The Great Novel

OUTLINE

16

• Last time he sees father
• Father tells him of will change
• Intro to Alan
• Hears of fathers death
• Funeral
• Mandy convinced his will is sorted
• Meets lawyer and Meet Keith
• Hears about will. Gets told by lawyer not to tell anyone
• Finds out Josh is not father’s child.
• Estate to be split 3 ways – 2^nd Child, Brett, and Malaria research trust fund (Grandmother died of malaria)
• Returns to school to find Alan left

20

• At grave just before 21^st
• Reader learns that Brett and Keith are secret item
• Keith is drinking, and we suspect drugs
• Learn that Brett doing well in career with business analysis company
• Keith’s behavior threatening Brett’s career.
• Brett decides to dump him after 21^st
• Also decides that his 21^st is when he is going to come out.

21^st

• Lead up to party
• Party people arrive
• Keith and Brett kiss (coming out)
• Brett finds Keith doing coke in the bathroom, and dumps him
• Keith gets unruly and fist fight ensues with Greg
• Keith storms out and drives away in BMW
• Has accident and driver in other car dies, he is arrested for drunk driving, drug possession etc
• Brett visits him hospital, Keith promises revenge

Following Week

• Brett meets with Neil Lawyer
• Finds out that his share of investment is much bigger than he thought. Lawyer was instructed to lie about size in the beginning.
• Returns to work after taking leave after party
• Boss asks if he has read the paper:
• Headline says “Young Millionaire’s Gay lover in court over drug possession”
• Boss reminds him of clause in contract with bringing co into disrepute.

Six months later

• Brett is unemployed and depressed. He is drinking too much. Has bought a sports car, and other gadgets etc.
• Keith has a private investigator following him, and leaking details to the press
• During this period, Brett sleeps with several younger guys, with no satisfaction, which puts him deeper into depression. Some details are in the tabloids.
• Brett cannot find work – even though he doesn’t need the money, he needs to be kept busy.
• Alan contacts him from CT and they agree to meet.

Cape Town

• Brett is excited to meet Alan
• Finds Alan suffering with AIDS and dying
• Brett’s dream of living his life out with Alan is shattered.
• Alan says he wanted to meet to see what it is like to have AIDS as a lesson as he has read about Brett’s cavorts in the Tabloids. Says goodbye finally.
• Brett leaves in tears and returns to jhb not knowing what to do, and considering suicide.
• He contacts Greg to ask his father help him sort out a will – he cannot go back to Neil because of Keith.

Pietersburg

• Finds Greg in simple surroundings and happy.
• Greg has bought small farm where he happily tinkers on old cars on the weekends, and walks in the veld.
• Spends time with Greg on farm, taking in the beauty and quiet. Realizes this is what he wants out of life.
• Brett’s will is simple: Trust fund to look after his mother and Josh.
• Deposits a third of his wealth into this trust fund to start looking after them.

Home

• Reflection time
• Looks at all the material things and where it has got him
• Packs some stuff and visits his mother to say goodbye, he wants to go on a sabbatical, doesn’t say where or when he will be back or whether he is even going to contact anyone for a while.
• Gets in the car and heads east.

Wakkerstroom

• Drive impressions
• Royal hotel impressions
• Reflection
• Change appearance, shave, cut hair
• One week in the room reflecting

A week in the Pub

• Cute waiter 1^st night
• Old Man in the Corner 2^nd night
• Sleeps with waiter 3^rd night
• Talks with Old Man 4^th night
• Sleeps with waiter 5^th night
• Old Man offers him a job

Falls in love with old man… platonic

Old man sickly

Brett takes control over his finances as old man sinks deeper into illness

Brett sees payment from Malaria Trust.

Old Man dies

Brett phones his mother and tells her he has finally buried his father.