Former Member

Have James & Tristian gone dancing at Church? ;–)

The Buick Regal was a much more attractive design (for its time). The Regal shared its front clip with the Century with only minor changes (the turn signals were rectangular rather than circular and the grille mesh was fancier). In profile, the Regal coupe got the formal roofline and opera window that GM used to indicate Personal Luxury Car (just like the Chevy Monte Carlo, Pontiac Grand Prix, Olds Cutlass Supreme, and other, larger models). And the then-ubiquitous vinyl roof that was originally intended to give the appearance of a convertible (the term ‘hardtop’ was an oppositional reference compared with a convertible, or soft-top). That deep sculptured line from the top of the fender and fading into the door meant that there was wasted space in the door. Just looking at the windows, you can see how much narrower the interior was. But I always thought this was one of the prettier designs of the era (the heavily sculpted Starski & Hutch Ford Gran Torino came out around the same time). The heavy pillars were due to proposed roll-over regulations that were never implemented – those standards killed convertible production anyway. Along with the contemporaneous Ford Gran Torino/Mercury Montego, the GM A-body (and closely related G-body) models arrived on the market just in time for the 1973 OPEC embargo. They’d been designed to be heavier and more luxurious than the models they replaced. Similar designs will never be produced again because they were so inefficient and wasteful.

Is this story going to take a sudden, abrupt turn towards the murder of Trout? I know there were several early readers who would cheer this development. It would certainly be unexpected. How would Amanda ensure that she ended up with the cottage after Trout’s untimely demise? ;–)

I had thought that Amanda’s friend was Roger until I remembered that you had mentioned that they were unsettled by seeing each other. It was amusing that the movie was about a woman and her lover who murder her husband. A rather ironic subject for Trout and his fake fiancée to see together. I wonder if Roger saw the parallels… ;–)

First Trout misinterprets ‘bacon’ as referring to the pork product. Then he thinks the reference is to the subject of the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon game. He’s surprised to learn of Francis Bacon. ;–)

A classic Buick Century like this: Or like this? ;–)

Based on the hints in the first story, Donal’s last name is apparently Harmon. ;–)

Kristi Yamaguchi shows up on local TV once every couple years. Brian Boitano has been on local TV once or twice since his career ended. But I haven’t seen Rudy Galindo on local TV since he left skating.

I was upset when I saw the animated movie version of Watershed Down (1978) where they took the genesis fable out of the flow of the story and tacked it onto the beginning of the movie. I’ve never seen either the TV series (1999-2001) or the miniseries (2018). I loved the America song though. ;–)

I got to see Shelter's World Premiere at Frameline31! I got Brad Rowe’s autograph too! I hadn’t realized that Tina Holmes (Zach's sister Jeanne) was Maggie in Edge of Seventeen (her first movie role) as well as Maggie in Six Feet Under, otherwise I would have asked for her autograph too. Brad played Shaun, the older brother of his best friend. Brad had also starred in Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss as Sean P Hayes’ unattainable object of desire. Brad joked that Shelter was to make up for disappointing everybody in Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss.

So now we know the theme for the next massive Reric epic? ;–)

Robbie keeps killing off the possibilities of a relationship with anyone in the small pool of suitable Gay teen suitors in Cobourg. Logically, the only one left will be Tom. Go Team Tom! ;–)

It is amusing to see Billy & Brett from this angle. ;–)

I can’t remember how old Jay is (he seems to be aging a year or two each chapter), but I think the first card games we played were Go Fish!, Old Maid (very misogynistic game), and Crazy Eights. And the (now-all-deceased) adults would have confirmed that we did not have Poker Faces when we played Old Maid. We didn’t learn how to play poker until we were in high school. My minister father would not have approved of us playing poker – and it definitely wasn’t strip poker either! ;–)

How much more evidence will Jett be denying? How long can April continue to be oblivious to the clues Jett has been leaving around? Will there be more surprises popping up (of course there will be, we know how you work!)? ;–)

You and your movies. Popeye was Robin Williams’ first movie. But it didn’t do as well as it was projected to do. Casting Shelly Duvall as Olive Oyl was genius though. ;–)

Eraser doesn’t realize how abrasive it is too? ;–)

Your OS doesn’t let you turn the Caps Lock key off? Mine will let me change its function as well, but I’d rather have it not do anything at all. I only rarely miss it and only when I’m typing acronyms. ;–)

I’m never going to try ice skates! I can’t even stand on my own on roller-skates. I’ll enjoy watching male ice skaters during the Olympics instead! (John Curry, Brian Boitano, Brian Orser, Rudy Galindo, Johnny Weir, and Adam Rippon are just a few that came to mind.)

Be careful about which neighborhood you fall in. I’m not certain what would happen to someone who is visibly an outsider in my neighborhood. It depends on who was closest. (There are some who would go out of their way to help anyone as well.)

Teenagers are always terrified that they’ll be judged harshly by store employees for buying condoms. I don’t know what it’s like in small towns, but in suburbs, no one really cares what you buy as long as you’re old enough for the restricted stuff (mostly alcohol these days). We might laugh about the combinations of things you buy to each other in the break room, but you’re really not as interesting as you think you are. ;–) My only story about selling condoms involves college-aged young men. I’ve told it before, but I still think it’s hilarious! Three guys come through my line at Target. First guy buys a box of condoms and waits for the third guy to make his purchase. Third guy buys a box of sandwich bags. I look at the bag with the condoms, then turn to look at the sandwich bags. ‘Not big enough for you?’ I ask. Pause. Laughter! (I could have gotten in soooooo much trouble if they’d complained, but I couldn’t resist.) ;–)

Mark wasn’t even a politician, yet he had his own political scandal. Carol didn’t appear to have any interest in politics from my reading of her Wikipedia page. I’m sure she had her good side, but I wouldn’t know any of that. On the other hand, the Eighties was filled with great music, even some from non-LGBTQs! ;–)

I think Aiden’s mother is just being realistic. She already knew Aiden is Gay. And she had the suspicion that they were closer than Aiden was willing to admit. She could have had a hissy fit (the way Billy’s mother would have), but do those ever stop two horny teenagers from having sex?

Aiden tries too hard to be something that he’s not mature enough to be. Just like we all do when we’re his age. With Tyler, he has the chance to actually have a real relationship. ;–)