All Comments on 'Equation'

Thanks for sharing.

gj, man. deserved.

10/10 I don't know what else to say. I really enjoyed the reed ;). Probably one of the best stories I have ever read. It has the heartbreak, it has the gambling, it has the (alley) cat! Once again 10/10 :)

You can forgive people for the things they do for you. Forgiving them for the things they do to others is not your call. If Laura wants to be forgiven for what she did to Ben, she can hire a medium to hold a seance; it'll be her only chance, because when her time comes she's not going to end up in the same place as Ben.

How true it is to forgive hurt caused/brought on yourself, BUT -NEVER- when it was intentionally inflicted on / directed at an 'innocent'…

Enjoyed all the stories in the series aptly following the alphabetical order, though initiated my reading in FORTUNE. Completed the rest of the series in the alphabetical order. EXCEPT for the short one page DETER all others - AWARD, BALANCE, COVET, EQUATION & FORTUNE have been very good readings. DETER could have been done in a better way giving the antecedent to some extant but then the suspense/twist at the end could not have been there.

ALL IN ALL THE STORIES HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD WITH GOOD NARRATION AND MAY WE HOPE SOME MORE IN THE SAME VEIN MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE AND MAY NOT POSSIBLE TO COME IN SUCH ALPHABATICAL ORDER PERHAPS IN THE COMING DAYS ?

I expect periodically that a particular poster, either under his name, or a doppelganger that I became aware of, or anonymously will post a comment of how I have redacted his posts. This individual has a history of critiquing stories as though he is doing us all a favor by doling out his pearls of wisdom. Ironically, this self described genius has yet to write his first story here on Literotica.

This individual sought me out through private communication and continued to critique my stories using the most inane examples possible. That was when I made the mistake of pointing out the typos and poor grammar and flawed reader's comprehension of the individual's comments. Fair play, right?

That led to an escalating exchange of communications, whereupon, the individual called my Mother some vile derogatory terms.

Look, you may not like my stories, you may criticize them till the cows come home and that is fine by me. All I'm trying to do is give back to a website where I have enjoyed so many well written stories.

But, when you take the opportunity to vilify my deceased Mother, a line has been crossed. So, I elected to delete this individual's comments and now he is pissing all over himself that I am not letting him play in my sandbox.

Too fucking bad, asshole. You may post, and it may stay up temporarily, but rest assured it will eventually be taken down. I think a cursory review of the comments on my stories will show I'm pretty open minded to criticisms and I want that dialogue to continue. But understand, you cross that line of defaming my family then I will respond accordingly.

@oshaw

You should name and shame the asshole mate.

er...

that's it

cards forced on the gambling public by the casinos should be evidence enough to have everyone resist the urge to gamble and ultimately lose.

Thank you very much for contributing. I enjoyed reading it and became very engrossed.

Excellent read

What was it about how she deals?

The highest praise I can give a Literotica author - it was readable. So many stories on this site I just can't bring myself to finish, and this one managed to get me to the end. Here's some thoughts, not from an author, but from a casual reader:

- Reed loves Laura why exactly?

- Reed loves Kaye why exactly?

- where's the part about the disowning parents?

- WHERE'S THE SEX!?

- "Conjecture!" cringed pretty hard

- I guess it's okay that Kaye doesn't have a personality... I mean she has the adorable kid and the whole damsel in distress thing to make up for it. Still, her description of her neighborhood and how she lived before Reed was laughable. I also had a hard time not rolling my eyes when Reed selflessly protects the family from the abusive meth head father.

- the desire to make your story "epic" in scale is a major problem. less would have been more here, in almost every way. still, it is impressive that you put that effort in and that it panned out at all. it's just that the resources put into that could have been better used in characterization.

You sir, have a style and depth in your writing that us ordinary aspiring authors can only aspire to - full respect and appreciation from a BIG fan

Your writting and story telling skill is a pleasure to read. It keeps my interest to the very last period. I like the interplay between the characters - their situations, and personalities. In this story I would have liked to have seen some more pain dished out to Laura by Reed. But in the real world what he said and did at the airport is realisitically about all he could really do. Also, I would like for you to continue the story by having Reed sue the University, Laura, and Jason for wrongful termination, fraud, and alienation of affection over their behavior. In the real world that is totally possible. That would be a good read...and you seem to have the legal know how to make it work. Thanks ...don't stop. 5x5

Very well done. 5 HUGE stars.

