comment in the prior chapter that Marc is like a son to her showed the true depth of her feelings for him, feelings he shares as evidenced by his thoughts Aunt May had been like a mother and a father to him growing up. The gift of the photo album illustrated what a caring and thoughtful man Marc is. Aunt May has done a fine job in raising him, far better than what his sperm donor and incubator would have done. I hope we get to learn a little more about them @Libby Drew, and unless there is something fantastical which caused them to abandon their son, I shall relish despising them, even if but from afar.

"ONE more junk collector pushing up daisies.". The irreverence of the opening sentence compelled me to keep reading and I am glad I did. The humour continued unabated. The banter between Marc and Aunt May found me chuckling, impressed by their wit and obvious affection for each other. “Speaking of which,” Aunt May continued, “I heard from Horace over at the butcher that you canceled your date with Rachel last weekend.” “So?” Marc fixed his eyes on the road. It twisted around the creek, then back up the hill. He pretended to be preoccupied with navigating his truck around the tight bends. “Why did you do that?” “Aunt May.” Marc rubbed the back of his neck. “It‘s none of your business, you know.” “That‘s never stopped me before.” The humorous highlights however "Marc handed over her purse, and as she was slinging it over her shoulder, another car pulled in behind them. Suddenly as spry as a ten-year-old, May took off across the yard as fast as her legs would carry her. “That‘s Kitty Singer! Quick, Marc! We‘ve got to get to the door first!" and especially “I better go make sure Betty doesn‘t start a catfight. I do believe she might‘ve loaded a couple of bricks into her purse this morning.” had me nearly fall off my dining chair. I had visions of the Boxing Day sales in the two premiere department stores in Sydney and Melbourne (Australia's two largest cities) at which seemingly harmless women of all ages have been known to brawl over designer handbags and shoes (primarily) marked down to ridiculously low prices (thereby exposing how overpriced they were in the first place). Restrained violence I am told, but hair pulling, bag and shoe snatching and colourful language which might make a sailor blush, are apparently commonplace. I have not witnessed the spectacle myself but have been treated to accounts by female work colleagues from time to time. I am liking Aunt May. She is spritely, wily, perhaps a little naughty at times and fiercely protective and proud of her nephew it would appear. She has a touch of the haughty about her too, but not enough to be imperious. I have not formed a firm opinion of either Marc or Sawyer yet, but each certainly appears interested in and/or attracted to the other. A most enjoyable introduction to your literary talents @Libby Drew. I have some catching up to do, but if the first chapter is any indication, my labours will be well rewarded.

I hope for Tanner's sake you are wrong @weinerdog, but it is certainly plausible, especially as Wayne has finally revealed what his relationship was like with his biological mother. I still can't help but wonder @gdaniel if an alien visited Dad Dan in the middle of the night and kidnapped his soul/essence/inner-being and replaced it with a gay-friendly one. His movement of mind on gay men has been nothing short of extraordinary. It reminds me of former President Obama's movement of mind on his opposition to marriage equality. I saw a snippet of an interview with him where he credited his daughter(s) with helping him to move on this issue; they apparently had friends with same-sex parents and challenged his perception of gay and lesbian couples. I remember being very moved by the interview; moved by his genuineness, the depth of his feeling on the issue and the admiration he expressed for his daughter(s) and their intellectual and emotional challenge to him.

At last Wayne reveals something of his former life with his biological mother. The revelation confirmed what I have always suspected "My first Mom and I hardly ever did much. I don't know what it was with her, but she just didn't seem to love me very much. I always felt like I was a burden to her, especially at Christmas. I'm sorry she died in a car wreck, but I'm not sorry I don't live with her anymore." How dreadful for a child to feel he or she was a financial, emotional, social or any other type of burden on their parent/s. Unlike Wayne I am not at all sorry she died in a car wreck; in doing so, Wayne has an opportunity for a much better life than she was able or could be bothered providing him. Might Matty fancy Tommy? Either that or he fancies Wayne, in which case he will have much in common with Brian, before Brian met whatsisname. Speaking of whatsisname, Tanner, a name I have only ever encountered when reading stories written by American writers @gdaniel. I have never known anyone of this name and it does not seem to be a name used for male children in Australia. I wonder what its origin is.

