Between Rounds (Henry)
from the Collection « Four Million»
It was a beautiful May night and the windows of the boarding house were open. Everyone was seated on the stoop, enjoying the warm evening air. Inside, a woman was waiting for her husband to come home for supper.
When he arrived, she scolded him for his drinking habits, and the two began to argue. The argument quickly escalated into a full-blown food fight, with the two hurling dishes and food at each other.
Suddenly, a loud scream was heard from downstairs. A child had gone missing. Everyone was flustered and someone offered to search the city for the missing boy. The woman was in hysterics, wailing for her lost son.
Someone asked when she had last seen him, but she couldn't remember. The search for the child continued, with people rushing around and filling the air with rumours and speculation. Eventually, he was found asleep behind a roll of old linoleum under her bed. Everyone was relieved and the search was called off.
The woman and her husband had also reconciled, with her forgiving him for his bad behaviour. The story ends with everyone relieved that the boy had been found safe and sound.