I see all these people developing a deep emotional attachment to this whole thread, and would hate to see this turn out to be another internet “story” type hoax.
Please tell me I’m not the only one who has some problems with this whole story?
I certainly have no problems with it. I trust until I have reason not to, and I see absolutely no reason not to.
He (Skewbald) does seem to be way too good a writer for a teenager.
I’ve had the same feeling. It’s all just a little too ‘precious’.
Link, please?
DPWhite, Skewbald is not that great a writer. There are plenty of teenagers who write much more skillfully than him, real teenagers with backgrounds and photographic evidence of their existence.
What he does do is exploit the emptiness in the lives of many people here on SDMB to manipulate them, tugging on their heartstrings, and turning otherwise rational people into doting – blathering – fools.
I for one saw from post one that he was putting a show on. I thought it was extremely evident that this was a hoax, and am disappointed that the supposedly intelligent folks on this board did not catch on sooner.
I posted the link because I saw it before, but I haven’t read it. Wasn’t interested, still not interested in what other people are investing in it.
But…since I posted the link I finally bothered to read the OP. I don’t care if it’s BS or not, it was well written and writing well is not reserved for adults. I don’t see why a teen could not have written this, BS or not.
So because a bunch of good things happened to this guy, it must be bunk? Jeez, talk about cynical.
Well that’s somewhat insulting… and I haven’t even posted in that thread.
And my life is SO not empty! I have my whiskey and my porn… that’s all I need.
SOB
I didn’t get all the way through the thread, but it certainly reads well, and enjoyably, and I have no reasons to suspect the writer of more than ordinarily acceptable exaggeration.
I’m too far distant in age to be a really good judge, and I also don’t care very much, but I’m intrigued by your scepticism.
I can’t wait to hear what you have to say about Anne Frank.
And to avoid amiguity, she WAS real, and she really DID write the diary
Redboss
I must say I am very wary of that thread. There’s something not quite right. I think Parkov may (just may) have it right. It just has that faint ring of “letter to Playboy Forum” about it.
But who knows?
parkov, I didn’t say he was a “great writer”, merely too good for a teenager. And you are fortunate to be around teenagers who write a lot better than that, because I certainly knew none when I was that age who were anywhere near as good, even the ones that went on to become professional writers weren’t that good when teenagers.
If he really is a teenager, and writing this well, he can probably develop it into a career, whether the story is truth or fiction.
He’s 18, DP. Hardly what I would call a “spring chicken”. I would daresay that my writings were at least equal to his, when I was back at that age.
Further, if some of my hoped-for relationships had gone as I’d wished, I’d probably have written essays with the same level of “new love” sappiness.
It might be a touching story of young love, or it might be a big pack of lies. Eh, it doesn’t really matter to me because it’s an entertaining thread.
It’s hard to say. I read the whole thread, looking for signs of bullshit. I can’t say. I think his writing style is pretty good, but not flawless. And if he’s not 18, he “fakes” young pretty well. (However, I say this as someone who hasn’t seen 18 in quite a while!)
I personally have no idea if he’s telling the truth, but then again, I never know if anyone on this board is telling the truth. Not really.
There’s no reason to believe it’s NOT true, is there? Just because things are going well? One of my friends is going through a similarly deathly sweet romance right now. (He leaves roses on her car, is incredibly doting - it’s sickening! ;)) So what’s wrong with that? It can happen sometimes.
The discussion’s been had already.
Even if it is bullshit, the thread has put a smile on a lot of faces - short of asking for documentary evidence, we’ll never know.
Does it really matter?
To me it doesn’t, because I so just wanted to live that anticipation and that freshness of youth again - even vicariously. It was great to be reminded of a time when cynicism wasn’t my primary emotion.
Maybe it is just good story-telling, but if it is then I want to say “I knew this young author when”, because there aren’t many threads that can captivate this messageboard to the extent of this one.
We’ll never really know, and that is part of the magic of the thread. It’s about what was, what might have been, or what could still be for all of us. It’s about the very great memories we have about what was or the great fantasies we wish hadd been realised.
Either way, I don’t see that the thread hurts anyone…
I don’t have any “problems” with the thread, though the fascination that others have for it is a bit je ne sais quoi.
Did he bang her yet? Because last time I checked, she was, in essence, on her knees begging for him please, please to whip out “little skewbald”, whereas he was dithering and still wondering if she liked him or not. I lost all patience with the story at that point.
Pics. A hungry nation demands its link to pics.
Who cares if it’s made up? I loooove a good romance (as evidenced by my website) and that’s some good reading. My daughter and I did have the 'is he for real?" conversation and we both came to the conclusion that we don’t care.
Go screwbald.
Got a girlfriend.
Go screwbald
Get your groove on!
I’m glad someone was courageous enough to start this thread. I wanted to, but held back. It’s been in the back of my mind since I started reading it. My doubts grow with every installment. She just seems too much like the ultimate fantasy girl.
It is entertaining, though.