Rutabaga

Well, my question about the Kennilworth house parents was answered. I think our young protagonist does indeed show strength of character and insight, and I foresee that he will become a force to be reckoned with akin to the student leader in a recent Mihangel story whose name escapes me at the moment. I can very much see him forcefully persuading Dr. Rettington to do or not do something affecting his friends or the school. EDIT: I'm thinking of Leon in the later part of The Scholar's Tale. R

A bit of fun thoughts to brighten the day: I changed my car horn to gunshot sounds ~ People get out of the way much faster now. Gone are the days when girls used to cook like their mothers ~ Now they drink like their fathers. You know that tingly little feeling you get when you really like someone? That's common sense leaving your body. I didn't make it to the gym today ~ That makes five years in a row. I decided to change calling the bathroom the John and renamed it the Jim. I feel so much better saying I went to the Jim this morning. Last year I joined a support group for procrastinators ~ We haven't met yet. Old age is coming at a really bad time. When I was a child I thought Nap Time was a punishment. Now, as a grownup, it feels like a small vacation. The biggest lie I tell myself is, "I don't need to write that down, I'll remember it." I don't have grey hair; I have "wisdom highlights." I'm just very wise. If God wanted me to touch my toes, he would've put them on my knees. Why do I have to press one for English when you're just gonna transfer me to someone I can't understand anyway? Of course I talk to myself; sometimes I need expert advice. At my age "Getting lucky" means walking into a room & remembering what I came in there for. R

Took the words right out of my mouth. R

I'm annoyed that it's 4:10 on Tuesday afternoon and I'm impatiently waiting for chapter 3 to go up overnight. R

Which is why I wonder where the alleged house parents were during the extended episode in front of that house. Seems to me the promised repercussions should include them. R

The idea of glue traps is not to be humane, but to be relatively safer to have around than poison or spring traps. R

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Curiouser and curiouser. I also loved this rejoinder: R

Or a triumvirate of triplets. R

Cole seems to take particular glee in ruining the lead character's life in the opening chapters. R

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I was left confused by a couple of things: R

I just finished reading it. I love stories with this kind of mystery in them. There are very interesting questions raised at the end concerning free will versus external control. R

If it's in the early part of the story I read some time ago, that would explain why I couldn't remember it now. Update: I just went looking and can't find it. Update 2: Went looking a second time and still can't find it. R

I agree, and also agree with your comment at the end of the story. As best I can recall, we never learn for certain whether the uncle is the brother of Derrick's father or Derrick's mother, although I would guess it was the father. But if so, it's hard to imagine how two such different people could come from a common family origin. We also never learn any info suggesting why Derrick's father is so obsessive and cruel. R

I finally made it through to the end. I knew I would not be disappointed. In fact I was ready to stand up and cheer in a few places. I found myself greatly affected by this paragraph about halfway in: "I've been happy with all the chores and work I do on the farm. It keeps my head still. When I'm alone and not working, my head fills with a jumble of thoughts about my dad and mom, about what life was like then, and about now, too. I try to hold them together, but sometimes I really can't. I try not to think about a lot of things from back then, too." It was pretty amazing when a major source of these feelings finally and dramatically came to light -- and though quite plausible n hindsight was unexpected by me. My already high esteem for Derrick went up several more notches with his Colin Kelly-esque solution to the problems with Missy. I was impressed with the maturity and restraint that showed. Good show. R

I started this right after it was posted and got so depressed about 10-15% of the way in that I had to stop. I'm going to try to take another run at it soon. I've never been let down by a Cole story so I know I should persist. R

I also was very impressed with the distinct "voice" that the first-person narrator presented. It was a complex blend of sophistication, jadedness, and mocking while not sounding like a pompous ass or an arrogant snot. And of course his action in the club at the end would certainly redeem any issues about him. Indeed, I suppose if there was one term that might be used to describe him, it would be "problem solver." R

A brilliant story -- just brilliant. R

All our bases are belong to them? R

Sorry -- I accidentally posted in the wrong thread. Pretend there's nothing here. R

I still think the city owes Justin some compensation for the harm it caused to him. R

Confused I am about his sexuality. See http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/david-bowies-celebrity-lovers-wild-7155325 R

I was 10 when I started 6th grade (skipped a grade) and that year only, they put all the 6th graders in the brand new junior high school that had just been built. (After that year, the junior high school reverted to the normal 7-8-9 grade levels, so I ended up staying there for four years.). I was mightily grateful to get out of the one-room elementary school format, and to be more of a big kid with changing classes and (gasp) Phys. Ed with changing in the locker room and gang showers. But I was so naive that nothing like what happens in this story ever crossed my mind. There was no internet in 1962 and this was my fourth school in two and a half years so I didn't have a bunch of long-term friends to clue me in. I can certainly relate to the feelings of Zhenya and Robby being newly planted in a foreign environment. The level of maturity and insight displayed by the boys in the story is way beyond anything I experienced. R

It took me a short while to realize that I had read this story some time ago. Now that it's a Pick from the Past I am hopeful that people who have not experienced it will take time to read it. http://www.awesomedude.com/freethinker/courage_and_passion/index.htm R