Art of Understanding by Chris James

[Lugnutz]

I wonder when Chris sleeps if he's putting out serials and shorts. It don't diminish the quality of this one. No spoilers, read it and see for yourself what it's about and what happens.

http://www.awesomedude.com/chris_james/short_stories/art_of_understanding.htm

[Gee Whillickers]

That was a great story. Once again, I was caught unaware that it was a Sanitaria Springs story until the street name was mentioned. I loved the tie-in. The emotions of both Art and Ernie were very well played.

[colinian]

Good story. Art, the protagonist, is very realistic, and Ernie comes across just like lots of gay high school kids. I like the resolution of the story. The premise, that Ernie needed someone his age for his first date with a gay guy, for his first boyfriend if it came to that, is right on. What Art says about a guy and a girl having sex on their first date makes sense, even if it isn't adhered to by most high school seniors.

Colin

[Merkin]

Chris leads us into territory that in the hands of most of the writers over on Nifty would have become just another sheer fantasy of the flesh. This time around, however, the situation is handled with thoughtful delicacy so that it unfolds firmly in a real world of convincing values and level-headed mentoring. Thanks for this uplifting story.

[Chris James]

(I blush) Thanks, guys...always enjoy knowing I did something right.

Ahh yes, as I confessed to Mike, this short was halfway done when I read Sanitaria Springs and then saw the challenge to engage the brain for a contribution in kind. It really had no setting before then and I thought why not place it around Binghamton. N.Y. and the Sanitaria Springs area.

An earlier discussion on the forum about gaydar is what got me started. I wanted to make Arthur the responsible gay adult because that set a good example. I imagine there are lots of Ernies in this world and that first step is always the hardest, I know mine was. But there had to be a Neil, the man who knew everything and gives only sage advice.

This could have been a much longer story which would have given Charlie and Ernie some further exposure, but by that point I had said all I wanted. Perhaps I should have included a good recipe for Siclian pasta sauce, but I don't know one.

[Cole Parker]

Recipe for Sicilian Pasta Sauce:

1 can tomatoes

1 head of garlic

1 bottle olive oil, or, one old woman and a pail of fresh, unsqeezed olives

1 Sicilian

Directions: Leave the kitchen and come back when it smells good.

Very nice story, Chris. As with a former comment, I too thing there are lots of Ernies out there, but I think there are a lot of Art's, too. The Nifty image tends to make us think otherwise, but I feel those Nifty guys are the aberration and the Art's are the norm. Maybe I just want to believe that, but I think it's true.

C

[Guest Dabeagle]

What a perfectly delightful tale. I'd probably give my eyeteeth to have a handsome young man hit on me just for the ego boost but, as was expressed, what could have easily become a Nifty special turned into a solid tale of real, good people. Great job Chris!