Your comments are always so polite, measured and diplomatic @drsawzall, traits to be much admired. I often get the impression though the comments may be said tongue in cheek, or dare I say, with some degree of irony. Whatever the case may be, it makes for interesting and invariably amusing reading. I refuse to be drawn into commenting with any degree of assurance on Tanner's mother's behaviour yet, other than to say she appears to be a little neglectful of him and appears to have little consideration for her son or neighbours, blaring music and noisy sex late at night indicative of this. Tanner's comment on his mother's penchant for regularly entertaining her boyfriends of an evening has me wondering if this entertainment is of a personal or professional nature, and if it is the latter, if Tanner is aware of this. If it is the latter I think one can conclude she is not a high-class escort making a lot of money from just a few select and wealthy clients.

I like Brian's mother. It is great he has her in his corner as I suspect he is going to need her encouragement at the very least. To quote the much loved (well by me anyway) Pointer Sisters "He's So Shy". His conversational skills were comical; fortunately "Mystery Teen" did not seem bothered by this. I look forward to learning more about "Mystery Teen" @gdaniel. His name may be a good place for Brian to start if and when they meet again.

Believe it or not (and know its not Ripley's), the Oxford English Dictionary included asexuality in its March 2018 update to mean "without sexual feelings or associations". I now also vaguely recall from my youth (palaeolithic era) that 'an' before a word beginning with the letter h was applicable if the h was a silent h such as in honour, except word historical I vaguely recall was an exception to this rule. Therefore, it would be a horrible idea to take me to an historical event where a horse was going to be ridden by a human for a jousting competition in which the horse could lose a head or the human a humorous haemorrhoid.

I was taught 'an' only precedes words beginning with a vowel, with one exception (one of the many "charms" of the English language, the exception to the rule), a word which begins with h e.g. an honour, an historical event. 'I' is for intersex and 'A' is for asexual (apparently there are more such persons than what one may imagine in our "sexually voracious" society). You certainly have eclectic taste in music. I am not really a fan of rock 'n' roll from the 50's and 60's (although I do like a few of Elvis' songs especially Viva Las Vegas, Return To Sender and Edge Of Reality). Similarly to Frank Sinatra, I just don't get why The Beatles are so revered (although I do like a few of their songs when other people sing them), am not keen on 1960's Stones (but love 1970's Stones) and do not care for Aretha Franklin. I do like a lot of the Motown music from the 1960's and songs written by Burt Bacharach/Hal David and sung by any number of singers, but they are not typically rock n' roll. I am familiar with the Big Band Era artists you mention and if I hear their music I am happy to listen to it (especially if it is sung by Ella, Doris, Peggy Lee or Julie London, all of whom did at least some 'Big Band' related material and were accompanied by Big Band musicians). I like some country music; especially Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris. I very much admire both of these women for things other than their musical talents too.

Divalicious is not a "real" word @gdaniel, just one I have probably seen written in articles about gay icons. Bite your tongue regarding Barbra; a mega-diva of music and film. I have to agree with your assessment of Frank Sinatra though; I just don't get why he is so revered. His daughter Nancy however, is an altogether different Sinatra. A true 60's sex kitten, camp and cheesy, with deadpan vocals and a wicked sense of humour. Nancy is THE Sinatra as far as I am concerned. The only song of hers I do not like is the embarrassing duet with her father 'Somethin' Stupid', which given its lyrical content is somewhat creepy I think. I much admire Frank's contemporaries Dean Martin, Tony Bennett and Perry Como. All three of them were seemingly very affable and I like just about anything they did (even Dean's country music phase I find very appealing). You just "gotta hand it to" those Italian American studs of yesteryear. Suave and sophisticated (except for Frank). The only positives I can offer for Frank are that he was the father of Nancy, he had at least one mega-hot spouse, Ava Gardner, and he was a fan of the late, great (and any other superlative you wish to apply) Doris Day. A Republican I greatly admire @gdaniel, even more for her animal rights activism than her music and movies (and I have lots of each on CD and DVD). The three films I mentioned are amongst my favourite films of all time, in fact, Victor/Victoria is my favourite of all time. I am not generally a fan of the latest blockbuster, action packed or sci-fi movies; I much prefer art-house, costume dramas or movies with a LGBTQIA+ theme, although there are always exceptions to the rule. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the Indiana Jones movies I have seen, loved Jaws when it was released, but did not like Brokeback Mountain or Call Me By Your Name at all. I don't like rock music at all, with a few exceptions, Heart and Queen. Just about anything Ann and Nancy Wilson contribute either together or separately I have liked, even the awful "big hair" ballads of the mid to late 80's. If anyone else had sung these songs I would have hated them, but Ann has the pipes and the chutzpah to make even the crappiest of songs memorable.

