Watching Brad

[MikeyLove]

I don't mind the comments, really. They're rather informative.

Seriously, this story was never meant to exist. The only part I had planned was Ted sitting on the wall and watching Brad masturbate through the window. After that, I had nothing planned. I completely expected to run out of ideas and story within a few chapters. The comments were encouraging, though, so I did my best to keep it going and this is the result.

In all honesty, I can think of only 2 events in the entire story which I created long before they happened and worked my way up to them - one of which was rewritten to occur much earlier than I had planned. Everything else pretty-much just. . . 'happened' with no planning on my part.

Like most of the cliffhangers. In fact, I sometimes found myself in a bind because, even though the cliffhanger looked great on the monitor, I had no idea where it was going and I had to figure a way out of it.

Sometimes, I dismissed the cliffhangers and came up with something else because I could foresee the problems with it. More often than not, though, the cliffhangers would occur and I would jump on them because I could see where I could take them.

So, in the end, characters who weren't supposed to exist or, perhaps, were meant to exist for only that scene, suddenly found themselves to becoming an integral part of the story. Warren is one such character. So are David and Brook. Even Barry was supposed to make only a cameo appearance.

Now, here's a little secret for you. As I write, I see the characters in my mind. Even the minor characters. In all honesty, when I saw Brook and David and Barry in my mind and wrote about them, they gave me a hardon and I knew I needed to make them permanent characters.

Betcha didn't know that, did ya?

This what makes you, Neil, a great writer. It took me 1 full week to read through what was then up to date, and that was almost a year ago.

Watching Brad is like a tapestry being woven into a beautiful piece of artwork like the tapestries of old.

[upyrkilt469]

I have been away in Italy for the last 2 weeks and this is the first place I came to when I got home, last night. I was hoping for more of the story but was very interested in what others had to say. I agree that Neil have done a terrific job with the short sdtory that became long and am looking forward to more in the life of Ted and Brad and their family and friends. Keep well, Neil, and post more soon. H&K
Vic

[VCRUOKQT]

Hi there, new here (obviously heheh). I'd like to say how much I like your story, I'm only halfway but it had me glued to this subforum and forum.

Keep up the good work.

[homemadehuman]

ok i promised i wouldn't post until i catch up with the current story,but this...and the fact that nobody pointed it out?


But, now that you mention it, Jer and I could use some more condoms."

I almost choked on my chicken. "More!? I just gave you a new box last weekend!"

"Well, with Jer going away for the weekend, we kinda used them all up."

Oh, to have hormones like that again. After I recovered from the shock, I said, "I've got another box in the bedroom. I just hope you're not taking advantage of your brother, Justin."

"It's Jer who uses most of them, Dad," he said. "Not me."

That stunned me into silence and I sat back in my chair and stared at him for a very long moment. "Really?" I asked finally.

Justin shrugged. "I'm not really into. . . well. . . you know. . . doing it to him, but Jer enjoys it, and I don't mind it, so. . . . It's no big deal. If I was into it as much as he is, he'd let me. But don't worry, Dad. We take care of each other equally. Neither of us is taking advantage of the other." And then he began to chuckle loudly.

His laugh was contagious and I began to smile again and to chortle lightly. "What?" I said.

"I was just thinking about the time you walked in on us the first time and caught us going at it. Scared the living crap out of us and we thought you were going to have a heart attack, but all you did was to wait for us to get dressed, then sat us down and taught us how to be safe."

"And then I had your Dad put a lock on your bedroom door the very next day," I winked.

"Both of you were just so cool about it."

I shrugged one shoulder. "We were expecting it so it wasn't really a big surprise. As long as you're happy and safe, that's what's important to us. And if and when you and Andrea ever get around to it, I hope you play it safe with her, too."


it's my mind that dirty,or you actually implied that justin and jeremy would grow to have an incestuous relationship?

say it ain't so..

[homemadehuman]

Rude, annoying, disappointment, discomforting? Oh, NO, Man! Just the opposite! Your comments, and observations, have really been quite interesting! It's been very enjoyable to re-experience Niel's fantastic story, through your thoughts, as you are reading it for the first time!

By all means, continue commenting as you progress! I'm interested in what you think as you go along!

Keep smilin'!!
Chaz

Thank you Chaz! you're very kind it's a pleasure to come across people like you for a change.

[homemadehuman]

Dear HomeMadeHuman,
I don't think you need to apologize -- Neil writes a wonderful story - and, as he said, this particular Tome has had a life beyond his wildest expectations.

