Most anyone who knows me, or reads my blog, knows that I am a big fan of Stephen King. So when I saw an audio book for sale at the local library where my son is, and it cost all of 50 cents, I jumped on the opportunity. I'm not great with names, and I could not remember ever having read this particular story before. As it turns out, however, I have. It is included in his book of collected works, "Just After Sunset."
Still, it took me a while to remember this particular story once I began listening to it. So on some level, it felt like a new story to me.
Anyway, let me do the usual thing, and provide a warning that there will be spoilers ahead in this review. So if you would like to read this book and do not want it spoiled, you probably should stop reading here and now.
*****SPOILERS*****
*****SPOILERS*****
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Okay, if you are still reading at this point, then I have to assume that you do not mind the spoilers to come.
This was a surprisingly short story. On the back of the case, if memory serves correctly, it was described as a novella. But there were only two compact disks, and neither of them exceeded approximately 45 minutes. Plus, there were short little musical interludes and sound effects.
So it was much shorter than expected.
Yet, I have yet to read a Stephen King story and not be entertained. This was no exception.
Richard Sifkitz is a man who recently lost his wife, and gotten into bad habits. This is particularly true regarding his health. It opens in a doctor's office, with Richard being advised by the doctor to take better care of himself. Specifically, the doctor compares his metabolism to construction workers who are being pushed too hard, and who don't get enough vacation or breaks.
Richard is an artist, and this image of construction workers sticks with him. His health is not the only area in his life where he has gotten into bad habits. He is an artist with numerous projects, and he has gotten a bit lazy. But once he obtains a stationary bike (hence, the name of the story), all of this changes. Suddenly, his art projects are getting done quickly and efficiently. Also, he begins to seriously lose weight.
However, this image of construction workers suddenly begins to turn against him. Whenever Richard gets on the stationary bike, he seems to enter into a dream, or a trance, or something like it. He picks a rural road that leads through upstate New York and into Canada, and this is where he "is" in his head whenever he uses the bike.
Eventually, of course, it grows more ominous. Richard gets the distinct feeling that he is being followed. In time, it becomes more than a feeling, but a certainty. And the guys following him are none other than the construction guys whom he imagined.
Yes, they catch up to him. But the meeting, which Richard expects will end very badly for him, does not go as he expects. They have been out of work ever since he started to take his health seriously and lose so much weight. What they want is for him to grow lazy again, to get into the old bad habits, so that they can get back to work. And so he does.
An enjoyable, suspenseful read. You really can't go wrong with Stephen King, in any case.
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