BACKSTORY

Blog 1 Tim at Swim

Tim Castle is a normal 14-year-old military kid when he leaves Alaska in 1973 to move to Miami, Florida. During that time, he visits his Aunt Helen’s house in Massachusetts, he is molested by his 19-year-old cousin Joey, has a fire fight in the woods with burned-out Viet Vets, is tittie-fucked by a the 25-year-old junkie, hustles on the streets of New York City, jumps on stage at CBGB’s with the New York Dolls, meets Andy Warhol, and righteously screws the Velvet Underground’s Sweet Jane.

 

Once in Miami he spends a week hanging out New York kids on Miami Beach’s South Beach and falling in love with Tina, a 13-year-old Puerto Rican chica, before moving into his new home’s tower room in Coral Gables.

Swearing off junkies, whores and hustlers, he turns 15 and joins the University of Miami’s youth swim team. His only friends are a ten-year old called Stupid and a 19 year-old David Wilkie, soon-to-be an Olympic gold medalist. Through hard work he becomes a Miami City High School Swim Champion, only to be accused by his primary swim rival of molesting Stupid (now called just Stu Watt),the rival’s little brother. He rescues his accuser from drowning during a dangerous night-time swimming race in Biscayne Bay to prove who is the best. The other boy’s hero-worship of Tim turns into a full-on crush. They spend a two-week family vacation in North Carolina, hanging out with hillbillies, getting thrust into a Southern drag race, getting raped by the hillbillies on a moonshine delivery run, and enjoying a four-way orgy with the Sheriff’s wife and her sister (until the Sheriff comes home). In their spare time, they continue to crush on each other. Returning to Miami, Tina shows up. Jealousy causes cracks in the bromance after a trip to New York City to rescue’s Tina’s 9-year-old brother from two Bronx gangs. Tim then flies with cousin Joey to Hollywood for a William Burroughs’ “Wild Boys’ style orgy with a famous rock club owner and his teepee of hustlers. Returning to Miami, Tim’s love life unravels after his boyfriend is caught in flagrante with a girlfriend. Tim’s swim career ends with a trampoline accident. While recovering, Tim hangs out with the neighborhood gang of stoners who turn the castle tower room into their school-day ditch pad.

Blog 2  Jace’s Place

The story follows Tim’s tumultuous junior year in high school, which he mostly ditches. He is more alienated from his father, who insists he get an after-school job to learn the value of money. No longer able to be part of the swim team, Tim embraces stonerdom. The fading of his relationship with his swim team boyfriend, Scott Watt, culminates with a breakup in front of Tim’s new stoner friends. Coming under the influence of neighborhood pot dealer, Robby, Tim only attends the first two classes of the day at Gables High. They ditch to a nearby garage, reconvening the stoner gang to Robby’s bedroom in the afternoon. Pranks and antics keep everyone amused, climaxing with a Halloween ‘trip.’ They all ingest Belladonna/Deadly Nightshade and have varying psychedelic experiences.  Tim meets a ghostly spirit who warns him of the dangers of the occult. Tim allows pothead Jace to hide out from his step-mother who is threatening drug rehab. After the Halloween trip, Jace and Tim convince Robby to form a rock cover band called False Gods, based upon their psychedelic memories.

 

Tim sings as Jace teaches him to play rhythm guitar. Tim refrains from seducing Jace, sensing he is leery of gay sex. This attitude changes after Jace learns to trust Tim, falling asleep together while listening to Pink Floyd. They quickly become best bed buddies. It becomes obvious to all that they are now boyfriends. Drummer Michael welcomes the band into his fancy house, which has a fully equipped music room. Michael’s dad, a prominent Miami lawyer, becomes the band’s manager. The band’s first public show is a house party in the Gables over Thanksgiving. Playing all their fans’ favorite pop and rock songs proves to be a winning formula. Soon more shows are planned for the Christmas holidays. Jace and Tim are hired by ‘Out n About’ shop owner Felix in Coconut Grove. He entices the boys into competing in amateur night at a North Miami gay bar. They strip to Abba’s ‘Momma Mia,’ which creates a furor after the cops raid the bar. The boys escape, running naked down an alley. They start playing Christmas carols outside the shop in the Grove while preparing for their next band shows. Tim’s dad’s new girlfriend Susan proves to be an ally in allowing Jace and his dog Max to stay at the house. Before Christmas, Tim and Jace play ‘Proud Mary’ for Mrs. Watt to show that Tim is thankful for all the Watt family did for him. He wants to show that they can be proud of him for his band. After three shows for Christmas, a party for Michael’s girlfriend Jenna is scheduled at the Viscaya Mansion on Biscayne Bay for New Year’s Eve. Two days before the show, Jace’s evil step-brother confronts the boys at Tim’s house. Jace is shot dead by the brother. Tim’s dad is able to save Tim and Jace’s dog, Max. The uproar and press coverage culminates with ten thousand people attending the concert which happens inside and outside the Viscaya mansion. The band plays for six hours to satisfy the fans. Tim believes Jace’s spirit is helping him play the lead guitar parts. Stu Watt and his best friend Mike take over the singing and dancing at the kids’ portion of the show. Tim honors Jace with a Pink Floyd and Velvet Underground tribute for the adults outside Viscaya. The show ends with Beatles songs in the parking lot. Tim agrees to allow the police to charge the killer with the lesser charge of manslaughter in order to move past the hateful incident. Tim convinces Robby to return to school as a junior, so they can have all their classes together. Robby quickly puts a spell on their English teacher, Mr. Clark, and directs his own warped version of ‘A Midsummer’s Night Dream.’  Life returns to normal. The band creates an alter ego called the Out-Crowd. The new band continues playing pop oldies for younger teens, while False Gods prepares their own original set of rock songs. Tim continues to see Jace’s ghost and meets him nightly in his dreams. It is February 1975.

 

Next: https://timatswim.com/3-blog-1-in-with-the-out-crowd/