All Comments on 'Home Early'

I enjoyed your story as I have others. I thought this one was well done, and the characters vivid. I really liked "the Captain."

I hope you write some more.

To many twins. The only good thing about this story is the location.

I am not going to go over a rehash of all the motivations and actions of this story. You wrote it as you wrote it. I may not understand this and that and have no desire to debate the application of Mercy. I think your explaination of there being consequences just not as many as we deserve is probably just about the best I know. :-) I like you subject matter and the fact your stories always have a purpose to them. Many here don't!

But about the writing. First, it is A D V I C E not advise. If I tell you what I think you should do, I am advising you and what I tell you is advice. Proofread next time.

Also, you need to start writing tighter. You could have told this story in 3 pages and not lost a damn thing, Josephus. As Elmore Lenoard says, you want to get rid of the stuff the folks don't read. I must have skimmed through about 1/4 of this story. That is a full page and a half you didn't need.

You pass though time like shit through a goose - first in a long rather boring retrospect and then you return to the present, then you shoot ahead 3 months for about 6 paragraphs (which added nothing to the story, BTW), and then ahead 2 years. Any good editor or writer will tell you that flashbacks might have worked in the original show "Kung Fu" but they are actually rather tedious. Flashbacks and retrospectives just point out all the information you should have told us earlier. If you absolutely MUST use them, go, get the info out and return to the story, in no more than a page. We care about what is happening NOW, not what happened back then. OK?

Write tighter sentences. You write well, but you tend to get too cute and wordy. Vary the rhythm of the sentences.

Are you pissed at me yet? :-)

All in all you still show a shitload of promise. Keep it up. You will get a 5 out of me yet! :-)

Best regards,

Chagrined

Numbers 6:24-26

Different than the normal cheating wife story. He got his revenge and at the same time he showed compassion at a time when she needed it. Maybe more real than some of the other stories. Thanks!

now the mercy part sucks.she cheated and fucked over you and your kids.she cheated and was another man whore while married to you.you to involve in ex-wife business.

what parent no matter what the cause would allow a child to attack the other parent with a weapon?this took away from the story for me.

OK I loved it. This author writes REAL stuff with strong characters that seem real with a lot of detail. It could of been a litle shorter but that doesnt bother me. Sometimes on a chilly morning I like pulling the chair with a cup of Hot Tea and reading a 5 page story...even if a little long ... that is so well developed.

Keeping in mind that we as readers HAVE to react to the story as written and as the author develops the story and characters... and delinate when we say how WE would of reacted ... I am certain some MORON here will come out and say how the husband is REALLY the EVIL one and the whore wife is a victim...

Perhaps it will be one of those morally bankrupt posters such as TiggerToo or 60yr George that will claim the Hubby PUSHED the wife into a bad marriage and USED the kids against her...

when if fact all MATT did was to FORCE Judy to face her lies cheating and betratal of her own actions.

If anyone complains about the Kids reaction to finding out about the betrayal they are arguing that the wife SHOULD have the RIGHT to lie cheat and fuck around without any consequences.

The fact that the whore wife did NOT think through how her Kids might react is Unfortunate but that doesnt mean she is exonerated from facing that Pain !!!!

The character JUDY is just vile. She is one mighty stupid self centered bitch with no value at all. Here we have a loving husband with 2 young kids who loves his wife deeply... and she comes home one day to say NOT that she is having an afair but that she is marrying the guy?

oh SNAP....

to think she thought her hubby who she crushed so completely would say her at the wedding by objecting is well sooooo fucking delusional... it is hard to fathom.

why couldn't she just say NO... "I changed my mind..." she is at the wedding altar watching her sweet kids crying tears of pain and agony for HOURS... yet JUDY still decides go through with it?

In the journal she FINALLY after 3 years gets upset when the boyfrind / new husband is still making fun of Matt... and she is trying to tell us she is guilt ridden?

I have NOOOOO sympathy for this cow... NONE. A more self centered vile woman I cannot imagine. It was all about her from the beginning - and her pain expressed in her journal is nothing but a god dam lie...

Her need to feel punishment and risk beatings and her possible death and leave her 2 girls witout a mother is Just awful. There are not words.... She is Just a attention whore...

Matt deciding to intervene so his Girls would NOT lose their mother to death was the right thing to do.

...but this is the most convoluted piece of crap I've EVER read. For sane people to like something like you've written tells me the trouble this world is in. The hubby was the victim ... you (and the other main character in the story) made him the villain because he drove her to her lover. Seems to me that she sucked and fucked her way there on her own. Your whole story portrays everyone as insane people, as far as I'm concerned. No one in his right mind thinks like you suggest. I know ... I have a graduate degree in counseling.

about that pompess ass who said "I know I have a graduate degree in counseling." Everyone knows those who can do those who can teach and council. It's a fuck story counciler! A fuck story.... don't quiet your day job!

Anonymous in USA: twins tend to run in families; as unusual as twins are, if they happen once in a family the odds are much higher than normal that they would happen again.

Harry: you couldn't imagine a more vile woman? Come on, dude, I know your imagination is better than that.

Author: good story. I agree with Chagrined that you could have sliced some parts of it out or at least pared them down a bit, but overall I liked this story. I've kind of gotten picky about handing out 5's lately though: a story has to be damn near perfect to get a 5 from me, so this one gets a 4. Keep writing and I'll keep reading.

I was very dissapointed that matt didnt ake judy back but did Matt ever remarry to someone elseand what about the twins i cried so hard hearing that Matt didnt take Judy back.

Pat Murray

Atlanta,Ga

Hi,the story was a great piece of litrature,just shows what

can happen to a marriage.a very well written story.

Keep up the great work.

I did not particularly like the fact that the husband was blamed for his ex-wife's betrayal and subsequent beatings, but I did like the way you ended it. I'd rate the story "A" for the first part, "D" for the middle, and "A" for the last part. Forgiveness is important so that we can move on in our lives, and I'm sure that even the "counselor" would agree with that.

Stupid wife deserved all of it!

There were a lot of good things in this story, above all the fact that it engaged my feelings so intensely. You did a wonderful job of making the reader feel both Matt's pain and, later, the Captain's and Judy's pain as well.

I agree with an earlier commenter that the Captain was a terrific character.

Great story!

ohio

I liked this story, you made it realistic you kept the husband from being a wimp. You had him showing control and wisdom. I admit you had me wondering how you were going to go with this story. I liked it.

