Story Idea: Brother & Sister Vying for Same Boyfriend

[The Pecman]

This real-life situation is too funny and very modern. I dunno if this has ever been done, but I think this has terrific story potential for somebody. I present the original question and answer from Slate's Dear Prudence advice column:

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Dear Prudence,

My wife and I have two wonderful children, "Rebekah" and "Robbie." They have always been close and share many of the same friends. Both are living at home while attending a local college. Rebekah is very popular and has many platonic male friends, but she has developed a real crush on a young man in her class, "Jason.” Recently, my wife and I returned home after a night out, and I went to check on Robbie who has a room in the basement. I was startled to find him and Jason lying on his bed, kissing and undressing each other. I was not seen and left quietly. My wife told me that Rebekah was asleep in her bedroom upstairs, and I muttered to my wife that Robbie was home. A few days later I returned home early to the sounds of two men having sex in the basement. I got into my car and took a long drive. When I got back, Rebekah had just arrived and she and Robbie and Jason were in the kitchen fixing a snack. I love my son and will always support him, but there are several issues. First, my wife will be unhappy to learn our son is gay. Robbie is an adult and it's not my place to tell her, but she will eventually find out. Also, we do not tolerate sexual activity in the house, regardless of sexual orientation, so there can't be a double standard with Robbie. I will have to tell him, and he will know that I know. Most important, I fear Rebekah will be hurt, and I don't want this development to damage the close relationship she and her brother have always had. What should I do?

—Confused Dad

Dear Confused,

How the world has changed when it’s possible that Jason could one day be your son-in-law, despite his total lack of interest in your daughter. Anyone who’s ever had both a basement and teenagers should know that the most innocent walk down those steps could mean stumbling upon scenes of naked writhing. I don’t know what kind of marriage you have, but most husbands having seen their son in flagrante with another, male or female, would be moved to say to their fellow parent something like, “Honey, Robbie is home, and I have some news about how he’s entertaining his guest.” It is your place to tell your wife, and I think the two of you need to let Robbie know that you know. For help in dealing with all this, contact PFLAG, which gives invaluable support to parents with gay children. As for your decree that your college-age children not engage in sexual relations in your home, you’re saving a boatload of money by not having them live at college. But if they were in a dorm, you would have no control over their sexual escapades. Your kids are actually young adults, and I think you need to rethink this rule. Finally, let’s hope Rebekah is sturdy enough not to be crushed when she finds out why her crush never made a move, and that she will be accepting on discovering she’s simply not his type. It’s probably been quite confusing for her to see that Jason loves hanging out at her home, but all his lingering glances appear to be directed to Robbie. Alternately, perhaps Rebekah knows exactly what’s up, and she’s agreed to engage in a cover story to keep her parents from the truth.

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This is a great story idea with a lot of potential. I think it would be a better idea if kept light-hearted and funny, because there's a lot of opportunity for misunderstandings, hurt feelings, screaming arguments, and interesting encounters.

[DesDownunder]

The idea of a brother and sister sharing the same man was explored, with typical English humour, in the play Entertaining Mr. Sloan by Joe Orton; first produced in London at the New Arts Theatre on 6 May 1964. It was made into a film in 1970 directed by Douglas Hickox. With Beryl Reid, Harry Andrews playing the brother and sister.

And yes Pec, Orton also thought it was best kept as a comedy (with a sinister undertone.)

My local theatre group had also mounted a stage version around the same time that it was produced on Broadway.

Of course, I realise that Joe Orton's story is not the only way that such a plot could be developed, but it is interesting to me that alternatives have not been explored more recently.

Although there seems to be many stage productions around the world from what I see on youTube.

Here's the rather awful trailer for the 1970 movie (ignore the song):

[Guest Dabeagle]

That was the larger concept I was toying with when I wrote the flash piece, School Shopping. All I had was a scene though.

[The Pecman]

I think it's funnier (and lighter) if it was about 16-year-olds in high school... and more interesting to me. I think Entertaining Mr. Sloane is much too grim, plus the characters are all adults and the lead is a psychopath, which takes the fun and light-heartedness out of it. But Joe Orton is a fairly serious writer. I'd see something much more interesting... maybe even a bisexual kid who doesn't have a problem sleeping with the brother and sister.

My take would be, the two boys would be at a British boys school, they start an affair, things get hot and heavy, then they come home for the summer and the one boy visits, then has a fling with the sister. Hilarity ensues. Yeah, it could be interesting if done the right way. Maybe the boy tries to break it off, but the sister blackmails him and threatens to out both him and the brother if he doesn't do her bidding.

[Chris James]

It is an enticing concept for a story. I tried my hand at such a piece and lost the thread of interest after several pages. My lead character was dating the sister only to get time with the brother and I came to think of the whole thing as a crass, predatory statement on relationships.

It might work with humor and a lot of fumbling around like in one of those French door slamming farces. I don't have that kind of story in me these days, but I would like to read it.

[DesDownunder]

The humour in Entertaining Mr sloane is very dark, and even more so back in 1964 when it shocked the masses and riled the censors. The English sense of humour with its ability to enjoy irony prevailed however, as they were quite able to stand back and laugh at the absurdity of the sociopath being an object of attraction for the dysfunctional siblings. This was very fine writing by an author who detested authority which he saw as undermining the potential goodness of human society. He was a true rebel. This was ironic in itself and is revealed in the biopic (Prick Up Your Ears) on Joe Orton who was killed by his male lover over jealousy of Orton's writing talent.

[Guest Dabeagle]

N Fourbois did something like this, and as I recall reading it it was a tad shocking to find out how it all turned out. I had to dig, because it's an old story, but fortunately it's on my site.

Here

I think most of his work is on Iomfats, though I can't be sure, we fell out of touch years ago.

[Cole Parker]

I think it's funnier (and lighter) if it was about 16-year-olds in high school... and more interesting to me. I think Entertaining Mr. Sloane is much too grim, plus the characters are all adults and the lead is a psychopath, which takes the fun and light-heartedness out of it. But Joe Orton is a fairly serious writer. I'd see something much more interesting... maybe even a bisexual kid who doesn't have a problem sleeping with the brother and sister.

My take would be, the two boys would be at a British boys school, they start an affair, things get hot and heavy, then they come home for the summer and the one boy visits, then has a fling with the sister. Hilarity ensues. Yeah, it could be interesting if done the right way. Maybe the boy tries to break it off, but the sister blackmails him and threatens to out both him and the brother if he doesn't do her bidding.

And then the two of them connive to turn the tables on her.

C

[The Pecman]

And then the two of them connive to turn the tables on her.

That works!

I read the story Dabeagle mentioned and to me it's much too much about the mundane lives of British schoolboys, almost zero sex, and no nitty-gritty about the emotional involvement and real-world details about what would happen in a case like this. Too superficial to me. It needs more guts and more energy.