Mark Arbour

Changing topics here a bit, some of you may have received notifications about updates to chapters 86 and 87. Two perceptive readers pointed out that I'd gotten Trevor's last name wrong (in 87) and the Spanish wrong in 86. That spurred me off my dilatory ass, and reminded me that I needed to thank my team for the amazing job that they do. Why would I do that, when we clearly screwed up? Well, because getting notes like that (which I appreciate) are pretty damn rare. As of this moment, Paternity stands as the most read story on GA, with over 116,000 views. It currently consists of almost 560,000 words. I started posting it in November, 2011, over a year ago. So for all of the crap that spews from my mind and fingers, and from all of your eyes that look at it, thats an amazingly low error rate. I'm too lazy to run the math, but I'm thinking we're at six sigma. I could not do this without them. They really are the best.

Occasionally there are people that I really respect, that I completely disagree with, and this is one of those cases. I think at a core level you're a traditionalist, and I respect that. But at the same time, you're saying that science doesn't matter, and you're hanging your hat on anecdotal evidence and beliefs. That's OK, but when you dismiss scientific evidence as BS and insinuate that your own beliefs are paramount, you're going to have an uphill battle convincing me. Not that that's all that important. I mean, who really gives a fuck what I think anyway. I'll have to talk to my shrink about that. I like to think that man has evolved from the days of Granger, and I know that psychology/psychiatry has evolved. One has to acknowledge the incredible advances made in medical science, from the artificial heart to the vaccine for Polio. Mental health has evolved in a similarly rapid way. Please don't dismiss what we can do to help and evaluate human mental illnesses. And please don't imply that people who have them are weak. That grates on my own anecdotal evidence. As for corporal punishment, what the research is saying is that it's counter-productive. Doesn't mean you have to believe it, it just means that science and facts aren't on your side. But hey, don't let that bother you. Millions of Christians go to church every week in this country, struggling against the same logic. This is one of those issues on which I haven't read any studies, but I have heard anecdotal evidence in both directions. I had contemplated sending my son to a military school when he was having his own "Will" moments, and a few people cautioned me about it. They claimed that their kids ended up with significant substance abuse issues, because of the environment (peer pressure) and availability. At the same time, I've heard stories like you mention. Personally, I decided that if he didn't get his shit together by the time he was 18, I'd send him off to the military proper. It's a lot cheaper, too.

I have huge issues with corporal punishment of children. It doesn't show many remedial benefits, and in fact has been shown to increase bullying tendencies in the victims of said punishment. I hear a lot of "that's how my father did it back in the old days", then I read about how we still have massive bullying issues in schools today, but they're better now than they were "back in the old days" when kids were smacked around. Do we really want to raise kids in a world that says it's OK to physically harm someone else to bend them to your will? Really? And if you do (because I don't), how do you explain that to the kid who gets the living shit beat out of him by his parents? That they went a little too far? How far is too far? Who makes that call? And when physical violence is deemed acceptable, what happens when a parent's temper overrides logic, and now severe harm is done?

Very little drama...perhaps. I'll solve that in the next chapter. Feel good? I didn't think so.

I think they're all living on the edge of a sword right now. Pretty tense, with lots of relationships in the balance.

I think that Wade is fond of Trevor, and sees him as someone who needs help and guidance. He's that friend/relative who is really likable, but always manages to screw up his life.

Glad you liked this chapter. I think that it's better to be rich and have diamonds with a name than poor and give your dick a name. That's my world order. :-)

Well, there are a few problems with this scenario. FIrst of all, I would get endless crap from my edit group and core readers if I did a rehash of the long-lost kid showing up, but then again, they tend to be a forgiving lot, and I may do that again. The second problem is that I really don't like those theft/heist stories. So there's that. But I think your train of thought is pretty interesting, and made me smile.

LOL. Patience is a virtue, or so they say. I think that it started out as one-time thing with Brad and Wade, but they're both compelled to return for more, for very different reasons.

Hopefully.

LOL. That has to really freak him out. Wade's rolling along, thinking things are good, sex is good, and then has a fuck that just blows his mind. Is it Brad? Or is it the way they fucked? Wade's mind has to be looping like GA when it's backing up at night.

I think that the pushing and pulling is how Matt and Wade learn just where the boundaries are. I agree that there's a risk that they could go over them and it could be irretrievably damaged, but in a situation like this, as long as it's only internal (Matt posturing) and not external (Matt actually violating Wade's trust), I think it's their way of defining what is and isn't a deal-breaker. I'm thinking back to Millennium, and how Brad and Robbie delineated things they didn't think they could forgive (Robbie letting someone else fist him/Brad sleeping with Matt). I see it along those lines. Yes, it's more dramatic than a simple conversation. These are not the calmest and most rational of people...Wade is, but not about these kinds of issues. And I have no idea what the problem is with reviews. That sucks. When I have some time, I'll try to PM one of the techs, or Cia. I'm going to take issue with your reference to a "normal" kid. Not sure what one of those is. But what I hear you saying is that different kids require different parenting styles. That's been a prime theme of this story. I can also see how kids would perceive this as parents playing favorites. That is the downside.

Awesome! I'm so glad you're with us! And I'm glad this story resonated with you. By the way, you live in an amazingly beautiful city! Stockholm is one of my favorites, although probably not at this time of year.

At 87 chapters and counting, it's a little late to turn this story into a heist epic. But that made me laugh my ass off. Perhaps a sexy Inspector Clouseau who bumbles his way into everyone's bed? Writing about this has prompted some interesting feedback from readers. One of the things I've gotten is that open relationships are a lot of work. I suppose, though, that there are risks either way. For Wade and Matt, monogamy isn't really an option yet, because Matt isn't at the point to embrace it. I think they've found a way to allow their relationship to work around them as their lives evolve. These are rough relationship years, these last years of college.

Thanks! I try. :-)

I think that Wade's musings about Trevor reflect his changing views of his cousin. Wade thought about him as a likable guy before he knew about Trevor's gambling/stealing issues. That would change one's perceptions. You're right that Wade probably over-reacted to Matt's overreaction, but I think that was Wade's final point with Matt in their discussion. He was telling Matt that trust was really important to him, and not something Matt can lose it over in the heat of a hangover. I think most couples have hot-button issues. That's a big one for Wade.

I think that the family is less about blood connections than emotional ones, so I can't see them ever throwing Matt out. Even when someone is a complete idiot (like Robbie is right now) they still call him one of their own. I think it takes something pretty heinous (like Brian outing Matt) to get tossed out. I really can't see Matt and Brad ever being an item, or hooking up. Even if they were both single, that family connection is still there. Maybe, but I think anything more than a drunken-and-regretted hookup is unlikely.

You can get away with wearing that much in gaudy jewelry if it's been in the family for a hundred years. :-)

December 16, 2000 “You think my father would like this tie?” Matt asked, as he picked up one that was pretty flashy. We were at Macy’s doing some Christmas shopping, an activity that seemed to accommodate his hangover and my weirded out state of mind. “He’d say he liked it, but he’d never wear it,” I pronounced. “Try this one instead.” He eyed the tie I’d handed him. “That’s boring. I’ll bet he’s got ten others just like it.”

You're such a conformist.

Well, you'll probably get some sort of battle in the near future. ;-)

Good points. I think that JJ is also stuck in that "middle-chld" thing. I can so vividly visualize him stomping while saying "Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!" Or in his case, "Will, Will, Will!"

Happy Birthday! A chapter of Odyssey coincidentally posted today to celebrate!

The purser?

LOL. I love fresh water that is truly pure. You know, like Aquafina. ;-)