Summerabbacat

@Wombat BillI think the astute @chris191070 and @ReaderPaul are correct in their prediction of possible trouble ahead for Edward due to his interview with Kim/Cum. I do hope he retains the record of his interview. The interview with Brett was very amusing, He is witty and charming, and seems to possess a talent for the double entendre much like Edward himself. His description of his rainbow pubes was very funny. @Wombat Bill I don't know if you have ever availed yourself of the "intimate services" described by Brett in the interview, but if you have not, you have researched the topic very thoroughly. As a man who has been having a "manzilian" and other waxing for the best part of 30+ years, I must say you were spot on. I have found the armpits the most painful part to be waxed. I was also very surprised to learn how much warmth body hair can provide. I had my legs waxed once in winter, and they were very cold without the "insulation" provided by hair (not to mention they looked like chicken legs as the hair added an illusion that my legs were bigger than what they really are). I hope this is not TMI for your fine, upstanding readers @Wombat Bill.

I have to agree @chris191070. The climate and geography of these islands sounds magnificent (photographs on the 'net appear to confirm this). I checked on the 'net as I know little about the islands. I thought they may be a group that is in danger of "sinking" due to rising sea levels, but this appears not to be the case. Unfortunately, they are not a suitable locale to visit or live as a gay man. As is the case in a number of other Polynesian nations e.g. Fiji, male homosexuality is illegal and punishable by a maximum of 7 years imprisonment. I don't know if the people themselves are violent in their opposition to gay men as they are in Jamaica. I recalled a number of years ago an Australian tourist was imprisoned in Fiji for consensual sex with a Fijian man. Such acts in Fiji were at the time (2005) illegal and could land you in jail for up to 14 years. It appears the introduction of Christianity into these nations has led to this, with many fervently following their religion of choice. @quokka although the information I have presented may "spoil" the story for some, I do enjoy a story such as this which encourages the reader to learn more of the locale in which it is set, or where some of the action takes place. Being an Australian myself, I had certainly heard of the island group, but really had no idea where they are (apart from somewhere near New Zealand), or that they are as developed as they are.

I have only recently worked out how to use the @ for names too @Wombat Bill so have been OD'ing on using it. It was either @ReaderPaulor @chris191070 who had used it in a comment, which prompted me to fiddle around and work out how it is done. I find it a little pernickety at times, but generally get there in the end. I am always amused when authors refer to their characters hijacking a conversation or scene and taking it in a different direction. The author of a story I enjoy on another site invariably makes exactly the same statement in his semi-regular newsletter to which I have subscribed.. I wonder if professional authors have similar experiences? Perhaps it is part of your "gift"?

@ReaderPaul in your first posting the word NOT was omitted. I assumed when reading your comment it was meant to be there. Your second posting has corrected the omission. i like your sense of humour too.

The fisting scene was very, very funny @Wombat Bill. @ReaderPaul is I think correct, you do have a droll sense of humour, one which I as a fellow Australian share and appreciate. @ReaderPaul I grew up on a staple diet of British comedy on TV and I daresay @Wombat Bill did too, which is likely why we have a sense of humour more closely aligned to that of the British than of Americans. As a youth, particularly pre-teen, we certainly had American TV shows which were popular such as The Brady Bunch, Batman, The Flinstones, Bewitched and The Beverly Hillbillies, but comedies were generally best served British. As an adult in my 20's and 30's I was not an avid watcher of TV, but my observations are that this was still the case, with comedies like Absolutely Fabulous, French & Saunders, The Young Ones and Mr Bean being very successful in Australia. In more recent times I have no idea as I have not regularly watched TV for many years now, in fact, not at all for the last 2-3 years.. Thomas' desperation was embarrassing, in his contact with Jared, but more so with Justin and Craig. I think Thomas needs to distance himself from Jared as he, Jared, is certainly NOT the person he initially appeared to be. My opinion of Jared has plummeted even further; he is insensitive, patronising, self-centred and egotistical, all very unpleasant characteristics. In hindsight I think Thomas' threesome did him a favour, before he invested too much time and love in a relationship which would eventually have failed. Jared may be beautiful to look at, but for now that is where his beauty seems to end.

You are not mistaken @chris191070. I did a little research after your original posting and found they were "invented" in the late 1890's in Queensland, which is often referred to in Australia, and promoted abroad, as the "sunshine state". A lamington is generally rectangular or square sponge-like cake covered with a thin layer of chocolate sauce and desiccated coconut. Sometimes they also have a cream or strawberry jam filling in the middle (these are sickly sweet). They were a staple of school and church fund raising drives when I was a child, and likely were when @Wombat Bill was too, hence our familiarity with them. I loved them as a child/teenager, but don't think i could consume in the same volume now as my palate has changed somewhat.

