All Comments on 'The Boyfriend Test'

First he could not accept what she did, then she could not accept him any more! Luckily JPB has solutions for them both waiting in the wings, though I admit that I wonder about his new wife. She could have one in every town....

Well you do tell a good story. Thank you for the entertainment. Mike from Texas

This is the second time I've read the story and I enjoyed just as much this time as I did the first. Very good character development and a nice flow to the story, an easy read. I can understand Frank's concern about the old boyfriend and what might happen in the future. I also think that he was upfront and honest about his concerns with Cara and Anderson in the future.

Anyway a nice story, fun to read, and a good ending, at least for me. Thanks for your hard work.

What's interesting about this story is that there really is no right and wrong here. Frank is clearly carrying the baggage of a bad relationship with him which of course many people do in some form or another. What Cara did was wrong. It was long in 3 ways.

First it did not pass the boyfriend test all but if she was drunk and getting carried away a one-time discretion I suppose could be overlooked.

Second even if Cara thought Frank was overreacting Cara KNEW of Frank's past traumatic relationship. And never mind what anybody else thought or Cara's friends... at the very least she should have been trying to convey to her friends why Frank was reacting that way.

Third Frank should not have had to make a speech in front of a microphone to get her and other people to realize why he was reacting that way.

That being said once Cara realized WHY Frank was reacting that way and tried to patch things up Frank really did not accept her promise at all. And given the way his character was developed that makes perfect sense. Cara was absolutely correct that He didnt trust her and the image of her and Bill the ex-boyfriend was going to be burned in his mind forever. That is probably going to be the case in all of Frank's relationships in the future unless he gets some sort of therapy because he has been burned twice now pretty badly.

Good story.

God Bob, could you slow down! You're writing them faster than I can read them. Though I enjoy your work, I'm not getting any of my own work accomplished:)

He was right. His concern was that there was still something left to Cara's relationship with her exBF. EVERYONE, everyone, told him he was wrong and gave him shit about it. The BF cheated on her, there was NO WAY she would EVER go back to him. Cara is indignant that he would accuse her of anything and despite being "devastated" about him breaking off with her, she takes forever to really apologize to him. I grant it was only a moderate indiscretion but given his history, something she was VERY aware of, she really stomped on him; reconnecting with her ex and dancing intimately with him. She should have immediately realized she had presented a very bad picture. But she wouldn't apologize. And in the end Cara is back with the cheating exBF, exactly as Frank was worried about. Obviously her was right and everyone else was wrong. The thing is, as long as Cara refused to admit any connection she was vulnerable to it. If she admitted it she would have to face it and deal with it. Anyway, it was a good JPB story. Frank took the right actions and ended up with someone he could love. No revenge was needed, Cara ended up with a cheater and we can predict how that will turn out. A nice ending.

....she ended up back with the ex. Well, of course she did cause bob wrote the story.She slaps the guy(twice) and she don't pass the boyfriend test? You guys must all be single, huh?

The guy was an a-hole but the character development was consistent and strong.

She ended up with the ex-boyfriend. If he had made the wrong choice, the next chapter would have been just another cheating slut wife story. Every once in a while JPB comes up with a gem of a story, this is one of those times. Congrats JPB , Great Job!!!

Very well written, as usual but this one was really thought provoking. Was there really something there between Bill and Cara from the beginning and she just didn't realize it or did she just take Bill back because she ran out of canidates in a small town. What happen to Debbie? Wasn't she Cara's friend? I wonder how long Cara and Bill will last? Will they get married.

Yep, good story Bob.

Cara lied to his face twice about what happened at the party; About going to the party alone and nothing happening at th party. If she would have told the truth up front, the issue could have been solved rather quickly.

What was never explained by Cara was the lies she told about the party to Frank. How can you say that you did not go to a party with someone (especially a former lover) when you and he travel to the party together? How can you say that nothing happened when that old boyfriend put the make on you and you slap him not just once but twice? That is why she did not go home with Bill. You did a great job in capturing that small town lockstep where unfortunately everyone knows your name. Frank through all of the romantic crap made Cara see that he would always be wary so she decided to take back her true love Bill. Frank was just the stand-in boyfriend so the first time things get tough she would run to Bill. Good Ending!

Bob that was a real good one . Thanks for that. Jim

really enjoyed this yarn.

I wonder how Debbie and all her friends are feeling?

You know what the answer is for him? Moving! Find a spot where Betsy doesn't have to travel as far, because that town is finished with him. He took to an 'outsider' and so he's 'dead' to them. Only one person apologized? Really?

