Date: Fri, 4 Nov 2011 21:03:27 -0400 (EDT)
From: Bwstories8@aol.com
Subject: The Castaway Hotel: Next Generation, Background

            CHNG BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Since this story is based on a previous story (Castaway
Hotel), I will provide some background information about
each of the characters.   This information is for you to
reference, but I shall attempt to describe them sufficiently
when I introduce them in this story so you won't have to
continually look characters up here.

I will list the boys in the order they came into the original
story, give some vital statistics about each one, including
their birth dates, which will be listed in parentheses.  This
way you will be able to look up background information
about them, in case you wish to better understand them
or learn how they came into the story.

I will also list any several other characters that have
reoccurring roles in this story, after I have listed the
family members.  I hope this helps you follow and
understand the story better.  This information is accurate
for when this story begins, in early July 2010.

                 *    *     *     *     *     *     *     *

Josh (Joshua James Currie) -- 59-year old widower (August
18) with four grown children (2 boys, 2 girls).  After his
wife died, he decided to take in foster boys, so he could
help make their lives a little better.

Jake (Jacob  McCarthy) -- 43 yo  (January 21) Jake is
Shannon's biological father and Josh's partner.  Jake had
married and tried to be straight, but it didn't work.  He
and his wife divorced after she figured out his secret, and
later she asked him to take Shannon, after she threw her
son out of the house, after learning he was gay too.  Jake
and Shannon eventually met and became friends with the
Curries and moved into the Currie house, after Josh
suffered a heart attack.  After some rough times with
Josh's biological children, the two of them had a
commitment ceremony and became life partners.

Ricky (Richard Allen Glover Currie) -- 24 yo (July 7) Ricky
was the first boy who came to live with Josh.  He was
actually a 7th grade student in the middle school where
Josh was principal, when Sally Swarthout (the social
worker) first paired them up.  He was a bit hyperactive and
had some slight behavioral problems at the time and
needed a home after his drug addicted mother died, since
his father was unknown to him and he had no other family
that he knew of.

Ricky is 5' 10" tall and has blond hair, gray eyes and an
average build.  Ricky is bisexual, although he leans toward
females.  He currently works as a marketing manager for
Verizon Wireless in the Philadelphia area.

Danny (Daniel Edward Roma Currie) -- 26 yo (May 6) Danny
was Josh's second foster son and came to live with him
when he was 13.  This happened after his parents (mainly
his father) kicked him out of their home, after discovering
that Danny was gay.  A few years later, Danny biological
mother reached out to renew their relationship and Danny
accepted.

As a teenager, Danny established a relationship with his
best friend, Brandon O'Hara, who was also gay.  They have
since made a commitment to be life partners.

Danny is 6' 1" tall and has brown hair, brown eyes and an
athletic build.  He went to Penn State University and then
the University of Pittsburgh Medical School, where he
majored in Pediatric medicine.  He is currently working in
the emergency room at the local hospital.

Brandon (Brandon Patrick O'Hara) -- 26 yo (March 4)
Brandon was Danny's best friend and came to live with the
Curries so he could finish school in Pennsylvania, when
his father took a new job in Texas.  His parents agreed to
this so he wouldn't have to change schools in his senior
year.  He is also Danny's life partner.

Brandon is 6' 2" tall and has blond hair, brown eyes and a
slender build.  He went to the University of Pittsburgh, as
well as their dental college, concentrating in pediatric
dentistry.  He is currently working for the dentist he went
to while he was growing up.

Dustin (Dustin Mathew Kowalski Currie) - 27 yo (April 27)
Dustin had come to live with the Curries after he was
thrown out of his previous foster home, after he was
caught in a homosexual act with the foster parents'
biological son, Kevin, who ended up coming to their there
as well, later.

Dustin is 6' 0" tall and has black hair, green eyes and a
solid build.  He is bisexual, but leans toward females.
Dustin took technical courses in HVAC and then went to
college to earn his business degree.  He recently bought
the private HVAC company he was working for and is
doing quite well.  He also has a girlfriend named Katie.

