Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Fan Fiction & Poetry
A Love Born From Steel - Ongoing Discussion
MaineWriter:
Ah Marie, some of my favorite lines. This is great, thank you for reading ... and quoting!
Keep enjoying the story...I am around to discuss. I love talking about ALBFS.
Hugs,
Leslie
mariez:
Mornin', Leslie!
I'm enjoying this story so much - I read through Chapter 6 and wish I had the time to keep reading for hours!
So many thoughts - the dam has really burst for Ennis, hasn't it? You've portrayed this so well. Love that Ennis and Jack each had a moment of watching the other unobserved -
"Jack walked back outside and now found Ennis leaning against his truck, smoking a cigarette, and staring into space. Jack stopped for a minute and looked at Ennis, who hadn’t noticed him yet. “Oh, God,” he thought, “I love this man,” with an intensity that bordered on pain."
"As he walked out to the parking lot he saw Jack leaning on the truck watching the cars go by as he smoked. Ennis looked at him for a minute, feeling a warmth in his heart—and his groin. “Damn, Del Mar,” he thought to himself, “Don’t get yerself distracted, ya got work t’do.”
Tom is a great character - being a boring suburban gal my entire life, my knowledge of horses, farm and ranch life has been gleaned mostly from western books and movies (Larry McMurtry being a favorite :)- especially "Lonesome Dove")! I loved his little observations about E&J - it's hard to get past stereotypes sometimes, isn't it, even when we try to be open-minded?
This little exchange really had me laughing -
"“Oh, no, I’m sorry,” he leaned towards Ennis. “My students tell me the same thing, I ramble all over the place and they never know what the hell I’m talking about.” Ennis wasn’t surprised at this revelation. "
We've all had a few "Toms" as college professors, haven't we? :laugh: :laugh:
Lureen and her pragmatic, no-nonsense attitude was so great to see. And, of course, she's so right about Ennis!
I thought it was very realistic that you showed Jack slipping back into depression/drinking - that's not a behavior or an attitude that would change overnight. I like seeing Ennis recognize this and kind of "take charge."
Awww . . poor Hal. I understand congestive heart failure so well. My dad suffered from it for years before his death. (I'm relating to many little things in the story - I also know someone who works in administration at M.D. Anderson in Houston). And now that I know Hal is gay and I can see his mind is very sharp . . . well, I'm thinking he's going to be way ahead of his nephew in sizing up the situation. (Now I understand the Tom of Finland reference above - will have to find time to check that out!).
The little "dirty socks" conversation - a stroke of genius, Leslie! So prosaic, but yet so profound at the same time. And who wouldn't love Ennis in shorts? ;D
Gosh, look how I've rambled! Thanks for sharing this wonderful story!
Marie
MaineWriter:
Marie,
Ramble away...I just love it!
I loved writing the impromptu fashion show...picturing Ennis trying on Jack's old clothes and the two of them smiling at each other. I also had fun with the Physique Pictorial magazines and doing the research on that.
One of the things I worked very hard to make realistic was the fact that Jack was clinically depressed. I am a nurse myself so I have dealt with more than a few depressed/suicidal patients in my career. I like to think that conveyed what Jack was feeling and perhaps, educated a few people in the process. I had one critic tell me that Jack would never contemplate suicide (I guess because of his optimistic, outgoing personality) but frankly, I don't think that being optimistic makes you immune.
Chapter 7, 8...you have some good stuff coming up! Enjoy..!
L
littleguitar:
--- Quote ---I had one critic tell me that Jack would never contemplate suicide (I guess because of his optimistic, outgoing personality) but frankly, I don't think that being optimistic makes you immune.
--- End quote ---
It's been awhile since I've come over here, but I just wanted to say I completley agree with you on that point. And I also think that while Jack may have been optimistic during the early stages of their relationship, that optimism and hope were both slowly drained from him as the relationship went on... probably starting most drastically after the divorce, but I'm sure it was there before as well. I think towards the end, suicide may have been on his mind in some form or another, if only because I think he started to get a bit reckless toward the end and stopped caring so much about himself and who knew what about him.
souxi:
Heres a quote from chapter 7 from Mr Memory.
QUOTE:
Their afternoon went as planned, with a horseback ride and skinny dipping in the river. After their swim, they lay on a blanket in the sun, letting the warm air dry their skin naturally. Their conversation was lazy and drifted from topic to topic, each sharing little thoughts or personal feelings. At one point, Ennis looked up at the sky, and was reminded of the time they got back together after their four years apart. “Remember that trip, Jack? After the motel, when we went up t’the mountains?” he said.
“How could I forget?” said Jack. “In fact, I don’t think I’ve forgotten a minute of any of our trips. They are all stored in my mind.”
Ennis gave a soft laugh, “Okay then, Mr. Memory. It was in the evenin’, and I was starin’ at the sky…”
“And I said, ‘Anything interestin’ up there in heaven?'”
“And I replied…” Ennis prompted.
“You said, ‘I was just sendin’ up a prayer of thanks.’” At this point, Jack turned onto his stomach and looked at Ennis. “I asked ‘For what?’ and you turned it into a joke about my harmonica.
Ennis laughed. “Yep, I made a joke because I couldn’t say what I was really feelin’.”
“Can you say it now?” Jack asked, with an affectionate smile.
“You know I can, cowboy, ‘cause I’ve been sayin’ it all week. I’m sendin’ up a prayer of thanks for havin’ you in my life, for havin’ you lovin’ me, for helpin’ me realize that what I needed to do was be with you.”
Jack smiled at him, then turned back over, lying perpendicular to Ennis with his head resting on Ennis’s stomach. “I swear to God, there is no one else on earth as lucky as me,” he said.
“Yes there is,” said Ennis.
“And who would that be?” asked Jack, anticipating the answer.
“Me,” said Ennis, ruffling Jack’s hair and laughing. :: quote.
I love that conversation, and I love Jack and Ennis. :) :)
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