I found the hero cold and too judgmental, couldn't sympathize with him. After he coldly planned it out, and manipulated his unfaithful weak wife, I just couldn't feel anything but contempt for him. Capote could have killed his exwife, yet even then, his first reaction was that she deserved the fate.

Sorry, but after that the story went downhill for me. Beating is never acceptable. Judy's fate had been decided long ago the early death of a mother and an overbearing, overpowering father. I have but compassion for her, and contempt for the hero. It wasn't his heart who hurt, but his ego. He did have her in a pedestal, and because she was a flawed human, she failed him and he could never forgive her for that. I'm so glad she got away not only from Capote, but especially from the supposed hero.

Not much more to say. It still retains your voice and your quirky way of writing....without even seeing your name I could have guessed you were the writer.

You're good Joe, you're really good. :)

The wife deserved all she got especially the beating from her daughters.

One thing that leaves me wanting is that the cheater always needs an unhuman level of understanding and forgiveness but the person cheated on is always oh so wrong for inflicting pain on the cheating spouse.

I think that the commentors that always lean towards mercy for the cheaters are probably indicating that they need mercy and understanding for their own transgressions, either past ones or ones that might(probably) will occur.

the way it is. Did he do the right thing? Was there any right thing to do?

I can think of no greater pain than a wife saying she loves someone else ... and wants to marry him.

I liked the ending better than an unrealistic reconciliation.

Outstanding effort - your writing skills are are improving with each story. Part of that is experiencing life - the more changes and experiences you have the greater the depth of emotions to draw on.

Regards, DJ

I feel this story is among the very best short length stories written. This is only my opinion, and I must admit that I am not well read in this area of literaure.

Joesephus is very talented with this story having a sort of take home message. Every sentence contains a wealth of information; you can't read the story and be doing something else at the same time; it's too complex and intense. The story has several major twists to it. The "Captain" is a strong character, as is Matt. Too bad about what Judy had to endear, but in the end all seems to have turned out for the better for Judy, for Matt, and for the kids. Great reading experience!

RAG

This was an excellent read; it kept my attention, especially the first few pages. The only problem I had was my lack of sympathy for Matt or Judy. He seemed almost totally unsympathetic and she almost totally lacking in any kind of backbone or moral fibre. She was that easily led? There seemed to be no one with whom one could empathize, except perhaps The Captain. At least, thank goodness, they didn't reconcile.

In any event, it was a well written, intriguing story. I always look forward to tales written by Joesephus.

There were parts all over it I couldn't agree with.

I know I've told you before I like your talent, but there is one thing that I honestly don't agree with. And this story really brought it out. In reading this story it was like you may believe that when one mate cheats during a marriage it's the fault of "both" the husband and wife for the affair. I've never agreed with that. I've seen Men and Women bend over backwards for their mate, doing eveything in their power for them, and the mate still cheated on them.

But in this story it felt like you were trying to put way too much of the blame on the husband (for working too much to get his business started) for the wives affair. One in your story first she felt trapped into, then later started to enjoy it.

Then when you had the Captain and the husband both saying that the former wife's beating in some shape or form was the fault of the now ex-husband, for forcing her to marry the guy she was cheating on him with, I started to lose intrest in the story. I made myself go back and finish it, but I started to heavily disagree with the story like you wouldn't believe.

On one hand I agree that when a couple is happy there isn't anything they cna't do. But no one really knows whats in the mind of anyone else, unless they are honest first with themselves, and later with their mate. But everyone rationalizes differently. For the characters in this story to share the blame for a wive's affair just was too much for me.

I did give it a 75 because a happy ending for me doesn't have to be where the husband and wife get back together. And I liked that you let them be happy with other people.

Sorry

-Risq

sure enough some dumb fuck from NC --- Hmmmm Anon from NC) is doing JUST that

look what this douche Bag of Moral relativism from NC said

..." I found the hero cold and too judgmental, couldn't sympathize with him..."

so when your wife lies to you for months comes home tells you she is fucking another man and wants to leave YOU and marry him... the Husband is NOT suppose to react?

..."After he coldly planned it out, and manipulated his unfaithful weak wife, I just couldn't feel anything but contempt for him..."

the Husband Manipluated Her? what the fuck?. The whore wife coldly decided to lie to her husband fuck the Boss and destroy her daughters lives forever. Forcing the wife to face the consequences of her despciable actions is NOT manipluation!!!!!

It is called being a grown up...

Then here is the topper.... and its thoughts like this idiot from NC that leads to assholes like Bill clinton get elected

..."I have but compassion for her, and contempt for the hero...."

Lets see -- the lying cheating whore that has been fucking 2 men ... who comes out of blue 1 day to say fuck you to her hsuband and her own kids... SHE is the one this NC douche bag has sympathey for... the Husband who tries to make a good house and stable home for the shattred kids... HE is the evil one?

next thing this asshole from NC is going to tell us is the Bush was behind the WTC attacks

Started very strong. But the last third lacked direction. Too much psycobabble. The previous reality of these characters became vague. It was like the phone was ringing so he had to rush to finish the story first. It read like the first two-thirds was written several years ago and the author finally wanted to finish it, but didn't bother to read what he had previously written.

Really enjoyed this engrossing story,welcome to the top drawer of GOOD authors.

There were a few writing flaws (get an editor!), but this story is an outstanding piece.

Write on!

-- KVK

It's a story written with much passion and incredible attention to characters. This is NOT a lazy writer! I enjoyed the flow of the story. That said, I do agree with at least two other comments here that the author fell in the same trap that so many others do: trying to blame the victim of adultery and homewrecking for the subsequent misery of the perpetrator. There is only one person who makes the choice to cheat: in case you haven't figured it, it is the cheater. Blaming, no matter in how much of a far fetched way, the betrayed spouse is like blaming the victim of rape for being raped. Without that lurking angle, this would have been a first rate story.

I guess you can gauge from my words that I loved your story!

When Matt was asked by Judy to take her back I almost quit reading (I thought ok here is the same formula reconciliation ending). I thought that Judy's plight, pressure from the Captain and his own guilt would force him to take her back.

Wow! I was pleasantly surprised that not only did Matt stay true to his convictions he had a well reasoned basis not to get involved with her again. Matt did not turn her away out of anger but as the old folks say "with wisdom." The damage that Judy did to the marriage effectively killed it.

Judy's journals revealed a very weak person who waits for someone to rescue her from her own mistakes. Ironically, if she had not married Capote then she would have either tried to get him to take her back or played slut to Capote with a similar outcome. Sometimes divorce is the best option.

A happy ending for all and I liked the poetic quotes. Thanks!