GSDX's name is Neil, and he doesn't mind you using it - or at least he's never told us not to.

You've breathed a lot of fresh air into Watching Brad with your commentary -- Yes, we've been there. A lot of us have thought that Ted could be a "bit" of a Putz regarding "his household" -- and I agree with Neil that he IS getting there - slowly -- sometimes with a 20Lb mallet being smashed over his head to get the ass's attention!

I joined JUB late last year - November. I worked my way around Watching Brad - I am a voracious reader. I came here following Kevin aka kk-lonewolf-37 over from Nifty, where he was posting "Zack & Jay", when there was a bit of excitement about his story here. Anyway, I started to explore and read the current threads -- HR's "I Thought I Knew" was in active publication, as was Tantiboh's "Trevor's Year". As I got caught up in those story threads, I expanded my reading - a lot like Bodhi is doing now. I worked my way up to Brad -- I read the older stories by Neil, commenting to him by PM, since I was way behind the times, and because I didn't think I'd post much here, just be a quiet reader/observer - you can see by my post count, that flew out the window fairly quickly!

Welcome. I've been reading your comments, and posting PM's to Neil here and there - I send him a note or three just about every day, shooting the shit, seeing how he's doing -- if You've read the comments, you know he has a genetic degenerative disease that attacks the spine -- it's caused him a lot of discomfort, and he's had to slow the pace of publication way down, because he can't sit at the PC for prolonged periods. It's a shame, because he thoroughly enjoys and gets into the stories as much as we do, if not more. He tends to overdo because, once he's "into the groove", he doesn't want to quit, even when his body is screaming at him.

Well, that's more than enough from me. Don't be afraid to post your thoughts, or PM them to Neil directly, if you prefer.

you're right,i joined this board a while ago,but i never participated as much as i am doing now,and it's because of neil's writing.

i am reading almost all the "big ones" (best buddies play hard,gifted,senior year,etc) ,but this is by far the one story that i'm most implicated into.

i know about neil's condition,that makes me admire him even more for his dedication.

i agree,ted is getting there,after the breakdown he found his way,he still has a long road to go though,but he will get there eventually i hope.

i would love to exchange opinions and recomendations about the other stories on this board,same with all the other guys who are regular and loyals to Watching Brad. i've been reading so much and feeling so much along with you..

take care

[gsdx]

ok i promised i wouldn't post until i catch up with the current story,but this...and the fact that nobody pointed it out?

[snip]

it's my mind that dirty,or you actually implied that justin and jeremy would grow to have an incestuous relationship?

say it ain't so..

It was pointed out. And it was just one of Ted's dreams. A lot of things happened in his other dreams as well, if you recall.

I implied nothing. They were nothing more than dreams.

[DonQuixote]

Well, we've had verification from the Horse's Mouth, so to speak.
To me, Ted's dream was just an exploration of a "probable" future exploration by the boys, since they are a)siblings, and while I didn't explore with MY elder sib, I'm told it's a fairly common practice; b) Identical Twins with an extra close bond that makes it all the more likely; c) sired by a homosexual, so they had a greater chance to inherit the genetics for a homosexual or bisexual predisposition.

If you read closely, it sounds like Jeremy is leaning Gay, while Justin is either leaning bi, or just tolerant of helping his brother scratch his itch, in exchange for certain "other" ways of having his needs taken care of.

I don't know thing there was any implication that this would be a life long thing.

And, as it WAS a Dream sequence from our favorite Neurotic, quien sabe?

It was a bit of a shocker, though, wasn't it?! LOL You wouldn't want us to give any of the story away on you, now, would you? You HAVE to discover and savour it as we have, one chapter and post at a time!

[homemadehuman]

It was pointed out. And it was just one of Ted's dreams. A lot of things happened in his other dreams as well, if you recall.

I implied nothing. They were nothing more than dreams.

yes,i know that this was just a dream like every other that Ted had before,but what
shocked me was,that this time..he wasn't disturbed by it.

and by pointing out,i guess you meant that people pm'd you,because i read all posts and nobody said a word about it.

[homemadehuman]

Well, we've had verification from the Horse's Mouth, so to speak.
To me, Ted's dream was just an exploration of a "probable" future exploration by the boys, since they are a)siblings, and while I didn't explore with MY elder sib, I'm told it's a fairly common practice; b) Identical Twins with an extra close bond that makes it all the more likely; c) sired by a homosexual, so they had a greater chance to inherit the genetics for a homosexual or bisexual predisposition.

