by Young
The nights I suffered from insomnia, I visited egregious places I shouldn’t have; in the hope of finding that which was amiss in my heart, Not only did I not find love, but I also descended into the underbelly of the gay BDSM world. The months following my departure from the nurturing bosom of the Enlightened Royal Oracle Society, I was confronted with the harsh reality of life. Although I stayed in the posh side of town at Uncle James’ residence; I would venture to sleazy sex clubs for a night of debaucherous exploits before I headed back to respectable Mayfair for another day of mainstream activities. As much as I kept my sordid sexcapades a secret, prying eyes were hard to avoid; especially when Charles (James R. Pinkerton’s butler) and I lived under the same roof. It was a matter of time before he disclosed my nightly comings and goings to my judicious surrogate father.
My English guardian sat me down for a heart-to-heart talk. Thanks to divine intervention, my Belfast College of Art & Technology acceptance letter arrived a day after our critical discussion. Not only was Mr. Pinkerton elated for my future college undertaking, but he also realized that time away from London would be beneficial for my sexual addiction recovery; especially in war-torn Belfast where little to no nightlife existed, due to the Northern Ireland conflict. My time in Northern Ireland was indeed a blessing in disguise. I plunged into my fashion design studies with newfound enthusiasm. I had a strong fashion portfolio on hand by the end of my first year at Belfast College of Art & Technology. Ms. Emily Keens, the fashion counselor at my school supported my application to one of London’s renowned fashion schools - The Harrow College of Art & Technology.
Thanks to Ms. Keens and Uncle James’ recommendation letters; Professor Lipman, the then head of Harrow College fashion department and the eccentric fashion lecturer, Ms. Gay Yates whom I had met several years prior at Le Gavroche, accepted moi into the fashion programme without delay. No longer inundated with melancholic hypersexuality, I returned to London, a changed man. I careered head-on into my fashion education with a renewed passion.
Under the skillful guidance of Harrow’s fashion professors, I graduated with honors in 1974 before being accepted into the prestigious London Royal College of Art to further my Master of Design. In 1976, I graduated as a full-fledged fashion designer with ten job offers under my belt. To put it mildly, the rest is history. A history that I will document in my next autobiographical series – Life After A Harem Boy’s Saga; a memoir by Young.
Andy
After our separation, Andy’s life was not altogether comfortable. Like me, he drove into his passion like a fish to water. He came up trumps in his selected career and excelled in many engineering successes. But the both of us failed miserably when it came to love. Neither my ex-lover nor I recovered from our severance. Although we had other loves, none came close to the erotic transcendence we experienced during our four years together. We were soulmates destined for each other, but our determinations to make a mark at our chosen métiers tore us apart. By the time we realized that true love held not just the key to our aspirations, but it also succors the bond to a meaningful relationship; that opportunity had passed us by. Life had moved on. By then we had pressing responsibilities and obligations that were too preposterous for us to omit.
In a person’s lifetime, true love is known to strike once, and cupid seldom knocks twice. Since I reconnected with my ex-lover six years ago, our newfound friendship had brought us closer than we ever imagine. Although love continues to shackle us, our affection had morphed to faithful comradeship than romantic intimacy.
Although Andy recovered from his CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease) setback in 2015, he also fell in love with Jumiro, the Japanese nurse who nursed him back to health at St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney. In the summer of 2017, they married and planned for a second home in Sapporo, Japan.
Before their intentions could be realized, Andy suffered another health crisis. His CKD had deteriorated, and a kidney replacement was urgently required for him to survive. Ari came to the rescue. He generously proffered one of his kidneys to his younger brother. My ex is in surgery as I write this epilogue. Without a doubt, the outcome will be brought to light when I document Life After A Harem Boy’s Saga; a memoir by Young. The follow-up series to A Harem Boy’s Saga; a memoir by Young. At this juncture, neither I nor anyone knows the result of Andy’s well-being except the man himself.
As a fitting conclusion to my autobiographical series, I apposite the dialogue below between Mufasa and Simba in The Lion King.
Mufasa: Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance. As a king, you need to understand that the balance and respect all the creatures; from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope.
Simba: But, Dad, don’t we eat the antelope?
Mufasa: Yes, Simba, but let me explain. When we die, our bodies become the grass, and the antelope eat the grass. And so, we are all connected in the great Circle of Life.
As songwriters, Elton John and Tim Rice so rightly wrote in the lyrics to Circle of Life. Nominated for the 1994 Academy Awards for Best Song:
From the day we arrive on the planet
And blinking, step into the sun
There’s more to see than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done
There’s far too much to take in here
More to find than can ever be found
But the sun rolling high
Through the sapphire sky
Keeps great and small on the endless round
It’s the circle of life
And it moves us all
Through despair and hope
Through faith and love
Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the circle
The circle of life.
Young.
[email protected]
www.aharemboysaga.com
Author’s Bio
Young alias Bernard Foong is, first and foremost, a sensitivist. He finds nuance in everything. To experience the world, he inhabits is an adventure which is mystical, childlike and refreshing. He has a rare ability to create beauty in a unique fashion. His palettes have been material, paint, words and human experiences.
