Tragic Rabbit

Laura Bush bought George a parrot for his recent birthday. She told Dick Cheney, "The bird is so smart! George has already taught him to mispronounce over 200 words!" "Wow, that's pretty impressive," Cheney said. "But you realize that he just says the words. He doesn't understand what they mean." "That's okay," Laura replied. "Neither does the parrot."

Mothers and sons: those relationships can be tough, tricky and troubled--especially when one factors in a mutual fondness for...pickles. Join TR for dinner at Sardi's--where marriage is second course and tension is the main dish, but love is definitely the dessert. Give it a read, it's just a short 'set piece', and then let TR know what you think! Read TR's short tale, A Fondness for Pickles : http://www.awesomedude.com/tragicrabbit/st.../Pickles_TR.htm From A Fondness for Pickles : ?Mother!? he begged in a rough whisper. He leaned his face down into the wrinkled napkin in his hands, giving up on propriety and appearances. His dinner lay untouched on the bone china plate. He wished for the ability to be teleported that he?d read about in Worlds of if, a science fiction magazine his mother had found, and thrown out, when he was fifteen. ?Trashy,? she?d called it, more offended than if it had been pornography. Frankly, he?d enjoyed the science fiction a lot more than those well-worn copies of Playboy he?d found in his father?s desk. Other worlds, alternate possibilities, lives lived differently from his own: each story asking, what if? What if?and if only? Oh, to simply disappear from the table at Sardi?s and reappear?where? Better yet, when? What if he could go back in time, too, and reappear back in his apartment, back before it was so lonely, so empty-- ?Are you listening to me, Perry?? His mother?s sharp voice cut into his thoughts like a scythe. He blinked and looked up, at her face; he was too well trained to do otherwise. ?What?? At her expression, he paused, sighed and swallowed, ?I mean, yes, Mother, of course I?m listening. Just not feeling well.? Read TR's A Fondness for Pickles : http://www.awesomedude.com/tragicrabbit/st.../Pickles_TR.htm *

A taut, compelling look into the life, and love, of Tobias from AD Author Jason Rimbaud. Don't miss this one! From A Moment of Clarity: Steve frowned, the look on his face showing his concern. And when Tobias flashed a weak grin, Steve wrung his hands in frustration. "I?m worried about you. I know you haven?t been feeling well, and I know you?ve woken up screaming the last five nights in a row. Is it drugs?" Tobias started to tremble, and he wrapped his arms around his lean frame. "Steve, I?" "I told you when we first got together that I won?t tolerate someone who does drugs. I can?t date an addict. Not again." "I don?t do drugs," Tobias said, coughing harshly. "You should know me better than that." "I can only assume," Steve continued, pointing a finger at Tobias. "You haven?t been eating properly, and you?ve lost a lot of weight." Glancing down at his half-naked form, Tobias could see ribs sticking out and a sunken stomach?like a cadaver that breathes. "Let me see your arms," Steve demanded, grabbing one of Tobias?s arms roughly. For a moment Tobias was silent as he allowed his boyfriend to study each of his arms carefully. Then he asked: "Happy? No track marks." "If I find out you?ve been using, I?ll dump you faster than your parents did when they found out you were gay," Steve said, his frown deepening. Read A Moment of Clarity by Jason R. http://www.awesomedude.com/jasonr/a_moment_of_clarity.htm *

