The Navigator By Cynus

[drpaladin]

This discussion makes me wonder why Silas didn't take Adelaide with him to the bathroom when he went up to have a shower. Or perhaps he did, but you don't mention it.

I don't think she has to be within sight all the time. She would go off and gather firewood at the campsite. Being in a public place with a leash in the hand of someone else is different. The previous time turned out bad for Chelsea. He didn't take her with him when he used the sink to bathe off then and that would have seemed prudent in that situation.

[Timothy M.]

I don't think she has to be within sight all the time.

 

Yeah, but he's just gone through some pretty stressful times with Amy pushing him almost continously. Not that I think she was wrong to do it but I'd have expected Adelaide to follow Silas upstairs and lie outside the bathroom to wait for him. But it's a minor detail - and easily added if Cynus wants to. To be honest I didn't think about it the first time I read the chapter, it only popped up as I was reading it again just now.

[drpaladin]

Yeah, but he's just gone through some pretty stressful times with Amy pushing him almost continously. Not that I think she was wrong to do it but I'd have expected Adelaide to follow Silas upstairs and lie outside the bathroom to wait for him. But it's a minor detail - and easily added if Cynus wants to. To be honest I didn't think about it the first time I read the chapter, it only popped up as I was reading it again just now.

Considering the life Silas has endured until now, the little nudges Amy has given him could hardly compare to that kind of stress. If Addy sensed Silas was troubled by something, she'd be there. I don't think it's that big an issue whether that detail was spelled out or not. Maybe Addy was taking a nap. 

[dughlas]

Personally, when I'm stressed or ill my pup follows after if I'm out of the room for more than a couple of minutes. Sometimes he remains and others he wanders off to lie down and wait for me to return. He and I are similiar to Silas and Adelaide in that it is just us together, our lives are intertwined beyond the ordinary. He is my reason to get out of bed when the pain is severe and my comfort too. Cynus may not have stated it explicitly but Adelaide was near if not actually underfoot, for me it's a given unless expressly stated otherwise.

Edited June 12, 2015 by dughlas

[Cynus]

I think of Ian and Amy's home as Silas' new campsite. So when Adelaide isn't with him directly, it's okay because she's only a short distance away. It's a controlled environment to some extent. The barbershop wasn't. He was at the mercy of the barber and was forced to trust Amy in a situation outside of his control.

 

Also, did I neglect to mention that I know nothing about dogs? Yeah . . . There's definitely parts where I'm going to get things wrong about their behavior, I just hope it's not too noticeable all the time.

[Cynus]

In honor of The Navigator passing the midpoint, I have a question for you all.

 

Who is your favorite character and why?

[ReaderPaul]

With regard to the trucker in the diner, he might not have rested enough to legally get behind the wheel of the truck again.  My understanding is that a certain amount of time has to pass before certain classes of driver can begin legally driving again.

Different restaurants and different states and different cities/town/villages have different regulations about what animals, other than service animals, can be brought into a food establishment.

My favorite character is Silas.  OTHER than Silas, it would be Jenny or Amy or Tara-- I have not decided yet.

Chelsea is a great character, but I'm not totally sure where I stand with her yet.  I am going to wait and see.

[Timothy M.]

My favorite character is Brady (in spite of the beard, lol). You could do a poll here in the forum - if you can work out how to set it up.

[Puppilull]

Apart from the main characters, I am quite fond of Adam. He seems so nice but also very lonely. I would love to hear more about him. Maybe a little side love story? But I realise bringing more people into the story might be unmanageable and I do believe we're running out of gay men...

[drpaladin]

I always run into this problem with your stories. You have so many wonderful characters that it is hard to pick just one, but here goes. I have a particular weakness for drummers and Brady's qualities are hard to beat. 

[dughlas]

I'm very fond of Silas, the primary character in a story typically holds my affection. However, Brady is my favorite among the supporting cast. I know you said he has a beard but in my head he has recently decided on a change and trimmed his facial hair to be about 3/8 of an inch long, a full curly beard just doesn't seem right to me.

[Timothy M.]

I'm very fond of Silas, the primary character in a story typically holds my affection. However, Brady is my favorite among the supporting cast. I know you said he has a beard but in my head he has recently decided on a change and trimmed his facial hair to be about 3/8 of an inch long, a full curly beard just doesn't seem right to me.