I imagine with a house call he received proper undivided attention from the doctor in question.

Dad's head must surely be spinning like a top such was the pace and force of his "come to Jesus moment". He did more than a 180 degree turnaround on "faggots", "queers" and "homos" now that he knows both of his sons are gay. Like many who connect with a newly found cause, he has embraced the cause with passion and joie de vivre. The shade he threw Hazel in defence of his sons "Well Hazel, I guess we're all entitled to our opinions. But one thing I know for sure. I know that God will forgive my anger at you just as surely as he will forgive your stupidity and ignorance." was hilarious. Clearly he is channelling an "inner gay George" with a one-liner like that. @gdaniel terrific conclusion to this story of two very likeable boys and their transition from brothers to lovers. Most enjoyable read.

Well well well. No surprises Mum accepted "her sons" Andy and Wayne without reservation. I believe she won't taken any nonsense from their father if he does not accept them as she has done. The boys' friends were a breath of fresh air. It was notable for me that not one of their friends even mentioned their brotherly, albeit not biological, status. A bunch of remarkable boys. Now we just have to get Neanderthal from dragging his knuckles, get him walking upright and relieve his mind of the homophobic rhetoric which seemingly pollutes it. Perhaps Mum may like to remind him that if he insists on taking a "moral stand" against the alleged "sins" of his sons' that she may take a "moral stand" against his adulterous affair which led to the siring of one of those sons. I am hoping @gdaniel that when exposed to not one but two "faggots", "queers" and "homos" so close to home that Daddy may have that "come to Jesus" moment you alluded to in a prior comment. If not, Mum may need to take matters into her own hands, after all she seems to have far bigger cojones than he.

Dad is becoming less attractive with each passing chapter. Wayne sustains a heavy blow to the head from the concrete driveway and he insists on taking him home from hospital with a concussion and borderline fractured skull. What prompted such stupidity, and what kind of doctor would allow such a release to take place. "All during dinner he was complaining about the "damn queers" thinking they were just as good as everybody else, and how "those limp wristed buggers" (whatever a bugger is) made him sick to his stomach, and how he sure was glad "none of them faggots lived in our neighborhood." I wondered at the time how he knew there weren't any in our neighborhood. Wayne seemed just as embarrassed by dad's comments as I was. Neither of us looked up from our plates during dinner that night, except to look at each other." I suggest the criminal "gay conversion therapy" be flipped on its head and Daddy be subjected to "gay sensibility conversion therapy". No more testosterone-fuelled cinematic bilge such as Rambo, Rocky or Lethal Weapon for you Daddy. It's time for Auntie Mame, The Women (the 1939 George Cukor directed masterpiece, not the execrable remake from 2008) and Victor/Victoria. And consign those aural abominations by the likes of Journey, Kansas and REO Speedwagon to the rubbish bin, and get you some divalicious masterpieces by the likes of Donna Summer, Barbra Streisand and Kylie Minogue to reform your musical appreciation. Seriously Daddy, what the fuck is your problem. Take your head out of your ass, no self-respecting "faggot", "queer" or "limp waisted bugger" is going to give you a second look, so your "toxic masculinity" is safe from any displays of appreciation.

"Serious as a heart attack", almost as unfortunate as the lyric "I'm serious as cancer when I say rhythm is a dancer'' from Snap's 'Rhythm Is A Dancer' (a great song from the 90's for those who are unfamiliar with it). Andy has a quirky sense of humour which I find attractive. "What's to be scared of? You got me, and mom, and dad, and new clothes. You want a dog? Or a cat? Or maybe a pony?" was almost guaranteed to bring a smile to Wayne's frightened demeanour. Andy showed remarkable sensitivity for one so young when accepting Honey; quickly revealing the existence of George was very clever. Andy and Wayne are very appealing children @gdaniel, much like Danny and Samuel.

Andy is a very likeable boy and Dad seems to be pleasant enough, although somewhat insensitive I suspect. Mum does not get much of a "look in". One has to feel sympathy for her. Her husband has an affair which produces offspring, something which he and she have been unable to realise. Given this, it is safe to assume Mum is the partner with the fertility difficulties. Wayne's arrival must surely be a challenge for her, a painful reminder to her of this. Wayne I believe will be a wonderful friend for Andy and bring joy to the household, even to Mum. "Then I saw Wayne wrap his arms around our dad and bury his face against in his neck as he cried, "Daddy!" @gdaniel more tears before bedtime. More tears than an album of torch song standards by Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith or Ethel Waters.

Or the one bullet @Biff Spork.