No disrespect intended, Pecman, but to me, what you're saying is not acceptance, it's tolerance at the very lowest rung. I'm older than Gabe but when I was in HS, I was out and while I didn't wear a neon sign over my head, I apparently didn't need to...or something, I dunno. And most of my friends were queers, too. We DID talk about it, among ourselves and others who asked (or hassled, but my school situation was NOT like Gabe's). But, like you, I didn't realize there were other queers all around me until high school, though I had vague suspicions in junior high... High school made it all clear and, yes, most queers (though not all) seemed to be in the Arts. The most direct and helpful conversations I ever had about being non-str8 were held in company with other speech and drama kids. Those conversations, hell, that support system, such as it was and including teachers and coaches, contributed to my owning whatever sanity I possess. Home was just total suckage and not worth discussing, no tolerance there on any level DESPITE (or perhaps because of) the fact that my parents appeared to have created NO str8 kids. I left home at 17, not by choice but likely for the best, and I did go to college...partly on, you guessed it, Performing Arts money. Of course, in college, you pick queers off trees, but this wasn't news to me by that time. Even the str8s regularly play gay in college, so it's pretty much sexual open season, at least in my memory. Of course, being young and cute helps, but I also find that, even as an adult, a nice attitude (smiles, lotsa eye contact, keeping loose) can get you a lot more nookie than a nasty one...or a closet. Just a thought, directed out generally. Not judging. Your statement about Performing Arts people being 'different' pushed a button, I guess. In HS, I really did resent the general idea outside of creative circles that all creative types, esp Perf Arts, were queers. It was a stereotype, we had a lot of artsy str8s, too, albeit ones who learned to be truly gay-friendly early on...not just minimally tolerant. And a lot of queers are NOT in the Arts...and those had to be a little more discreet because, as you imply, it wasn't polite to talk about one's sexuality or romances. Unless one is heterosexual, of course. Additional problems are faced in and out of school if the queer kid is ALSO: not white, not white enough, not protestant, lower income, has poor grades, poor 'attitude', open about his/her queerness, flamboyant or 'obvious' in some personal way that's NOT a choice btw, moves or changes schools frequently...etc etc etc. And a lot of the above is related and most is out of the control of the kid himself. So, the 'different' thing is more than just talent, it's also a circling of the wagons made necessary by the unaccepting 'acceptance' of the general population at many high schools. Safety in numbers...but only relative safety. Everyone loves a quiet queer, yeah, I know...but sometimes that's just less of an option. And sometimes the gag rule makes you choke. Rant over. TR

Concern and compassion, James, concern and compassion. Soulforce is a truly righteous org, please give the letter idea some thought. Kisses... TR

I give up. How is this Shatner related? Sigh. TR-one born every minute...

Soulforce Asks You to Write a Letter of Encouragement to Ted Haggard Soulforce has launched a campaign urging LGBT people and straight allies to write letters of concern and compassion to Rev. Ted Haggard, the deposed Pastor of New Life Church and former President of the National Association of Evangelicals. We acknowledge that many in our community feel legitimate anger toward Haggard and the NAE for their history of religion-based oppression. However this is obviously a moment of personal, familial, and professional crisis for Rev. Haggard, who has now been referred to the same "spiritual restoration" therapy that has threatened the mental and spiritual well-being of so many gay men and lesbians. We want to make sure that the voices of intolerance and homophobia are not the only voices that he hears during this difficult time. We urge you to write to Ted Haggard in a spirit of empathy and welcoming. Let him know that there are alternatives to ex-gay therapy, and that LGBT people can live loving, honest, and purposeful lives. In addition to your letter of encouragement, you can also upload a picture of yourself, your religious community, or your family to share with Rev. Haggard. Soulforce will print and individually mail all letters written in a spirit of compassion and nonviolence. To write a letter go to Soul Force-write letter

-- The struggle of two gay teens who endured hazing at the hands of classmates -- and were arrested for it -- and who still had the courage to speak out and fight for lasting change is detailed in "We Belong." Contest, enter your vote! http://www.current.tv/make/vc2/sot;jsessio...2A6CBBC9CFA92EF Great gay video on homophobia by two gay teens in school... TR