Unfortunately in many marriages it is not infidelity but simply disloyalty that is the destruction of the marriage. Sex is more dramatic but how many times have you seen a spouse betray the other spouse by giving away a personal secret or ridiculing the others feelings in front of friends and family? It is death by a thousand cuts, and the more they cut the more the marriage bleeds.

I've read this story so many times, and I don't think I'll ever get tired of it... It's a little like quantum entanglement by Stangstar, but without being over done... And if course I love that you're going alphabetically... Well written, realistic characters and development, good plot, and a happy ending... Couldn't ask for more...

Objectively I found the story engrossing, well written with very few grammatical errors and interesting. The characters were nicely developed and the story was believable. It was a little light on the sex for this venue but you made up for that with the compelling interaction of the people.

Subjectively I found it fascinating and personally touching. I am a mathematician whose ex-wife treated me unkindly so I could identify with the protagonist quite easily. Reed also shared another trait with me in being a little too nice for his own good with people he should have known were not his friends.

Sometimes it all does come down to luck. Good story.

While I know nothing about gambling, most of the terms were way over my head, I still enjoyed the story. 5 MONSTEROUS stars from me.

A very outstanding story. Thank you for writing and sharing it. Shade I can give you more than *****.

This is the third time I've read this story & each occasion I get something more from it; easily the best here. Very well done. 5 *****

Do not be discouraged.

Keep on writing.

Your writing is well above the average here.

and friend of mathematicians, I must say, I have to honor this story. The EEEvil antagonist Jason made for too obvious a melodrama, but I accepted that as a genre descriptive and read on. The rest was so satisfyingly affirmative of virtues not all respect that I ended admiring it enormously.

But are you sure you don't want Jason to get hit and dismembered by a trailer park pickup or school bus or something?

is not entirely true....they do need cards, TK U MLJ LV NV

Best story I've read here. You deserve 5+*****. Keep writing.

My hat is off to your talent and can only offer my thanks for sharing on Lit..

DD

I keep coming back and re-reading your work and every time I come away more impressed than the last time.

This story had me on the edge of my seat! Although I was momentarily distracted by some grammatical errors, this wonderful story drew me back in quickly, and had me run through emotions few stories can elicit. I laughed out loud, felt anger, cried when the munchkin came in calling 'Daddy, Daddy'. I can only hope that I am able to bring the same emotion to a reader as I continue evolving into an author of this caliber.

Machu

I've been re-reading your stories as I neglected to rate them before.

This is one of my favorites, and I give it 5*.

One minor quibble: twice you used atypical where you obviously meant typical, as atypical means NOT representative of a group,in other words, not typical.

I know some of this is a repeat of things that Reed said, but how Laura could expect any forgiveness, let alone get back together after the things she did is beyond me!

Let's see:

She believed the charges against him - SOMEWHAT forgivable given the "evidence", but she should have known him well enough, and had faith enough in him to stand by him.

She framed him for plagiarism! That MIGHT be forgiven given her anger at him, but she included Ben in her charges, and he was never anything but kind to her.

Her absence from the funeral and not being there for Teri.

Her hooking up with Feder! This is the guy that creped her out! I have to assume that he hasn't changed, so she obviously did it because she knew that would hurt Reed more than if she hooked up with anyone else.

Very well written - Word Painting,at its best - well done !!!

...and please,I think it should be Imperfect as opposed to Unperfect...

Very enjoyable,thanks oshaw.....

I'm sorry to say that I didn't follow the story faithfully page by page. The sudden turnaround in Laura's sentiments did not seem to jibe with their loving relationship endeared thus far. Indeed to gang up with Feder, the man she had admitted that she couldn't stand, to go against her loving husband was totally out of character. She even went and married him! For a moment I even nursed a suspicion that Laura and Feder had planned this all along and her marriage to Reed was a sham. Not a very convincing story....too draggy and too much slow and boring gambling scenes.

Reread. Still an awesome tale. Couple of quibbles (not listing) but it was very enjoyable. Was a 5, still a 5.

Thx!