If you read closely, it sounds like Jeremy is leaning Gay, while Justin is either leaning bi, or just tolerant of helping his brother scratch his itch, in exchange for certain "other" ways of having his needs taken care of.

I don't know thing there was any implication that this would be a life long thing.

And, as it WAS a Dream sequence from our favorite Neurotic, quien sabe?

It was a bit of a shocker, though, wasn't it?! LOL You wouldn't want us to give any of the story away on you, now, would you? You HAVE to discover and savour it as we have, one chapter and post at a time!

i am aware of it all,that is a fairly common practice,but it doesn't mean that i'm ok with it,nor do i see the point,since twins already have a bond that doesn't necesarilly need to extend to a sexual territory,but this is my personal predisposition on the matter,and i don't want to get on a debate about it.

i am pretty open minded about a lot of things,but incest it's not one of them, i got it the other way around actually,justing leaning to gay and jer leaning bi,and yes it was indeed a shocker.

[homemadehuman]

I've never considered myself to be a selfish bastard... but, I was spoiled by the 3 updates per week we used to get... a weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek is a long time to wait... anyone remember the Fri-Mon cliffhangers that used to "kill" us...

I have said all along, I love the stroy... the incestuous "dream" storyline freaks me a little as I am a twin, but other than minor differences... I wouldn't change a thing, even if I could...

Thanks for the great story and keep it coming at whatever pace we can get it....

my mistake,this guy pointed it out..still, i'm surprised it didn't cause more controversy than that.

[gsdx]

yes,i know that this was just a dream like every other that Ted had before,but what
shocked me was,that this time..he wasn't disturbed by it.

To be completely honest, I wasn't disturbed by it when I dreamt it myself. In my own mind, I saw it as a natural progression of their relationship and 'bond' and so I incorporated it into the story via Ted's dream and my reaction became his.

It's not an uncommon occurrence. I used to know a set of twins when I was growing up who, for all intents and purposes, were straight. (They are both happily married and with families.) Yet they shared experiences with each other that they wouldn't even consider sharing with anyone else.

Trust me. I debated long and hard about whether or not to include that dream. I knew it would be high on the 'ewwww' factor for some but would be the best part of the chapter for others. In the end, I decided that it accomplished what I wanted it to accomplish and so I left it in.

Dreams aren't always logical.

[MikeyLove]

Yes, I remember those twice/thrice updates a week! Those cliffhangers were what hooks a newcomer to the storyline, and be hooked from that day on. Still patiently waiting for new chapter.

[Bodhi1]

So am I ... biting my nails ...

[DonQuixote]

Neil's been slaving over the Final Final on "Best Friends Play Hard, Redux", as his body permits.

I suspect Brad will follow on after that . . . .

[Kulindahr]

I just finished part 150, and an item in there disgusts me: where the cabbie realizes Barry is a cop, and gets all anxious and apologetic.

Any society where people get stressed over the chance they might have insulted a police officer is a sick one, no matter what else is true about it.

[homemadehuman]

To be completely honest, I wasn't disturbed by it when I dreamt it myself. In my own mind, I saw it as a natural progression of their relationship and 'bond' and so I incorporated it into the story via Ted's dream and my reaction became his.

It's not an uncommon occurrence. I used to know a set of twins when I was growing up who, for all intents and purposes, were straight. (They are both happily married and with families.) Yet they shared experiences with each other that they wouldn't even consider sharing with anyone else.

Trust me. I debated long and hard about whether or not to include that dream. I knew it would be high on the 'ewwww' factor for some but would be the best part of the chapter for others. In the end, I decided that it accomplished what I wanted it to accomplish and so I left it in.

Dreams aren't always logical.

i think you missed my point,i didn't have a problem with the dream,i had a problem with Ted's reaction and even some jubbers post saying that it was beautiful,but especially ted's reaction,which suggested that if the scenario were to happen on the future,he would not only accept it but also encourage it,

i'm not criticizing ,i'm just stating that i did not like that part of the chapter,that's all.

it's your story,and i'm too into it for my own good ,so i will follow it ,whichever direction you may give it.

[gsdx]

but especially ted's reaction,which suggested that if the scenario were to happen on the future,he would not only accept it but also encourage it,

This, too, disturbed me as much as much as Ted accepting it disturbed you. As I see it, his only other reactions could have been:

1 - Ignore it and pretend it wasn't happening.
2 - Condemn their behaviour.