@chris191070 the crucial words to your statement are "at the moment". I thought you might see the parallel, but wondered if your crystal ball//tarot cards/intuition gave you an indication if this was a temporary or permanent situation. Perhaps we will have wait for our author to reveal it, if he in fact does. Had you heard of lamingtons before?

I confess to pavlova being a guilty pleasure. I have not eaten one for many years, but it is the fruit that does it for me, especially if it has kiwi fruit, berries (especially raspberries) and the outrageously expensive passionfruit on top. A former work colleague's daughter made meringues from whipped chick pea brine, which I was afforded a taste of. They were delicious. I am trying to become vegan (hence not making the meringue from egg whites), but am finding it difficult to find any decent non-dairy cheeses. A lamington drive is a great idea @Wombat Bill. I remember them well from childhood fund raising events at school. I tried to buy some today at my local Coles supermarket and they were sold out. They are often lampooned, but i think many still find them a guilty pleasure.

"Bonza" - now there is a word I have not heard for a long, long time. I recall Sir Les Patterson frequently using this word publicly, and perhaps Paul Hogan may have used it on 'The Paul Hogan Show' in the 1970's. You have been educating your non-Australian readers of late @Wombat Bill, firstly "Jez" now "bonza". Perhaps you can include pavlova, lamingtons and Sumer Wine in a future chapter. A short, and perhaps prophetic chapter. Jared's comment to Thomas after Desmond's departure "He must have a difficult life, being so near but can’t have the woman he loves. Why do you think he stays here; it must be so painful? struck a chord. I immediately saw a possible parallel in the relationship between Desmond and Virginia, to that between Jared and Thomas. You have piqued my curiosity and raised suspicion with this statement @Wombat Bill. Maybe I am seeing things which are not really there, but you have left subtle clues for your readers before as to the direction of a particular plot. I wonder what @chris191070 and @ReaderPaul think of this theory? Side Salad 2 - well written, providing a historical context of the relationship between the Prices'. I have long thought this the likely scenario; it certainly would not be the first lavender marriage between the son of a prominent wealthy Eastern Suburbs family and a young attractive woman. I think we have even had a PM to whom one could attribute such an arrangement.

I do hope you are are wrong @chris191070 that Jared's motive is revenge as I don't think Thomas' threesome warrants such action. I will be very disappointed if you are right (as you have been with a number of your other predictions).

Hence my comment that "for now" I am not liking Jared at all; and, that I will not "engage in any further discussion of him or his motives until I have further information". I am trying to be fair to him, hoping that you will reveal his motive(s) and that they won't be "ego, revenge or social climbing". Dame Shirley's gowns are always a sight to behold. One of my favourites is off the back cover of 'The Greatest Hits - This Is My Life', a CD only release from 2000. The white gown looks sprayed on and when combined with the feathered-cape, would be the envy of drag queens world wide. I have seen her twice in concert in the 1990's and she was c'est magnifique. I think the best performer I have ever seen live, although Tina Turner and Cher were very good too.

I will have to look for it up on the 'net. I just found a Youtube snippet of his performance as the guest villain, 'Chandell', on Batman. What a great name for his character. Whilst I don't think he was classically handsome, he appeared to have a great complexion as Chandell. I found another Youtube snippet from a 1983 appearance on Letterman and he aged very well. He was less camp than I thought, very softly spoken, and seemed quite witty and genuine. Not at all what I expected.

@Wombat Bill the chapter title had a medley of Marilyn's 'Diamond's Are A Girl's Best Friend' and Dame Shirley's 'Diamonds Are Forever' running through my head. I had visions of Ed Wiener making a grand entrance in a figure-hugging sequinned gown (something like Dame Shirley would wear in concert), lip-synching to said medley. A very pleasant way to start the chapter with an interlude from two great divas. @Wombat Bill to continue with the camp nature of the beginning of this chapter you tease us with "Thomas introduced the pianist to the security guards who then opened the black attaché case and he began trying on diamond rings". I immediately thought, here it comes, the "Liberace sequence". And, you did not disappoint, treating us with a "gold lame sleeveless jumpsuit" and "fingers adorned with a number of very large gold and diamond rings". I don't recall ever seeing Liberace perform as a pianist on TV. My only recollections of him are an appearance he made on a TV chat show (probably the Mike Walsh Show), which I saw whist visiting my grandmother once (i was a preteen); and, a guest villain role in Batman (the 60's TV show). I think my grandmother may have had an album or two of his in her collection. I also vaguely remember the "scandal" when he took Jamie Redfern went with him to the USA, but I was not really aware then of what it all meant. The light-hearted entertainment of the chapter soon changed with the commencement of Jared's role as Mrs Price's new stud. I am not sure what to make of Jared's motive(s) yet, perhaps I am overthinking it. My desire for he and Thomas to reconcile is waning @Wombat Bill. For now, I think Jared is a runt with a capital C, petty and manipulative. I will not however, be tempted to engage in any further discussion of him or his motives until I have further information. I do look forward to what your other reader's think.

