show me, show me, show me how you do that trick the one that makes me scream she said the one that makes me laugh she said and threw her arms around my neck
Walt stole Bud's palm circling move! Or I guess Bud stole Walt's, since Walt came first, historically speaking. Regardless... nice move.
So much kissing. I never got to kiss anyone like that in middle school. Or high school even. But I witnessed a lot of it, weirdly enough. This story, like my actual experience, allowed me to engage with vicarious envy. Thanks for not rushing it.
The piece at the end where Walt talks to his son about consent made me weepy. There are so many ways for people to go wrong because they just don't know enough to go right. This moment is so huge and valuable for anyone who's been on any side of consent and the lessons around it. Really powerful stuff, Wil.
The specifity of the details make this soooo good. Pulling the phone cord down the hall… Recording on cassette tapes… Going to movies in person… It’s like a nostalgia buffet and I am going back for thirds!!
I love how you’re able to exactly capture the “electric” of being touched in middle/high school that has been coming up in my drafts lately. After reading this, now I see why I always go back to that. The plotting of moves—the circling of thumb in the palm of a girl’s hand. The tracing of fingers. The caressing from wrist to elbow! Such attention to detail—no wonder those days were electric, haha!
Nice work of bringing that pinkie finger from an earlier chapter back in.
The “ghosts” were amusing. Especially the mom, bahah.
And the fisherman.
I love this: “we talked on the phone for a couple weeks more before we never talked together again”
Really nice visuals and sensory details throughout. I really felt like I was in the theater as an innocent bystander.
The phone cord pulled me in.
Walt stole Bud's palm circling move! Or I guess Bud stole Walt's, since Walt came first, historically speaking. Regardless... nice move.
So much kissing. I never got to kiss anyone like that in middle school. Or high school even. But I witnessed a lot of it, weirdly enough. This story, like my actual experience, allowed me to engage with vicarious envy. Thanks for not rushing it.
The piece at the end where Walt talks to his son about consent made me weepy. There are so many ways for people to go wrong because they just don't know enough to go right. This moment is so huge and valuable for anyone who's been on any side of consent and the lessons around it. Really powerful stuff, Wil.
Well done.
The specifity of the details make this soooo good. Pulling the phone cord down the hall… Recording on cassette tapes… Going to movies in person… It’s like a nostalgia buffet and I am going back for thirds!!
I love how you’re able to exactly capture the “electric” of being touched in middle/high school that has been coming up in my drafts lately. After reading this, now I see why I always go back to that. The plotting of moves—the circling of thumb in the palm of a girl’s hand. The tracing of fingers. The caressing from wrist to elbow! Such attention to detail—no wonder those days were electric, haha!
Nice work of bringing that pinkie finger from an earlier chapter back in.
The “ghosts” were amusing. Especially the mom, bahah.
And the fisherman.
I love this: “we talked on the phone for a couple weeks more before we never talked together again”
So accurate.
And the lesson on no means no. Nice add in.
Good stuff, Wil. Can’t wait for the next round.
Nice musical ear worm to start a story off with! 😀