Summerabbacat

I think the adjectives Louis used to describe Aunt Daphne and Graham, scheming bitch and uptight wanker respectively, were succinct and most apropos. I was hoping consumption of the heavy shortcrust pastry and Jerusalem artichokes by Louis and Charlie would have the unfortunate and undesirable effects anticipated, but alas the boys saved themselves the embarrassment. Still, the oyster-coloured walls and the taupe-coloured chairs were the perfect backdrop for the aftermath of upset stomachs had Louis and Charlie not swapped their "achilles heel" with each other. That thought occurred to me too @centexhairysub. Does Graham have a connection with Farouk Georges, if not directly then indirectly? Very suspicious. Aunt Daphne is horrid. Add her to Venetia Murray and Ralph's mother, Sheila, and you have the three witches from Macbeth @Robert Hugill. A triumvirate of tantrum-throwing tarters.

It was very sad to read. The reason I am most interested in Jack's childhood in particular, is because it is what has made him the person he is. Underneath his often quirky behaviour and self-deprecation, I have long sensed a deep sadness, something which he essentially confirmed in this chapter.

"Jack looked ahead. Theodore and Vince were now only ghostly shadows in the distance. A sense of foreboding and dread gripped his heart. All his life, hadn’t he feared exactly this? That if he became attached to someone again they would just abandon him, leave him behind? Those words were true, as a figment of the voice’s tricks as they might be. He was too weak, too small to help in any way that mattered. He was only a burden, and the only way he could help was to leave everyone alone so they could continue without him. He knelt on the ground, suffocating with the realization that had been chasing him all of his life. When had he ever been truly needed? Doors were always closing behind him, leaving him in the dark. He was always alone, roaming the streets without anyone wondering whether he was fine or needed something. No one cared if he vanished. He was caught in the same pattern again, in this useless hope that tried to convince him that he could be of even a little use when he wasn’t because he was only poor little Jack, the same boy who no one loved." This is the revelation, the historical account, or at least a glimpse thereof, I have been waiting for most @Laura S. Fox. Although the mystery surrounding the devastation wreaked on Theodore's pack is intriguing, I find I am less interested in that because he, Theodore, is so unlikeable for the most part, except when he is doing his R&B growling ala Teddy Pendergrass, Marvin Gaye, Isaac Hayes or Luther Vandross. What I really want to learn more of is Jack's history, from conception to now. He, like Danny, is so very likeable, self-effacing and endearing. Is it any wonder Vince wants to protect him, be his guardian, just like he was for Danny. The world of shadows, full of lies and deceit, and as cold as ICE. Awfully familiar @Laura S. Fox, almost prophetic.

Brad's reasoning as to why he loves Aaron was profoundly moving. Too often I am guilty of pigeon-holing very attractive people as vain and shallow, only desiring those who are equally attractive, primarily because I have found many to be exactly like this. Obviously there are exceptions even in real life, and in print, Brad's words, which have been supported by his actions to date, have proven him to be one of those exceptions. Aaron should perhaps talk to Carl, but I cannot believe Aaron would have imagined all the abuse he suffered at the hands of Carl from the time he was 8 years of age. I suspect any discussion with Carl will achieve little as he, based on what Aaron has revealed, does not strike me as someone who will discuss anything in depth, and I don't think he can be trusted to be truthful.

Gigolo seems the most obvious profession given the content of the conversation Will heard whilst on the phone with Brody. Does he perhaps have a tongue like Gene Simmons and a talent as a cunning linguist?

Fascism, alive and well in the land of liberty. Methinks the lady would be even more horrified now than she was when this story was written. Brad will be a burden on society for as long as he lives. I hope for the sake of the Canadian taxpayer that is not a long time.

Lisa's assumptions about women in porn are just that, assumptions. It reminded me of an interview I saw with Germaine Greer, where she said gay male porn was misogynistic because one party assumed the role of the "woman". I have always felt that England's loss is Australia's gain when it comes to Ms Greer. They can keep her, we don't want her back.

Gigolo? Encyclopaedia, Tupperware or Avon salesperson? Jehovah's Witness for hire?

Brendan Watley, a cocky bastard. I don't like him. I hope his Little Red Corvette runs out of juice before the match concludes.

Me too, although I am not a big fan of carrots, unless they are raw, baked or in a juice. Boiled, yuk.

It sounds as if Carl did not like anyone in his family, except perhaps for Steve. I wonder what prompted such animosity towards them, especially towards Aaron who was but a child. If I also remember correctly he now runs the family farm. Seemingly his animosity was not sufficient to reject inheriting the family farm. I believe Carl is a prick, a good for nothing arsehole (except for breeding because he has children if I remember correctly).

I was a full on disco dolly then (only 26 at the time). It was only later I started to appreciate easy listening (Shirley Bassey, Julie London, Peggy Lee, Doris Day, Perry Como and Dean Martin), country (Emmylou, Dolly and Linda's country stuff) and jazz (Ella, Sarah Vaughan, Dee Dee Bridgewater and the fabulous Cassandra Wilson). Disco and ABBA will always remain my favourites though.