 

out of likes so :Heart:

[drpaladin]

I'm very fond of Silas, the primary character in a story typically holds my affection. However, Brady is my favorite among the supporting cast. I know you said he has a beard but in my head he has recently decided on a change and trimmed his facial hair to be about 3/8 of an inch long, a full curly beard just doesn't seem right to me.

 I think many have a misconception about Brady's beard. Perhaps his nickname Braids is enhancing the beard in everyone's mind. It doesn't need to be either long or thick to be curly. We don't even know if it is a full beard or not. I vividly recall an 18 year old with a short, curly beard. 

[drpaladin]

However, is it possible that knowing he would never be happy or accepted within the Mormon community they believed that Silas running away was the best thing for him. That searching for him and dragging him back home would only cause him more pain. Is it possible they recognized within him the ability to survive without them and simply left him go as they did Ian.

 

dughlas, Silas and Ian's parents didn't just just 'let Ian go.' They disowned him and threw him out because he disagreed with their religious views. He became a nonentity like he never existed. Think about the terror and fear of possible rejection that put in the other children. It certainly had that effect on Silas. It was pointed out that the father is more concerned with his image in the church hierarchy and community. They are more worried about what people will think of them than the welfare of their own children.

 

   The main reason Silas entered scouting and excelled in it was to gain his parent's approval and love. It was something he could do right in their eyes. It was out of fear of rejection.  Children shouldn't need to live in fear. Silas is wrong if he thinks he wasn't abused by his parents, he was. It wasn't physical abuse, but emotional.

Edited June 13, 2015 by drpaladin

[Cynus]

With regard to the trucker in the diner, he might not have rested enough to legally get behind the wheel of the truck again.  My understanding is that a certain amount of time has to pass before certain classes of driver can begin legally driving again.

 

Thank you for reminding me! I actually knew that when I was writing that chapter but I forgot about it when the point was raised later. It's funny that I can forget a thing like that when I used to drive commercially.  

 

My favorite character is Brady (in spite of the beard, lol). You could do a poll here in the forum - if you can work out how to set it up.

 

I tried to figure out the poll thing, but my knowledge of the system is still fairly infantile. I couldn't seem to find anything that would tell me how to do it.

 

Apart from the main characters, I am quite fond of Adam. He seems so nice but also very lonely. I would love to hear more about him. Maybe a little side love story? But I realise bringing more people into the story might be unmanageable and I do believe we're running out of gay men...

 

There is more Adam on its way. Next chapter, even. I promise that he's not going anywhere.

 

I always run into this problem with your stories. You have so many wonderful characters that it is hard to pick just one, but here goes. I have a particular weakness for drummers and Brady's qualities are hard to beat. 

 

I have that same weakness. Though I also have a weakness for straight men, which is probably why I love Theo so much.

 

I'm very fond of Silas, the primary character in a story typically holds my affection. However, Brady is my favorite among the supporting cast. I know you said he has a beard but in my head he has recently decided on a change and trimmed his facial hair to be about 3/8 of an inch long, a full curly beard just doesn't seem right to me.

It's short and curly, actually. Like Drpaladin said, it doesn't have to be long or thick to be curly. My own facial hair curls at 1/2 inch, and the person I based Brady's appearance off of curls at even shorter, and he's only 18. Brady is pretty close to 19, so he's got an extra year on my friend. 

[Puppilull]

Speaking of drums (my favourite instrument next to the voice), the drums of this song just gets me every time. I'm not a huge Muse fan, but with this song I break out in goose bumps and start playing air drums! I picture Brady with this level of intensity.

 

[Cynus]

However, is it possible that knowing he would never be happy or accepted within the Mormon community they believed that Silas running away was the best thing for him. That searching for him and dragging him back home would only cause him more pain. Is it possible they recognized within him the ability to survive without them and simply left him go as they did Ian.

 

dughlas, Silas and Ian's parents didn't just just 'let Ian go.' They disowned him and threw him out because he disagreed with their religious views. He became a nonentity like he never existed. Think about the terror and fear of possible rejection that put in the other children. It certainly had that effect on Silas. It was pointed out that the father is more concerned with his image in the church hierarchy and community. They are more worried about what people will think of them than the welfare of their own children.

 

   The main reason Silas entered scouting and excelled in it was to gain his parent's approval and love. It was something he could do right in their eyes. It was out of fear of rejection.  Children shouldn't need to live in fear. Silas is wrong if he thinks he wasn't abused by his parents, he was. It wasn't physical abuse, but emotional.