Nothing would have been accomplished by ignoring it.

However, he could have asserted his control as a father. He could have lectured them on their 'unacceptable behaviour'. He could have punished them. He could have forbidden them from engaging in such behaviour again. He could have separated them by forcing one of them to move into another bedroom. He could have done any number of things which quite probably would have alienated his sons and possibly driven them out of their home and his life.

Whether or not you agree with their behaviour, Ted and Brad anticipated it and accepted it and prepared for it if the situation were to arise. As a result, their sons' safety and well-being were their major concerns, even to the point of providing them with the necessary protection whenever they needed it. Whether they used that protection for themselves or for their girlfriends was irrelevant.

That is not encouraging it. It is accepting it and saying, "If you're going to do it, at least be safe."

I felt that was a much more important message to convey.

[sheep]

In the spring I changed my email address and messages about postings stopped being forwarded to me. I left this story after months of no updates. It looks like it is going again. Now my problem is to figure out where I left off.

[Undisclosed]

In the spring I changed my email address and messages about postings stopped being forwarded to me. I left this story after months of no updates. It looks like it is going again. Now my problem is to figure out where I left off.

Just do what I'm doing while waiting for a new chapter, start to read from the beginning again. The story is too awesome to read it only once.

[DonQuixote]

Just what I was going to suggest to our good friend Sheep.

Long time, no see!

[sheep]

OK Neil, I'm all caught up. Please don't post 3 chapters a week cause they may conflict with my 3 visits to physio each week for my back. Mine like yours won't be getting better any time soon. Two chapters a week will be fine.

Take care of yourself as best you can.
k

[DonQuixote]

Your back, Neil's back, my knee - self inflicted and on the mend, but slow . . .
Getting old is a bitch - but it still beats the alternative.

[homemadehuman]

"I'm so sorry, Teddy. I hope you can forgive me."

I pulled away from him and gave him a baffled, one-sided smile. "Forgive you for what?"

Warren suddenly shouted, "This!" Before I knew it, he stepped away from me, reeled back his right arm, and, with his hand opened flat, smacked me across the left cheek with such force that my head snapped around to the right.

My own hand moved immediately to my stinging cheek as I turned back to face my best friend. My whole body was shaking with the fury I was suddenly feeling. "Gee-sus fuckin' Murphy, Warren! What in hell do you think you're doing!??"

"Something someone should have done years ago!" he yelled. "Now, sit down and shut up!"


Warren would you Marry me?

[DonQuixote]

Warren does have his moments, doesn't he?!

[homemadehuman]

Warren does have his moments, doesn't he?!

they all have! every single character neil have introduced to us,have had an stellar moment!

you would think that handling so many different characters would make them flat and almost impossible for us to relate to any of them,oh was i ever wrong!

every word,every day i cherish more this story,and panic is taking over as i come closer to catch up with the current chapters and realize that i have to wait like the rest of mortals...

to be honest,i could have read the whole thing in less than 3 days,but i wanted to enjoy it slowly,it's like that dessert you go through with the smallest spoon you can find so it never ends haha!.

[DonQuixote]

I know what you mean. When Neil told me I was almost caught up, I didn't believe it - it looked like there were so many more pages to go - but a lot of those turned out to be commentary, not story, and Wham, I was there.

[homemadehuman]

I know what you mean. When Neil told me I was almost caught up, I didn't believe it - it looked like there were so many more pages to go - but a lot of those turned out to be commentary, not story, and Wham, I was there.

i think i'm getting sick of my stomach how many chapters are there by now?

and when was the date it was published? i didn't want to look to avoid spoilers.

[DonQuixote]

Chapter 216, June 30, 2009 page 59.

There are lots of comments the further you get.

Neil had to slow up due to health issues.
He's been working on three threads at once - trying to finish up Best Friends Play Hard, Redux, lately.

Also has Jason and Company currently in publication.

All as health allows - his body has been giving him a lot of grief, lately.

[homemadehuman]

Chapter 216, June 30, 2009 page 59.

There are lots of comments the further you get.

Neil had to slow up due to health issues.
He's been working on three threads at once - trying to finish up Best Friends Play Hard, Redux, lately.

Also has Jason and Company currently in publication.

All as health allows - his body has been giving him a lot of grief, lately.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO two chapters left
Thank you so much for replying Donquixote

Neil get well!,what matters it's your health and that's it that.

[gsdx]

Neil get well!

That's not going to happen, but thanks.

