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Reviewed by Kimberlee J Benart for Readers' Favorite
The Penalty Box is a short story by Valerie Allen. Three men happen to share a bench at the mall while waiting for the women in their lives. Two are married. One has planned a surprise marriage proposal for his girlfriend. One of the married men is in the “doghouse” with his wife of twelve years for forgetting their anniversary again and holds a bouquet he hopes will make some amends. The other married man is older and well-dressed. Hearing the situations of the younger men, he tells them that he’s been married for about forty-two years, has learned a lot in that time, and offers them some words of advice to help them better understand the needs and viewpoints of their wife and sweetheart.
In The Penalty Box, Valerie Allen gives us an entertaining short story with a surprise twist at the end that will make you smile. The narrative is descriptive and skillfully written. It brings the characters of the three men to life and makes them relatable to the reader, always a difficult task in so few words. These are ordinary people who find themselves next to strangers and begin a conversation as any of us might do. The dialog isn’t surprising as the men share somewhat stereotypical opinions about women, and the older man gives them tips garnered from his many years of marriage. It’s the surprise ending that makes this story so amusing, entirely redefining as it does the context of the older man's words. Bravo!
