Summerabbacat

Any sympathy I had for Bernice, which was minimal to begin with, evaporated when she dared to judge the members of the household in which Kilby is being fostered and referred to them as "shirt lifters". These "shirt lifters" have done more for her son in the short time they have had him in their care than she had done in the first 16 years of his life. Bernice, the selfish junkie whose parental rights were severed because drugs were more important to her than her son. Addiction is a disease that she has to live with, but her son should not be forced to tolerate it and live with it just because she gave birth to him, which is why her parental rights were severed. Edward was remarkably polite to Bernice given her remarks equating gay men to paedophiles. If it was not for the fact Kilby wants to see his mother again, and I cannot understand why given her consistent abandonment of him, Edward may well have rescinded the invitation. If she attends and causes any difficulties, which I can easily see happening, Gran may put her in her place. I cannot imagine Gran tolerating any nonsense from her, regardless of any excuse(s) she may make. I must say @Wombat Bill, "Peggy" is the spitting image of my late Zelda.

Odd how different "God's laws" are south of the border, especially the further south one travels towards the next border with Mexico.

I vaguely recall the Ms Patel who is hired by Mrs Katz and by Orel in later works is the daughter of the referenced Mr & Mrs Patel in this chapter, or have I imagined this @Topher Lydon?

Me too, but not with icing; and it has to be moist and preferably without dates. And I love to eat it with either lemon or passionfruit sorbet.

Sally certainly shed the 1950's housewife stereotype she was scared of becoming. The breakdown of the stereotype started with Sally smoking one of Clovis' cigars, and progressed to not one but two slaps across the face she delivered to Jason. Frankly, I thought she was a bitch for doing this, and had it been Jason who slapped her across the face twice he would likely have been charged with assault. She did however, redeem herself with the following statements: "You're fond of me, Jason, and you do love me, but not like that," she said, looking toward Blake with a terrible, weary kindness. "I've always been in his shadow, and it's dark in there. I lied to myself. But the lie doesn't work anymore. I'm divorcing you. I need to be free of the lie, and you need to be true to your heart." and her friendliness towards Blake. If Sally and Jason divorce it might affect his continuing tenure as pastor of the Baptist Church. If Jason and Blake become a couple, which I hope they do, I imagine his tenure as pastor would cease immediately. It may not be foremost in either of their minds, but I think Sally and Jason would both be happier if they left the nonsense behind and found a church they could attend at which all are welcome.

It could be worse @drpaladin; it could be "forever trying to clear the chaos that is Steve's behind", especially if he had eaten any of the colourfully decorated sandwiches Kenny found culturing under Steve's desk.

"Jenny nodded, "We've made sandwiches, you should come inside before we attract all the neighbours." She waved politely to the gathering crowd that were watching the drama unfolding on the lawn." Given Mr Greenwood is apparently a mean, stingy old curmudgeon now, I was hoping he might come outside and turn the hose on the nosey parker neighbours.

“Hey, ladies!” Lydia yelled out the window, her voice cheerful and clear. The women froze, mouths slightly open. Lydia’s expression shifted instantly from sunny to pure contempt. “Don’t you two have some bingo to lose or some terrible grand-kids to ignore? Move your ancient, judgmental asses.” Lydia is forgiven for all her previous nastiness and transgressions. This admonishment of some of the gossipers, including Mrs Peterson, was priceless, as was her reckless driving cutting off a minivan driven by a soccer mum whom she gave the finger. Soccer mums, they are a menace worldwide in these petrol-guzzling polluting "status symbols".

Jenny-Lynn is an indomitable force to be reckoned with lest anyone should try to challenge her take charge attitude. Between the Hickeys and the Jensens, Jason's reputation should be able to be salvaged, although I daresay some will still be sceptical. Perhaps Andrew Highmore can arrange for "clean up" duty on any naysayers.

It seems my memory did not serve me well. I thought Jason's father was also a preacher and that this was the reason for his homophobia. It appears I was wrong; he was just a drunken, bigoted, neo-Nazi who neglected and abused his son continuously, whether drunk or sober. I hope his death was excruciatingly slow and painful.

Jason's reaction was extraordinarily calm and measured. Are you sure he is a Baptist minister and not a stoned ex-hippy @Topher Lydon? Jason, Sally and Blake know the truth, but the truth is not scandalous. Given this, will Brenda and Hot Gossip believe it or will they continue to besmirch both Jason and Blake? Will Mark become a eunuch as a result of action(s) taken by Lydia?

