Paladin

Starting the new year with a proposal of marriage is just so romantic. We enter a new stage in our relationship in a new year. And at a public event with all those other people, even more so. Now don't get me wrong because I believe that wanting someone to marry you is serious and romantic and I believe the asking should be just as serious and romantic, which this was. My question is, can't we do better than the heterosexual normative of man proposes and uses a ring to publicly show that the woman is now engaged but he has nothing to publicly show he is engaged. More and more heterosexual marriages are including the exchange of rings, so each spouse wears a wedding ring. Can't we do something like that to indicate intention to marry? At least in the interests of equality. As i said I don't want to detract from Devin's romantically beautifully timed proposal. I just want to throw out some thoughts.

It was time for Pa, Mac and Devin to break up another fight and restore order, and where better than between "tired and emotional" drunks at a New Year's Eve party. I hate to admit that I've been to a couple of those parties over the years. With some I wish that Pa, Mac and Devin were attending.

I'm with you on that @Cane23. I think the initial trilogy said all that needed to be said.

Thanks for reading @Cane23. There is no way this story is intended to be serious. More about Aaron next chapter.

Thanks @Summerabbacat a sense of whimsy is intended. Welcome to the genre, well sort of.

Ryan was driving along the Kamilaroi Highway towards Narrabri to visit his mother. It was all very routine and a trip he had made regularly while at university. Travelling alone he had stopped at Gunnedah for a coffee before continuing. He slowed to drive through Boggabri and was again cruising at 100ks and half listening to Troy Cassar-Daley singing “Some Days”. As he sang “some days are better than others my friend” it happened. “Would you mind stopping at Gin’s Leap Rest Area.” Ryan

Prompt #235 Ryan is driving in country Australia when he unexpectedly meets Aaron, a stranger. Initially Ryan doesn't know what to make of Aaron but agrees to join him on a search full of surprises.

So death is associated with an aura being black or as dark as the particular can be. I'm curious about the significance of the different colours. Jimmy's is brown. Does that signify being gay? If so it would be more accurate than gaydar.

Years ago I had a cancer scare - it turned out to be a benign tumor. Amongst the reading material in the surgeon's waiting room was a journal article he had written. The theme of the article was that surgery didn't reduce the incidence of cancer and the only way to reduce the incidence of cancer was more research into the causes and then reduce those causes. I thought it was a very honest approach for a surgeon.

Excellent chapter. Fills in more of the backstory for the intervening years. They are certainly getting on very well for a "first date" and with all that wine they can't drive. Will they share an uber? Thank you @Andr0gene for mentioning this series over on "Return to Sender". I loved Parts I and II and I'm now looking forward to the rest of Part III.

This is my first comment, but then I only started reading this a couple of weeks ago. The advantage was that I didn't have to wait ages for the next chapter to appear All I can say is that this is a wonderful story told with imagination and humour. Lots of humour. Thank you.

@Myr All these "-ology" words are doing my head in. Is there a doctor in the house? I might need a referral to a neurologist.

I'm sadden to hear that @chris191070. I hope you and your neurologist have it under control.

Well our househusbands are no longer bored. They now have plenty of things they can do to occupy their days. The problems they face are wives, marriage and custody. Unless, of course, if the wives are off together, getting it off as it were.

These babies are just os over the top cooperative. Any chance they can be cloned. I know lots of parents who would like one like these two.

My personal experience is that it's not only gastroenterologists who are keen on performing colonoscopies. My experience is that there are much nicer experiences involving that part of the human anatomy.

OK I'm playing it safe and going for etymology: Not surprisingly the origin of the word ‘gastroenterology’ is Greek. Is made out of three words. Gastro which is the area where the stomach is. The fluids of the stomach are called gastric acids. Entero (singular) entera (pl) are the intestines. Logos has the same meaning as the scientific use of the word in English which is the study of… Now to diverge; since we are on the subject of ‘gastro’ the term gastronomy which refers to the art of good cooking has the same origin because the word ‘gastra’ is also used for a pot (flowerpot or cooking pot) as well as for the belly of the ship. It means something which is hollow, but not hollow in itself (which is ‘κοιλο’ (koilo) in Greek). Often in Greek, the word koilia is used to point to the belly. Enough confusion? I'll retreat.

Yeah, I agree It's things like that that really get under my skin.

Yet another -ologist. It's starting to make my skin crawl. I think I need to find a dermatologist.

They could all be more inventive and adventurous and do more than that. There could be a lot of cries of "Oh Lord" and Oh my Lord"!

So this wasn't the first time for each of John and Frank. I thought they went from kiss to sex rather quickly for married straight guys. Back story please.

Do I get my brownie points? Or do I need to complain?

I'm laughing too much to complain about who I would have to complain to.

Thank you, everyone of you for your responses and comments. It seems you have enjoyed Andre and Chris as much as I have enjoyed writing it. In a week or so I'll post a two chapter short story. After that? Lots of thinking and hopefully writing.

No pressure then