And I didn't realise the last chapter was posted 2 months ago. I feel so horrible that I've disappointed so many people.

[homemadehuman]

That's not going to happen, but thanks.

And I didn't realise the last chapter was posted 2 months ago. I feel so horrible that I've disappointed so many people.

What on earth are you talking about? you haven't dissapointed anybody! who writes an ongoing story of 216 chapters and almost 4 years worth of dedication?,blood sweat and tears literally.

you have said it yourself before,the story was not supposed to go beyond's brad window,the fact that you expanded it to such a rich universe beyond the wildest expectations it's a bonus gift for all of us.

i am not saying this to kiss your ass,what you have done it's amazing and everybody is grateful for that.

maybe i am irrelevant but i see many people here that have been with you since the 1st post on this thread,that says it all.

[Kyanimal]

And I didn't realise the last chapter was posted 2 months ago. I feel so horrible that I've disappointed so many people.

Disappointed? HIGHLY Unlikely!!

Neil ... Through your stories (not just this one), you have managed to share ALL of your "imaginary friends" with such skill, talent, and dedication, that they have become our "friends", too!!

And, for that, I can not put into words (for I am not nearly as talented as you are), just how much appreciation, and adoration, has been generated through your efforts!

If I may be so presumptuous, I would feel it an Honor to consider You a Friend, too!

Take Good Care! And, of course ... no matter what ...

Keep smilin'!!
Chaz

[Kulindahr]

You're not the only one who has been encouraging me to publish, Paul, but I'm afraid the research I would have to do to correct all the mistakes would be an impossible task to say the least.

That's what all your readers here are for!

Thank you for such a wonderful experience. After about part 60, I just scanned past the sex scenes because .. well, who cared? Bring on the next element of their lives! We know they're getting laid.

Absolutely!


I want to add that I just read part 169, where the house got zorched. When they got the call in London, I just knew it was a storm, but I expected a tree right down the middle of the house, not full-blown destruction!

Now I'm going to have to keep reading until it's all set right.

[sheep]

I just read part 169, where the house got zorched. When they got the call in London, I just knew it was a storm, but I expected a tree right down the middle of the house, not full-blown destruction!

Now I'm going to have to keep reading until it's all set right.

Or I can tell u that the ins co replaced the house right down to the cigarette burn in the L/R carpet. J/K

[Kulindahr]

It would have to be a lot of rewriting and research. I've described places I've never been to and have used my imagination and made up places to 'fill in the holes'. Hell, I don't even know where the de Villiers family lives.

That simply doesn't fly with me. It's one thing to share the story here with my friends, but if someone is going to fork out money for it, there should at least be some truth in it instead of chapter upon chapter of imagination.

It is believable because you don't know the places I've written about. To put it more in perspective, it would be like me writing a story which takes place in Indiana because I heard the song, "Gary, Indiana" in the musical The Music Man.

If all the references were fictional and 'generic', I wouldn't have a problem, but, when you reference an actual place or building, there should be some truth in it.

For instance, in past chapters, I referenced their trips to Niagara Falls and to Centreville. About the only thing I had to go by when writing those chapters were tourist maps and photos I'd found on the internet.

See what I mean?

Actually, that fits what some writers do purposely: change places somewhat from the way they really are. I can't remember the name of it, but I recall an excellent novel I read a while back that took place in the area where I grew up. I kept noticing things that weren't right -- but then at the end, the author explained that things had been made different on purpose. I don't even remember why it was done, but it isn't the only novel I've read that has done so -- some even invent towns that don't exist, ignore towns that do, put in lakes where there are none, etc.

In a tale like this, it doesn't have to match our world perfectly, because it isn't our world: it's one that closely resembles ours, but since it differs in the details of having a Bradley Hayes, a pair of near-psychic twins, etc., why should other details matter?

Research for a novel isn't done so you can slavishly reproduce the world we already have, it's so you can get the flavor of things in order to enrich the world you're creating.

[Kulindahr]

Or I can tell u that the ins co replaced the house right down to the cigarette burn in the L/R carpet. J/K

Ha - ha.

Sorry, but in spite of working on a roof, doing some repairs on my little trailer, and going out for pizza today, I'm already on part 186.

[Kulindahr]

This creacked me up:

WATCHING BRAD
Part 215

* * * * *

* * * * *

The aural thermometer sat on the table beside the bottle of water.

Is that a new instrument for psychic research? And do auras really have temperatures?

