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Homespun

Homespun - Layla M. Wier

Volatile artist, Kerry Ruehling has been coming to the Blue Thistle Farm time and again for the most part of the past two decades to be with his on-going lover of ten years, farmer Owen Fortescue and Owen's daughter, Laura. For Kerry, being there is his chance to escape from his life in the city. But he has no intention to settle down, to conform to 'heteronormative lifestyle' of white picket fences. So when in this last visit Owen proposes, Kerry reacts strongly

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First of all, I have to give points for Layla M. Weir, for writing stories about men above 40's (Kerry is 42 while Owen is 55), for writing about established couples (although non-traditional), and for writing an adult daughter who is not a bitch in reacting to his father's relationship with a man. These are elements that I rarely find in this genre, which is often filled with flawless handsome men in their 20s and 30s, who can't wait to bang each other in every horizontal (or vertical) surfaces and seem to fall quickly in love.

 

Instead, Homespun focuses on the characters and their struggles to be part of a relationship when communicating what they want (and what they are afraid of) may not come as easily, despite having known each other for more such a long time. This story strikes a chord with me in more ways than one. And I find it fascinating to read how Ms. Weir interprets the reasons behind both men's reaction towards love and commitment.

 

My take is that Kerry has that wanderlust -- coming from family that kicks him out after he came out as gay man makes Kerry determined not to settle down. For him, family is by choice. He needs to be in the city, with his other friends who 'suffer' the same thing (e.g. AIDS epidemic in the 90s). His art is a statement.

 

Kerry refuses to be tied down because by living the way he does, it's his way to say "Fuck You" to the world. It's his way to say that "I live my life the way I want it, not the way the society expects me to be". The idea of being married to Owen will make him loses that part of himself and he cannot afford to; even if that gives him more happiness than what his other hook-ups can.

 

For some readers, I am sure that this reasons will sound screwed-up and silly. But to me, it speaks volumes. Because I have similar thoughts sometimes. That there is more to life to just settle down with a husband and kids, simply because that is what the normative thing for women in my culture to do. Especially when you're at that certain age. So I understand what Kerry is thinking and where is he coming from.

 

Meanwhile, Owen, has lived his life as a husband and a father in the farm and never experiences the needs to state to the world about his sexuality. He thinks that by never pursuing Kerry, by keeping things to himself at the farm, he gives the space that Kerry is needed. Owen truly doesn't understand that by doing so, he is pretty much in the 'closet' and makes Kerry think that Owen is ashamed of them. It is kind of sweet when Owen realizes this for the first time.

 

I do think that the story will be much more complete if we get the full story from the first time Owen and Kerry met and their relationship throughout the years. It's the only reason why I can't give this 5-stars rating yet. I feel that there's so much more to their story and I miss a lot of the good (and not-so good) things.

 

In overall, it is an astute, supple, and eloquent story about people and the complexity of their heart and relationship with others. It also has some beautiful quotes ...

 

Being alive, though, meant breaking things—teacups and breadboxes and fragile human hearts. Nothing could be preserved intact forever; it could only be glued back together, and sanded smooth so the cracks didn’t show. But the weak places would always be there, prone to breakage. The trick to staying alive wasn’t surviving forever without being broken; it was finding people to help with the sanding and smoothing, people with their own hidden broken places, people who knew to be gentle with yours.

 

If you like the writings from Sarah Black, Julie Bozza, and Isabelle Rowan, in a sense of their tenderness, quiet, but rich storyline about people and life, you might enjoy this one as well.