SleeplessinMD

The guy is so boring in this story he never could have got a woman to pay attention to him to marry him in the first place.

Snore~

A well written story, you have the talent to write Hollywood movies.

I agree with “Hmmm in NC” and will quote him. Of course, you have to write about the unusual in order for there to be a story.

You have written characters that are caricatures of people. While there are some people similar to this (bell-shaped curve probability), they are in the minority. Most people have quirks; they usually don’t order their whole life around them. Except in Lit LW stories.

To quote: “the hero (was) cold and too judgmental... he coldly planned it out, and manipulated his unfaithful, weak wife... Capote could have killed his ex-wife, yet even then; his first reaction was that she deserved the fate... Judy's fate had been decided long ago (by) the early death of a mother and an overbearing, overpowering father... . It wasn't his heart (that) hurt, but his ego. He did have her (on) a pedestal, and because she was a flawed human, she failed him and he could never forgive her for that.”

This is so obvious; it’s almost unarguable. He is not normal. You have given us no indication why the husband was so cold and such a perfectionist. What is in his past that makes him so driven? As “Peggytwitty” has said in comments on other stories, there are ALWAYS reasons why we do things. The reasons may be trivial or monumental, but they come out of our past to either help us or bite us in the butt. The husband is not a sympathetic character; he’s a cold-blooded bastard. As the author, you need to tell us why, in order to help us better understand your characters’ actions.

The husband knew his wife’s past and he knew she desperately needed emotional sustenance from many people. One person, husband or not, could not have supplied her with enough. Yet, he allowed her to take a job where she was in close contact with a handsome, personable man whom the husband didn’t like, who was twice divorced, had wandering eyes and clearly was a sexual predator. She even took trips out of town with this man. Of course she was going to become emotionally attached to this man. Is there any husband out there who wouldn’t understand that this was a train wreck waiting to happen? He was guilty of complicity by omission. He could have headed it off to start with. Why did he react so viscously when he had to know it would happen and he had done nothing to keep it from happening? What would he have done if she’d put oatmeal instead of Cream of Wheat in front of him at breakfast? Probably, he’d have lynched her from the big, old oak tree in the back yard.

Plainly, the wife was extremely conflicted. While getting the majority of her emotional sustenance from the other man, she still needed some from hubby. She knew what she was doing was wrong but her emotional needs were so great, she needed both men to be emotionally anywhere near whole. You did a wonderful job of showing this after hubby found out about her affair. The wife was mentally flitting back and forth between the two men. She couldn’t decide. She didn’t know how to reconcile her emotional needs with hubby’s need for a faithful wife. As there was no way to do this, she was in a real bind with no way out. It was one or the other. Or neither, in the end. Apparently, wifey had matured in her self-understanding and was able to obtain enough emotional sustenance from a man who had more life (and death) experience and self-confidence than hubby.

I liked your other stories better than this one. They seemed more completely fleshed out. You do write well. There have been stories by other “Lit-famous” authors that were woefully incomplete or had bizarre, deux ex machina anomalies in order to solve major plot problems. People spent pages debating the meaning of various parts of the stories when it was the authors’ duty to tell us in the story. You’ve done much better than them and I thank you for it.

Your comments on mercy and forgiveness are apropos and constantly need to be re-learned and applied by all of us, me included. It goes against our human nature, which is not the real us, but is in tune with our spiritual nature, which is the real us. Jiddu Krishnamurti, when asked about the secret of the universe, replied, “I AM.” Those two words are in a famous book. We are all connected spiritually with each other and with the Creator. Rabbi Y’shua gave us the “Golden Rule.” When we harm another, we harm ourselves. Thank you for reminding us.

Thanks for sharing your time and gifts with us.

Phil

Judy, the cheating wife:

Lets see, the college-going Judy has been dating Matt for a few months, knows that she is in love with him, and has agreed to spend a weekend with him and have sex.

What happens next? Judy gets cold feet. She can't have sex without a committment. So the naked and aroused Matt goes down on his knees and proposes.

Does this satisfy Judy?

No, she needs a symbol of this committment, and so this young, in love and in lust couple has to wait until she gets the engagement ring on her finger and they exchange vows.

Does this girl seem subservient?

Now fast forward to the affair.

She hints about the job being dependant on her fucking Capote. But, nothing has been said about their finances being that desperate. Was Matt such a poor provider? And why was there such a huge break in their communication that Judy could/ would not tell her husband about being sexually harrassed at work?

She says Capote "orders" her to his apartment and she could not say no, though she did not particularly want to say yes.

Does this seem like the same girl in the first scenario?

In my experience, girls like Judy, who become motherless at a very young age, and are raised by a quadriplegic (or otherwise disabled) father tend to be more responsible and mature than their peers. They would out of neccessity, have had to do many things for themselves and their parent, which other girls take for granted. And Judy seems to have risen to the challenge. Getting into college, and into soccer (remember, her father could have never played it with her) and having some principles and morals.

A "subservient" Judy who needs someone to tell her what to do, and expects her cuckolded husband to come charging in on a white horse and say no on her behalf on her wedding day just does not fit with this picture. She had no problem saying no before, why couldn't she do it now?

If 5 years of marriage has changed her so drastically, then what is Matt not telling us here?

Capote, the seducer:

He is potrayed as a smooth charmer. An older, experienced and well-off man with 2 wives and innumerable affairs behind him.

I can picture him being chronically unfaithful to his wife number 3. I can picture him as being selfish and a poor provider.

But somehow, the chronic wife beating just doesn't seem convincing. He has divorced 2 women, he could have divorced this one too, especially since he was having other women on the side. Why beat her? Beat her on many, many occassions starting 3 months after marriage?

Doesn't add up.

I loved the way you almost had us believe Matt had wimped out & taken the dumb slut back. My GAWD!!! Women like that shoud NOT be allowed to procreate. I enjoyed the story, but it did go on & on & on a bit too long. But HEY!! This is recreational writing and recreational reading, and I can tell you enjoyed writting this one from the heart. The description & depth of emotion, was evident and a pleasure to read, but I would have preferred more pornography & less Shakespere. (zed)

This author build a stage very carefully then described it's flaws. The foundation he used was in sinq with his path. The characters didn't wiggle 180 and the path didn't double back.

Well done Author!!! Perfect? No but you didn't expect that either. Tinkering after an editor on the final work is asking for trouble. Is there such a rush so as not to run it by the editor again? Patience can be difficult but can be learned if you reach for what you can do or be.

In life the anger varies by its host and the grievous depth of infidelity. Until you have been there in their shoes how can you say it can't mirror life? The author here doesn't say it is right or wrong - it just is.