Well worth the time reading. Good story, well written characters, I couldn't ask for anything more if I had to pay for this story. So since it was free all I lost was time but gained a good reading experience. To steal from another comment 'a painting with words' completed most pleasing to the senses.

Encourage you to keep writing and I will keep reading - even if I am WAY behind on my reading list. Thank you for your effort in writing this story.

Thanks what a fun story.very enjoyable.2hats wrong with a happy ending, just because we arn, t at a massage parlor.I, m hoping for some happy with the end of madmen.At least an ending that satisfies me. We arnt sking to much of our authors, are we?

I found reader on my tablet how much easier it is to read all these stories. If only it would take me to the end ratings and comments to. Especially in these l8ng storys

Ok, I can see being upset that it turns it your husband engaged in some reprehensible actions... but when someone who you know hates your spouse gives you negative information about them, can we say "Take it with a POUND of salt."...?

And when that same person requests that you point out how your suppose did something you KNOW he didn't do and you don't suddenly disbelieve every other action they are involved in against your spouse...? How can you NOT connect the dots on such a simple line...?

You expect your enemies to behave badly - you expect MUCH better from your loved ones.

My previous comment saying that it was odd that Reed went on at length about how beautiful, how attractive, how sexy Kaye was, then he calls her an alley cat has somehow disappeared.

Is oshaw so thin-skinned that pointing out inconsistencies in his story cause him to delete a polite comment?

But why you never put what the other part, the villains of the story, are suffering? Half of the story is about revenge-ish, yet you always stop about it. Also, why is that your villains only suffer when they are about to be karma slapped? I mean, In your other story, wouldn't the fact that the wife had been cheating him for years and had two children outside of wetlock would be considered enough for a brutal divorce in favor of the other party? And in here, wouldn't what Jason did be considered rape and face years and years of jail time?

It just seems a little weird.

Considering your brat rat has a raping blackmailing thief for a father and a heartless cunt for a mother I expect the piece of shit to end up in jail. Now fuck off whore and you and it die in pain.

Why on earth would Reed go on and on about how gorgeous and beautiful Kaye was, before and after he started sleeping with her, only to compare her to an alley cat while talking with his faithless witch of en ex, Laura? Even if -assuming this is what you meant to communicate by that statement- Laura is THAT much more physically attractive than Kaye...still, I find the statement an incongruous one. If anything, LAURA is the alley cat in that scenario! And one in heat at that! Faithless hussy. Kaye, even if, for arguments sake, she were less physically attractive than Laura, would nonetheless be the single sexiest, most good-hearted woman in Vegas! In my opinion, and, I believe, Reed's. Thanks for listening, and writing an awesome story. Screw anyone who complains about "fairytale" endings. The real world has enough shitty realistic endings. Sometimes a well written fairytale ending (not in the brothers Grimm style) is precisely what the doctor ordered. Again. Thanks.

Boy, this is one hell of a story! Very enjoyable and entertaining. Laura had to be a complete moron (a college professor???) to even attempt to ask him to take her back with assholes son. After what she did to him? I could agree with her being angry at the original charges, but everything after that showed what kind of person she was.

I was glad that your hero found true love and happiness. Good writing and thank you for your story.

Sad to make the Laura character so shallow, empty, and mostly stupid. Reed was and is too smart and perceptive to ever fall in love with such a person. Look how quickly he perceived the real value of Kaye and her daughter. And the Laura that was once worthy of Reed's love could never fall for a scum bag like Jason. The two men are so different, and that had to be obvious in how they conducted their day to day lives. But of course Laura had to play her part. Just sad to see what started out as a lovely woman ended up being such a worthless piece of dog shit. You know you have written well when readers embrace your characters with such passion and concern! Great writing!!

When the reference to "Alley Cat" was made, it referred to pedigree. Remember that Laura was a high class poser with money behind her. Kaye was from much lesser social status and come from a very troubled upbringing and a hard beginning of adulthood.

Dagnabbit! oshaw, you done did another good'un.

Excellent, fantabulous story! Loved it. I see a few nit pickers chewing away at the tale, but it's still very, very, well done. Thank you, oshaw. I am an avid watcher of WSP, so the poker playing segment was attention drawing. Cheers! C29

..Terrific !!

Well, fuck you . 1* !!

@Anon Read more! This story is not cuck story!