Kevin (Kevin Michael Baxter Currie) -- 25 yo (August 8)
Kevin was the biological son of Dustin's foster parents.
After throwing Dustin out of their home, Kevin's father
beat him quite severely, so Kevin ran away.
After it became evident that Dustin wasn't gay, Kevin
started dating other guys.  Kevin is now with Vinnie and
they have committed themselves as life partners.

Kevin is 5' 11 1/2" tall and has longish brown hair, blue
eyes and is slender, with a swimmer's build.  After winning
a scholarship, Kevin went to Temple University and then
their Pharmacy School.  He is now employed as a
pharmacist.

Cole (Cole David Van Cott Currie) -- 25 yo (October 22) Cole
and his brother, Graham, were found abandoned and
malnourished as children.  They were taken from their
mother and placed with Josh.  Cole and Graham both
suffered from learning disabilities, although Cole had the
worst problem.  Their mother showed up again a few years
later and tried to get her boys back.  Once the case went
to court, the boys remained with Josh, but their mother
was granted visitation rights.

Cole is 5' 9 1/2" tall and has dirty blond hair, brown eyes
and has developed a fairly muscular build.  Although he
had a learning disability, he proved to have a talent for
auto repair and bodywork.  He is currently the automotive
assistant manager for a local automotive dealership.  Cole
has a girlfriend named Beth.

Graham (Graham Thomas Van Cott Currie) -- 23 yo (March
10) Graham and his brother, Cole, were malnourished
when they came to live with the Curries.  Both Graham
and Cole suffered from learning disabilities, although
Graham's problem is less severe than his brothers.  His
mother showed up again, seeking her boys back, but they
stayed a Currie, although their mother was granted
visitation rights.

Graham is 5' 8" tall and has brown hair, brown eyes and a
slender frame.   Since he had such a difficult time in
school, Graham decided to go to college and become a
teacher.  He currently teaches middle school learning-
disabled students in the York, Pennsylvania area how to
succeed.

Pat (Patrick Alan Murray Currie) -- 25 yo (May 28) Pat
never had a stable home life, since he was raised by
several different relatives and moved around frequently.
This caused him to have problems in school.  After he got
into a minor scrape with the law, Judge Shay asked Josh
to take Patrick in.  A lab accident in high school left him
blind, but he regained sight in his left eye after undergoing
an operation.

Pat is 5' 10" tall and has dirty blond hair, blue eyes and a
solid build.  Pat has a degree in electrical engineering and
is currently working for General Dynamics, just outside of
Pittsburgh.

Trey (Alexander Michael Daniels III Currie) -- 24 yo
(February 16) Trey was the third one in his family named
Alexander Michael Daniels, which led to his nickname,
Trey.  He was an orphan when his parents and sister were
killed in an explosion at his house, while he was on a
school trip.  After coming to live with the Curries, Trey
wrote a play, as a high school project for two of his
classes.  He later also made it into a video, which was so
well received.  In fact, his project was so well done that
his teacher submitted the work in two competitions, one
for writing and another for amateur video production.
This led to Trey winning awards at the state, regional and
national levels of the Scholastic Writing and Art
Competition.  Besides his academic achievements, Trey
and Dion have committed themselves to be life partners.

Trey is 5' 10" tall and has brown hair, brown eyes, and a
slender build.  He is shy, slightly effeminate and an avid
reader.  He majored in English, with a minor in theater,
starting at Temple University, but then transferring to the
University of Pittsburgh, so he could be with Dion.  He
also chose to stay an extra year, so he could earn his
Master's Degree in education.  Trey currently teaches
English at the local high school, but also has aspirations
to become a successful author.

Frankie (Franklin Albert Hopkins Currie) -- 26 yo (July 20)
Frankie to live with the Curries as a result of getting into
trouble.  Judge Shay asked Josh to take Frankie in, as a
favor, but Josh later was forced to send Frankie away,
after he tried to rape Trey.  After getting his act together,
he came by to apologize for his earlier actions. Trey was so
moved by his acttions that he asked Josh to see if he
could arrange for Frankie to move back in.

