Need help remembering a little known short story.

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Pete 101

New Member
Nov 1, 2016
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Hi all. I'm Pete and I've been a King fan for 40 years (since I was 12)
I've tried to read everything written by the man and that includes some stories that I'm not sure made it into his regular collections (things he wrote for horror anthologies)
I was looking for one today online and couldn't find it anywhere.
I could swear that the title of it was "To Be A Man"
It was about this typical beta male who pines for this girl but is strictly friend-zoned.
One night he goes to a seedy bar and while he's in this horrible men's room, standing in filth at the urinal,he reads the words "to be a man" written on the wall. He dismisses it as macho posturing but somehow he's become infected. Afterwards, he ignores the girl which make her pursue him. They get together, he cheats on her, slaps her around once in a while, basically becomes the bastard she used to cry on his shoulder about. All because he was infected with this uber maleness in a creepy bar bathroom.
It's always possible it's not a King story (I'm 52 and I've done a ton of reading in my lifetime) but I've always thought of it as one of my favorite King stories because it was so unusual. Any help would be greatly appreciated
 

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Hi all. I'm Pete and I've been a King fan for 40 years (since I was 12)
I've tried to read everything written by the man and that includes some stories that I'm not sure made it into his regular collections (things he wrote for horror anthologies)
I was looking for one today online and couldn't find it anywhere.
I could swear that the title of it was "To Be A Man"
It was about this typical beta male who pines for this girl but is strictly friend-zoned.
One night he goes to a seedy bar and while he's in this horrible men's room, standing in filth at the urinal,he reads the words "to be a man" written on the wall. He dismisses it as macho posturing but somehow he's become infected. Afterwards, he ignores the girl which make her pursue him. They get together, he cheats on her, slaps her around once in a while, basically becomes the bastard she used to cry on his shoulder about. All because he was infected with this uber maleness in a creepy bar bathroom.
It's always possible it's not a King story (I'm 52 and I've done a ton of reading in my lifetime) but I've always thought of it as one of my favorite King stories because it was so unusual. Any help would be greatly appreciated
Welcome to the Board!

It's not ringing any bells for me as a Stephen King story.
 

Sundrop

Sunny the Great & Wonderful
Jun 12, 2008
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Welcome to the SKMB :) I read a lot of off-the-wall horror and sci-fi but your description doesn't sound familiar - sorry :( I might know why you think SK may have written it though. SK wrote a story titled All That You Love Will Be Carried Away which is about a traveling salesman who becomes fascinated by bathroom graffiti and records the graffiti in a notebook.
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
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Hi all. I'm Pete and I've been a King fan for 40 years (since I was 12)
I've tried to read everything written by the man and that includes some stories that I'm not sure made it into his regular collections (things he wrote for horror anthologies)
I was looking for one today online and couldn't find it anywhere.
I could swear that the title of it was "To Be A Man"
It was about this typical beta male who pines for this girl but is strictly friend-zoned.
One night he goes to a seedy bar and while he's in this horrible men's room, standing in filth at the urinal,he reads the words "to be a man" written on the wall. He dismisses it as macho posturing but somehow he's become infected. Afterwards, he ignores the girl which make her pursue him. They get together, he cheats on her, slaps her around once in a while, basically becomes the bastard she used to cry on his shoulder about. All because he was infected with this uber maleness in a creepy bar bathroom.
It's always possible it's not a King story (I'm 52 and I've done a ton of reading in my lifetime) but I've always thought of it as one of my favorite King stories because it was so unusual. Any help would be greatly appreciated
64158276.jpg
....and that's not a King piece man, not sure who plunked that one out...Clive Barker mayhap?.....
 

Pete 101

New Member
Nov 1, 2016
2
13
59
Wow. Thanks to all for the warm welcome and for taking a crack at this. That link will come in handy, too. I'm starting to come to the conclusion myself that this wasn't King although it's been firmly filed in my brain as his for years without a doubt. However I did read this story 15+ years ago when my favorite thing was to get totally smashed and read till I passed out so...yeah... memory could be a little suspect here.
The only thing that I can think of is that it might have followed a King story in an anthology (Years Best Horror comes to mind) or he might have introduced it. If that's the case it's probably lost for good and I'll just have to put it out of my OCD little mind. Thanks again guys for making me so welcome. And a little heads up for anyone who hasn't given Stephen's kid a try. He writes under the name Joe Hill (which I'm sure most of you know) and he really is his father's son. He's got his own voice but it's still very familiar. 20th Century Ghosts is a fantastic collection of short stories and I don't think it would be blasphemy to call it his Night Shift. Looking forward to seeing you all around here in the future (work permitting.) Lates,
Pete.
grinning.gif
 

Dana Jean

Dirty Pirate Hooker, The Return
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Apr 11, 2006
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Wow. Thanks to all for the warm welcome and for taking a crack at this. That link will come in handy, too. I'm starting to come to the conclusion myself that this wasn't King although it's been firmly filed in my brain as his for years without a doubt. However I did read this story 15+ years ago when my favorite thing was to get totally smashed and read till I passed out so...yeah... memory could be a little suspect here.
The only thing that I can think of is that it might have followed a King story in an anthology (Years Best Horror comes to mind) or he might have introduced it. If that's the case it's probably lost for good and I'll just have to put it out of my OCD little mind. Thanks again guys for making me so welcome. And a little heads up for anyone who hasn't given Stephen's kid a try. He writes under the name Joe Hill (which I'm sure most of you know) and he really is his father's son. He's got his own voice but it's still very familiar. 20th Century Ghosts is a fantastic collection of short stories and I don't think it would be blasphemy to call it his Night Shift. Looking forward to seeing you all around here in the future (work permitting.) Lates,
Pete.
grinning.gif
THe door is open and the light is always on.