The Man Who Would Not Shake Hands
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| "The Man Who Would Not Shake Hands" | |
| Author | Stephen King |
|---|---|
| Country |  USA |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Horror short story |
| Published in | Shadows 4 (1st release), Skeleton Crew |
| Publication type | Anthology |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Publication date | 1982 |
The Man Who Would Not Shake Hands is a short story by Stephen King first published in the 1982 horror anthology Shadows 4, edited by Charles L. Grant, and collected in Skeleton Crew in 1985.
Like the novella "The Breathing Method" from King's collection Different Seasons, the story takes the form of a nested narrative told in a strange 'club' in Manhattan.
[edit] Plot summary
It entails an aged, wealthy man recounting a card game he played in many years ago where he met an odd man who refused to touch anyone, recoiling from contact in fear. After the odd man wins the game, a young player leaps up and shakes his hand enthusiastically. The odd man screams and bolts from the room. The narrator then makes it his mission to find him and give him his winnings. It is revealed shortly thereafter that the young player who shook the odd man's hand died of a brain aneurysm. The narrator speaks with an old associate of the man, who tells him the title character was cursed by an Indian shaman after an unfortunate accident where the "Shake Hands Man" accidentally caused the death of a boy. The man is cursed to cause the death of any person he touches. The narrator then finds that the odd man died in a seedy inn, one hand firmly clasping the other.
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