All the Years of Her Life (Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Morley Callaghan
- First Published: 1935
- Type of Plot: Domestic realism
- Time of Work: 1935
- Setting: Unspecified; probably New York City
- Principal Characters: Alfred Higgins, Mrs. Higgins, Mr. Sam Carr
- Genres: Short fiction, Domestic realism
- Subjects: Maturation or coming of age, Mothers, Parents and children, Fear, Theft
- Locales: New York, NY
The Story
Late in the evening, a drugstore owner and his assistant are closing up for the day. Sam Carr, the small, gray-haired proprietor, stops Alfred Higgins, his adolescent helper, just as the young man is leaving for home. Alfred has worked there for six months, and this is the first time Mr. Carr has ever varied the evening routine of bidding his employee “good night” without even looking at him. Alfred is unnerved by his boss's softly menacing manner as he blocks his exit.
Mr. Carr asks Alfred to empty his pockets before he leaves. When Alfred feigns surprise...
[The entire page is 1088 words long]