Brenda is a bitch. Jenny-Lynn should have accidentally (on purpose) let it slip, reminding Brenda of the second worst kept secret in Merrickville, the time when all the hockey team, apart from West, Jason and Matt, and some of their brothers, fathers and cousins, came down with a severe case of gonorrhoea, as did she, Brenda, shortly after attending Brenda's 17th birthday party, and the "after party" gang bang orchestrated by Brenda to celebrate the momentous occasion. Brenda was a popular girl that night, a 17 year old cumdump. LOL. Steve and Clovis will help Kenny and Jason, and Jenny-Lynn will continue to support Sally. Meanwhile, Lydia will castrate Mark and his accomplices using several implements and the acetone from Madame Chao's Nail Emporium.

This is the kind of scenario where I am not as opposed to your nations gun laws as I usually am @drsawzall. Now why is Kathleen Turner aka Serial Mom not in the school parking lot when she is really needed. Mr Greenwood's front garden must be awash with male pheromones.

Or perhaps this one might be more apropos @Topher Lydon, DSB's gown matching the colour of Kenny's chariot.

History Repeating for Blake, but what Steve and Kenny need is also a touch of Bassey. A song popularised by Pink, but DSB's version is a scorching explosion of fuchsia.

Madame Chao may not know what hit her. Alexis and Krystle or Sue Ellen and any number of JR's mistresses? Actually I do not foresee any unpleasantness, which is a shame because I love a verbal stoush or a cat fight between super bitches. Very 80's, especially if there are shoulder padded frocks involved.

Fantastic song from the greatest live performer I have ever seen. She was 89 years of age on January 8 (same birth date as Elvis and David Bowie).

Lydia, the Queen of Snark. I am still in two minds about her. She is certainly protective of Steve, an admirable trait, but there is still something inherently nasty about her that I don't like. I am not familiar with Twelfth Night. Studying Shakespeare in high school was compulsory, but I have to confess I was not really a fan, well not of those which I had to study, the only one of which I can remember we had to study was Henry IV Pt 1. I cannot remember anything about it though.

He's almost too good to be true.

Neither Clovis' nor Jason's attitude surprised me, although had I not already read The Lost And The Damned I would have fallen off my chair with Jason's attitude. I had forgotten his closeted "romance" with Blake, just as I had forgotten Blake's family name was Wolochowski. Although neither surprised, the discussion between the two fathers and their sons still moved me tremendously.

Mister Thompson nodded his head, “Yeah Steven, no worries. And thanks for coming by tonight. Lydia’s normally the only one we see mid-week, and she’s usually going over the books. Thanks for keeping this place open after… well you know.” Steve smiled and touched Mr. Thompson’s arm, “hey, all you need to do is keep our secret and I’ll keep everyone employed as long as I can. You have my promise.” I am intrigued. I wonder what went down at the Steakhouse. A food poisoning scare, a sexual harassment claim filed by an employee against another, embezzlement by the former bookkeeper?

If I remember correctly Jenny-Lynn was a pushy teenager, a trait she has carried through to adulthood and motherhood. One can only imagine the pressure she put Steve under as a child, akin to a stage mother. He and Lydia make a formidable pair, although you would not expect it of him.

What is Steve's motivation for sabotaging himself? Is he acting the class clown so other students will like him? He is an enigma at this point in the story, an enigma which only Kenny may be able to fathom? I daresay Jenny-Lynn and Clovis will not be pleased, although in the case of the latter he will let his newspaper do the talking.

I find it difficult to believe Mr Greenwood is an old curmudgeon, stingy and mean. He was such a delight when Will and Andrew were at school, and was still largely the same when West and Peter were at school. I guess in advancing years his health may be declining, and maybe it's only Steve he is stingy and mean to. I also find it difficult to believe Lydia owns a pink motorcycle helmet, even ironically. Has she not discovered her love for all things black and gothic as yet? I think Steve's antics may be amusing at first, but after a while if you were the "victim" of his practical jokes he may become somewhat tiresome. Has Kenny been set-up for a bisexual three-way with siblings?

Kenny is Jason Jensen's son. If I remember correctly, Jason Jensen was one of those present when West Harding was severely beaten by a number of his fellow hockey team members, including the team captain, Brad. If I remember correctly, Jason's father was also a Baptist minister and a biblical literalist. If Kenny is gay, which may be what he was referring to in his statement "I have things going on, and I don’t need you making my life harder.”, he is in for a tough time, if not with his father, certainly with his grandfather. Steve appears to have something in common with West, in that if I remember correctly, his parents, Jonathan and Martha Harding, did not initially believe him when he revealed he was gay, or am I getting him mixed up with Andrew Highmore @Topher Lydon?