Hey, stfu about your stupid opinion and go back to sucking dicks!!!! This is worth 500 stars!!! Writer don't listen to ignorant cocksuckers and keep writing!!!

Exceptional concept.

Ignore the naysayers. You done good.

The DJ

Very enjoyable plot.

Just a little comment: I should have liked the treacherous Laura and Jason be punished in a very harsh way!

Also, Damn Good!!

I started reading this and recognised the story from a wile ago and I am sorry to say I thought it was crap at the time so I skimmed through the first few pages and then I started to get into it about where he started playing blackjack and then I could not put it down its one of the beat I have come across and I am happy to give it 5* just for the second half. Now I am going back to the start and reading it again. Thank you very much.

How about "Idea" as your next story title? I don't know what the plot might be, but as talented as you are, I'm sure you'll come up with something... Just keep writing, please...

Lots of love,

a big big big fan...

and plot

Great writing + great characters + a great plot = great entertainment. Your comment at the beginning about some readers didn't care for the fairytale endings. As far as I'm concerned if I wanted reality I'd watch the news. Keep doing what you're doing because you do it so well. Thank you for a wonderful story.

Not very often do I find stories as good as this one but when I do it gives me the willpower to keep looking for more of the same on this site.

This was a vey good story. Read it more than once. The only thing that bothered me was that he wanted to go first. For me I want my wife to go first. I don`t want her to del with all the shit that is left. But hopefully we will make 50 years this December. Thank you again for a very good story. Jiminab

Terrific writing. Five big stars. Hall of Fame!

One of the gr8 stories I ever read... Fuck you, if dont post more stories like thissss.. its totaly OUTSTANDINGLY AWESOMEEEEEEEEEEEE ! ;-)

Congrats. Very good story. Four out of five. 4.5 if there was a way to do that. Things I loved: the math, the gambling, the slow build up of the relationship with Kaye, the ending, the way he moved money around the country, Judy calling him daddy and him not realizing it. Great dialogue. All great stuff. Normally I like RAAC stories but this one was wonderful. Things I liked less: the final poker scene with him injured after the fight. Did a lot of time pass? I just needed a bit more on his injuries. His wife turning against him so easily. I understand her being mad about the alleged adultery but the academic plagerism? That was too over the top without some explanation from her. I also like other commentators would have liked to have seen the ex-wife suffer a bit more at the end. Not being tossed into a shark tank but a bit more. She had a lot of nerve thinking he would take her back. Also like others I think there would have been a lot of lawsuits at the end. But overall two thumbs up. I look forward to more. Cheers Steve

If the poker tournament started with 10,000 players and there were 10 players per table and only one person at a table can progress to the next game, the process would be:

1000 tables to 100 tables to 10 tables to 1 table

you have one of the highest comment count I have ever seen. I looked at some of them and the overwhelming theme is very positive, that says a lot.

I am not quite sure I liked the desertion by Linda, for my money it could have been fleshed out more. But what the hell, it is not my story so you write it any damn way you want

Hat's off to you

Academia even more so. TK U MLJ LV NV

Very, very good.

I need to ask a couple of things, though. Why would Laura leave so quickly, no explanation, no trying to determine the truth of accusations? Why would Laura get together with Feder, as slimy as he made her feel? Why would Laura knowingly be involved with spreading lies (abuse, plagiarism, etc.)? Why would the university dismiss Reed with so little investigation?

As others have said, it was one thing for Laura to believe the charges against Reed, given the "evidence", though she STILL should have had enough faith in him to stand by him till a FULL investigation could take place, but to believe Feder, who she KNEW carried a grudge against Reed and to go off with Feder who supposedly grossed her out, and THEN to KNOWINGLY defame Ben who was nothing but good to her and she KNEW was innocent, simply losing her job isn't enough punishment.

The divorce settlement, including the TV show, should be revisited even if Reed doesn't need the money!

I find and read a story like this one. It made my day. Kudos to the author and his story which I enjoyed so much. TY .. I love this writers imagination and the way he used the story to say more than just what the surface of the story seemed. Funny to find a gem like this in Literotica hmm ?

