View source for Little Speck in Garnered Fruit (Henry)

{{written by AI}}

{{Summary
| Title = Little Speck in Garnered Fruit
| Author = O. Henry
| Cycle = [[The_Voice_of_the_City_(short_story_collection,_Henry)|The Voice of the City]]
| Literary form = short story
| Year of publication = 1908
| Microsummary = A newlywed bride asked her husband, a champion welter-weight, for a peach, and he went on a challenging quest to find one in the city during winter, ultimately succeeding.
}}

{{Start of text}}

A newlywed couple was enjoying their honeymoon in a cozy flat. The bride, wrapped in rosy dreams, expressed her desire for a peach to her husband, Kid McGarry, a champion welter-weight boxer.

{{Character
| Name = Kid McGarry
| Description = narrator; champion welter-weight; devoted husband; determined, resourceful
| Emoji = 👨🏻
}}

{{Character
| Name = The Bride
| Description = Kid McGarry's wife; playful, confident in her husband's abilities
| Emoji = 👰🏻
}}

{{Quote
| Text = I think I would like a peach.
| Context = The bride says this to her husband, Kid McGarry, while sitting in their home. This sets off his quest to find a peach for her in the middle of winter.
}}

Determined to fulfill her wish, McGarry set out into the cold February night to find a peach. He first visited an Italian fruit stand, but the vendor informed him that peaches were not in season. Undeterred, McGarry continued his search, visiting various stores and even asking his friend, Justus O'Callahan, who owned an all-night chop-house. However, no one had any peaches to offer.

{{Quote
| Text = I’ll step down and cop one out for you — see?
| Context = Kid McGarry says this to his bride, agreeing to go out and find her a peach despite the difficult circumstances. This shows his determination and devotion to her.
}}

Eventually, McGarry stumbled upon a police raid on a gambling den run by Denver Dick. After a brief scuffle with Dick, McGarry discovered a lavish spread of food in a connected room, where he finally found a single peach.

With the peach in hand, McGarry returned to his bride, who playfully changed her mind and said she would have preferred an orange.

{{Quote
| Text = Naughty boy! Did I say a peach? I think I would much rather have had an orange.
| Context = The bride says this to Kid McGarry after he returns from his successful quest to find her a peach. It highlights her playful nature and the irony of his difficult journey.
}}

Despite the challenges he faced, McGarry's devotion to his wife's desires demonstrated the power of love and the lengths one would go to make their partner happy.

{{End of text}}