By Christine Maynard (screenwriter and novelist).
Bernard Foong (designer) – A brief history
Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. At the age of 8, he was assisting his aunt and cousin, learning the art of sewing and fabrics/colors matching. He attended an exclusive private boarding school in the United Kingdom before obtaining his Diploma in Fashion Design at the Harrow College of Art & Technology in London, England. He went on to complete his Master of Design at the Royal College of Art & Design, London, England. During his college years, he won several international fashion awards and was already retailing bridal and evening dresses to several well-known department stores in England. Liberty of London, Selfridges, Harrods, and Harvey Nichols to name a few that carried his designs. His Royal College of Art graduation wedding/evening wear collection was sold to Liberty of London and displayed in their store windows for the entire month of June that year.
For four years, he worked for Liberty’s bridal department as their in-house designer until a trip to Hong Kong, while working on a freelance project for ‘Bird’s’(casual wear) company, he was recruited by the Hong Kong Polytechnic
University as their Fashion professor for the next 6 years. During his stay in Hong Kong, he freelanced for numerous fashion companies. From designing casual wear, swimwear, lingerie, and fur garments, men’s wear, bridal and evening fashions to accessories (bags, shoes, and headwear). He also participated and organized numerous fashion shows, events, functions, and presentations in the Asia Pacific region.
Working for Keys Far East Hong Kong as chief lingerie designer - traveling extensively to the United States, he was soon recruited as an Associate Fashion Design/Illustration Professor to the University of Wisconsin, Madison and also lectured at the Minneapolis College of Art & Design for
a couple of years.
Foong was then appointed as the Fashion Development Manager by an established department store – Parkson Grand (22 stores in Malaysia and one in Shanghai, China). Producing under the label, Natural Life by Bernard Foong, he designed casual-wear collections for the Parkson Grand’s flagship store in Kuala Lumpur. After a couple of years later, he was invited by the Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore to join their design school to establish a Fashion Design department. For two years, he assisted several founding members of the design school - working on the fashion department’s teaching curriculum.
The Fitzgerald Theatre Department, University of Hawaii, Manoa, Oahu, Hawaii awarded a full scholarship for Foong to complete his second Master of Art in Theatre Costuming. Now a resident on the Island of Maui, he has assisted many charity organizations in their fundraising events with his extravagant fashion and performance shows/presentations. In 2005, he and his partner, Mr. Walter Jay Bissett opened Fire Dragon Bistro Orient & Design Shop. He also designs costumes/fashions for numerous theatrical productions in Hawaii and abroad.
Appointed as Chief lingerie designer for Cerie International Limited – Hong Kong, his lingerie designs can be found in major department stores in Canada, Europe, and the United Kingdom.
He showcased the BERNARD FOONG R-T-W collections and BERNARD FOONG @ Modern Classic Ltd. (an established – Hong Kong bridal & evening wear company) collections in Hong Kong. His 2008 & 2009 bridal/evening/bridal lingerie fashion show, “Grace” & “Coming Up Roses” were premiered at Hong Kong Fashion Week in July 2007 and January 2008 respectively at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Center, garnering positive interest in many Asian press reviews, including a China nationwide television broadcast of his latest collection. Aika (International Opera Singer) wore several Bernard Foong special occasion dresses at her Japan & European tour in September & October 2009.
Foong was the Chief Creative Director for Official (Special Occasion fashion manufacturing company) Guangzhou, China producing – BERNARD FOONG Couture (specialty one-of-a-kind creations), White (RTW - Wedding/Special Occasion wear), Foxy Cute (Smart Casual/Cocktail wear), SexZ (decorative bustier) & Diva Bitch (sexual lingerie inner/outer-wear) collections.
Besides working on his regular haute couture, R-T-W and lingerie collections he is a visiting consultant/advisor for ● Pivot Point fashion college, Chengdu, China. ● Hong Kong Design Institute (fashion department), Hong Kong, SAR.
● Hong Kong Poly/U, Hong Kong (School of Apparel Design & Merchandising), SAR. ● Hong Kong Fashion Designers Association, Hong Kong. ● Singapore Temasek Polytechnic – School of Apparel Design & Merchandising (ADM), Singapore.
Bernard just completed his autobiographical five-book series of Mr. Foong’s young life: A Harem Boy’s Saga: A Memoir by Young. A Harem Boy’s Saga series is published by Solstice Publishing and is available in print, audio, and E-books internationally.
A Harem Boy’s Saga series Film Contract has been secured with an independent UK Producer, operating in Hollywood.
Acknowledgments
A beautiful lady I would like to thank is Ms. Emerantia Antonia Parnell-Gilbert, my Literary Agent from Gilbert Literary Agency. Besides providing me with valuable advice and securing Solstice Publishing to publish A Harem Boy’s Saga series, Ms. Parnell-Gilbert has also procured a Film Option Agreement for A Harem Boy’s Saga with a UK Film production company. I am excited to see this memoir series adapted for the screen in the form of feature films and/or a TV miniseries. Emerantia’s unfaltering support and faith in my writing gave me the incentive to continue on this long and winding road to complete my series.