Didn't do it for me. I skimmed it and didn't even read the good bits. Sorry

bill

Somehow this story left me with a sense of insufficient empathy in the protagonist's satisfaction for having cleared his name. Furthermore it lacked the desired retribution for his wife's betrayal and accusations of plagarism. Some measure of payback should have been made for his pains and sufferings, both physically and emotionally. It also made no sense to a reader when a relationship could turn around to the point where an erstwhile loving wife had so little faith in her husband's fidelity to hate him so much so that she married his nemesis whom she herself had previously despised. With such a storyline the author had played on the sensitivity of readers to an absurd extent which compares with nothing in real life situations. This I think is fast becoming a trend among authors to score high marks with some readers among who, I regret to say, I do not belong.

For Laura or her fucked up husband. Lawsuits for defamation of character would be in order.

Great story five stars. Why haven't you corrected your mistakes? You used atypical when you meant typical -- twice --. They are opposites.

You have a great style of writing! And a tendency to use unusual vocab in a non-annoying manner. Happy to have read your work.

is still great

Good story but you went WAY too easy on the treacherous bitch. NOBODY has the right to LIE about someone's personal achievements. Her betrayal far outweighed her perceived betrayal in not allowing the man she professed to love an opportunity to present a defense. Not to mention lying about Dr. Ben, who had not a fucking thing to do with her being betrayed. (even if she had been) She's just another self-centered bitch. Being publicly exposed for the blatant lies she told about her husband then being ostracized to live a very long life of bitter regret is a just reward for what she did. She should be visited by Charlie and his new hunting knife, when he gets out of Prison.

..... I see that a lot of people agree that the story's premise was ridiculous. (re: the vicious cunt wife who publicly ruined him, fucked his nemesis and had the kid that he'd always wanted to have with her and then had the balls to show up thinking there was some possibility that he'd be stupid enough to take her back)

I agree with the comment that a decent private detective would have torn that case to shreds in short order. I was thinking the same thing as I read the story and wondered why the author didn't have him hire one.

Enjoyed the story -thanks.

Some minor typos.

Maths really is like this - you really struggle with something, leave it for a while, and then when you least expect it you gain insight into the problem.

This story resonated with me because of the joy I found when I discovered the Theory of Functions of Complex Variables. My disappointment was that I wasn't exposed to it until I was working on my master's degree. If only I'd had Professor Reed teaching me all the beauty of advanced mathematics as a little kid!

The business of Reed's wife conspiring with the two bad guys was necessary to complete the job of discrediting him so he'd leave town on his motorcycle (read that as having practically nothing but the clothes on his back) when he got to Las Vegas. That made it clear that when he launched his career as a blackjack shark he was just about starting from zero.

The idea that three corrupt conspirators -- the dean, professor, and wife -- could pull off such a character assassination without anybody doubting the veracity of the witnesses, is actually pretty realistic. Colleges and universities exert great power on our people, our economy, and our government, yet are often managed very loosely by people who don't seem to understand what's going on.

The ending left me with the thought that Reed had enough money and earning power that, once the dust settled, he could easily arrange unfortunate accidents for his tormentors. And I include Charlie, who would be back in prison where mysterious fatal accidents happen every day.

People, this is a sex site right. I need head boards banging and lots of sex.

Any University is a golden fishbowl. Oshaw got it right, down to and including the Dean cutting himself in for a share (or should I say "piece"?) of the action.

Casinos are there to make money. It isn't the winners that pay for all the lights in Las Vegas, but the casinos would like you to think so, just so you'll lay more money down. I've purchased a few lights myself, and never regretted it.

It's an incredible rush when you are on a roll, and if you have the sense to not throw good money after bad when the roll ends, it can be a remunerative one. I've a long story about that, but you'll have to wait for it to show up in here.

I loved this story, and almost all of the loose ends were tied up nicely. I only have one big unanswered question: What was it that he was picking up on when she shuffled? It's really driving me nuts. It may have been addressed in the story but, if so, I missed it.

Ain't Nanny Cams great?

Thanks for writing a well thought out and sensitive story.

