[Sighs] I feel better reading this.

(thumbs up)

I'm still worried what Cot's father gonna do when he finds out about this. I mean
I'm sure he's still not on good terms with his dad.

Still wondering what happens with Bill..

I hope someone chews him out.

Looks like things are getting better for Cot. I hope he knocked some common sense into that punk.

Reminds me of an incident from my youth. I guy a good foot taller than me had been bulling me in math class, I was already having a bad day and he had pushed the wrong buttons. I lept over the desk and went into a blood rage, just maylaying him. I remember his blood splattering on the white pained walls and the teacher running into the hall calling for help. When he slumped down to the floor I remembered feeling proud of myself, till I looked around and saw my classmates faces, and felt more enraged, they looked at me in disbelief. By this time the school police (they had police officers assigned to the school even back then) grabbed me and put me in handcuffs and escorted me to the office, with everybody having heard the teacher calling for help, the classroom doorways were full of students and staff. And I’ll never forget the look on my favorite teachers face as he came running down the hall to see me carted off like common criminal. By the time I got home my mother still in shock said I had to wait for my father to get home, it was one of the few times in my youth that he was not deployed. Sitting on my bed, I waited as I heard him enter the house, waiting to incur his rath. But when he entered he was not mad. He sat at the foot of my bed and asked who the kid was why I had done it. I gave my explanation and the regret for unleashing my temper and in moment that I will never forget as long as I live, he asked if I had won? I told him that I had, he smiled and said that he was proud of me. Not for beating up the other kid or the fight itself but that I stood up against a bully. Needless to say I was suppended and spent the next few weeks grounded and with plenty of extra chores to do. But I think it was one of those moments in your life as a young man and that as a father (having my own son go through a similar situation) that you have to acknowledge the fact it’s the loss of an innocence and a life lesson that really can only be learned the hard way.

And I think hon, that it's also a really good thing you had a father that had prior military experience in his life to know how it felt from YOUR point of view.. He sounds like he was very understanding and knew what was in your heart. Sure you had to do the extra stuff and the suspension, but all in all, I kinda doubt there was any real punishment intended from your father.. it was just for "show".. but I'm betting gold to housebricks, the amount of love for you inside him tripled that day after he saw your face and heard what was in your own heart afterwards.

Well my father and I have always butted heads, the only time we got along was when we would go camping. Even after the birth of my son we fought. And a lot of those stemmed from him being gone for most of my brothers and my adolescence, that my son was a chance for him to be a father again. Needless to say we have fought, and fought bitterly even to the point of kicking him out of my house one Christmas Eve. But since then and now that my son is an adult now we are closer than ever before. It took him to understand that it is my life and that I was raised well and can handle taking care of my son, and for me to realize that my son was a whole new experience for him both as a father and grandfather.

That was a pretty moving story, and I am glad you shared it. Thanks for that. Another person on here had a similar situation, but we discussed via DM.
Still, I am glad to know the story has invoked a lot of discussion and reflection.
And the story isn't quite over yet. It's gettin' there, though!

I most assuredly look forward to the pages of your comic, there have been several instances where actions have directly related to my own life, and I'm sure others as well.

This ain’t over by a long shot. Bill’s gonna shit when he gets wind of this.

No matter what storm Bill may bring, we have found a silver lining already.

Lyle has come a hell of a long way over time.