With two chapters underway, Laramie’s youthful experiences
take him through high school.
Click here to read Laramie, Chap. 2
In Coffee at 9, he had entrusted Cooper with tales of
his past. Over dinner he noted the events that were written of in this chapter.
Click here to read “August,” Chap. 7 of Coffee at 9.
Having written the previous five books, I have found it very touching to hear from readers who have connected with the characters. After reading, Hi, I’m Lance, several readers wrote to me that either they or a family member was involved in the AA program. With Coffee at 9, I was intrigued with the number of gay fathers that reached out.
I’m curious about Laramie’s tale. As they got to know each other, Cooper and Laramie shared their deep secrets. Laramie confessed he had always had bad luck with love. The barn scene in this chapter was one example. I’m curious if the readers out there have had some embarrassing experiences as well. Has anyone walked in on you? Have you walked in on anyone else?
Young sex is so infused with awkwardness and insecurity,
things surely don’t go perfectly during initial experiences. As magical as it
has the potential to be, too often shame and guilt and embarrassment are common
adversaries of what could be wonderful first experiences.
Mine were … odd. It was too silent and unspoken of. As
imperfect as they were, I can’t deny the impact they had on me.
I’d be interested to actually know how common sexual
exploration among adolescent boys really is. I’m sure there are studies, and it
is commonly believed that boys experiment together, but do we really know? I
have no reference point of what heterosexual men who “fiddled around” feel
later in life when they reflect upon those youthful moments of exploration.
Regardless, these are fictional characters. While the words
are put together to tell a story, we all can recall what feelings of our own
that were real.
Make a comment or email me: timothylane414@gmail.com
You asked about youthful experiences — for me, it was zip. Not for lack of trying. I lost a couple of friends and made another very uncomfortable. This went into my twenties. I guess I just had defective gaydar. Even so, the memories of powerful crushes I had when young are very sweet, even if they ended poorly.
ReplyDeleteHoly Ned! How could things be so wonderful and so horrible at the same moment.
ReplyDeleteSitting on pins and needles for Chapter 3. You never disappoint.
G.
Ha. My first time was exploration with a church friend (a few times). We never talked about it and it was tame (not even kissing). He later "ghosted" me before that was even a term, choosing to get in with the drug crowd. Years later, he got married, and as flawed as my thinking was, I thought he turned me gay and then married a woman. However, that didn't last long. I know from Facebook decades later that he is part of the gay community. Not an ideal first experience.
ReplyDeleteYour blog kind of asks a number of questions. For my own part - no, I've never had anyone walk in unexpectedly at an awkward moment! Fortunately. It's not that I'm especially shy but even so...
ReplyDeleteI was at an English boys only boarding school between the ages of 11 and 13. Even at that fairly tender age I was very well aware of the fact that quite a bit of homoerotic experimentation was going on but I was then sent to a day school. If I'd stayed longer I suspect I would have witnessed, or indeed been involved in, quite a bit more.
And my own first experience was not quite as expected. Had it gone a little differently I suspect the story of my life would have been changed significantly, but there it is.
C.
Wow, C., am I the only one who'd love to hear the story of that not-as-expected first experience that, "had it gone a little differently," would have changed you life significantly?
DeleteMy maternal grandfather was gay, though bi enough to father three children. He was an army officer. His double life was discreet enough to avoid any official notice until one day he made an error of judgement which led to his being court-martialled. (Homosexual behaviour was still very much illegal at the time, especially in the army.) He was formally acquitted, in part on my grandmother's testimony, but nothing was ever the same again. It was a humiliation for my grandmother which had consequences in my family for decades afterwards. Possibly it still does.
ReplyDelete