All Comments on 'John Opens the Bottle'

I think I'm still trying to digest this part. I guess John was lucky to be welcomed into Juan and Mace's life. I think I would have liked to have heard words directly out of Juan's mouth about what his thinking was about that, but there were no discussions offered between Juan and John, which really pushed John to the periphery in the household, in this story. Still, it was amazing for Juan to offer John a place in his home and his bed.

I know readers clamored for John's story, and it must have been hard for you to write, as you said you didn't really know his story after you separated. I guess I never thought that you also might not have known that there were was more of a story before John even met you. That part was unexpected, and I found it very interesting, watching John's development while in the closet.

On the one hand, you probably felt bound by the details of real life, but on the other, you seemed to have tried to let your imagination go and let the characters be what they might have been, and ended up where they could have, had this been total fiction. Maybe, too, you were trying to avoid finishing on an even more depressing note than you had to, with John. It was a very interesting, but nevertheless, still a sad solution. I suppose some people will say that John should have found himself another Mace or Randy, but, as John said, he didn't have the strength to leave Mace again. At my age (even older than John), I can understand the difficulty of finding the determination to begin again.

Despite the fact that the writing wasn't as impeccable as it usually is, I still rate this a *****.

Thank you for the feedback. I will look back at the writing. I'm embarrassed if it's substandard editing.

As for the story, it's all fiction. I do not know what John did before Mace, but I doubt Mace was the first or last. And, Juan would never really welcome John into their lives. But, it seemed like a fun twist to ponder and write.

Love your stories. This one made me very sad. What if's really is the worst feeling in the world isn't it? In Afrikaans ( my home language), what if translates to AS, and AS in English is ASH, what if's really are as sad as ash....

I feel so depleted after the end of your brilliant fiction. Your ultra 5 star story needs to be packaged with "Lightning In a Bottle" and "Juan Gets Mace(d)"-- I strongly disagree with the talented author that new readers to his stories don't need to read them as a trilogy.

Great story and very true to real life, reminds me of the choices I have made and how much I regret not being true to myself and others. I have lost the one true love who would make me happy and complete because I too was to scared to take the plunge and admit that I am gay, instead l am hiding my feelings and emotions wishing I could turn back time

You did a great job making their story real. I'm sure many people experience similar lives without the semi happy ending. It was a sad story in the end, but think it would have seemed too good to be true if it had been done differently with Mace and john. I only kinda wish he'd been strong enough to leave and find someone for him. Or that mace had been selfless enough to not keep him as a third wheel. I will always prefer happy endings but it was a good story regardless.

Just as with your other works I loved it. You are such a good writer. Five stars not enough! Was thrilled when I saw you had posted another story and it did not disappoint. Hope you continue to write. You are clearly one of the best.

If only......mirrored life in so many ways. Such a great set of works you have written! Thank you.

I am sure there are others that can relate to this story the same as I do. I like stories that put the emphasis on plot, rather than just sex. I'm 74 and alone, the best I have are a couple friends but sleep alone every night. IF ONLY I had had the courage to accept the person I was when I was 20. I am completely and openly gay today but am an old man who never found love, or maybe love never found me, because the closet was too tightly closed!

A truly gifted writer.

The really interesting thing here is how you choose to punish John and characterize/politicize his "weakness." Sometimes, self-denial is viewed as a virtue, or an exercise of internal fortitude, buuuut John trying to stay on the narrow and straight path was weakness here. Weakness that inevitably and invariably led to a lifetime of regret and misery. Lol, only to end up kept as a pet in a perpetual man-down position by those "stronger" than he was. How fitting. Aaaaalmost as poetic as the gay, socialist son living in squalor in Africa with a (whisper) black (/whisper) man. Ha ha ha, take THAT, old money, conservative family legacy! ¡Viva la Revolución!

Hmmmm. Seems a little masturbatory. But not the way you typically expect from literotica. I'm just saying.

Still though, politics aside, clearly some of the best written stuff on this entire site.

The heart wants what the heart wants.... unfortunately John and Mace paid the price for it, loved the story and the epilogue

I sympathise with John but he is a narcissistic stuck in a trap of him own making, however I can’t hate him. I’m also still salty about all the lies John said to get about his firsts with Mason. It kinda taints those sweet moments. In the end I’m most happy that Mason got the life he wanted then secondly that John managed to break free from societal pressures to conform and is willing to openly be gay.

Rather than summarizing John as a narcissist, I'm just wondering if this is your idea of what a relationship should be like, DavidPatrick?

I clearly understand the risks of admitting being gay in public, especially during the 1980s. Everyone is naturally hardwired with the idea that you are doomed if you don't have a straight relationship with kids.

However, as much as I understand the idea that some folks think monogamy is just not the norm anymore, I found out this pattern throughout this series that I think is a bit too coincidental?

Most of the gay men in this series just don't seem to be able to stay "loyal" and bang others outside the relationship. The ones that work out, like Avery and Christian, is an open one, "Mace and Juan" is an open one that just can't be a closed one because Juan is being Juan even though he claimed to be "better" and "feels awful when he is a whore to other men."

The narrative was great at the first episode between Mace and John, but as it goes, it gets a bit...repetitive? The three main characters and some others would fall to the pattern of "this is a mistake," "not doing it again, screws the other one related to said mistake," rinse and repeat.

John and Juan are both a mess. Juan keeps sleeping with the others even though he "loves" Mace, then goes "oops, I still can't get the idea of forgetting everything when faced with true love." John's mindset of being pressured on the gay life is questionable since he screws over so many lives of both genders that you would think is a bit silly when the number of victims just keep on increasing like that and he still goes "OMG not gay." Then, the solution to this is never "Let's properly talk it out on the situation and determine whether it's best to move on" and instead just goes "haha open relationship solves everything except not really!"

It feels a bit...toxic? I can't consider it as a happily ever after type of situation since by the end of it, it's more of a "I kinda wanted A, but the other person wants B, but we're too old at the end of it so whatever."

I'm sure a proper open relationship would have a much better communication out of it rather than whatever this is. I saw your bio and it seems like you are currently single and 40, and I realize this might be a bit offensive, but maybe because of those circumstances, that the story feels a bit... surreal and flat due to a bunch of the repeated mistakes for each of the main character?

I also saw the epilogue and it's just... You have to be crazy to be blinded by "true love" if your "crush" can't make up their mind on who to choose after 20+ years lmao. Yes, first love is different, but I'd rather step out rather than dealing with someone that is indecisive and can just jump out of the relationship because said first love is just looming right there near our lives. Also, no, "let's make it an open one and invite this first love in our life" is not an easy way out of it either.

I know what you are going for with the ending, with the what ifs since everyone always have some thoughts on what they could have done different way back, but on this series overall, it's a bit cruel but all three of them deserved this kind of ending.