 

I will give dughlas a concession here. As much as Silas' parents were wrong and established a precedent with Ian, they could have changed in their tolerance level over the six years between Ian leaving and Silas leaving. While this would make little difference in how they would have treated each scenario, it does affect what mentality they held at the time of Silas' disappearance.

 

And now two more years have gone by, and there's no telling what's going through the parents' heads now. 

 

But Silas' emotional abuse is not in question. he definitely suffered, and suffered greatly, and there is no denying that what his parents did to him was horrendous. But many Mormon parents do similar things, and most describe it as "tough love". They honestly believe that by depriving you of basic human decency you will return to the fold.

[drpaladin]

"Tough love.' I understand the concept. It's rather cold and calculating like deciding the best schedule for changing oil in a car. To me it is a bizarre and alien way to raise children. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have been raised with absolute and unconditional love, expressed by both words and actions.

[dughlas]

First, please do not take what I wrote earlier as acceptance of or condoning what Silas' parents did. I most definitely do not. However, I live in southeastern PA in an area with a large and very old Anabaptist [Amish, Mennonite and Brethern] community. There is a practice known as "shunning" in which an individual not in compliance with the beliefs and practices of the congregation is cut-off from the community. Members of your family will not speak to you or acknowledge you in anyway ... you are isolated from any and all. Families are torn asunder all in the name of remaining in good standing within the congregation of believers. It is an archaic practice but these are people who hold tightly to old relgious practices. They are in most ways like you and I ... loving, caring parents, kind and non-violent and yet ... It was this kind of thing I could imagine Silas needing to endure and the reason for my attempt at devils advocate for his parents behaviour. I imagined a potential hell for all involved and thus an acceptance for a lesser evil.

Edited June 13, 2015 by dughlas

[drpaladin]

First, please do not take what I wrote earlier as acceptance of or condoning what Silas' parents did. I most definitely do not. However, I live in southeastern PA in an area with a large and very old Anabaptist [Amish, Mennonite and Brethern] community. There is a practice known as "shunning" in which an individual not in compliance with the beliefs and practices of the congregation is cut-off from the community. Members of your family will not speak to you or acknowledge you in anyway ... you are isolated from any and all. Families are torn asunder all in the name of remaining in good standing within the congregation of believers. It is an archaic practice but these are people who hold tightly to old relgious practices. They are in most ways like you and I ... loving, caring parents, kind and non-violent and yet ... It was this kind of thing I could imagine Silas needing to endure and the reason for my attempt at devils advocate for his parents behaviour. I imagined a potential hell for all involved and thus an acceptance for a lesser evil.

I didn't think for a moment that you were condoning it. The communities you are talking about are extremely insular and self contained and isolation within that world would be terrible. Mormons live out in the world with everyone. That is a huge difference. Silas might not have been accepted by the Mormon church, but he could have still lived at home and had other friends. It still comes down to what other people will think.

[Cynus]

ReaderPaul asked in his review of chapter 15:
Cynus, this is probably a coincidence, but the names "Silas" and "Cynus" somewhat sound a bit similar. That was not deliberate, was it? 

 

The similarities in names was not deliberate, though I suppose it could be Freudian. I honestly chose the name "Drake" first, and then paired a list of names I've wanted to use for a while against that last name. Silas and Ian were the ones that jumped out to me, and then I had to decide which sibling got which first name. I decided I liked Silas more and so I paired it with the protagonist.

 

 

I just thought I'd share that with anyone who is interested. I have a number of different ways that I end up choosing names, but that's the mystery of Silas and Ian.

[drpaladin]

After reading Ch 19, I keep thinking about that suspicious woman on the porch across the street from Gregory's house. In turn that reminds me of that first suspicious citizen who led to Silas' run in with Officer Harris. I believe you can see where my thought process is going. This investigation could get complicated quickly.

[Cynus]

After reading Ch 19, I keep thinking about that suspicious woman on the porch across the street from Gregory's house. In turn that reminds me of that first suspicious citizen who led to Silas' run in with Officer Harris. I believe you can see where my thought process is going. This investigation could get complicated quickly.

In small towns, people talk. It can definitely be complicated.

 

Things are going to progress quickly. We've got a Brady chapter coming up next, and then we're back to Silas and the gang for the ramp up to the climax. Stay tuned. 

[Cynus]

Found a picture the other day that fits perfectly for a new character I'm introducing in the sequel. I can't wait to use him.  

[drpaladin]

Found a picture the other day that fits perfectly for a new character I'm introducing in the sequel. I can't wait to use him.

I thought it would never load. My crappy internet...