[Kulindahr]

i think,in my humble opinion that you made a mistake by bringing in the twins before brad and ted could be an actual couple..Yes..the twins needed ted..but he didn't know that until he met them...it doesn't explain why he wanted to addopt in the first place if brad wasn't going to be an equal,a partner...

and i feel that by bringing in the adoption before allowing brad character's to grow,you made him actually irrelevant in the whole arc. the story ultimately was supposed to be about him but you got sidetracked by the twins plot and it becomes more and more evident as the story progresses. maybe it was your intention that brad was never intended to be the centre of the story ,but i can't help feeling that i'm watching two different shows colliding into one.

i hope you can give me your insight on this,if you don't i won't adress it anymore.

As someone who has pounded out some lengthy stories, I'm going to defend our author here:

Life is rarely tidy. Motives are never entirely clear. Our own impulses may be beyond our own rational analysis.
So when Ted decides to adopt, I find the material in the chapters quite sufficient. In a way it's another expression of his desire to be in control, as well as being a way to assert to himself that he really is a father, not just because he can win in court for his daughter, but because he can get another child -- these and other motivations may be driving him, along with the ones he recognizes.
Now, in an all-too-tidy story, things would happen in a nice order so that we'd have Brad + Ted becoming a couple, working through their issues, becoming happy together; then we'd deal with the issues around Connie and Lindsey; then would come the twins. But that would come out as contrived and plastic, and be an unconvincing tale. In real life, things just don't go from one to the next in a convenient order, because in real life, we're involved in a whole number of what in a story are plot lines, all at once.

In my own life, it would have been nice if four different things happening in my own life right now had come one at a time, but I didn't have that choice -- and, as Neil has said, neither do authors: when you set out to tell a tale, there are times when the characters go off on their own tangents, events don't turn out the way set down in a sketchy outline, and surprises even turn up. Neil has told us of quite a number of times that the story took off on its own; I believe that when it does, it's the author's subconscious muse developing the tale more deeply, adding richness and complexity that the conscious mind wouldn't have thought of or dared.
At any rate, in Watching Brad, that overlapping, mixing confusion of plot elements makes things more real. There's a touch of destiny in the story, a hint of forces at work putting people together into something greater (one that almost seems too much at times), but it all remains on the level of real life's inconveniences and complexity.

As for the "twins plot", that aids in the development of Brad: he learns things about himself, and we learn things about him, that wouldn't have emerged, otherwise. The twins serve as a fulcrum for moving Ted to new places, and as a catalyst for Brad to reach new maturity and drag Ted with him. They aren't their own story, but part of the Ted-Brad story -- indeed, with them, Ted is more than once "watching Brad" and learning new things, feeling new pleasures.

I've asked myself more than once if the story is still about "watching Brad", and in many ways it is: in watching Brad at first, Ted got the shallow sort of pleasure that comes with the lust package, but in continuing to watch Brad, he's found other pleasures, along with much-needed lessons. Beyond that, we had Ted's parents -- especially his father -- watching Brad, deciding if they could accept a man as their son's partner; we had Brad's parents watching Brad, to see if this unexpected turn in his life would be good for him; we had Warren watching Brad, partly to decide if he was good enough for a long-time best friend.... And all sorts of people are now watching Brad to see how he'll help Ted grow next, whether he'll decide to finish Ryerson after all, if he'll succeed with the landscape business, and more.
So the story still is about Brad: Brad is the connecting piece for two families, he's Ted's teacher, he's Mark's mentor, he's the driving, progressive (if you will) force for the future, while Ted maintains a sort of status quo.


Neil: IMHO you could have worked the phrase "watching Brad" into the story a number of times now, and it would have been a good thing!

[Kulindahr]

The way I see it, Ted has always been the King of his Domain. That isn't so anymore and that type of thinking doesn't change overnight. It would all be nicey-nice if Brad immediately became an 'equal', but we all know that things like that simply don't happen except in fairy tales.

Still, you have to admit that Ted is slowly coming around, mainly because he's realising that Brad will stand up to him and knock him flat on his ass when necessary.

I see Ted having a pretty relaxed attitude to decision-making... except when there's a crisis. Then, he has to have absolute control!
So I'm expecting that when there's another crisis, we'll get to watch Brad (and Warren, and Nathan, and....) help him grow up some more.

It's a shame, because he thoroughly enjoys and gets into the stories as much as we do, if not more. He tends to overdo because, once he's "into the groove", he doesn't want to quit, even when his body is screaming at him.