Frankie is 5' 11" tall and has black hair, brown eyes, broad
shoulders and a solid build.  After earning a two-year
degree in criminal justice, he had a difficult time finding a
job, so he enlisted in the army to become an M.P.
Frankie is straight and currently works as a Pennsylvania
State Trooper.

Sammy (Tsukimo Yamada Currie) -- 22 yo (June 1) Sammy
and his brother, Andrew, were taken in after Graham
insisted they take them in.  Graham had read an article
about the boys' Japanese father shooting his American
wife and then killing himself.  The boys only other
relatives were their Japanese grandparents, whom they
had never met.  After meeting with the grandparents, it
was decided the boys would be better off living with the
Curries.

Sammy is 5' 6" tall and has black hair, black eyes and a
slender build.  He majored in history and economics in
college and is currently teaching at a high school in the
York, Pennsylvania area.

Andrew (Furuhata Yamada Currie) -- 19 yo (September 12)
Andrew and his brother, Sammy, were taken in after
Graham insisted they take them in.  Graham had read an
article about the boys' Japanese father shooting his
American wife and then killing himself.  The boys only
other relatives were their Japanese grandparents, whom
they had never met.  After meeting with the grandparents,
it was decided the boys would be better off living with the
Curries.

Andrew is 5' 4" tall and has black hair, black eyes, and has
a petite build.   Andrew won some awards for his artwork
while in school and is the reason he is currently a college
sophomore, majoring in art.

Dion (Dion Jamal Jackson Currie) -- 22 yo (November 27)
Dion was born to teenage parents and raised by his
grandmother.  His mother took off after he was born and
his father, a fireman, was killed in a fire.  Dion
grandmother raised him until she died, and then Sally
Swarthout became his guardian.  Since she was single and
career oriented, she thought it would be better if Dion
went to live with the Curries.   Dion is bisexual and got a
girl pregnant in high school and she was going to give the
baby up for adoption.  Dion talked Josh into helping him
raise the baby, Joshie, who is currently living with the
Curries.  Dion and Trey, however, have since committed
themselves to be life partners.

Dion is 5' 11" tall and has black hair, brown eyes and
toffee colored skin.  Dion has a fantastic tenor voice and
won a scholarship for private lessons while still in high
school, which were given at the University of Pittsburgh.
He later enrolled there and earned his degree in vocal
music.

Nick (Nicholas Mark Lawrence) -- 24 yo (February 28) When
Nick thought his father hated him, because he was gay, he
ran away from home.  The Curries found him in Arizona,
while on vacation.  They managed to reunite Nick with his
family, but his parents allowed him to stay with the
Curries and go to school there.  Nick and Shannon have
committed themselves to be life partners.

Nick is 5' 10" tall and has darkening blond hair, blue eyes
and a swimmer's build.   He earned his degree in computer
science and is currently employed as a IT technician in
Atlanta, Georgia.

Shannon Colin McCarthy -- 24 yo (December 16) After his
mother kicked him out of the house, after discovering he
was gay, he went to live with his divorced father.  At his
new school, Shannon was being bullied by some Boy
Scouts, who had learned about his sexual orientation, and
the Currie boys came to his defense.  After becoming
friends with the family, they came to live with the Curries,
after Josh suffered a heart attack.  Shannon and Nick have
committed themselves as life partners.

Shannon is 5' 10 ½" tall and has blond hair, brown eyes
and an average build.  He earned his degree in business
management and currently works as an accountant for a
firm in Atlanta, Georgia.

Vinnie (Alvin Mitchell Rydell Shay) -- 24 yo -- (December
17) Vinnie's parents were killed on one of the flights
originating out of Boston on 9/11/2001.  Vinnie was born
with hydrocephalus and cerebral palsy, so he has to use
crutches to get around.  Since he and Kevin were dating
and Vinnie didn't want to feel he was committing incest if
he was to be adopted by Josh, the Shay's offered to adopt
him instead and then give Josh custody rights.  Kevin and
Vinnie are now committed as life partners.