You must surely remember Black Box. They had top 10 hits with Ride On Time #2 in 1989 (Loleatta Holloway's vocals "sampled'), I Don't Know Anybody Else #4 in 1990 (Martha Wash's vocals), Everybody, Everybody #29 in 1990 (Martha Wash's vocals), Fantasy (Earth, Wind & Fire cover) #2 in 1990 (Martha Wash's vocals) and Strike It Up #10 in 1991 (Martha Wash's vocals). You will recognise Ride On Time, which I first heard at the Sleaze Ball in October 1989 and loved it immediately. Loleatta's vocals were titanic.

I knew I liked Helen. Is Taita is a calico tortoiseshell like my Zelda (my profile picture)? Did you know that only 1 in approximately 1,000,000 tortoiseshell cats are male?

Just for you @weinerdog, model Karine Quinol doing rather a good job lip synching Martha Wash's vocals on Black Box's Strike It Up. They were huge in Australia in 1989-1991. I of course loved them, Italo Disco at its finest.

A riveting story from go to whoa from the pen of our Aussie “stallion” @Mark Ponyboy Peters. A story set against the backdrop of the impending annual Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras (its formal title). Thrust into the limelight, Rick Cooper, a new recruit in the “gayest police precinct” in NSW (and likely all of Australia), arrives with an emotional wound which has never healed, the murder of his teenage boyfriend some five years prior as they finished high school. What occurs thereafter as his boyfriend’s murderer appears to have resurfaced, leaves the reader speculating and wanting more as the tension rises. Friends from Rick's past and newly made friends, including a new boyfriend, rally around Rick as he relentlessly pursues his boyfriend’s murderer, and coincidentally (perhaps) those involved in a child prostitution ring who have used, and in several cases murdered, young teen boys whose lives have been devastated. A brilliantly written story, which leaves one speculating to the very end, in fact, the Epilogue even has a reveal which surprised me no end, you could have knocked me over with a feather.

I'm hoping for a story centred around the aging disco diva, LOL. I would like to know more of Helen's history as I sensed for quite some time she has experienced a devastating tragedy, one which has "hardened" her exterior, but left her profoundly protective of others she cares about as we saw with Jimmy and Shane in particular, and just quietly with Rick too.

🤮🤮🤮🤮

Just the one @drsawzall? The other three were only genuine to varying degrees. Stephen”s confidence has grown exponentially. He no longer cowers to the bullies. I love his fuck you attitude.

A very difficult story to read more often than not. Devastatingly sad, profoundly moving, puzzling, challenging, unsettling, captivating and all encompassing, so much so I had to stop reading on a number of occasions as it was so emotionally draining. Above all else though, it is a wholly believable, very well written story, one which I had to finish reading even though I knew I was going to hate the inevitable ending. I kept hoping it was all a dream sequence, all the time knowing it was not. I felt like the protagonist Adam at times, having difficulty separating reality from illusion. A superb work @ChromedOutCortex. A harrowing examination of a love never fully realised in reality, but profound in the deluded mind of the protagonist.

A very satisfying conclusion @Mark Ponyboy Peters, with Jarvis being sent to life imprisonment with no chance of parole. Justice prevailed. If he is placed in the general prison population, it is unlikely he will serve very long before he finds himself in the same position as Greg Walls and Peter O'Dea. His mother felt grief for the boys whose lives he had ended or damaged, his wife perhaps felt sorry only for herself. She will no doubt be shunned by all her "society friends" now, and will be unwelcome in Rose Bay. She may find she has to move. Oh well shit happens, bitch. The big surprise was the Inspector's revelation of the nature of his relationship with a young Colin Barrett when they were studying at the Police Academy together. I did not see that one coming at all. Seemingly, AC Barrett has always fancied younger men and believed he could get away with intimidatory behaviour because of who he is. And what was Helen's big reveal? Something tragic I think, something which happened to her as a younger woman, perhaps a child she gave birth to. Is this something which is likely to be revealed in further stories featuring Rick Cooper @Mark Ponyboy Peters? And, I was pleasantly surprised, I really only needed the tissues (which I do not use) when Greg's father enveloped Jimmy in a hug and thanked the boys for helping put Jarvis in prison.

I suspected Carl was an arsehole. I wonder if his motivation was homophobia or jealousy or a combination of both. Aaron's prior portrait of Carl painted a picture of someone who is closed minded and not too bright if I remember correctly. Perhaps he is jealous of Aaron's obvious intellect, but I am almost certain there would have been an element of homophobia too.

I am in agreement with you @chris191070; Liam and Adrian have a deepening friendship at this stage, nothing more nothing less. To satisfy those who want romance, I am prepared to concede this friendship may be a rising romance, one which @pvtguy has remarked will have a basis of friendship at its core. Splendid writing @ChromedOutCortex. Although Kevin's death has left an indelible mark on Liam's life, as it should, there appears to be a "spring thaw" at least being contemplated. Dare I say this is one of your "happiest" stories I have read to date.

Yes it is the real LRB. The real LRB took legal action in US courts against the pretenders but because they had not trademarked the name in the US their suit was thrown out and the pretenders can tour and perform all they like using the name. Howzat for a giant con, shades of Milli Vanilli.

Dolly, Linda and Emmylou got criticised in some quarters for changing one line of lyrics from "And I felt like getting high" to "And I felt like I could cry" which I thought was rather petty, the criticism that is not the lyric change. Amii was, and still is, very beautiful, although it appears she may now be bald, ala Dee Dee Bridgewater. She has lived in your neck of the woods, not far away in Italy since the mid 1980's.