That's an author thing: a story can take off on its own, and you have to write fast enough to keep up. I've written some where all I could do was grab a blank sheet of paper and sketch an outline as fast as I could to get the framework, then write like mad until I'd caught up with the "vision" in the outline.

Then I had to sit back and ask, "Just what the frak just happened to my story?"

yes,i know that this was just a dream like every other that Ted had before,but what
shocked me was,that this time..he wasn't disturbed by it.

That's the only thing that bothered me about it. I just decided, though, that Ted, being the Ted we know and... put up with because we love Brad, smothered it in his own mind so he wouldn't have to deal with it.
If I were writing this, at some point in the future the dream would come back to haunt him, maybe set off a real tantrum if he suspected J & J of such a thing, and he'd have to go to therapy again....

Dreams aren't always logical.

Dreams are rarely logical! If the world resembled my dreams, I'd be able to drive down Grove street here and come out on Grove street in some midwestern town, step into a coat closet here and walk into a lab in Cambridge, jump out of a tree here and soar out over the Pali in Hawaii.

Oh, yeah -- and drinking cum would make your skin young, and if you were naked and buzzed you'd be able to fly....

[Kulindahr]

WOW!!

I was going to copy off the next half-dozen parts for reading tonight, and there aren't any next half-dozen!

I'm caught up!





Okay, Neil, get to work.....

[DonQuixote]

Kulindahr,
I take it you don't know a lot of people with young kids.
Once upon a time, we had the glass thermometer w/ either mercury or (alcohol?) inside it -
a) one with a longer tip for ORAL use
b) one with a blunt, short tip for ANAL use. (sometimes used to stimulate little ones who were bound up into having bowel movements, as well as taking their temps.)

These were columns of liquid that expanded based on the temperature they were exposed to, rising in the thermometer -- think Analog in computer, television, and sound technology.

They took a minute or so to come up to the infant/baby/child/adult's body temperature - and were glass, prone to breaking.

In recent years, digital technology, in addition to greatly enhancing computers, TV's, and music recordings, has also enhanced thermometers --

They now have, ultra fast read, "gun" shaped thermometers that you gently insert into the EAR, aka the "aural cavity" and get a read in a matter of second(s).

http://www.answers.com/topic/aural-thermometers

So, while I'm glad you got a chuckle out of it, they are a REAL device in our human world. Part of the research Neil has done in making this story real.

Now, they even have "tapes" they can place on a forehead and get an instant read - when dealing with screaming, hurting babies that can't speak, it's a God send.

--
By the Way,
It's GREAT that you and HomeMadeHuman are getting so deeply involved in Watching Brad, it brings it back to life for those of use who are "all caught up" and waiting patiently (and sometimes not so patiently) for Neil to be able to write and publish the next installment. That's not a push -- I know well Neil's physical difficulties, and I'm grateful to count him as a friend with whom I PM just about daily to say hi, see how things are going in general.

Keep on challenging us.
It's what makes this such a special thread.

This creacked me up:



Is that a new instrument for psychic research? And do auras really have temperatures?

[Kulindahr]

They now have, ultra fast read, "gun" shaped thermometers that you gently insert into the EAR, aka the "aural cavity" and get a read in a matter of second(s).

http://www.answers.com/topic/aural-thermometers

So, while I'm glad you got a chuckle out of it, they are a REAL device in our human world. Part of the research Neil has done in making this story real.

Now, they even have "tapes" they can place on a forehead and get an instant read - when dealing with screaming, hurting babies that can't speak, it's a God send.

I can't believe I didn't make the ear-aural connection.

I do know folks with kids, and they all use the strips -- which the kids get a kick out of, since the strips turn color along with temperature.

I haven't actually seen a glass thermometer in years; the oldest one I have around here (over ten years) is a hexagonal plastic shaft with a metal tip, that can go in the mouth, ear, armpit, or wherever.

[homemadehuman]

As someone who has pounded out some lengthy stories, I'm going to defend our author here:

Life is rarely tidy. Motives are never entirely clear. Our own impulses may be beyond our own rational analysis.
So when Ted decides to adopt, I find the material in the chapters quite sufficient. In a way it's another expression of his desire to be in control, as well as being a way to assert to himself that he really is a father, not just because he can win in court for his daughter, but because he can get another child -- these and other motivations may be driving him, along with the ones he recognizes.
Now, in an all-too-tidy story, things would happen in a nice order so that we'd have Brad + Ted becoming a couple, working through their issues, becoming happy together; then we'd deal with the issues around Connie and Lindsey; then would come the twins. But that would come out as contrived and plastic, and be an unconvincing tale. In real life, things just don't go from one to the next in a convenient order, because in real life, we're involved in a whole number of what in a story are plot lines, all at once.

