centexhairysub

Excellent chapter, to live that life even briefly. LOL Will just seems to fit in wherever he is, with whomever he is around, it is annoying LOL Will and Travis connect so well on so many levels. I am glad that Travis understands, as does Will that they can't be exclusive at this moment, and being free to enjoy what is out there and available is part of that arrangement. Can't wait for Will to get back to Harvard. I do worry about Travis getting back to the TV show though...

Free will is never true, there are always restrictions; only those that are truly sociopathic or psychotic have true free will.

Chasing this dream can be treacherous. You work for it, rehearse for it, and you may never really make it. Often it takes one break to move forward or push you out. Let's hope that Johnny stays with it, maybe this was it, even if he didn't realize it at the moment.

Lovely chapter, and really nice to see a little back story on Alex. I sense that he really does miss Yelena and Bart. Evan is obviously someone very special in his life. It is amazing how you can have a friend, mentor, whatever that you may not see often, but when you do it is like picking up a conversation that ended five minutes ago, you just reconnect and move on so seamlessly. I hope we get to see Evan again, and Fenimore sounds like a godsend for him.

Well, we know how to kill him now. What a sad life, if you could even call it that. I guess the idea of immortality is a beacon for some; but seems like a curse to me, especially how he obtains it.

Another wonderful addition from @Mark Ponyboy Peters. As always, for me at least, this story was very character driven. All of Mark's characters from the main ones to those you only meet once or twice are so fully realized. The writing and pacing were excellent, breaks where you needed them, and the evocative nature of the writing was outstanding. You meet Kieran, coming home, not just physically, but back to who he was meant to be, even if he did not quite realize it yet. You have Charlie, suffering from a loss, but still smarting from Kieran leaving and going off to the big city. You get their family and friends, and some new ones, who are old ones from Thompsonville and the stories tied to there. Get ready for your heartstrings to be plucked, and your funny bone to be tickled. Sit back and enjoy this treat from down under. While you don't have to have read the previous stories in the Thompsonville universe, a passing knowledge of them will certainly help you keep a few of the characters that come and go throughout this one straight, so to speak.

Truly a lovely story. Characters that were so easy to fall in love with, some old, some new, and some just plain fabulous. A story of coming home, but more than a location, coming back to who you were meant to be. Hope we get to see some of these characters again, or better yet all of them.

Interesting start, and already a couple of characters that I can't wait to see what they get up to. I do wonder why Taggert is so skittish, but I am sure we will find out soon enough. Sounds like a good one.

WOW...

Love this...

Wonderful story, amazing how much one person can change another's life with a little kindness. Eric has found that there is life out there. Andy has found that helping someone is more involved than he thought, but oh so worth the effort. And Adam has found Andy is worth everything, even putting up with his sodding father not liking them together. LOL

There is one in every family. And one on every block. LOL

Hooray for Brian. I can't believe the library staff didn't intervene with someone acting the way that man did, here someone would have immediately called the police.

Eric will have a few setbacks, he will have days that he just doesn't see the reason to go forward with some of the plans. The important thing is for Andy to try and keep him focused. Eric may have a case of the winter doldrums. I suffer from them some mid-winter, some of that is because I truly hate Christmas now days. Starts in October, and seemingly never ends.

Eric has made the decision to move forward with the computer lessons and learning how to use one. I do hope he carries through, it could give him access to so much. I hope the issues with the pension really are worked out. Far too often, the elderly are cheated out of what they are owed simply because they don't know how to access the proper information or get the proper forms filled out in a timely manner.

I was almost in tears, Eric's real joy at being able to simply take a bath. A nice long hot bath, something that most simply take for granted. It is criminal how we treat our elderly. I do hope that Eric at least gives the computers a try, it could well open a whole new world to him. Some good, some bad, but he could see what was out there; and spend some time browsing garden sites and things that truly interest him.

Eric does realize that he has at least two people that do care. Hazel maybe busy, but at least she does check in periodically; and Andy does care, he may be somewhat of an airhead about his schedule, but he tries. And his coming to apologize meant that he found Eric when he really did need some help. Something has to be done about the heaters and the bath situation.

For someone in Eric's situation, a commitment from Andy is something he really counts on. Hate to say it, but Andy is letting the side down somewhat. He needs to understand how important something like that is to Eric. Ugh, sometimes I hate children.

Andy is trying to find ways to get Eric connected to the outside world. The computers at the library are a godsend for some. I know my local library has about 20 or so of them, and so many that have no computer access at home use them regularly. Wonderful service.

Eric was able to find a few things, often towns tend to put the charity and second hand shops in areas that are honestly hard for those that really need them to get there, I have never understood that. Adam probably understands Eric's issues better than Andy, but it may take some time for Eric to warm up to him, he does represent so much of what Eric has issues with. Andy is really getting into the idea of trying to help Eric, let's hope he is able to do so.

Lovely chapter, Eric seems to be warming up to Andy; and Andy seems to be taking this more seriously and with some zeal.

Adam realized really quickly that Andy hadn't really handled any of this professionally. Even if it is a volunteer position, it is one that should be taken seriously. It will significantly affect Eric in ways that Andy simply cannot understand.

Andy, like many young people in his position, simply cannot understand the issues that Eric has. It isn't his fault, nor is it Eric's, it is simply the reality of the situation. Eric was so hopeful, I do understand how crushing this would be for him.

Eric sounds like many men of his generations, he did his job, and kept to himself; easier to do that than risk the backlash of being who he was. It is a crying shame how little we care for older adults, I am one as well, but all too often they are the first one to have their budget cut and shunted to the side. Let's hope Andy is able to help Eric in whatever way possible.

You never know what life will bring you, but it is always a surprise when the adults that brought you up and formed you, suddenly turn into the children you care for...