Vinnie is 5' 7 1/2" tall and has brown hair, brown eyes and
a slender build.  Vinnie has his Master's Degree in
education and teaches physically disabled students at a
private school.

Little Ricky (Richard Elias Becker) -- 21 -- (June 17)
Richard had lived in a group foster home until the Curries
arranged for the Beckers to adopt him.  After living with
them for a couple of years, his adoptive father had a heart
attack and died and his mother was suffering from
Alzheimer's.   Since she could no longer care for him, he
came to live with the Curries.  His mother has since
passed away.

Little Ricky is 5' 9" tall and has light brown hair and
brown eyes.  His will soon be starting work on his M.S.W.
degree (Master of Social Work) and hopes he is able to get
a job working for his Aunt Sally (Swarthout).

Jesse Albert Cornell -- 16 -- (August 26) Jesse was left at
the Currie home on Easter Sunday.  His mother (Alice
Wells) felt she had to get him away from his emotionally
and physically abusive stepfather, before something
terrible happened to Jesse.  Jesse didn't speak when he
arrived, due to witnessing his biological father being shot
to death.  Jesse was only 4 1/ 2 when that happened, but
he hadn't spoken since and became the crux of his
stepfather's abuse.  Jesse and Andrew became very close
after he came to live with the Curries and Jesse spoke for
the first time in ages when he tried to explain
that\Andrew had been hurt in a bicycle accident.

Jesse is 5' 10" tall and has brown hair, with dirty blond
highlights, brown eyes and an average build.  He will be a
high school junior in the fall.


Other recurring characters:
Sally Swarthout --  She works for Dept. of Social Services
and has been Josh's friend for years.  Sally was the person
that convinced Josh to become a foster parent and was
instrumental in arranging for many of the boys being
placed there.  The boys call her Aunt Sally.

Steve & Mary Shay -- Steve was the judge who presided
over the first group adoption, but he also arranged for Pat
and Frankie to come to live with the Curries.  He and his
wife have since become good friends of the family and the
boys call them Uncle Steve and Aunt Mary.  The Shays
later offered to adopt Vinnie, to relieve Vinnie's fears that
he'd be committing incest with Kevin.

Josh's older children, listed from oldest to youngest -- with
spouse listed in parenthesis, if there is one:
Michael (Andrea) They are Jordan and Megan's parents.
Marie (Adrian) They are Nicky and Kylie's parents.
Robert -- He is currently single.
Elizabeth (Timothy) They are Lucas' parents.


Josh's grandchildren, listed from oldest to youngest.
Jordan -- 15 (March 7) (Michael/Andrea) -- Jordan will be a
high school sophomore in the fall and has spent a great
deal of time with his grandfather and uncles over the
years.

Nicky -- 14 (April 10) (Marie/Adrian) Nicky will be a high
school freshman in the fall and has spent a great deal of
time with his grandfather and uncles over the years.

Megan -- 9 (September 27) (Michael/Andrea) -- Megan will
be in the fifth grade in the fall.

Kylie -- 5 (August 19) (Marie/Adrian) -- Kylie will be starting
first grade in the fall.

Lucas -- 4 (May 22) (Elizabeth/Timothy) -- Lucas attends
pre-school.


Mark (Mark Adam Williams) -- 29 yo (April 2) Mark met the
Curries when he waited on them, when they ate at the
restaurant he was working in, near the Grand Canyon, in
Arizona.  They hit it off, so they invited him to go with
them to see the sights.  During their time together, they
bonded.  Since Mark was illegitimate and lived with his
mother (Susan) in Oregon, he immediately took to Josh as
a father figure.  He visited several times after that and
Josh helped him secure his first job.  Mark has since
become part of their extended family.

Mark is 6' 1" tall and has black hair, gray eyes and a trim
and fit build.  Mark is straight and has a girlfriend named
Amy.  He has a degree in finance and works as an
investment banker in New York City.  He also handles
many of the Currie personal accounts, as well as those of
the Castaway Foundation.

