The story flew by and I found myself picturing these two vehicles playing a form of chicken with each other, as Matheson depicts their cumulative race to overcome the other. Mann does all he can to end the feud, but seems to forget the size difference as he loses focus of his intended destination. Perhaps early 1970s road rage, where the driver of a small vehicle seeks to puff out his chest against a massive transport truck. Mann seems like your typical guy who is trying to get from A to B without issue, but is perturbed when someone or something gets in his way. By no means an expert-but surely a fan-I could see some King-esque themes in this piece (though I admit, Matheson penned this story first, so perhaps it is the other way around), which got my heart pumping as I sought to see what Mann would do. This was a wonderful introduction to him and all that he has to offer. I had never read any Richard Matheson before this story, though my reading group chose one of his standalone pieces to try this coming year. Recommended to those who love short stories with a twist, as well as those who might (like me) want to contrast this with the King/Hill piece. A great story that gets the blood pumping and has me thinking of all the highway driving I do for work. With the highway before him, Mann seeks to ensure this transport truck knows it cannot bully him, which only leads to more trouble for both vehicles involved.

Putting rubber back on the road, Mann seeks to make his statement, even though his mode of transportation is much smaller.

He’s not quite done with the spat and needs to see it through. Choosing to confront the driver at one point-as the truck seems to have pulled off at a diner-Mann tries, but misses his chance. Mann seems to see this truck as more than a fellow vehicle on the road, particularly when the driver makes some choices that could be seen as dangerous to both vehicles. However, as can occur on the open highway, Mann and the driver of the truck seem to engage in a subconscious game of passing one another to gain speed and reach their final destinations. When he passes a transport truck late one morning, he thinks nothing of it. Mann seems to be minding his business as he travels towards San Francisco.

In a story that explores early road rage, Matheson pens a tale that will keep the reader off the road and thoroughly tied to this piece until its climactic end. Looking to contrast them, I thought I would begin with this short piece by Richard Matheson. Looking for something to fill a day-long gap before tackling a major reading project, I discovered this short story, which is said to have influenced one by Stephen King and Joe Hill.

Duel by Richard Matheson