@ReaderPaul Our (Australian) strangest custom with names was the nickname for men with red hair - Bluey. There are several schools of thought as to its origin, all well before my time.

@kbois thank you. I think this a strong indicator of what a thought provoking, challenging and ultimately enjoyable story @Wayne Gray is creating for our pleasure. I enjoy the banter that is evident and obviously welcomed on this site and on many of the stories. I think each of the chapter titles to date has captured the essence of the narrative therein. Even if his stories were complete rubbish (which they are not), I enjoy reading the written word of @Wayne Gray for the sheer pleasure of his wordsmanship (not penmanship is I incorrectly stated in describing his work before).

@Wayne Gray Before I even read the question you posed to your readers at the end of this chapter, I thought its title was like a double-edged sword, reflecting the positive and negative connotations of the word "keeper". We have the welcomed revelation of Jeremy's intention to ask Mason to marry him and Clay's approval thereof; Joseph's revelation to Greg that Orson has accepted his offer of marriage; and lastly, but barely acknowledged, Bill's desire to provide to Avery the happiness and stability that his life has seemingly lacked. In all three cases, but particularly the first two, the often made remark "oh, he's a keeper", meaning the relationship is one which is bound to succeed as the parties invoiced are so well matched, is so very apt. Conversely, we have the toxic relationship between Lee and Eddie. Eddie is Lee's "keeper", having enslaved him to a life of servitude on the premise that he, Eddie, is providing for him and is therefore, "owed" big time for his generosity. Everything Eddie does for Lee is for the good of Eddie, not for the good of Lee. Lee's nurture or happiness is completely irrelevant, the polar opposite of the enriching relationships between Jeremy and Mason, Joseph and Orson, and what could potentially be between Avery and his foster parents. I think it is very telling that Lee questions himself with "Why … why do the apartment and Eddie feel like a nightmare?". Is this perhaps the start of his journey to self discovery and the pursuit of happiness and stability? Superb chapter @Wayne Gray. Although the chapter title is a "double edged sword", it is the first chapter title which mirrors the glimmer of hope for Lee.

@Wayne Gray The "tone" of this chapter was perfect in my eyes. It would seem that Lee's life has not been an easy one, and he himself is, so far, difficult to like. Have the circumstances of his life "shaped" his character, or has his character "shaped" the circumstances of his life? I have little doubt you will reveal this to we your readers in subsequent chapters, but suspect you will allow us to draw our conclusions. I have just edited my comments you have quoted to correct a few grammatical errors and remove unnecesary words, but more importantly to add the comment that "your ability to convey so much by saying so little" is "a remarkable and not easy achievement". Your economy with words should not be underestimated, it is quite the achievement, As you can observe from the comments I make, it is not a talent that I myself possess (being as I am prone to verbosity). I recall seeing an interview with Benny Andersson of ABBA (not so popular I know in the USA, but worshipped here in my homeland of Australia, including by yours truly), in which he stated it was far more difficult to write a catchy and memorable song with a simple melody and lyrical content, than one with a complex melody and lyrical content. I think there is a strong element of truth in this statement.

The language and interactions between the characters in this chapter is dark and brooding, much like the character of Lee himself it seems. With just a few delicate strokes of his literary brush @Wayne Gray is already providing we his readers, great insight into this new character, Lee. A glimpse of his inner turmoil, already setting the scene for what I predict will become another fascinating story. The pacing of this story, consistent with the leisurely pacing of the others in this series, is perfect for its setting in a campsite for those seeking refuge from society or a former, less rewarding or troubled life. @Wayne Gray your penmanship once again is so impressive; your ability to convey so much by saying so little, a remarkable and not easy achievement. I hate the overuse of the word awesome, but I think it may be he most appropriate adjective yet again for this your latest story (it is more polite han saying "fucking brilliant").