When people don't value their marital commitment enough to manage it like a business with it's attendant complexities and grow it each day together, they collectively sow the seeds for later dilemmas.

They live together in trudging through life, but don't grow together and that is the true fodder for a story of failure.

You get in our mind author which is endearing and compensates for other things while you continue to grow.

It is fun to watch writers progress to authors and fewer to story tellers.

Thanks Author

With Very High Regard

I'll go with SleeplessinMD for the most part. I think you have put this fiction in a nice package of entertainment. I don't see any real life in the wife's portrayal but this is a fantasy and to put such multiple reactions to one set of events in one person is inventive. It is quite a stretch to show a split personality inside one topic with little self emotion just unbelievable logic that comes and goes.

As always well written and a try at a different approach.

Please keep writing

PT

The husband knew his wife’s past and he knew she desperately needed emotional sustenance from many people. One person, husband or not, could not have supplied her with enough. Yet, he allowed her to take a job where she was in close contact with a handsome, personable man whom the husband didn’t like, who was twice divorced, had wandering eyes and clearly was a sexual predator. She even took trips out of town with this man. Of course she was going to become emotionally attached to this man. Is there any husband out there who wouldn’t understand that this was a train wreck waiting to happen? He was guilty of complicity by omission.

++++++++++++++++++

So the husband should have said, "Ah, honey, I won't allow you to work in this company here, for this man in particular. I won't tell you the details, okay, call them my gut feelings, suspicions,,, but I won't allow you to work here"???

Is that HOW you stop the wife from working with that 2-divorced man? Treat her like a 12 year-old kid? The fucking woman character is a grown woman with some children!

If she's trust worthy --- no matter how "weak" --- she'd tell herself first and foremost her husband and daughters are her first priority, first allegiance. She'd confide in her life mate when there's something being said or done to her, that she think MIGHT have reverberations.

But this is a woman who started fucking around and decided, after some months, that she WAS GOING TO BE BETTER OFF leaving her husband for the guy she was cheating with.

"Sorry, I did not want you to see that.... I was going to tell you... I'm sorry, I didn't plan it this way... I just fell in love... he and I didn't plan it this way...."

In WHAT way was she planning?

I feel the diary was a red herring thing INSERTED too late into the story, as a lame excuse on the author's part to justifying what he thought readers were gonna accuse him of doing: MAKING the cheating woman marrying her lover.

But the husband was merely be LOGICAL about it, though bluntly so: "You know what? You should really, no, you must, marry him. It'd be so lame to believe, for me and for any one, to believe that you just ruined our marriage to have a few fuck sessions with the dickhead. Won't you think so?"

He's MERELY suggeting what a logical reasonable outcome oughta be. After all, SHE did say she's IN LOVE with that man and WAS PLANNING to tell the husband, right? Now, why won't the husband and her father simply be blunt about it?

Hey, if you think that person is preferrable to your husband, is preferrable to living with your daughters, THEN go for it: marry him and live with him and see how long that love you have for him --- more than a love you have for your husband and daughters --- will sustain you and him?

there's just NO WAY a man or woman should EVER "take back" a spouse who was fucking their lover in your bed when you come home,,, a spouse who said, "Y'know, I was planning to tell you about this... didn't mean for you to see it like this, to end like this,,, but I guess this, though bad, was quick... I was planning to divorce you... He and I, we didn't plan it at first to be like this,,, but he loves me and I love him..."

Any person who takes such a person back should be shot. They have no respect for NEITHER other's feelings or their own!

I dont't know of any reason why Matt should think his wife was a sub. As it was pointed out she refused to allow sex without a ring.

I also don't know why it is being assumed that her father was overbearing. A strong figure yes, but he seemed a fair man to me.

You have really matured as a writer; like another commented, your work is, in my opinion worthy of actually being published. I disagree that your characters are not believable, I have met people in my practice who I could identify as being these characters. Matt in particular was well drawn, & while showing mercy & forgiveness, did not forget what had gotten them both to the place where they were. He didn't take her back, because he had matured enough to realize that they indeed were not right for each other. Those actions of mercy & forgiveness gave him the strength and the ability to move on in his own life and make a marriage with what is, hopefully, the right woman for his wife. Great work, keep it up, I'm tying in my feeble ways to write as forcefully and strongly as you have done.

of personalities, emotions and situations!

but wasn't 4 prizes in 3 years a little too much?

Anyway, the existence of a fly proves the quality of the ointment...

Toesman got it right! I am amazed by the commenters who twist and turn the plot to fit the conclusion that the husband is responsible for her cheating.

Ok - Matt was not perfect. He should have realized that his trust in the woman of his life was misplaced. He should treated her like a child and decided where she goes and who she sees on a day to day basis. WRONG!

The author described a man who placed in his wife on a pedestal. I know men and women who adore their mates so Matt was credible to me. I also know that those mates have less than perfect aspects to their character. Do you think that anyone can point out those flaws to those people who put their mates on a pedestal?

Judy fell off her pedestal! Judy disrespected Matt, her father, the twins and everyone who believed in them as a couple. What Matt did when he realized that his marriage did not exist was to analyze the options. He could keep her or divorce her. The key point was she in love with Capote. So Matt should fight over her even though she has only known Capote for months? The author can be forgiven for the use of some psychobabble (i.e., subservient) because readers want some explanation for Judy's actions.

The fact is men and women every day resist and succumb to temptations that may destroy their marriage and family. I thought that the author did a good job of showing that two people who are not suited for each other can find happiness (that may be the fantasy part).

SleeplessinMD

A very nice read and a good story--though a bit fanciful at times. It's hard--especially in this genre--to avoid creating characters that are more caricatures than realistic. I think all four main actors in this drama are a bit over the top and not very realistic (the narrator, Judy, Capote, and the Captain). Of the four, Capote and the Captain are the most believable. Judy and the narrator are a bit too extreme.

I have a very hard time believing that any woman would be as complete a doormat as Judy was from start to finish. The narrator almost had me siding with Judy when he first refused to allow Judy to have any chance to explain herself and then went to such extremes to "teach her a lesson". Had you tried to bring them together at the end of the story, you would have lost me completely. Judy deserves better.

What you didn't caricature was the nature of mercy. In a way, it was better drawn than the characters, but that was what you were trying to do. And you did it to perfection! Mercy does not always mean "kiss and make up." Sometimes it simply means "hug and move on." Both the narrator and Judy did the right thing. Mercy is also something you usually receive only when you give it away. That's what the narrator discovered.

