Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2004 08:37:48 -0700 (PDT) From: Fup Duck Subject: Under Pressure 12a - Interlude DISCLAIMER: Let's see: 1. If it's illegal - don't. 2. If you can't accept it - don't. 3. If you're underage - don't. That about covers it. This 'interlude' will attempt to answer some of the questions and comments I have received so far about the story. As I've said before, I certainly appreciate ALL the comments I have received, even the 'nasty' ones. :-) I'm hoping this interlude will explain some things. If you really don't care - or don't want to see my ugly butt up on a soapbox, skip to Chapter 13. Fup ****************************************************************************** UNDER PRESSURE 12A - INTERLUDE First, and foremost, the story is set in times and places I remember from growing up. This story begins in the 70's and is set in a RURAL town of about 2,000 people. Everyone knew everyone else. TV was limited to what you could get with the antenna. Computers were basically non-existent - to give you an idea, the family of a friend bought a basic VCR - for $599.00. Probably something you could get at a yard sale today for 10 bucks. The movie theater was in a town about 40 minutes away, and entertainment was what you made it for yourself. Video games, well...LOL...too expensive for even the middle class families. For those of you who aren't old farts (LOL), this decade was interesting, to say the least. You're going to read about unprotected sex. This was the norm. Just about anything you could pick up was treatable. The only time you used protection was when you weren't interested in becoming a father. Rural towns - at least the one I grew up in - were insular. You shopped at the local stores, etc. A trip out of town to see a movie, or something similar, was a HUGE deal. They were normally also very (and this isn't really politically correct, but...) white, which made them somewhat prejudiced against new ideas or people who were 'different.' 1973 was the first year 'Sex-Ed' was taught in school. And it was a big deal...and some of the parents fought it - you didn't teach THAT kind of stuff in school. You get the idea. The school system, well...was the school system. The kids who bought lunch, were 'rich,' most brown-bagged it. It wasn't until high school that you really had cliques. Gangs were unheard of except in places like New York or Los Angeles. Middle school (in my case, grades 5 through 8) was the calm before the storm and a period of flux. Friendships came and went, but began to gel into friendships that lasted through high school and beyond. Specifically, David and most of his friends were in a group that some would call the 'brains,' if you need to put a label on it. Academic classes were interesting, gym class was tolerated...:-) Art, Home Ec, Industrial Arts (wood shop), and Music were required subjects in Middle School. David and Kelly love to read. The printed word to them is important. I received a comment that the story didn't seem real because I wasn't using the right 'dialect' for kids. I'm assuming that means words like "kewl" and "dude (dood)," which seem to be common today. LOL, sorry to disappoint, but you won't find them in this story. "Cool" and "man" were the words of the day, interspersed with "neat," "gross," "weird," and "jeez." ALL of which were over used. Cuss words, like "ass" and "hell" got your mouth washed out with soap, or if it was really bad ("shit" and "damn" ring a bell), red pepper on your tongue. And now for my pet peeve - sex. It was almost inevitable that boys would mess around with boys at that age. Girls were strange. Still are! LOL In the part of the world where I grew up, over-sexed pre-teens didn't exist, like you find in some stories. It was the time, folks. If your parents fought teaching sex in school, then it had to be wrong. Our sex life WAS boring. It happened only once in a while, but honestly, that was probably better. It made each time a big deal, and memorable. It was hard to figure out, especially for two boys. Where did you stick what? How did you mess around without your partner - or yourself - feeling like (God forbid) a GIRL? Hopefully, you get the drift. I guess what all this is trying to say is that everyone has different experiences and memories. Under Pressure is my attempt to relive some of those times realistically. Sure, I could have Kelly and David screwing each other by now, and no holds barred Scout sex orgies, or even David and Kelly romantically proclaiming their love for one another (which, in case you haven't figured out by now - they do), but that's not how it happened. Maybe not taking that route with the story is hurting me. I don't know - and honestly, don't care. So those of you who want orgies, marathon sex sessions, and life without problems, should probably read something else. Those of you who are hoping for life to get better for David, stick around, he DOES grow up. David (even though he might not have realized it yet) believes in relationships, trust, and maybe a little romance. He's wearing rose- colored glasses? Maybe. He believes in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny? Maybe. He believes in himself? Not yet. As a final thought, I received an email from two young men in the northeast that made me smile. I'll paraphrase - "...we're new to this, but we're taking it slow.....we love each other and it's easier to be around him more than anybody I know." THAT's what it's all about! My thoughts and best wishes are with you guys. ****************************************************************************** Please feel free to contact me with any questions or feedback. Thanks! email: fupduckmd@yahoo.com AIM and Yahoo: fupduckmd Fup