Eh. I'd stay long enough to throw her assertions of being over him in her face, and maybe dance a lot with Beverly, offering her to Anderson to dance with a few times. She is a liar and self centered.

That said, good luck with Betsy who already has a habit of stepping out...

Captured the real angst that guys deal with when their spouse lets an EX re-enter her life.

i like how all the characters were consistent.

A good story progression examining not only the philosophy of cheating but the perception of cheating and the consequences of that. Great Job!

Gave u a 5.

One of your better ones.

Cara would have fucked him over; if she did not think anything bad about her dancing that way with her old boyfriend when she was engaged then lying to him about the ride to the party etc. she would have betrayed him down the line. Excellent story.

It wasn't meant to be in terms of the narrator & Cara. Too bad, so sad. Things did shake out in the end. Damm fine story. The mechanic-speak and rural references were just two of nice little small touches that ran from beginning to end. I thank the author.

I think he made the right choice as far as Cara was concerned. Just can't trust her, as evidenced by her moving in with her old boyfriend. But Betsy? She sent up a couple of red flags. She TOLD him she was a bit of a slut. She has SHOWN him she had no problem cheating on her husband (yes I know, her excuse, but don't all cheaters have an excuse?). And she said that she was a "built in bullshit detector". Which to me says that she will ALWAYS think she's right when you argue. Too many question marks to go forward with Betsy. Another good tale by JPB.

stories are, for the most part, a slice of real life... A great writer But must be a Great listener to compile his diary of data... Some stories do not come out the way the reader would like... but that is life...

She now lives with the ex boyfriend? Guess he was right to have dumped her after all. And after all the crying and wanting him back, she walked away?

"I'm a natural born bull-shit detector" he should have realized what a crazy bitch she really was. As if the deal with her husband wasn't enough. He should have dropped her like a hot potato and gotten on with his life without any of the three women. Maybe a change of scenery was in the future. But a future with any of those three was suicide.

First, she's all broken up because he dumps her, then when he puts out the possibility of reconciling SHE gets hesitant? She should have been jumping at the chance, and then fact that she is back living with the old boyfriend says it all.

...yet she marries a bi-guy, who prefers the guys. How did that "little detail" get by her? I think that would make me question my abilities as a "human lie detector." Otherwise, a very good story.

My girlfriend and I were planning on marrying. I hadn't dropped to my knee and officially asked her, sliding a ring on her finger, but we both agreed we were in love and couldn't live without the other.

My girlfriend, Sarah, had a long time boyfriend after she dumped me the first time. It broke my heart and swore off women, right up until she and I got back together. Tom had cheated on her and she couldn't abide a cheater. So we moved in together. She was my first, but it turned out she didn't wait for me, Tom had rode her hard and put her up wet, time and again. As a virgin I didn't know what to expect, but knew what I felt wasn't like what everyone described to me, it was wet and hot and incredible feeling, but it certainly wasn't tight. And I'm not small by any means at 7" and almost 7" around.

We were to meet at a party. I had to finish my shift before I could show up at 8 but since it was a payday Friday, our boss let us off over an hour early.

I showed up, excited to see my girl and to have a longer evening of fun with her. Looking around, I finally saw her dancing with a guy and my jaw dropped when I realized she was dancing with Tom. I knew he had recently moved back into the area and never gave it two thoughts, Sarah and I were mere planning on marriage. In fact, I had the box in my pocket, planning to ask her before all our friends.

But there she was, her body molded to his, dancing a slow dance. I was stunned, but when I saw her lift her face to his and he bent down with a soft, gentle and romantic kiss, it was over between us. It might have only been a kiss, but it was THE 'kiss'. I was sick to my stomach and looked over to see my best friend look at me, and then back to Sarah. He knew. Yes, he knew.

I lifted my chin, indicating I wanted him to come over. He did and I handed him the box with the ring in it and asked him to wait a full hour before giving it to Sarah, compliments of me. I asked that he tell her she would need it, now that she and Tom were back together. That hour before he gave it to her was important. I promised to call him later.

An hour later everything I owned was out of our apartment and I was on the road heading away. My cell began ringing and I saw it was Sarah. It rang again and again. I listened to the first one, the panic in her voice was obvious and she was begging me to come back to the party, what I thought I saw wasn't correct.

Then the calls instantly became even more panicked when she had obviously went home and found me gone, with all my stuff. Finally, after listening to her tearful calls promising me she wanted to marry me and no one else, I turned my phone off.

