For sixteen years, James Duran has taken the same train to work.  Now he’s lost his job and his wife, and his life seems totally out of control, but he plans to take the train one last time.  This time, he’ll talk to the man who’s always on the train with him.  It doesn’t really matter if the man talks back or shoots him down, since he doesn’t plan to be around much longer.

Will James’ tryst with Chad Pennington, the man from the train, change his life, or will he go on with his terrible plan?

The Obsolete Man is a very emotional story about a man who has lost everything and only takes a chance because he has nothing left to lose.  Reading about James’ pain was heartbreaking, because it was so realistic.  Having lost his wife and job, he sees no reason to go on.  His delight and terror when Chad agrees to go to a hotel with him are both painful and sweet to read.  Chad is a great character too, caring and intuitive.  As the story progressed, Pepper Espinoza did an excellent job of creating suspense and emotion.  At the end of the story, I felt relieved, satisfied, and certain that James would find what he needed in life after all.  Anybody who likes stories with a lot of emotion and some bittersweet moments will be sure to enjoy The Obsolete Man.