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Reviewed by Jane Finch for Readers' Favorite
Short Fuse: A Short Tale of Abuse, Betrayal and Revenge by Clabe Polk tells the story of Ken Handly, a man who thinks he owns the world, or rather perhaps that the world owes him. Dismissing his marriage to Katherine as inconsequential and unworthy of faithfulness, Ken has a string of affairs. Unbeknownst to him, Katherine is aware of the affairs, although she does not know what to do about them. Finally, when Barbara – his latest conquest – tires of him and dumps him, he is in denial. With an ego the size of a coconut compared to a brain the size of a walnut, he suddenly has to face up to his misdemeanors and deal with the consequences of his actions. Ken is finally betrayed, not by one of his many conquests, but by the person he least expected to do so.
This short story is truly a tale of revenge. The character of Ken comes across well as a belligerent, narcissistic bore, whilst Katherine is portrayed as the tolerant, patient and self-sacrificing wife. Enter Barbara, a self-made woman who only wanted a fling, not a spineless needy wimp, and the story arc is complete. The story plays out quite satisfactorily and the reader is happy to find that Ken the user really gets his just deserts. An easy read with a pleasing conclusion. The author, Clabe Polk, has shown himself to be a capable storyteller with this short tale.