I found a job about 200 miles away, living in my truck until I had enough to rent a place. Putting a block on my phone stopped her calls from her phone but then she began calling from other places so I changed my number. I waited four months before calling my friend. From him, I found out that Sarah had become a recluse, professing her love for me and that she was going to wait until I came to my senses.

I asked my buddy to keep a close eye on her. A VERY close eye, and he did. What he found out was exactly what I expected. He found Tom had moved in to our place and they were living together. He took a few pictures that I went ahead and forwarded to Sarah, asking if my eyes were still lying? And I told her to never attempt contacting me again.

I didn't see her for two years. She got married to Tom and I heard he was cheating on her. As a national class powerlifter I travel from town to town, wherever a good competition is. When one came up in my old town, I waffled back and forth but then realized I wouldn't see her or anyone else I know so I entered.

I was pretty focused. Meets aren't really well attended and there was no one there with me so paid little attention to anyone else. My opening attempt with the squat was only 50lbs under the State record. My second attempt was 1 pound over and I just barely got it, passing on my 3rd attempt. Then to the bench press and I opened with 1lb over the State record, getting it fairly easily. My second attempt was another 10lbs heavier and I passed on the 3rd attempt. Lastly is the deadlift, my worst movement. I was ahead of my nearest competitor by 60lbs but they say, 'the meet doesn't start until the bar is on the ground'. Meaning, the deadlift is where meets are won and lost.

My first attempt was 50lbs under my opponents. We both smoked it. He was going before me, which meant I would have a last chance when he was done. Our second attempts were still under the state record but while he smoked his attempt, 45lbs more than mine, I barely got it. He was within 16lbs of taking the lead. His third attempt was the 16lbs he needed and I knew he was going to get it, and I was right. He took the lead by 1lb. All I needed was a 2lb increase over my last attempt, but adding 2lbs to 644lbs was impossible, I'd already set a PR.

I didn't get it and was beat by one pound. I took best lifter and took 1st in both squats and the bench, but he took overall. I was pretty dejected and was surprised to feel a hand on my back. Looking up, I saw Sarah with sadness on her face, she had watched the whole thing and knew how hard I trained. Looking behind her, I saw Tom standing there and just got up and left them standing there, grabbing my gear and headed for my truck without even changing from my one piece wrestling singlet. Tom beat me to my truck and tried to talk to me. As exhausted as I was, it would take 2 weeks to recuperate, I threw him out of the way. He was apologizing and said it was me that Sarah loved. But I knew better, they were there together and she was wearing the ring I'd left.

I didn't go back to my hometown again. I heard Tom and Sarah married and had three kids. She divorce him when she found him in his office being sucked by his secretary. Her and her kids lived by themselves.

Me? I'm still single. I have trust issues now and have the hardest time letting females get close. Oh, I get laid, but not very often. One thing I did learn was pussies are MUCH tighter than Sarah's.

your girlfriend / wife... you go out of town or work late... you can find a lot about her character.. some times good and some times bad... I did not bail when I should and years later still not good .

I enjoyed this though can't say I cared for Cara that much.

Entertaining!

cara was / is / always will be a whore .

no surprises here .

However, (isn't there always a however?) you really rushed the ending. After months (?) of vacillating, he decides to give her a chance; she blows him off; he gets the itinerant cowgirl. As an aside, Cara ends up with the ex. Whew! At the pace of the story up to this point, that was about a chapter's worth in a single paragraph. That being said, this is one of your best. 5 stars.

Maybe thats the best move for cara, since you wanted to be a dickhead and string her along just because of a dry humping dance that didn't go any further, maybe her ex is a bettet choice

I am reminded of the old saying of "The Pot calling the Kettle Black" never rang truer,basically Frank called Cara a cheating whore which turned out false,but somehow Frank justifies his actions by sleeping with 2 married women.So in Franks case he saw fit to cheat just like his 1st wife cheated just so he could feel good about doing it to Cara.

Also I am reminded of so many proverbs like A Leopard can't change its spots or Once a cheater always a cheater.So in closing it was damn lucky Cara never married Frank since Frank was a natural born cheater.

It doesn't make me wonder. Cara failed, her friends failed, and her husband all failed to REMIND Cara that she... LIED about the entire affair. Not only lied about it, but did it perfectly! She never apologized for the lying. The down-playing, the manipulation of all her friends, the stalking are all pretty bad red flags....but the LYING part, and not apologizing for it part...those are game ending red flags. She was NOT sorry she lied to him. She even got ANGRY that he'd even suggest it...before he threw evidence at her. That's expert levels of lying. Most normal people, like us, only get mad when accused of things we didn't do.

