Short Fuse; A Short Story of Abuse, Betrayal and Revenge

by Clabe Polk

Ken Handly abuses women; and everyone else in his life. He abuses not physically, but mentally and emotionally. He has had whole string of illicit love affairs fueled by his own self-importance. Besides, his lovers, he abuses everyone he works with. His intelligent, attractive wife is sick of the embarrassment of Ken's behavior. The only person not sick of Ken is Ken; he loves himself.
When Ken consults an astrologer to ask why his life isn't working out he way he planned it, he is warned that his behavior could lead others to react violently toward him. Ignoring the astrologer like he ignored most other people, he never saw what hit him.

ebook

Published March 9, 2015

About the author

Clabe Polk is into a second career as a writer of fiction. So far, he has written three novels, three novellas, several short stories, assorted screen plays and has a couple of novels in process. He is a life-long reader with a great variety of life experiences that has led him to write a variety of different types of fiction.
Mr. Polk retired after nearly thirty-seven years in professional environmental protection, that included administrative, civil, and criminal law enforcement. Having studied Marine Zoology and natural sciences at the University of South Florida, he has spent most of his life among the woods, waters, fields and farms of Florida and Georgia.

He currently lives in Powder Springs, Georgia with his wife, two daughters and the family’s cockerpoo named ‘Annie’.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book name : Short Fuse; A Short Story of Abuse, Betrayal and Revenge

Author : Clabe Polk

Blurb/Theme :
Ken Handly abuses women; and everyone else in his life. He abuses not physically, but mentally and emotionally. He has had whole string of illicit love affairs fueled by his own self-importance. Besides, his lovers, he abuses everyone he works with. His intelligent, attractive wife is sick of the embarrassment of Ken's behavior. The only person not sick of Ken is Ken; he loves himself.
When Ken consults an astrologer to ask why his life isn't working out he way he planned it, he is warned that his behavior could lead others to react violently toward him. Ignoring the astrologer like he ignored most other people, he never saw what hit him.

About:
This is the fifth book of Mr Clabe Polk that I am reviewing and the first short story of the author.

The short story plot is woven in a nice way of events though the ending was a bit shocking to me as I feel only a man can satisfy a woman and never two women or two men.

There are many men today who are like Ken, who love to abuse emotionally available men/women in whatever way they please to - just for pleasure. Commitment-free and responsibility-free life with enjoyment in sex as just to cheer them up is the tagline of such people. I feel this cannot be labeled as an affair but rather as an addictive behavior because of the temper or short fuse of such people. Even though they ask forgiveness, the scars remain ( like how Molly retorted). These men are not at peace with themselves because they fluctuate in relationships – in and out and ultimately are worthy of being puked out.

I think Katherine could have chosen to walk out with dignity as I feel she was worthy of deserving a “more of a real man in a man”. Every woman likes a man who says she is beautiful and hot but every woman will love a man if he takes responsibility of his own family, of her, of her career and most importantly respects her and makes loves to her alone.

Betrayals are a painful part of life but my personal opinion is taking vengeance is not for us, its to be left between God and them. Women are way more intuitive than men, so they kindoff understand the waves of drifting from afar.

Also when the person you love the most betrays you, I don’t think the hatred and anger for their unstable and hangover-relationships can ever outweigh the love we had. We have to just feel happy that love grew in us and transformed us but they were unworthy for our love.

My personal opinion is if our love is pure and true and only for them, then if we walk out from their life, they will be burdened, restless, hopeless, past memories with us will make their eyes fill with tears, ( yea, men cry too) . They can go anywhere they want but they will miss us everywhere. They can even be with someone whom they think they love but in the thoughts only we will dominate them. They will not be attracted to anyone else if there is power in our true love. Only in us they will find solace, serenity!

I don’t believe an iota in astrology though I love to see the stars on a bright moon night when I go bike-riding and they seem to move with me and I love it ( just for laughs).

I enjoyed reading this short story and I wish Mr Clabe Polk all the best for his future authorship works.

My rating is
Narration:5/5
Story plot:5/5
Cover:5/5

[Melyssa Winchester · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this!
The idea of a guy that treats his wife and every other woman within his general range, and even in his employ like crap, getting his just desserts in whatever manner that may be, especially after going to a psychic and being told about it before it happens, brilliant.
The writing style was well done, and it moved along very quickly and not only because it was a short story.
My only real complaint here, to be totally honest is, this story, the idea of it, has such potential to be an even better read, by extending its length. Whether that be novella length or even full-length novel, and I felt that not having the background even more than we could have if it had been written in a longer way, led to a little bit of a disconnect. Not a total one, it was still very enjoyable and I got what I was after with what I said above, but I think it would have been even more gripping if it had been dragged out into a longer piece.
My thanks to the author and all others involved in letting me read this story. I enjoyed it and I hope to read and see more from this author in the future.