It's not a joke, it's Borowitz (as link states) and, as such, is political commentary aka 'Views'. Andy Borowitz is not comedy club act, he's one of the most amazing political commentators currently working, in my opinion. He's the winner Of The First-Ever National Press Club Award For Humor. Andy Borowitz, Al Franken and The Onion, to name just three, are insightful, valid views on news, just Op Eds with a twist of lemon. Trab, you've the same access as I do to US News...here on the Internet. I don't watch television and rarely read hardcopy newspapers (and was recently lectured for that at a local Latino political meeting) but I do read the news online and am subscribed to email newslists that are mostly open to anyone. So, is what true? That a lot of Republicans lost their seats, and their pants, last night? Yes, it's true. Would Dubya like a Do-Over? You betcha. Is Andy Borowitz dot com a great way to experience US news? No question; I love that man, would have his babies in a heartbeat. If you want more detailed coverage of election results, I recommend CNN, NPR, the NYT and many other news sources that can be located via Google, etc. In 'my' state, alas, most Republicans retained their seats, including Governor Rick Perry. I did my bit: I voted, protested, wore stupid buttons and participated in some minor campaign grunt work, though should probably have done more. The question is, will 2008 campaigns slogans ask that you 'Don't Blame Me, I Voted Republican'? I have mixed feelings about this year's election results. I'd almost prefer to just give the b*stards a bit more rope... Kisses... TR

http://www.borowitzreport.com/ Bush Asks For Do-Over Offers to Fire Rumsfeld In the wee hours of the morning after American voters swept his party from power, President George W. Bush made an extraordinary appearance on national television to ask the national electorate for a "do-over." Millions of viewers were tuned into televised Election Night coverage when Mr. Bush, using the nation's Emergency Broadcasting System, interrupted those telecasts to make a direct appeal to the American people. Looking unshaven and unsteady, and occasionally slurring his words, the president implored the American people to invalidate the results of last night's election and vote again. "I grew up with the great tradition of do-overs on the golf courses of Greenwich, Connecticut," Mr. Bush told the American people. "And what's good for golf is good for democracy." Mr. Bush said that if the American people would grant him a do-over, he would gladly fire Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, referring to his longtime Cabinet member as "that loser." Across the country, voters registered shock and astonishment at the unorthodox speech by Mr. Bush, many of them troubled by the president's decision to appear on national television wearing only a stained undershirt. One hour after the president's address, Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean delivered the official Democratic response: "He must be on crack." But minutes after Mr. Dean's appearance, Mr. Bush interrupted the networks' broadcasts once more, raising the ante in his bid for a do-over: "All right, I'll fire Cheney's ass, too, but that's my final offer." Elsewhere, among the many who lost once-secure positions yesterday were Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Penn), Sen. Lincoln Chaffeee (R-R.I.), and Britney Spears' husband Kevin Federline. http://www.borowitzreport.com/

LOVE that last stanza, James. Kisses... TR

rewind is it too late, do you think to walk back into the sun of summers long past? pick a fruit left on the vine, succulent luscious yet unplucked those years ago? can one do that, do you think just turn back hit rewind and make a different choice? and what if it is offered once again just as if you had never said no? how would it be, do you think to smile and and bite deep into the fruit that beckons? *

Just wanted to go on record as saying that this and Jack Scribe's Goblins are my two favorite of our Halloween festival stories. I'm not including Josh's Masquerade because it's not all online yet and also because it's more than a Halloween tale. I like this a lot, very romantic, weird and sad, too. Great writing, Graeme! Kisses... TR