Cara is someone that USES others. She WANTED to use her fiance, but realized her bullshit stopped working. She had to actually love him? She had to own up to lying? Screw that! That puts her in a weaker position...in her logic. So she made up an excuse about trust....on his part...not her own....to use a lesser man....that she could still control. That's the key word, control. He didn't have trust issues, she broke his trust...it was her issue. He was even willing to work on their relationship, provided she actually put work in. But that meant losing some control. So that was never going to happen. You wrote her well, author. A manipulating control freak, but everyone was too polite to point it out, but it was written all over her.

Cara's reaction at the end of the story doesn't ring true.,If she really thought that then she wouldn't have been at all upset like she as seeing him with other women.Plus the fact Betsy cheated on her husband with him so what is to say she won't cheat on him whilst she is away.I think he has got himself a lot of problems in the future.

The choice was his to make. What he wanted and not hers, young and not letting her make his life into what she wanted. He could find someone who wanted him for him. All he had to do was look and be able to hear.

And he ends up fucking two women he knows practically nothing about. And they're BOTH married. I would think that that fact alone would have blown up any chance he had of trusting them or ever being with them, regardless of what her husband says on the telephone. And by the way, how did he know it was her husband and not just a friend of hers helping her cheat? No this whole deal stinks to high heaven. He has two more cheating wives on his hands and I don't see any possible way he continues seeing them, let alone consider marrying one. I get not marrying Cara. She's never going to be honest with him or with herself. But your ending was just awful. He needed a new job in a new town, far, far away. UGH!

1 star

Have seen several comments calling Frank a cheater. When he slept with, first Becky and then Betsy, he did not know that either of them was married. He clearly told Becky that he would have dinner with them, go dancing with them but he would no longer sleep with either of them, since both were married. He did NOT ACCEPT Becky's explanation that Betsy's husband was OK with her playing and that she Becky, gave her husband all he could want so it was OK for them to play. Finally, if Cara could get back with Anderson and shift in with him, she would probably have kept him as a standby, for the first time there was trouble in the Frank/Cara household.Frank made the right choice, after Cara decided she couldn't live with him (Frank). Good story.

And who's to say she won't still cheat on him while she is on the road?

What a lame brain.He dumps his fiance for dancing with an old boy friend,but marries some one who cheats on her husband.Once a cheater always a cheater,how does know what she gets up to when away from home?.

What a lame brain.He dumps his girl friend for dancing with an old boy friend,but marries some one who cheats on her husband.How does he he know she is not shagging around on her horse delivery trips,like she did with him?.Once a cheater always a cheater.

This is one crazy story. Definitely a 5 for the idea.

Cara was not a cheater. She might have been behaving bad but understood her error. Yes, she was right he would be suspicious of her and maybe she maid the right decision not to marry him. Her going back to her old boyfriend has nothing to do with him, but showed her state if mind afterwords.

Backy is definitely a cheater and he done good dumpibg her.

Betsy is a special case. He got her husband's approval and due to the special circumstances he could stay with her. Accusing her that she will cheat on him, as some of the comments say, is ridiculous. Not every man/woman on the road is a cheater. It depends in the type of person you are. Betsy got into bad marriage. Not her fault and she played the cards she got. She stopped it once she got the insensitive to do aom until than it did not cost her anything to help a friend. Both she and her husband agreed the piece of paper saying they are married is only for show.

Another nomination for the "Best of JPB" list.

The pro-Cara people are full of shit. It’s not what happened that’s a problem. It’s that by her own admission she “never once thought about how you would have looked at it.” Plus the fact that she lied through her teeth right to his face when confronted. She needed to be tossed to the curb.

its obvious the whore cara was cheating from the start .

shouldnt have communicated with her at all after , that was weak to do so .

3 stars

Frank thinks that he has morals, and he does .... they're just bad ones!

But then, so does everyone else in this story.

This story is an excellent read. Women think (or an engagement or a marriage causes them to think) that conduct they would never have done nor things they would never have said (BEFORE the engagement or marriage), are now ok simply because she wants to do or say that. IE dance with an ex whose hands are holding her by her butt and in front of an audience. This story perfectly illustrates the new actions, infidelity and conduct and lack of morality she expects to be tolerated. In this story it was the woman’s huberous that caused her relationship to end.

A JPB winner!

5

Good story. Great ending!