I also thank Ms. Melissa Miller of Solstice Publishing for her credence in my memoirs and to Ms. Kathi Sprayberry (my Solstice Publishing Editor-in-Chief) for devoting time to format and upload A Harem Boy’s Saga for international distribution. I am also indebted to Solstice Publishing for providing me an editor, Wendy Tyndall to edit this lengthy volume of A Harem Boy’s Saga – V – Metanoia; a memoir by Young.
I am deeply grateful to Ms. Fiona Jayde of Fiona Jayde Media for her exquisite and mesmerizing book cover designs. Working with this talented designer was a breeze. Her instinctive mind captured my ideas with ease and grace, and she created cover images for A Harem Boy’s Saga that readers and I fell in love with instantly.
I cannot forget my dear friend Mr. Robert DeNigris, who took time from his busy schedule to proofread Metanoia’s manuscript. Mahalo, Bob! You are a gem.
At this juncture, I would like to say a big “Thank You” to all my friends and supporters who have continued to champion my revelations from the beginning, before Initiation, Unbridled, Debauchery, Turpitude and Metanoia came to fruition.
Last but not least, I am deeply appreciative of both my life partner, Mr. Walter Jay Bissett, and my ex-Valet, mentor, guardian, and lover, Mr. Andrew A. Finckenstein, for their resolute support, contribution and encouragement to tell my story truthfully.
In Walter Jay Bissett words: “The truth will set you free.”
And in Andrew A. Finckenstein’s: “Dwell not in the past, dream not of the future, but concentrate on the present.”
Young.
[email protected]
www.aharemboysaga.com
If you enjoyed this story, check out the other Solstice Publishing books by Young:
A Harem Boy’s Saga Book 1: Initiation
This provocative story is about an adolescent who was initiated into a clandestine sexual society. He was spirited to the Middle East, from his UK boarding school. He attended the Bahriji School (Oasis,) in The United Arab Emirates in preparation for serving in Harems for the wealthy and elite.
It is also a love story between the young man and his ‘Valet’ who served as his chaperone and mentor during the boy’s Harem service.
http://bookgoodies.com/a/B00KOEXWQQ
A Harem Boy’s Saga Book 2: Unbridled
Unbridled is the sequel to Initiation - A provocative story about a boy who was initiated into a clandestine sexual society. He was spirited to the Middle East, from his UK boarding school. He attended the Bahriji School (Oasis,) in The United Arab Emirates in preparation for serving in Harems for the wealthy and elite.
It is also a love story between the young man, his ‘Big Brother’ and his ‘Valet’ who served as his chaperones and mentors during the boy’s Harem services.
This book follows the boy’s erotic and exotic adventures and experiences at his 2nd Arab Household Harem, the Sekham. He was an apprentice and model, for the household patriarch’s controversial photography project, “Sacred Sex in Sacred Places”.
The author’s experiences present facts that are truthful. Through these truths, which are often demonized by contemporary societies that deem such behaviors inappropriate, the author hopes to dispel condemnations and negativity which relate to his experiences.
There are 5 volumes in A Harem Boy’s Saga series.
http://bookgoodies.com/a/B00L8F1RYO
A Harem Boy’s Saga Book 3: Debauchery
“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”
Lao Tzu
Debauchery is the triquel to A Harem Boy’s Saga, a provocative story about a young man who was initiated into a clandestine sexual society through his UK boarding school. From there, he was spirited to the Middle East to attend the Bahriji (Oasis) School in The United Arab Emirates in preparation for Harem services for the wealthy elite.
It is also a love story between the young man, his ‘Big Brother,’ and his ‘Valet,’ who served as his chaperones and mentors.
This book follows the teenagers’ erotic and exotic adventures and experiences at their third Arabian Household Harem, the Quwah. There, they became confidants to a prince, assistants in an international dance club venture, “Carousel,” and apprentices and models in a controversial photography project, “Sacred Sex in Sacred Places.”
This story is an account
of the author’s experiences. Through these truths, often demonized by contemporary societies that deem such behaviors inappropriate, the author hopes to dispel condemnation and negativity related to sexuality, love, and personal freedom.
A Harem Boy’s Saga is a series of five volumes.
http://bookgoodies.com/a/B00N2FRQMA
No Distance Between Us
This provocative story is about a young man who was initiated into a clandestine sexual society. He was spirited to the Middle East, from his UK boarding school. He attended the Bahriji School (Oasis,) in The United Arab Emirates in preparation for serving in Harems for the wealthy and elite.
It is also a love story between the young man and his ‘Valet’ who served as his chaperone and mentor during the boy’s Harem service.
Author’s note:
I had a privileged and unique upbringing in Malaysia. Following in my brothers’ footsteps, I was sent to an exclusive boarding school in England. It is there that I was
Young • 592 inducted into a clandestine organization, E.R.O.S. The Enlightened Royal Oracle Society. For four years, unbeknownst to my family, I was willingly and happily part of a Harem.