Green Roses

Rating:
Summary: At the Crossroads of Japan and the US
Review: Tom Boggs' Green Roses is a sweet tale about Tim, an American high school senior living on a military base in Japan, and a Japanese senior named Satoru who lives in the city outside the gates. The title is significant since roses represents 'gay' in the Japanese culture, and green represents 'being green' as in being young.

Told from Tim's point of view during the early 70s Vietnam era, this story allows us to see what it would be like to live mostly isolated on an American air base during the war. But our protagonist Tim goes off-base on occasion where he meets Satoru. Once their friendship kicks off, Tim feels cheated that he's never bothered to learn much about his world outside the perimeter. As Tim visits his friend more often we get a glimpse of the differences in their upbringings and cultures. We also get to see what happens when their friendship develops into a brief, albeit very hot, sexual encounter.

Despite Tim's bold outlook, he has no idea that events will turn out as they do. While the ending is bittersweet, we're assured that Tim has learned a very valuable lesson, and therein lies the heart and soul of this story.

Rating:
Summary: At the Crossroads of Japan and the US
Review: Tom Boggs� Green Roses is a sweet tale about Tim, an American high school senior living on a military base in Japan, and a Japanese senior named Satoru who lives in the city outside the gates. The title is significant since roses represents �gay� in the Japanese culture, and green represents �being green� as in being young.

Told from Tim�s point of view during the early 70s Vietnam era, this story allows us to see what it would be like to live mostly isolated on an American air base during the war. But our protagonist Tim goes off-base on occasion where he meets Satoru. Once their friendship kicks off, Tim feels cheated that he�s never bothered to learn much about his world outside the perimeter. As Tim visits his friend more often we get a glimpse of the differences in their upbringings and cultures. We also get to see what happens when their friendship develops into a brief, albeit very hot, sexual encounter.

Despite Tim�s bold outlook, he has no idea that events will turn out as they do. While the ending is bittersweet, we�re assured that Tim has learned a very valuable lesson, and therein lies the heart and soul of this story.