@chris191070 Your crystal ball/tarot cards/intuition was spot on, Jared emerged the "winner" in the "who will be Mrs Price's latest gigolo" contest. I do not see this arrangement being conducive to a reconciliation between Jared and Thomas, which is what I was hoping for. Perhaps I am however, a little too conventional in my thinking. I believe the little "green eyed monster" will rear its ugly head if Jared becomes too fond of Mrs Price or the lines between the employer/gigolo relationship become at all blurred. If it is Jared's intention to resume a relationship with Thomas, then he seems to have conveniently forgotten his expectation that Thomas be faithful to him. Whilst his relationship with Mrs Price may be a business arrangement, he will still be fucking her presumably. It certainly seemed to me that Jared was outraged with Thomas fucking someone other than himself when Thomas had his threesome with Craig and Justin; there was certainly no suggestion that the threesome was anything other than fucking between the three. If the fucking was his main objection, then will he not be "committing the same offence" with Mrs Price, or is it the fact that she will paying for it somehow negates "the offence"? @Wombat Bill you do like to challenge your readers don't you? My "moral compass" has gone haywire, you have left me in a quandary with this latest development. This is not something that I, born under the star sign of Libra, am able to satisfactorily resolve. Whilst it is too early to know how the business arrangement between Jared and Mrs Price will impact upon a reconciliation between Jared and Thomas, unless either @chris191070or @ReaderPaulare able to foretell yet again, I just cannot see it working.

I read this story on another gay site several years ago (before I was aware of GA) after having read 'Wayne's Journal' on the same site. This is one of the most moving and uplifting gay-themed stories I have ever read (and I have read a hell of a lot of them). The characters are beautifully drawn by the author; his deft hand brings them alive in print, so much so that you cannot fail to experience and visualise them both physically and emotionally. I don't recall too many other stories of this genre, or in fact any genre, that I have read which have had me weeping tears of joy and sadness with such abandon and frequency. Reading this story was strangely cathartic; the beauty of Grant and Troy and their growing love an enriching experience for any reader. I have also read the author's 'Camp Refuge' series which continues to provide entertainment and challenges the reader, but for me nothing he has written surpasses the treasured memories of joy and heartache from this literary journey.

@quokka I have a "weak stomach" and get motion sickness easily, always have had since childhood, but even more so following a head injury in 2010. I'm a bit of a wuss actually.

I get seasick on the Manly Ferry and on any ride at an amusement park (apart from the dodgem cars). I cannot imagine being in rough seas; I almost got "cyber vertigo" just reading about it. I am enjoying the carefree and joyous relationship the family seem to have, but will it continue in what I imagine will be a quite different culture for Hunter and Fraser, although Fraser may be too young to be particularly aware of this.

Peter sounds impressive and eminently suitable for the position, but I have to say Equus sounds remarkable, certainly someone who could satisfy Mrs Price's alleged voracious sexual appetite (and then some). Roger was a real disappointment, certainly not the professional I expected him to be after his discussion with Alma and Brenda; perhaps he really was just after a romp with two lesbians to satisfy his carnal lust. That just leaves Jared. I am very suspicious of his motive, has he applied for the position in retaliation to Thomas' threesome with Justin and Craig. If so, I think his "performance" may have backfired on him. If his application is genuine however, he is not the person of character that I thought he was. @Wombat Bill you are a truly "wicked and naughty boy", teasing your readers with such a cliffhanger. It is like "Who shot JR?" or "Who planted the bomb at No. 96?" all over again. It is even more intriguing than Justin's forthcoming "baring all for Liberace" or wondering if Margaret Court will really have the audacity to accept her AC (I think this is a foregone conclusion however). I shall have to arise early tomorrow (unheard of on a Saturday morning) to find out who the winner is.

I have to agree @Wombat Bill. It is like cheeses with fruit in them. NO NO NO. The only exceptions to "unadulterated" cheeses should be peppercorns (a tasty "biting" Pecorino), mould (a nice blue vein from the Gippsland region of Victoria or a Tasmanian blue), or ash on goat's cheese.

Deported to a deserted island would suit me fine @Wombat Bill as long as it is a tropical island to which I can take my favourite things (my Donna Summer and ABBA vinyl albums/CD's/DVD's/memorabilia and my cats), and have access to vegan/vegetarian food only. I should perhaps qualify my statement regarding Tim Tams though. I do not like the original standard Tim Tams at all, but don't mind the dark chocolate Tim Tams. I did buy a few packets of them when they were first released into the marketplace, but they were a taste I found I tired of rather quickly (perhaps it was my gluttonous devouring of them that resulted in this). I also tried the raspberry ones which were truly disgusting (I love raspberries). As for the other "flavoured" varieties available such as banana and peanut butter, although I have not tried them, I will just say YUK.