A Pal

"I've spent a long time in the company of Devin and Luka, of a devil who plays by the rules and a maker who never once did, of a tree full of stolen light and two estranged lovers on a bench in the snow. And somewhere along the way I understood that the story was never only about a soul trapped in a tree. It was about how grief and devotion are the same..." Grief and devotion. ☯️. Just a few weeks ago I sobbed over Luka's sacrifice and Devin's loss. Not since Elliot has a loss of a fictional character reached into me so deeply to scratch at my old scars and reminded me is how perfectly human I can be. And now you've closed the story after, what, 2 or more years of carrying it for us, nurturing it, probably mourning for it, and let it live on so gently just for us in the end. Thank you thank you thank you. You are a kind and generous soul I think to share yourself this way. Peace A P.S. We readers "give it breath" but yours is the oxygen a breathe

Is anyone concerned about our favorite author's whereabouts? He was posting at such a regular clip and to be silent for over a month... Or has there been news I missed?

Okay, the image of the two of them, Jackson lying in bed and Cash on the floor, the two holding hands, is an image I'll never unsee was long as I live. So I'm choosing sides right now. I'm Team Cash until I die.

I just remember the deep shame of Leonardo DiCaprio's character playing basketball in black leather-soled street doors. That scene stole the air from my lungs and ripped out my heart.

I just started reading this chapter but I need to go on the record about this: I really like this Dr. Rainer. Just saying.

"And for the first time in a long time for Adrian, no one cared." Powerful line. Reminds me of another one. You reap what you sow.

Sir, you have certainly been around. I mean that you write confidently and specifically about so many locales around the world, each with it's own fragrance and sunlight, music and dialect and flavor. Brilliant.

Beautifully said. And I noticed that all this is their shared breakfast (or break-fast, when their doing-without can finally end.) Oh, I love where this is going.

Yeah, as they say down south, if it taint the balls and it taint the anus...

"What remained was just a boy who had spent too long building thrones out of ashes." What a perfectly beautiful sentence, thought, observation. It makes me cry a little. Thank you for that.

*PET PEEVE ALERT* anatomy edition If Bobby is on his back with his ankles on his dad's shoulders how does Adrian's balls slap his son's taint? And i know it's too small a thing to even be considered minor but for us visually-centered readers it annoys. And I don't remember it ever happening before in one of your stores.

OMFG! This chapter doesn't fuck around. It's like seeing Edward Albee for the first time. A blend of WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOLF and A DELICATE BALANCE. You've never shied away from the Big Themes.

I'm not sure there's an action that Nick could take that would improve this situation. Adrian wants the harbor AND the shipwreck, as Bobby so aptly described it. And he is the storm, all objective damage, leveling everything in his path.

For me it's serendipity, the mention of Johannes Hartlieb. I just rewatched A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES with it's Tree of Life and part of the story happening in 16th century Bohemia and here's Hartlieb of 15th century Bavaria and a Tree of Souls. And while I can hope and dream that the love between Luka and Devin might save their souls I cannot forget my heartbreak at the losses in some of @CasualWanderer82's previous stories.

I'm not so sure Devin wouldn't stay just for the man and his dominance. The money is just added gravy. And I wonder if Luka's rule of Not Kissing was what Devin whispered into Mezenga's ear. And did anyone else feel Devin's ripple of hurt when Luka didn't immediately admit to kissing Devin? Seemed like Mezenga noticed it. And why do I feel like Mezenga's looking for a replacement?

But how would I know that it's the last chapter? When a notification that says CasualWanderer82 has responded to something there's nothing to do but go and read it, like the Word of God with a burning bush. And now that I've read it I've only one thing to add. 😭 YOU MADE HIM SING!?! Like I wasn't crying enough already, you have him sing! Like we're fish in a fucking barrel! I detest cheap sentiment. And I'm all out of Kleenex. Love and burning kisses, A

I hope i never forget this lesson: DO NOT read the latest notificated posts about a story I'm reading, and very much enjoying, BEFORE I FINISH READING IT! I hadn't known that this was the last chapter, nevermind the Life and Death outcome contained within it. Lord, now Mr. Wanderer has me crying and i haven't even begun to read it.

Well, don't count them out yet. My folks both made it to 95 (bless their hearts) so I remember well the birthday parties. I spread them out differently than you're doing: 65, 75 then 80, 90 and 95. All this times 2 since they were a little more than 5 years apart in age. And I was their primary carer for the last 7 or 8 years. And now that they're gone (my dad in 2019, my mom just last June) I wish I could do every one of those parties again, and with more music and dancing and all-around celebration. And confetti. Oh, and more liquor. Enjoy your mom while you have her.

But you're Adulting so very well.

Considering the number of times I've finished one of your chapters with tears running down my face it shouldn't be such a surprise, but it is. Or maybe not a surprise but a cleansing, the callouses of life peeled off and the tender skin beneath exposed. It always feels better.

Mercilessly honest. And just elegant writing.

Well, this is one helluva start to a great story! And while I have full faith in your storytelling, as proven by everything of yours that I've read, and I've read it all, I've only got one thing to say. Don't fuck it up. I mean you keep raising your own bar. 😘

St. Pete, Florida here. Lots of water blowing all directions, including straight up, all at once. Winds aren’t as bad (yet) as I feared. But the peak action is late tonight through tomorrow morning. I’m with friends and my dog, lots of food and drink, water and electricity and surrounded by concrete and steel. 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🤟🏻🤟🏻🤟🏻🤟🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

Oh. Wow. Holy fuck.

What a lovely cry I've had from this. You have done this to me before so I'm not surprised but again i feel more alive from your stories and from the staunch delicacy with which you tell them. Thank you.