Susan Williams - Mark's mother, who raised him mostly on
her own.  She moved to Pennsylvania, at Mark's request,
to be closer to her son, after he got his first job.  She has
also become a part of the extended family and the boys
call her Aunt Susan.

Patrick & Brenda O'Hara -- Brandon's parents.  The two
families became close when the boys were young, since
their son spent so much time with the Curries.  That only
increased, once Danny and Brandon decided to be
partners.  The O'Haras have since become Uncle Pat and
Aunt Brenda to Josh's boys.

Jay (Jay Aubrey Curtis) -- -- 25 yo (June 10) Jay has been
Ricky's best friend since they were young teenagers.
Although he was a little awkward and slightly
uncoordinated as a youngster, he has developed into a fine
young man.

Jay is 6' 1" tall, has red hair and green eyes and has begun
filling out, as he got older.  Jay is straight and currently
working as an architect in New York City.

Howard & Audrey Curtis -- Jay's parents.  Since Jay and
Ricky were best friends, the two families became close.
When the boys were young, Jay also spent a great dea; pf
time with the Curries.  The Curtises have since become
Uncle Howie and Aunt Audrey to Josh's boys.

Mike and Julie Lawrence -- Nick's parents, from Oklahoma.
They were first introduced to the Curries after they
discovered their son in Arizona, after he had run away
from home.  After Josh helped them reconcile, the
families have become very close.  Since Nick is now
partnered with Jake's son, Shannon, they often come to
Pennsylvania to celebrate the holidays on off years.
Otherwise, Nick, Shannon and, sometimes, Jake go to
Oklahoma to celebrate with them.

Carlos (Carlos Miguel Garcia) -- 24 yo (January 15) Carlos
and his mother (who at the time was an illegal Mexican
immigrant) moved from California to Philadelphia with her
boyfriend.  The boyfriend physically abused Carlos and
Carlos ran away.  Josh was able to keep Carlos and his
mother together, by helping to arrange for her to be in the
country legally and by helping her to find a job and place
to live.

Carlos is 5'  8" tall and has black hair, brown eyes and is
stocky, but not obese.  Carlos began working in a Mexican-
American restaurant (Hacienda Mexicali) while in high
school and is currently the manager there.

Ted (Theodore Fredrick Beckham) -- 24 -- (July 1) Ted is the
gay nephew of Nurse Jane, who took care one of the
Curries, when he was in the hospital.  Jane put Ted in
contact with the Curries, because she hoped they could
help him become comfortable with being gay.  Ted's father
was not reacting well to the news and they had become
estranged.  After Ted came and spent time with the Currie
family, Ted's Aunt Jane helped him improve his
relationship with his father.  Ted is now in a loving
relationship with a guy he met at college.

Nurse Jane (Jane Beckham Dowd) -- Jane was the favorite
nurse of one of the Currie boys, when he was in the
hospital.  She is also Ted Beckham's aunt and was
responsible for directing her nephew to get in touch with
the Curries.  She has also transported Ted back and forth,
so he could visit the family, so they have all become very
close.

Duck (Donald Edward Jamison) -- 33 -- (May 3) Duck picked
Vinnie up while he was hitchhiking, after a Valentine's
fiasco with Kevin.  Duck let Vinnie stay with him until he
had worked out his problems and returned home.  When
Josh went to thank and repay Duck for all he had done, he
learned about Duck's sad story and how Duck's father had
thrown him out.  Josh then invited Duck to become part
of their family and do things with them, so he wouldn't be
totally alone.  Duck has since done many things with the
family and is very close to them.  Duck is straight and has
a girlfriend, Jennifer.

Jeff Goldberg -- 27 -- (Feb. 25) Boy that Kevin gave his full-
scholarship for Jeff's partial scholarship.  Kevin did this
because Jeff couldn't have afforded going to college and
becoming a pharmacist on only a partial scholarship.  Jeff
and Kevin went to Temple together.