“With leers and winks he told stories about lapsed nuns, sluttish Catholic girls, pederastic priests … Charles was good-natured, and slow to anger, but he was sometimes so disturbed by these anti-Catholic diatribes that his very teacup would clatter upon its saucer.”

the iliad: book 18 — achilles after hearing of patroclus' death

No, I don't think he would've got his masters in art, fallen in with a group of socialists, got a little bi-curious, and overhauled his entire ideology.

I also don't think he would've dropped out of school, bummed around his father's house until he inherited it, and posted prolifically on right-wing forums.

He probably would've married Marion right out of school, dodged the workforce until his first child was born, then struggled to hold down a job and likely got involved in a couple of pyramid schemes on the way. He'd be the kind of dad who'd tell his friends he was "babysitting" at the weekend, and when it was his turn to cook they'd be having microwaved pizza. In all honesty, they'd likely divorce within the decade.

But he'd love his wife and he'd tell that to anyone who would listen. He'd want to provide for his children in a way his father never provided for him, even if he'd struggle to do so. Despite holding the belief that childcare wasn't his "responsibility" he would put his kids before everything. Even after the hypothetical divorce.

And while his family had clearly ingrained some dangerous prejudices throughout his life - several of which stuck - he was also an artist, enjoyed travel, had a disability and a chronic health condition, and (miraculously, somehow) had no trouble making friends with women and queer people. There were so many spaces he was part of that he could've learned, given time and a different setting, if not to be more open and caring then at least to not be such a loud mouth.

Doodles of Camilla Macaulay (+ bonus Henry)

Catching up on some art here’s some more tsh I never posted

Henry: Do 4 semesters of my personal curriculum + get into postgrad (at the same time)

Bunny: Try 12 fruits in their unmodified forms (not counting green apples, grapes, or dates)

Francis: Wear clothes that make me feel like a human being 4x/week

Charles: Quit my worst digital habits (9 hour screen time, streaming services – not necessarily bad I just hate them, multiscreening)

Camilla: Align my self care habits with my life values