Oh, all right, I'll play. And yes, the gravy thing is vile but it's a Southern US thing, though I have occasionally (mis)used gravy for that purpose when given a trough of gravy for some combined Southern fried food plate that's really, really bad for me, eg. fried 'chicken fingers' (there's another weird Americanism for you, speaking of chicken teeth) and 'French fried' fries ('chips' to you non-Colonials, though they do make bizarre distinctions here between thinly sliced, sliced crossways, cubed and other whatevers...but it's still just fried potatoes.). Speaking of spuds, I adore potato cakes/potato latkes, which you can't easily get, apparently, outside private homes in the lower States I'm currently mired in. I'm not sure if that's bc it's a Jewish food or maybe Russian/Polish, but you can't get a lot of what's considered unAmerican delicious American foods south of the Mason-Dixon (or West of the Mighty Mississippi). Highly specific, what's here and what's there. Try finding a decent deli anywhere outside the NE, for instance, it's a disgrace! How I occasionally long for good corned beef sandwich or a real pickle! A few things, natch, are like Apple Pie, you can get 'em anywhere: hamburgers (which aren't from Hamburg), pizza (which isn't from Italy, though what passes for pizza in Texas is sometimes really shocking), malted milkshakes (which do, oddly enough, contain both malt and milk and are also shaken), etc. Very popular in most of America (I can't stand them) are 'ribs', which are just that, big heaping plates of ribbed sides of whatever (pig, I assume, and not roof rabbit) and dripping with 'barbeque sauce'. There are whole chains of restaurants devoted to nothing else! Yuck, not my thing, though I understand it was popular with the Flintstone family. Second only to that in my lexicon of inedibles are 'wings', sometimes known as 'chicken wings' but more often as 'buffalo wings' (don't get me started), and again there are whole restaurant chains that specialize in them, and they consist, apparently, of large baskets/plates of tiny little fried/barbequed/shellacked (well, that's how they look) itty bitty tiny parts of chicken legs. They are considered a delicacy in the South (but so are 'grits'), come in all sorts of coatings and styles, and are eaten both as appetizers and as meals. Double yuck. Grits, too. Sorry, James! My personal French Fry/chip eating preferences are, in order (and always including the dreaded salt): mayonaise, ranch dressing (Rick, I could mail you a selection of dry packaged mixes for it, if you want to try it, it's delish), blue/bleu cheese dressing and cheddar or other cheeses melted atop. Ketchup strictly as a last resort. I'm not a big fan of fries, that is I pretend to try to avoid them, but potatoes, what can I say? Did you know that you can fry 'sweet potatoes' (yams), too, and they're quite good? I recommend cubed instead of strips, though, for those. I liked malted vinegar on (fried) fish but not on the chips, but hey, I'm a Yank. Lemon on non-fried fish. Actually, the piano-playing bf and I eat regularly at a place that serves only UK/Irish foods and beers, so I do get the alleged real thing now and again. Mother is actually Irish and holds dual citizenship, I may not have mentioned that before. I have a Scots friend whom everyone around assumes is 'English', so that's a source of fun for us, though unrelated to food, I suppose. Now that I'm feeling peckish, I think I'll go have a bite. Run, Harry, run! Kisses... TR

My fingers. TR

10 wounded in gunfight at Halloween street party SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) -- Gunfire broke out between two groups at a massive Halloween street party in the city's Castro district, wounding at least 10 people, including innocent bystanders, police said Wednesday. The shooting began around 10:40 p.m. Tuesday as authorities were dispersing thousands of revelers under a curfew aimed at controlling the traditionally raucous party. Two people were detained for questioning, but no one had been arrested early Wednesday, police Capt. Al Casciato said. He said two groups of people had gotten into an altercation when the shooting began. One victim was listed in critical condition at San Francisco General Hospital. The once-spontaneous and unsanctioned party was taken over by the city four years ago after police recorded five stabbings and a number of assaults in a 2002 crowd of 500,000 people and confiscated a chain saw. Officials and members of the district's large gay community said the party had started attracting gay bashers along with the usual colorfully costumed characters. On Tuesday night, city officials ramped up the police presence, reduced the number of entertainment stages from three to one and cut off the festivities at 11 p.m. "We had the sheriff's department screening people for weapons and alcohol. Obviously you have a major event -- a lot of different spots" to patrol, said police spokesman Neville Gittens said. "I can't explain how this happened. Unfortunately it did happen, and we are investigating to find out who is the cause of the shooting." Ted Morales, 43, said he was working as a volunteer security guard for the event when he "heard someone empty their gun" in the crowd. "When the shooting happened, people just dove to the ground like a wall of water," said Morales, who did not see what led up to the shooting. A woman standing near him was grazed in the neck by a bullet, he said. Sophia Vlahiotis, who owns Capri Ristorante Pizza just yards from the scene, was outside selling pizzas when a crowd of people fleeing the bullets began running in her direction. "They pushed the table over, the oven fell and then I realized it was gunshots," she said. "They were trying to get into the restaurant, there were so many people." Vlahiotis, who did not see what led up to the shooting, said this year may be her last participating in the Halloween party. "I'm still shaking," she said. "I don't know if I want to do this again. It's not worth my life." Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Find this article at: http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/11/01/sfshooting.ap/index.html