Still a fine story and well written. I also read most of the comments and a lot of people have a contention with the consistency Laura's character. So, I'll throw in my two cents. I agree with FD45 and all others that say her behavior is plausible. Who knows she could be very intelligent when it comes to academics, especially in math but when it comes to relationships she could be very insecure. She could have been drawn to Reed because she recognized his brilliance and humility all the time thinking that he was too good for her. After all it was the Stevens that basically pushed the two together. After those three crying girls testified, I'm sure she felt betrayed, lied to, made a fool of and her insecurity and lack of self-worth completely consumed her. The only thing she could do was to run and hide to avoid. Weeks later , Dr. Feder, now the Dean of the Math Department, being the predator he has shown himself to be, knows that she is distraught, emotionally vulnerable with no idea of what to do and very suggestible . Just how he likes them, putty in his hands. He probably suggested to her that Reed plagiarized Dr. Ben Stevens and being the Dean and her in a time of mental instability probably rationalized that she no longer knew who Reed really was and if he could do this to her he could definitely do that to Ben. Insecurity and stress can really mess with a persons ability to reason. So yes, I not only think that her behavior is plausible but she was just as much a victim, if not more, than those three girls. Thank you, Oshaw for another wonderful story. I don't know why you stopped posting but I really miss your stories. I hope you are well and living the good life.

Thoroughly enjoyable story, would have appreciated an epilogue with the outcome of the meeting with the board and the crow they would have to eat - but can live without it.

5/5

Still love it. Still five stars. Still a favorite. Very well written. One of the best on this site.

Needed a bit more detail regarding his name being cleared from the plagiarism charge. The women recanted, but I don't recall the wife publicly withdrawing her accusation. That needed to be addressed prior to his solution being published. He also needed to lay into the ex a bit more. She refused to get his side and talk to him. Her actions went far beyond mere disrespect of Ben.

I can only hope you and your son can get on with your lives and be happy, but, it won't be with my blessings." - Good luck with that one! She was a useless traitor, and her son was the spawn of a traitor and a piece of shit. What kind of "good life" can they hope for? For those that believe in forgiveness, only God can forgive sin, and only the truly repentant can receive it. Grace is useless for the unfaithful.

Jason Feder as described in this story is one of the "Ivory College" elite who thinks that they are better than the rest of us and they think that they are better than us. This tiny prick of a man if you can call him that is such a sad excuse of a human being as possible. These people do exist in our society and one of them is even running for President at the moment! Thanks for the great story!

Great story, very well told. 5 stars

didn't like. total lack of a satisfying revenge after all the shit on him.

enjoy the story for what it is. did he not get his life together again. didn't the bitch had to eat crow and got the rejection she deserve. did he not find a better woman. so why are u bitchin' about the fact the revenge wasn't enough or u want to hear more details about clearing his name. at least he got revenge. this is why some people cannot enjoy the story for what it is because everyone is asking for ever single detail. u don't have to overthink everything guys u can let some thing go unexplained. just enjoy it

A lot of writers here use too many adjectives "tasty meal" and more formal words (purchase instead of buy, etc) that make it seem like they are trying too hard. Good editors usually remove those errors.

The ex-wife's side would be a welcome balance- she was kind of tacked on at the end and the whole saga of her experiences, especially learning that her second husband manipulated and now she was saddled with his child is almost more interesting to me than the protagonist's side.

Finally, he should have sued the University!

Another terrific tale!

Call me a dreamer but I still love it when the good guy wins and the bad guys/gals go down in flames. BK

Minor point: "A heavily edited snippet appeared on the feature which clearly showed an aroused Jason and his friend, the Dean sampling the girls." - Where did they get the tape to edit? Did Jason and/or the Dean hold some back? Didn't the girls destroy the ones they got?

She didn't accuse him of plagiarizing FROM Ben, she accused BEN of going along with and/or enabling the plagiarism! That's what makes her so reprehensible!

You can MAYBE excuse her revenge against HIM. As others have said, many cheating wives here are treated worse with LESS evidence, but to charge Ben, and not even be there for Teri at Ben's funeral shows a TOTAL lack of character. And to expect/hope that he would cuckold himself by raising Feder's son?! She definitely deserves some BTB!

Real emotional depth and three dimensional characters. Story draws the reader in and makes him/her care about the protagonist. In the end the good guys reputation is restored and he gets a woman far more deserving of his love. Great stuff!

Well, forget it. It would not have fit in with this great story which I enjoyed better than the porn I love to read.

alsobestfriend

A great story I complement the writer on his imagination.

but occasionally, Karma is a good bitch......