In my own life, it would have been nice if four different things happening in my own life right now had come one at a time, but I didn't have that choice -- and, as Neil has said, neither do authors: when you set out to tell a tale, there are times when the characters go off on their own tangents, events don't turn out the way set down in a sketchy outline, and surprises even turn up. Neil has told us of quite a number of times that the story took off on its own; I believe that when it does, it's the author's subconscious muse developing the tale more deeply, adding richness and complexity that the conscious mind wouldn't have thought of or dared.
At any rate, in Watching Brad, that overlapping, mixing confusion of plot elements makes things more real. There's a touch of destiny in the story, a hint of forces at work putting people together into something greater (one that almost seems too much at times), but it all remains on the level of real life's inconveniences and complexity.

As for the "twins plot", that aids in the development of Brad: he learns things about himself, and we learn things about him, that wouldn't have emerged, otherwise. The twins serve as a fulcrum for moving Ted to new places, and as a catalyst for Brad to reach new maturity and drag Ted with him. They aren't their own story, but part of the Ted-Brad story -- indeed, with them, Ted is more than once "watching Brad" and learning new things, feeling new pleasures.

I've asked myself more than once if the story is still about "watching Brad", and in many ways it is: in watching Brad at first, Ted got the shallow sort of pleasure that comes with the lust package, but in continuing to watch Brad, he's found other pleasures, along with much-needed lessons. Beyond that, we had Ted's parents -- especially his father -- watching Brad, deciding if they could accept a man as their son's partner; we had Brad's parents watching Brad, to see if this unexpected turn in his life would be good for him; we had Warren watching Brad, partly to decide if he was good enough for a long-time best friend.... And all sorts of people are now watching Brad to see how he'll help Ted grow next, whether he'll decide to finish Ryerson after all, if he'll succeed with the landscape business, and more.
So the story still is about Brad: Brad is the connecting piece for two families, he's Ted's teacher, he's Mark's mentor, he's the driving, progressive (if you will) force for the future, while Ted maintains a sort of status quo.


Neil: IMHO you could have worked the phrase "watching Brad" into the story a number of times now, and it would have been a good thing!

you should have read my comments that came after that one , you would have notice that i came with the realization about everything you just pointed out lol.

still,i think that the story could have been wrapped up nicely and mantain the "worldly chaos" even without the twins plot. that was not the nature of my reasoning.

the only thing i would have changed about the story i already let neil know,and i still think it was an unnecessary addition, but that's Just my personal belief, i won't repeat myself, if you check my comments to know what i mean.

it's been only days? since i last checked this thread and it already feels like years

Greetings to the B.N.D.H.A.S (Bradley Nelson Devillier Hayes Appreciation Society) Colleagues

Let's all pray for the guys to be able to spend their first Xmas at home.

[upyrkilt469]

Neil, I just finished reading the story for the second time and found it just as great as the first time. I used the same amount of Kleenex (maybe a few more) as before and cursed the cliffhangers the same. Hope you are feeling a little better and that a new chapter will be along soon. H&K
Vic

[gsdx]

Just to let you all know that I haven't abandoned you or the story. I've been plugging away at a new chapter, but it has been very slow going.

As some of you know through PMs, I've been having a rough time of it lately. Not being able to sleep throughout the night is really getting to me. I did the math the other day and I'm currently averaging about 4 nights' sleep per week. And managing a few catnaps throughout the day doesn't really help. It makes concentration rather difficult.

At least one of you knows how disappointed and down heartened I was a week or so ago to go through an entire weekend writing a mere 33 words. I'm trying to remain upbeat and cheery about it, but it's very frustrating.

I was hoping to finish up the new chapter for posting tonight. It didn't happen. . . again. But it's almost there! I'll do my best to not make you wait too much longer.

Thanks for your patience - if you still have any left.

Take care.
Neil

[fetaby]

I've got the patience, if you've got the will.

Good luck in all, GSDX.

[NothingtoSay]

Great to hear from you Neil. You just focus on doing whatever you can. Take all the time you need.

[MikeyLove]

Patience is one of the hardest virtue to put into practice. Do What you have to do, Neil.

[Undisclosed]

Just take it easy. We will be here waiting patiently. Don't stress yourself.