Pig. Twit. Jerk. Esp when I'm late because I'm helping others like a good little Story Editor. Anyhow, it's now complete, all posted, unedited and unproofed BUT all there, you can read it and see how it turns out, now. Since you hate horror, Graeme, I don't know why you're bothering but oh, well. Be warned, don't eat while reading Where No Shadows Fall . CLICK HERE TO READ COMPLETE TALE Where No Shadows Fall-complete TR tale Where No Shadows Fall is TR trying to be as disgusting and unromantic as possible. Or maybe romantic but in a really weird, disturbing and creepy way. He may have failed, at least on one count... Let me know what you think, Camy, too, though for the record I don't know that I write well, or whatever. I need constant reassurance, ask the Dude...who doesn't give much, btw. Corpse Kisses... TR HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!

Billy's (call me 'Bill') friends keep asking him what his costume is this year, but it's a secret. The thing is, it's not the only secret Bill is gonna spring at Halloween! To get the point, read The Point, AD's Halloween short offering by WBMS. http://www.awesomedude.com/haloween_2006/The%20Point.htm From The Point : At lunch, a group called him over, ?Hey, Billy, come over here!? and he went over. He was still smiling but said ?Call me Bill from now on. I?m not Billy anymore. Billy is a kid?s name.? His friends? eyebrows rose in surprise, but Billy was full of surprises. ?Sure, Bill. If that?s what you want. It?ll take some getting used to.? ?There are lots of things that take getting used to. I?m still me, but I?ve decided I?m Bill now. I hope that?s okay with you all. Make sure you let everyone now.? ?Sure, Bill. Whatever you say. Can you tell us why?? ?It?s a simple as I already told you. I?m not a kid anymore and Billy is a kid?s name.? Billy momentarily lost his ever-present smile and that did not go unnoticed by anyone. The subject dropped immediately. ?So what about your costume?? ?Oh, you?ll have to wait and see but I think it?s my best one ever.? BE SURE TO EMAIL WBMS TO LET HIM KNOW YOU ENJOYED AND APPRECIATED HIS STORY!

I can only hope we shall see each other again In that place where there is only love and no shadows fall, You have touched my very being...I shall remember you. ~Louisiana epitaph The death of their Aunt Rose forces a reluctant brother and sister back to their childhood home in the fetid swamps of Louisiana, where they'd grown up next door to their Grandpa's funeral home, Repose in Peace. Secrets abound in this taut tale of familial connections, undying love and macabre memories. Read part one of Where No Shadows Fall today, and the far creepier part two on Halloween night itself, for a final spooky TR scare! CLICK HERE TO READ COMPLETED STORY Where No Shadows Fall, a Halloween TR Tale From Where No Shadows Fall: Without speaking, we picked up her luggage, a matched Mark Cross set, found the car rental place, settled for a blue Honda Civic and headed out of Baton Rouge. She drove while I chain-smoked in the front passenger seat. We weren?t either one of us much for talking, and there was precious little we needed to communicate. She knew the way, I knew the score: keep my mouth shut. It had been her single condition for returning. Old times are best forgotten always was her motto, at least with family. The radio offered only static and a tacky gospel station, which we listened to, in an unspoken ironic tribute to Aunt Rose, all during that night drive to Slaughter, Louisiana. With my last swallow of cold coffee, I tossed back a couple dozen more milligrams of Valium. There sure is no damn place like home. ALSO: Hear TR read his sexy, spooky story The Midnight Chime , a frontpage Dude's Pick and also available on the Awesome Dude Sound Files page, along with poems by Gabe, TR, Camy and story snippets from Graeme! DON'T FORGET TO EMAIL AUTHORS IF YOU ENJOY THEIR EFFORTS!