I love your writing style and your insight into human behavior--even if in this story the characters were a bit overdrawn. I look forward to your next story.

The Cobbler

Cobbler1023

Dont see how its the husbands fault. The underlying theme of this story seems to be that women arent capable of making their own choices and decisions. I disagree 100%.

the wife chose to cheat

the wife chose to marry the guy (i.e. what her husband told her to do had nothing to do with anything when you come right down to it)

the wife chose to stay with him when he hit her

etc etc etc

I dont think the husband is at all responsible for any of it beyond the usual (i.e. his inattention may have led to her affair, etc). There is no reason for him to feel guilty for her choices. He can feel bad for her and even want to help her but that just because he wants to be a nice guy, not because he owes her something.

It was good that he didnt take her back and that he decided, whatever the cause of her behaviour, that she wasnt the type of partner he needed/wanted. Other than that, it seemed a little weird and excessive. You can put a dress on a pig but its still a pig - same thing with her poor choices and low character. None of the trials and tribulations she went through after he divorced her have one thing to do with what she did during their marriage. They dont mitigate the cirumstances at all so it just seemed like muddying the waters wrt to the end of the marriage to me.

Anyway, it was an ok story even if it did seem too much like a direct response to your last story (HHaP continuation). Seemed like the other side of the same coin and sorta an exercise for you, or a response to feedback, rather than a whole story that stands by itself.

Thanks for writing.

Great Going Joesephus,

I hope matts new marriage is better and his children he had from his second marriage goes better i hope you write more of matt and his stories.

Pat Murray

Atlanta,Ga.

on sept 15 I said in my 1st post " COMPLICATED well written story of Morals 9/15/06" I said this...

....Perhaps it will be one of those morally bankrupt posters such as TiggerToo or 60yr George that will claim the Hubby PUSHED the wife into a bad marriage and USED the kids against her..."

I must be a foretune teller

TIGGERTOO-- leader of the blame Husband first chorus

... "This is so obvious; it’s almost unarguable. He is not normal. You have given us no indication why the husband was so cold and such a perfectionist.."

NO INDICATION?!?!?!?!!?

The wife comes Home one day to tell her Husband she has been seeing another man for months fucking him and know wants to marry this other guy.... then Offers him a Mercy fuck of sloppy seconds

and PHIL -- Tiggertoo says there is no explaiend reason as to WHY the husband is so cold?

My god... what a stupid bastard... can anyone be this fucking stupid?

You bitch like a little girl and when we checked we found that you haven't written a fucking thing. No storeis of your own yet you bitch about others. I guess you were to busy with your deck of cards and the grand opening of your plam reading store to write any. Yea the Great Garryin VA Carnack the unmagnificant!

Obviously, the person who commits the crime is responsible in the majority. Please note that majority may be 51%. It may be more. Obviously, the wife bears the major responsibility. The husband bears a strong minority position of responsibility by not intervening when and where necessary. He was aware of the wife’s past and the problems it caused and he didn’t act in any useful way. It is not moral relativism to say that a person who is in a position to intervene, but doesn’t, is partially responsible by acquiescence. If you care about someone, you don’t just stand by and watch them drown in a problem. You attempt to help them. Maybe you fail, but at least you tried. Then, you bear no responsibility.

Not being in the psychological profession, I can only speculate. From personal observation of people, it seems as if women, with their concomitantly greater emotional makeup, are more affected by past problems and live out the effects more in their daily lives. I can personally speak to the situation of birth mothers and illegitimate children and their adoption. It can be a horror that affects many lives. The birth mothers are often scarred for life and many adoptees have significant substance abuse problems.

The wife in this story needed a husband who was on top of his game at all times looking out for her. She didn't get a husband like that. High maintenance? Yes. Would I want to do it? Probably not. I’d want a much lower key situation where I could kick back and relax; knowing Wifey was always taking care of our marriage and family as a first priority.

Phil

the story here is that both were young, just starting on their life together, just starting to have children, and both working hard,,, thta means they didn't have much time with each other and did not make much time for one another,,,

and then one day the husband came home and the wife was fucking some older man and she said, "Oh, honey, I didn't mean for you to see it like that,,, I was going to tell you,,, but I guess there's no easy way to do it,,, he and I didn't mean to do it; nor did we intent to fall in love,,, but I love him now, I'm sorry,,, Again, I was planning to tell you,,, I love you too but I love him and we are planning to,,,,,,,, I'm so sorry,,,,,,"

I mean, what the fuck does the young husband have to fight for, to fight over?

this is a woman, a mother, a wife, who was supposed to be working hard ---- JUST LIKE THE YOUNG HUSBAND --- building their life, saving for the children, saving for their retirement, saving to build a bigger house for the family,,,,,,,,,

and here, as the young exhausted walks in, she's busily fucking an older man from her work, her boss, and the first thing that came of her mouth was, "Oh, honey, we din't mean, I didn't mean, for it to happen this way,,, I was going to tell we that we are through,,,, Yes, I love you and I din't mean to FALL IN LOVE WITH HIM,,,, but it happened,,, I'm so sorry,,,"

what the fuck do you suppose to say to that? "Oh, baby, please, don't leave me"? "Let's call a marriage counselor, baby"?

a marriage and a spouse worth saving is one in which the guilty party comes to you and say, in tears: "Honey, I love you totally but I have done something very heinous against you, against our marriage, and if you want to divorce me, I will understand,,, but I beg for forgiveness, that's all I could do,,, I don't know how I got myself into such a sitiuation, so that I rationalized my crimes against you and the family as something good or even romantic or exciting,,, but you must try to save me from my stupidity,,,

"I know you are a person with a moral compass that is more refined than mine,,, all I ask for is that you don't throw me and our marriage away,,, like I did,,,, I will die, if I could make you whole again,,, if I could erase the eternal wounds I inflicted on you,,,,,,,,," BLAH, BLAH, BLAH,,,,,

Now, something like that, someone like that ---- she's worth fighting for, worthy fighting to save, to make whole again.

But this is a woman who fucks ANOTHER MAN in your bed and the first thing she says is: "I'm so sorry,,, I, we,, didn't mean for you to see that,,, I was going to tell you that we were through and that he and I were going to,,,,"

You DON'T FIGHT for something like that. There's NOTHING to fight for, to fight over.

Don't BS about she being a submissive woman, needing strong hand. She fucking GOT IT, from that fuckin' boss, didn't she?

