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May I commend a story to you? [message #49081]

Sun, 17 February 2008 01:55

timmy

Has no life at all

Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13800

The only reason I am using the board to commend a story is not because it has literary merit (I happen to like it, but that is a different matter), but because the story has a dedication and a date for that dedication.

http://iomfats.org/storyshelf/hosted/neph/ is the location of Lotán The Edomite

The story is dedicated to the memory of RR, the victim of a fatal and brutal gay bashing in 1980. His memory lives on.

Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School

Lotan the Edomite [message #49101 is a reply to message #49081]

Mon, 18 February 2008 12:49

acam

On fire!

Location: UK
Registered: July 2007
Messages: 1849

Dear Timmy,

I have just finished reading the story. I am fascinated by the Greek/Roman/Hebrew attitude to homosexuality and wonder whether the attitudes portrayed are really possible.

I'm reading "The Greeks and Greek Love" by James Davidson which is a very thorough study (by a gay man) of attitudes at the time and I have the impression that what the kings and generals did was not inhibited by what the people thought but that, in general, attitudes were less tolerant than you might think.

So it is an extraordinary tale of improbable love - but I dare say that was also true of RR and his partner, who I am privileged to have met here.

So, thank you Neph and good wishes and love to Timmy and RR and his partner.

Anthony

Re: Lotan the Edomite [message #49283 is a reply to message #49101]

Tue, 26 February 2008 21:58

timmy

Has no life at all

Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13800

Improbable, yes. But the history at the end says "not impossible"

Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School

I enjoy Neph's stories [message #49306 is a reply to message #49101]

Thu, 28 February 2008 17:57

grasshopper

Toe is in the water

Location: USA
Registered: November 2005
Messages: 47

Reading stories about other places and other times is great. This particular story, Lotan, is full of jealousy, devotion and love all finding a boy living in a strange land. Stories like Neph's teach me about other religions and in a way that makes me happy because they have guys like me. It's not the dry stuff we heard in school.

Neph has other stories such as Serving the God. That was one of the first stories I read on-line and showed me that there should be depth to the characters and things to be learned plus the ceremony scene is dang hot.

{{hugs}}and have a great Thursday
Jamie

"You have your way. I have my way. As far as the right way, the correct way, and the only way - it doesn't exist."

This a memorial. Odd how little interest is expressed [message #49307 is a reply to message #49306]

Thu, 28 February 2008 18:25

timmy

Has no life at all

Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13800

There is something else in this one story

We all know about Matthew Shepherd. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Shepherd

We do not hear about RR. RR, the person to whose memory this tale is dedicated, was just as real as Matthew, and just as hurt, and just as dead.

And, though we did not know him then, he is one of ours.

I don't want you to read and critique the story. I just would like you to read it, and think about the beautiful young man you never knew, and the young man who loved him.

This is the message I put out on the mailing list when I sent it:

"Lotán is really due to go online on the 21st. But there is a weekend in the way, and I am away Tuesday thru Thursday. I am unsure about what time I will have on Monday. So it is live today.

The 21st is the anniversary of "just another casual, meaningless gay bashing", a fatal gay bashing, in Greenwich Village in New York. It happened in 1980 that two gay men were walking from a restaurant to a friend's apartment. They were both set upon by morons who beat them both.

RR died in his partner's arms. For many years that man has blamed himself for RR's death, but it was not his fault.

Neph asked if he might write a tribute to RR and his partner agreed. Neph hopes it is a fitting tribute. He feels it is not enough.

The partner has been my friend for many years. He bears deep emotional scars. May those scars heal more and more with every day that passes."

[Updated on: Fri, 29 February 2008 10:29]

Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School

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