CBRGUY

Thank you. I am awed by the ability of many of the authors here.

Thanks for the feedback. I'm afraid I struggle to put flesh on the bones. When I get a chance, I'll try to develop the story further.

Declan O’Reilly’s teen years had always been miserable, with bullies seeming to line up to taunt him. Sure he never liked sports or “blokey” stuff like most other boys did but no-one else seemed to cop as much shit as Declan did. Even one of his former high-school teachers had called him a sissy, not once but twice. Declan was a grimly shy 15-year-old boy who had lost his father to cancer when Declan was just a small child. It had been hard yards forever as far as Declan was concerned, and

Shy Aussie teen finds his first love in small country town

Stunning writing.

I always hated sport. I had never played football or cricket, which seemed to be the sole options at my high school in 1960s Melbourne, for the simple reason that no-one had ever taught me how to play, or encouraged me to learn. I couldn’t swim and as far as I know I was never given the opportunity. I have never been able to learn a movement by watching someone do it, it has to be explained in detail, so nothing in the physical realm came easily to me. I didn’t know the rules, the objective

A late bloomer, I took up boxing at age 50 and it was the best thing I've done