I laughed so hard, when the author/the woman's argument for her NOT running away from an abusive man, the old guy, was because SHE HAD MAD A PROMISE and she intended to stick to it, IN ORDER TO MAKE HER FORMER HUSBAND as well as her abusive husband HAPPY: that she's a woman of her word!

WTF!

And then have the balls to say the FORMER husband PUT HER in her present circumstances? That she'd DIE, if she had to, just to prove to him that she could keep her words: to the abusive man whose beating was becoming more and more severe?

the (after the fact) "dairy" the dad had the former husband read,,, which talked about her waiting for the heroic, young former husband riding on a shiny white horse, coming to interrupt her marriage to the older abusive guy,,, but realizing that that was not gonna happen and that she's in deep shit but would suffer and POSSIBLY die, quietly,,,, just to prove to the former husband how much she loved him and would never complain to him again,,,,, that's the biggest BS I've ever come across in a story!

what man wife fuck another and he don't get mad.why get married if you want your wife to fuck others.how is holy hell can the hubby be responible for that nut case of a wife.her dad is as crazy as the wife.she go and fucks her boss and come home and want hubby to take her back and she talking marriage to the boss and her.this was a sick bitch.first how is a divorce hubby can tell her when and where to marry.no body make her get marry. she was a whore and got caught.the kids had the right ideal,beat her ass.

The story writing was not your best, and I HATED the asshole husband. From the moment he was 'sure' she cheated, his tiny mind snapped shut and he refused to let it open at all. He's a slave to pride and thinks too much of himself.

Confuscious expressed a sentiment we should all breathe every day. He called it a concept of 'loving kindness' - even better than mercy. Call it the 'Golden Rule' or any of the other ways it's expressed. Small minded intolerance is not a way to express it.

Did he HAVE to marry a virgin [had only by him qualifies]? How many lovers can a woman, or a man, have before she's unlovable and unforgivable? Is getting fucked after marriage so very different form before? Cheating isn't spreading your legs for someone else. It's a betrayal of trust. If he were OK with her fucking anyone, anytime if she always came home to him in love, would that be cheating? Would that entitle him to ruin her life and trash the love they otherwise felt.

Forgivness, mercy, LK, GR all start with a bigger mind than this shit had. No matter how much his ego was bruised, if he loved he he owed it to both of them to hear her out the 1st night.

The story writing was not your best, and I HATED the asshole husband. From the moment he was 'sure' she cheated, his tiny mind snapped shut and he refused to let it open at all. He's a slave to pride and thinks too much of himself.

Confuscious expressed a sentiment we should all breathe every day. He called it a concept of 'loving kindness' - even better than mercy. Call it the 'Golden Rule' or any of the other ways it's expressed. Small minded intolerance is not a way to practice it.

Did he HAVE to marry a virgin [had only by him qualifies]? How many lovers can a woman, or a man, have before she's unlovable and unforgivable? Is getting fucked after marriage so very different from before? Cheating isn't spreading your legs for someone else. It's a betrayal of trust. If he were OK with her fucking anyone, anytime if she always came home to him in love, would that be cheating? Open marriages or Polyamoury have problems, but idealistically eliminate cheating by fucking. Even if she DID cheat, would that entitle him to ruin her life and trash the love they otherwise felt. THAT might be unforgivable because it was planned and intentional!

Forgivness, mercy, LK, GR all start with a bigger mind than this shit had. No matter how much his ego was bruised, if he loved her he owed it to both of them to hear her out the 1st night. His only redemption was the delusion that what he did was OK since they weren't a perfect match.

Joesephus I read your story once before and i thought it was good but after reading it again i loved it more I hope his New Wife doesnt make the mistake as Judy did before I Hope you and your family Have Happy New Year and i hope you continue writing these great stories like you wrote here.

Pat Murray

Atlanta,Ga.

I would have left her to rot in the hell she calls a marriage. I would have paid Capote money to beat her. I would have visited her in the hospital and laughed then pissed on her. I would have enjoyed flaunting my success at every opportunity. I would love attending her funeral and besmirching her memory in front of family & friends, I would then spit on her grave as often as convenient. But HEY! That's just me! LOL!!!

Mercy is unmerited favor.

I liked your story and I sincerely appreciate your writing.

You show depth and perception. Not something many people understand.

Tie a knot in the end of that rope and hang on.

Regards,

-Pultoy

I like the way Matt had his heart changed and learned a thing or two about true love. That is 'showing kindness to your enemies'. God does not ask us to like everyone, but to love them in our action - by doing good to them. I have seen some of my enemies become friends because I decided to treat them well even when they treated me terribly.

I liked this story when I first read it and still do. It's a powerful, well-told tale that is superbly authored. The characters are realistic, flawed and yet noble in their own ways. The husband's revenge on his cheating wife was infinitely worse than a physical beating. To work her into consummating her affair by marrying her cheating lover who would show her true pain and anguish by cheating and abusing her was wicked. Well deserved but wicked nonetheless.

<P>

The plot is superbly handled and the Captain is a wonderful supporting character. I think my only complaint is the stereotype of the adulterer in the character of James. Yes, he's evil, immoral and a scumbag but is that all he is? Has he no good qualities at all? He probably does but the author leaves him as a plastic man, dehumanized so we can dislike him without remorse.

<P>

Still, this is excellent fiction. I thank you, Josephus, for a story well-told.

The profile of the wife as told by the husband from the beginning of the story and up to the point of her confrontation with him, when she physically pushes him away so as to prevent any “independent evidence”, is IMO un- matching with her profile from that point on. As the story unfolds, an efffort to build a case for the wife as a subservient/submissive character is made. Yet, that is not what we could conclude even in hind sight about her behavior either from PRIOR to the confrontation or from after it. 1. She may have had doubts about her love to her blackmailer but why the emotional and physical desertion of a husband she is supposedly so much in love? 2. The diaries would have you think she was all but a sexual slave to a hateful enemy. Yet, she emotionally and at least partially physically abandoned her husband and prepared to marry (according to the expert on her character she would not lie, at least not to a direct question) her boss.

