A Helping Hand

By: DL
(Copyright 2007 by the Author)

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...
dl@tickiestories.us
 

Introduction

 

The story that follows is based on the events that took place at a difficult time in my life back in 1984. Names and places have been changed along with any uniquely identifiable details to protect the privacy of all involved.

 

Originally the story was never intended for publication [i.e. reading by anyone else]. To be totally blunt the story was written to help me overcome a severe bout of depression caused by a series of events that conspired to disturb my life in 2007 in a way not too dissimilar to what happened in 1984.

 

A friend persuaded me that writing about something (anything) would help me overcome my depression. I eventually found that he was right, and that reliving the events of 1984 worked – I could write about them, and it did help overcome my depression. My original friend and another Internet author then persuaded me of the virtue of posting my story on the Internet: and for that I am deeply grateful to them both, along with Tickie who originally agreed to host it.

 

A talented young man whose own story is hosted on a Fort Family site read the start of my story on Nifty, and then the remainder of it here. His interest in my story eventually led through tentative emails between us, to our chatting online and then to talking to each other and ultimately blossomed into love: he has become my partner.

 

So, in keeping with the opening sentences of A Helping Hand, looking at the sequence of events that brought my beloved and I together, perhaps I really DO have to concede that there was a silver lining to the dark days of 1984 and 2007 – for me certainly it seems to be true! I hope that you will find a similar silver lining in any clouds that overshadow your life.

 

 

 

Acknowledgements

 

As those of you that have read the introduction will have noted, I am indebted to several people for their help with varying things connected with this story. I felt it was inappropriate to expand on that in the Introduction, and thus I have taken the liberty of creating these separate acknowledgements to publicly own my indebtedness to the individuals concerned.

 

In the beginning:

To Rocco: for writing a story that for personal reasons meant so much to me, and which truly started to change my life. If anybody is interested enough to read it, it's hosted on crackerwriter.us. Its true to say that Rocco was 'the beginning' as I think that I would simply have remained a Nifty 'lurker' and would never have hooked up with my friends below without reading Two Boys. I am fortunate to have been able to correspond with Rocco and he knows what it meant to me; not just in terms of writing – and if his story gets a wider readership because of this story it'll still never be enough to repay the debt I owe.

 

The turning point:

To 'Deep', for providing the end to the process that Rocco's story started – you have no idea what that meant – or how much it's helped. To those of you reading this version of A Helping Hand, who don't know the guy who, despite our ups and downs, I consider myself fortunate to be able to call my friend, I'm not going to help you find him – that way my hit counter stands a chance of catching his!

 

A 'literary' start:

These two guys are both talented authors who have stories hosted elsewhere to whom I am indebted for their support and encouragement as I started out on writing a story for the first time.

 

Gothmog who has a beautiful story – far better than mine – called Timmy and the Travelers in the Gay > Young Friends section of Nifty;

And Paul Schroder who has two stories New Beginnings (now hosted on AC's Corner Café) and Geeks (hosted on IOMFATS).

Both of them deserve any blame or credit going – it's all their fault for convincing me that I was able to write a story even though I was sure I couldn't. You remember me telling you that right? So you only have yourselves to blame.

 

And a final round up:

To Gerry, for your insight and uncanny knack of seeing things clearly, even though as you know, I find it disturbing at times. I should have also told you that I value the ability you have to cut to the heart of a problem – I hope we can remain friends;

 

To Tickie for being there to sort the problems out when I inevitably screwed up, and much more importantly for originally hosting this story – you know I'm sure that I continue to value your friendship.

 

To Dibs, thank you for making my life complete in every possible sense.

 

To all of you – 'Deep', Dibs, Gerry, 'Gothmog', Paul, Rocco and Tickie – thank you so much for everything!

 

      Dave