Pete and Eric had been together nearly eight years when things got a little...predictable and Pete left Eric for picturesque Palm Springs. They'd been together for better or worse, but real life has no happy endings, right? But after months of bachelorhood, a Halloween night of candy apples and neighborhood trick-or-treaters offers lonely Eric the discovery that Goblin Patrol has unexpected treats in store, even for grownups! Familiar looking Goblins at the Door lead Eric into the most astonishing Halloween he's ever had! Don't miss this one from favorite net author Jack Scribe! http://www.awesomedude.com/haloween_2006/G...0the%20Door.htm From Goblins at the Door: ?Hi, kids.? Eric opened the screen door and smiled. ?Hi, Mister. Trick or treat?? said the girl. ?Oh, a treat to be sure,? Eric said with a smile. He took two caramel apples, wrapped them with waxed paper and handed one to each of the children. He looked at the little boy and something stood out. ?Jeez, who is this kid?? he wondered. ?Must be a neighbor but I don?t recognize him. He certainly looks familiar, though.? ?Oh, wow,? said the boy. I?m going to eat this when I get home.? ?Thanks, replied the girl. ?Come on, Stevie, your dad is waiting to go to dinner.? ?Just a minute, kids. I?m curious?do you live around here. I?ve seen Stevie somewhere but I can?t place it.? DON'T FORGET TO EMAIL OUR HALLOWEEN AUTHORS AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!

Another school dance but not just any dance, not with Graeme in charge! This story is chock-full of Halloween goodies: spooky costumes, romantic cravings, creepy happenings, scary moments and, best of all, one seriously shocking ending! But no cheating, you have to read Trick or Treat? from great start to fantastic finish, and then email Aussie author Graeme to tell him how much you enjoyed it! http://www.awesomedude.com/haloween_2006/trick_or_treat.htm From Trick or Treat?: The music had restarted and a semi-random wave of color from the overhead lights was dancing over the crowd. A moody mist was creeping across the floor from fog machines around the edges. ?Well, I think it?s time to go and say hello to a certain young lady,? Cole said as he rose to his feet. ?I promised her some dances.? Brett chuckled. ?Okay, say hello to Helen for me, too. What did she pick as her costume?? Cole chuckled. ?With her figure, Helen of Troy, of course.? Cole had just reached the door when all the lights in the hall went off and the music died. After a moment, a set of faint blue lights illuminated the crowd. ?What the fuck!? Brett said as he scanned the computer screen. Cole headed back to his seat. ?Did the software crash?? ?Not that I can see... wait... something?s happening.? DON'T FORGET TO EMAIL THE AUTHOR WITH YOUR APPRECIATION!

Attend a spooky school dance with AD author Nevius (rhymes with 'devious') in Halloween Dance , his unusual Halloween Festival offering. Jon doesn't want to attend any 'fuckin' Halloween Dance' but, boy, will he be glad his best friend Mark dragged him there! Cool costumes, cute boys and loads of fun make this a Halloween treat you won't want to miss from awesome AD author Nevius! http://www.awesomedude.com/nevius/Halloween%20Dance.htm From Halloween Dance : After the fourth or fifth song exhaustion starts to set in and my mind begins to wander from the girl in front of me. Suddenly I come to a complete stop as I see the most gorgeous butt in the whole world bent over before me. He?s picking something up off of the floor. Dressed in white full body leotard with a skeleton printed?well, at least across the back, I am awed. ?Whoa,? I vibrate in a deep baritone voice. ?Are you OK,? Cherie asks. I nod slowly and then begin to dance again while staring at the boy across the floor. As he stands up I see he has a full head rubber skull on. ?Dammit,? I mumble. Entranced by the ?body? across the floor I need to know who it belongs to because instantly I know that there is more to this than just lust; an aura exudes from him that speaks to me. DON'T FORGET TO EMAIL EACH AUTHOR TO TELL THEM HOW MUCH YOU ENJOYED THEIR EFFORTS!