3. She was not so subservient as to accept her new husband request to have anal sex (coming to think of it, neither was she subservient that way with her husband) or agree to have a child with him. 4. She loved her husband, yet she was thinking of leaving him and marrying her boss – and that was NOT just “one sentence”, the way her father put it. We have to trust her truthfulness. She claimed that "they were thinking about it". 5. She is ready to have sex with her boss while cooperating with his scheme of derision and insults towards her husband. Supposedly 'she hated it' and yet she was continuing with it - not trying to stop him the way she did later on what mattered to her when she was married to him. ****** <P>

It just does not add up that with this cumulative list of behaviors, a subservient/submissive personality would be the correct clue. She either harbored some major resentment to her husband, maybe unbeknown to her (but the story does not see that possibility, let alone elaborate on it) or the story is inconsistent on her character. ****** <P>

Despite my problems with the confusion and contradictions of her character you did an incredible job with a very sober smart fun and funny ending. How you pulled it of? Beats me. It worked! ****** <P>

Did I mention that I loved your writing as a whole? Your description of the husband’s turmoil hit in many places very close to home and was very authentic at all times. There were for example some fantastic scenes describing the husband’s relations with “the captain” which should be offered to some quality film studios as a teaser for a full length script. While I could not accept the concept of the story on ‘what happened to my wife’, I was charmed by many beautiful segments of it. ******

Thank you much, and please more soon, yes?

Sorry for another posting. I saw other posters on the issue of MERCY, and of course had to add my two cents. Hey, we don't pay for the paper and maybe I do have a point?

To me, the whole Mercy issue is a distraction IN THIS STORY. I will try to explain why I think so. The concept is briefly examined, but is essentially rejected in its pure form, to later be adopted if combined with wisdom and judgment (forgiveness). These were my bylines. Details to follow: <P>

1. Being kind to your enemies is and always has been smart utilitarian strategy applied by the greatest military strategists from the birth of civilization. It is also a smart approach in human relations and in Organizational psychology. Down to the micro level, it works best for couples as a way to resolve adversity and to maintain tolerable relations in case of divorce. ALL the above HAVE NOTHING WHAT SO EVER with the CHRISTIAN concept of MERCY, which is not utilitarian. The latter sets the standard MUCH HIGHER. Love your enemy is a maxim which goes far and beyond the capacity of most if we were to be honest about it. (I could not do it). It’s not to be confused with acting kindly. Personally, I had very distant and acrimonious relations with my father. As I grew up I saw him to the most part, as an adversary to me . I could not say that I truly loved him. And yet, I did not have much problems acting humanely and kindly towards him when he was sick or became very dependent at old age. I still did not love him and I still deeply resented him for what he did to our family. I was not Merciful in the Christian sense (I can live with it though). At the most I was humane towards him. In conclusion: Kindness is NOT equal to Mercy. ****** <P>

2. Another way of looking at this wonderful story is through it's themes, examining the concepts of Mercy, revenge and forgiveness respectively. If any thing, the story examines the concept of MERCY in the context of practical life, NOT through the theological perspective, which is quite different. The story comes to the very wise conclusion (despite being pushed to resort to unconditional mercy) that MERCY, UNTEMPERED WITH GOOD JUDGEMENT AND WISDOM IS FOLLY. It could land you and the person you granted MERCY back in the land of pain and misery. Thus his decision NOT to take his ex back, realizing that they are a bad match. What a refreshing and smart analysis! ****** <P>

3. The story allows for REVENGE as a corrective measure. It helps to restore justice (not to mention serves as a warning and prevention for future violations). It moves the ‘sinner’ wife to realize her wrong doing and have empathy and it fullfils the all human need for an emotional outlet to the husband. ****** <P>

4. Finally, Forgiveness is the concept which allows him to put his emotions in a place from which he can move on in his life. No longer weighed down by either rage or guilt. In a real demonstration of emotional processing of loss and adjustment to betrayal which takes time and carries you through stages,many times not organized and sequential as the text books promise, he went through several stages to the level of mature forgiveness. This was a rare performance of literary narrative on grieving and its aftermath.

I like most of your stories, but in this story the husband is such a vindictive, cold-blooded bastard that it's hard to empathize with him. His ego got hurt, so he doesn't care if his former wife gets beat to death and his kids get wiped out . The world has to pay for hurting his pompous ego.

the Ct. Yankee

tigger and ct yankee,the two of you wake the fuck up.wife fucking another man and lying and betraying her family.she and lover are open for anything they get.if most writers had any balls and get justice or revenge on whores and their lover rather eating there cum there would be stronger men.but most writers rather eat cum and get a hard.

Vielen Dank für diese herzzerreißende Geschichte. Ich habe sie mit großer Anteilnahme gelesen. Sicher auch ein paar Tränen vergossen. Es ist gut, wenn Autoren in der Lage sind, den Leser mit ihrer Geschichte auf die Reise mitzunehmen.

Danke für den exzellenten Lesestoff

sometimes its hard to say NO & then stick to in spite of the price. the word I gave my wife to FORSAKE ALL OTHERS means more to me than any other, without the willingness to keep my word I'm nothing. I do expect the same adherence to her vow as mine, zero tolerance and no forgiveness.

I know that sound strange, but I'm currently going through a similar situation. I'm thanking you for showing me the high and low road that I could take. Thank you for showing me the high road.

It all worked out so sweety-pie and motherhood, didn't it?

See, that just goes to show you that having affairs is really a good thing that leads everyone to finding their true selves. It's a shame that some rigid pinheads try to get it all mixed up with honor, loyalty, committment, and all of that other junk. Right?<p>

There must be a feminist in the wood pile!!

After reading this story again, a year later, I have a greater appreciation for the author's skill. Now I can see each paragraph is crafted with feeling and understanding. Not just common sentence structure, but full blown literary talent. "...but although I'd killed the mastodon and I didn't have a mate to bring the prize to." So much feeling is expressed in those few words. <p> <p> <p> But, alas, his stories are limited to the 13 we have here. There will be no more. He died a month ago in a single-car accident in South America. Such a loss of a gigantic talent.

i have read the last of your stories. this story "SUCK'S." THE STORIES THAT I HAVE SO FAR WERE GOOD OR BETTER! THIS ONE

?????????? I HOPE YOUR WIFE FIND'S A FUCKBUDDY!

that we lost Josephus. This fine tale will not have successors.

<p>

And it is a shame that there is no one to remove the

last completely absurd commentary that was posted anonymously!

Joesephus was one of those naturally talented writers. He had the wonderful ability to take his amazing thought process and put it into a story. His stories all had depth and understanding of the human heart and soul. To have lost him in a car accident is a loss to those of us who really enjoy a good story from a good writer. I also noted that he was a deeply compassionate and religious person. He was taken too soon.

Joesephus was one of those naturally talented writers. He had the wonderful ability to take his amazing thought process and put it into a story. His stories all had depth and understanding of the human heart and soul. To have lost him in a car accident is a loss to those of us who really enjoy a good story from a good writer. I also noted that he was a deeply compassionate and religious person. He was taken too soon.

