Ace in the Hole (Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: John Updike
- First Published: 1955
- Type of Plot: Psychological
- Time of Work: The 1950's
- Setting: Olinger, Pennsylvania
- Principal Characters: Fred “Ace” Anderson, Mom, Evey, Bonnie
- Genres: Psychological fiction, Short fiction
- Subjects: Family or family life, Romanticism, High schools or high school students, Basketball, Immaturity, Employees, dismissal
- Locales: Olinger, PA
The Story
Ace Anderson is a former star high school basketball player. As the story opens, he is driving home after being fired. Fearing the wrath of Evey, his wife, he finds some consolation in listening to “Blueberry Hill” on the car radio, while he sucks powerfully on a cigarette. Reverting to adolescence, Ace challenges the teenager in the fat car in the next lane, emerging triumphant when his opponent's vehicle stalls. He then decides to stop at his mother's house to pick up Bonnie, the baby. His mother offers him the consolation that he was probably seeking by...
[The entire page is 1361 words long]