Another short but sweet treat is Rick's little visit to Scotland. A Really Strange Scottish Experience has loads of sugar-free fun in the form of a castle keep, lovely Scottish countryside and a couple of picnicking shutterbug hikers. But you'll never believe what they capture on film! http://www.awesomedude.com/haloween_2006/A...0Experience.htm From A Really Strange Scottish Experience : After a generous breakfast we set off on a drive around the local area and marvelled at the majestic scenery of Scottish mountains and lakes. Fortunately, I had finally given in to myself recently and bought a four-litre diesel Range Rover; traction therefore, wasn?t a problem. We had noticed several inviting looking tracks leading off the twisty single track road we were on, so spotting one that didn?t look quite as treacherous as the previous few; I turned into it and began to climb the hill it led us to. As we crested it we gasped in awe when the ruin of an enormous castle and lake came into view. On looking further to our left we could also see a really strange looking and very higgledy-piggledy village off in the distance. It was certainly too far to walk. Out came the camera and we set off on foot to stroll around the shore of the lake. We had brought a packed lunch so took that with us too. DON'T FORGET TO EMAIL RICK IF YOU LIKE HIS STORY!

A story first for Trab, Trick is his Halloween offering in our AD Halloween Festival Box. It's short and sweet, so read about Peter's one-of-a-kind Halloween night and, as always, email the author with your comments! http://www.awesomedude.com/haloween_2006/trick_by_trab.htm From Trick: Every time he was near a good-looking guy, heck, any guy, he felt a charge of excitement. Sometimes that would lead to an embarrassing (but thrilling) stirring down below, but most often it was just a feeling of being on top of the world. Sadly, though, he?d seen some of the reactions at his school when they found out some guy was gay. Teasing was the least of the problems. Peter had a classic case of Junior High Shyness, and he couldn?t manage to string two words together, in a social context, much less hold an actual conversation. Sure, he knew all the answers in class, but if asked to actually give an answer, he completely froze up. Saliva would build in his throat while he tried to speak, finally choking him, and he?d have to cough till it was clear again. While this, and the heart condition that kept him benched during PE, were cause for some serious teasing, it didn?t translate into any overt physical abuse. Being outed as gay, though, would be another thing altogether. The very idea terrified him.

Don't miss Josh's new story, a four-chapter-plus-epilogue tale of three best friends: Tim, Jason and Sam (short for Samantha). They explore their neighborhood, each other and the pains of growing up in Masquerade, a wonderful, sweet and sexy new story from Josh. NOTE: Story currently inhabits our Halloween Festival Box but will move to regular front page status after these Gay High Holy Days are over. http://www.awesomedude.com/haloween_2006/M...%20Chap%201.htm From Masquerade, p1 A year after Aunt Ellie?s divorce -- when I was four and Jason was five -- Samantha?s family moved to San Antonio; into the two-story, wood-framed house next door to mine. Jason and I watched them move in, hoping for a boy our age. Instead, there was a girl with thick, dark-red hair. She saw us, and walked right up. My height, she looked right into my eyes, and I was like ?whoa!? and backed up a step. Samantha looked from me to Jason, said ?hi,? and that was that. It was Jason, Timmy, and Samantha after that; the three of us constantly together, and usually at Sam?s house. Her parents were warm, friendly, intelligent? all the things Jason?s and my folks were not. And they always welcomed us there. Sam didn?t just follow Jason and me on our ambling adventures around the neighborhood, she often led them. She was an equal partner in our triumvirate. She could climb a tree as quickly as us. She ran faster than I did. Princess Leia herself couldn?t have wielded a light saber any better than Samantha did when we took on the Empire. There was a small, wooded park near our homes, and it became our kingdom; its depths, our fortress. The three of us built castles there, explored continents, and flew to far galaxies. Don't forget to email the author!