In one way or another this writer always finds a way to portray the lead male character as an emotional creature, not a real man. Men do not have nor experience the intense emotional outbursts as do fems, that's just fact. I do realize these are stories but I want 'some' truths throughout, especially a non-wimping emotion thinking man. Men live in black OR white worlds wherein fems live in a full spectrum color world full of emotions that have nothing to do with reality.

Your actual premises are one of the best I've read so far on this site and I admire you for concocting them.

I like this author but why blame the person who is cheated on,she made her choices he didn't now you want the readers to feel sorry for a person you made a fool.The kids should not have been allow to stay with her but their is no mention of that or them telling their father what was going on. It was not very well thought out.

about imperfect people accepting theirs and others shortcomings and able to forgive them as well as themselves. A talented author and a beautiful person whose life was cut short. We will never know how far his talent would have progressed. I for one believed he was destined to become a well known author. His writings are sorely missed.

she had the ability to say no to that/other marriage. judy had to have a ggood idea what she had and did. the hell ended but at what price to her, others?

...I HAVE TO SAY I TRULY ENJOYED READING THIS STORY....WELL WRITTEN .....YOU HAVE A GREAT TALENT...THANK YOU SO MUCH....

Good story. Very believable.

I've known quite a few women like Judy. They're not the kind you should ever date, let alone marry. Avoid them like the plague because they will bring pain to your lives.

what else is there to say about a good story well told.........a new fan John

Josephus wrote some of the best stuff on this site, during his all too brief time among us. If there is a better place beyond this mortal existence, I hope he will find his peace there.

I discern from some of the comments that Joesephus the young author who I admire here has passed away. Could someone please reply here or to my email and confirm and perhpas provide some insight. I thank Joesephus for his stories that allowed me to consider grace and mercy the way he has described. Like other readers, I wish he were still here to write more . . . and teach more. (orionman1@yahoo.com)

A very good story indeed

Such a pity that you're no longer around to entertain us Josephus. The world's a poorer place.

A super read with a lot of thought going into this (unless it all really happened), really well paced and believable people..

The story is interesting and well written. However, it is not logical. There are too many inconsistancies and one in million improbilities. Based on his various behavior he could be described as a schizophrenic psychopath. Certainly he is evil.

However, the story is well written and has merit.

Many of the glitches in the story detract too much from the overall flow, but on the whole, it is a good story. Grammar, spelling and flow all have to work together. Keeping the names correct would also be nice. Keep writing. The ending was almost hidden by the too many flashbacks, without enough definition, but good, nonetheless.

What that turd doesn't know = the universe of known information. DWmoronic is unequivocally the densest, most obtuse, un-worldly shitbird ever to openly display their ignorance.

Joesephus hit another home run with this story, no surprise there.

What that turd doesn't know = the universe of known information. DWmoronic is unequivocally the densest, most obtuse, un-worldly shitbird ever to openly display their ignorance.

Joesephus hit another home run with this story, no surprise there.

What that turd doesn't know = the universe of known information. DWmoronic is unequivocally the densest, most obtuse, un-worldly shitbird ever to openly display their ignorance.

Joesephus hit another home run with this story, no surprise there.

Epic story brilliantly written!

Many comments are very negative and demeaning to this reader. However I do not share any of these negative comments towards DWmoronic. I believe each reader is entitled to their own opinion. In fact I have read many of DWmoronic's comments and although I don't agree with some of his comments I have to admit that I have excepted 90% of his comments to be in parallel with my own. As I have said each reader is entitled to his/her own opinion. I would also like to complement all of the authors who contribute their time and knowledge in making this site a great reading pastime for many people. I know I sometimes forget to vote and fail to express my appreciation on a story but please assure that my sincere gratitude is always there. Please keep up your great

work.

DKC

a cop-hating pedophile - not a bad thing if you hate police and molest children but otherwise she can just fuck the hell off with her "1* old folks" comment on Every GodDamn Story.

To follow up on DWornock's comment (07/31/11), it's possible the protagonist displays some behaviors that might be considered psychopathic or, more likely, sociopathic.

However, schizophrenia (as opposed to multiple personality disorder, a completely different syndrome) is marked primarily by catastrophically disorganized thinking and can be associated with other symptoms, such as delusions or hallucinations. Someone disabled by (untreated) schizophrenia could have trouble deciding how to button his shirt, let alone design a building. The character displays none of those traits.

For more precise information and updated nomenclature, WebMD and other web sites discuss mental and emotional disorders in more detail.

First Wife loves the other guy, then not, then hubby has humongous mancrush on his father-in-law, then he gets filthy rich, wifey gets beaten up and everybody lives happily ever after ... did i forget something ?

to use your brain, what little of it there is. Well drawn characters, interesting take on a well used plot, good use of metaphor, well edited, etc. Simpletons who can barely read or count2four prefer dogfood over steak, the rest of us appreciate quality writing.

Skowed that reconciliation and burn the bitch are not the only alternatives here. It took some time, but eventually he got it right.

Good tale except an important element: Wife'e motivation in cheating never explained. Wasn't for sex, no real crucial need to keep her job. Boss clearly an unattractive personality.

Why? A really critical gap in the story! Gave it a '4'.

Dan

If you didn't want to write any more why didn't you just quit?

An anonymous reader asked why Josephus lied about his death.

This story had a publication in 06. He died in 07 according to accounts in his profile.

Anonymous commentors must be really gutless coward

Responding with my user name is just as vague as claiming to be anonymous. I am yet to sign a check texcaveman but at least i do have some attachment by name to my responses.

What does it matter if anyone likes or not my opinion? My real name is just as much a nystery

But I also felt the story had a few failings, for instance the near rose colored glasses that the Captain saw Matt and July's marriage he never was able to see what actually broke their marriage up. Another was the casual way the author treated the seduction of July by Capote, it didn't seem to ring true or make sense. The worst failing was the Disney approach to Matt eventually not forgiving her. Even though it was quite wordy it smelled as very pollyanish I could swear I could blue birds flying over as I read it.

A question to the author how in the hell did Matt get so wise in such few years about his first marriage and all though it was nice to read Shakespeare on this site there was nothing about Matt's character that suggested such depth of thought.

Read it. It has credible, memorable characters, real life emotions and reactions, a credible cheater (a woman pretending love to rationalize her behavior REALLY is better then a [ahem] JPB excuse of her needing to try a new cock on for size...) a sensible male reaction.

I'm sorry he's dead so he can't read the comments from the people whose lives he's entertained and brought pleasure to.

I wish I could write half as well.

Good story, kept my interest, nice character development.