ngtotd_dtrt
02-12-2007, 01:15 PM
After searching my mind (ha!), Google, and many short-story compilations, I cannot figure out the title/author of a short-story assigned in my high-school English class…almost 25 years ago. So, turning to and pinning my hopes on a literature forum, a puzzle is offered…can you name this short-story and help a pre-senile mind?
- Main character - young man (teen) named Trevor or Travis, I'm think…a somewhat stately name (which is fairly important to the story).
- Other characters - other teens as his friends (a gang, almost)...an older man, fairly well-to-do, who owns a nice home.
- Setting - I THINK a city in England post WWII (late '40s). Tough economic times. Not sure of that though.
- Plot/storyline - Older man helps out 'Trevor'(?), who is headed for trouble running with his roughneck teen peers. Older man gives him chores/responsibilities, pays him…tries to grow him up. The young man both appreciates and resents it. The older man has to leave town for a few days and feels that 'Trevor' is ready to make the leap to trusted, responsible adult, and asks 'Trevor' to housesit for him. The teen is resentful of what the man has...and has done...and, egged on by his peers, they play a destructive 'joke' and rig the house for demolition. The man arrives back in town, approaches his house then watches it crumble.
Reading this story in a rush in the class before it was due, I got to the house-destruction part and burst out laughing. Others who were to be in my English class were between miffed and horrified that I found that so funny (I didn't mean to :) ) . Our English teacher asked how many of us had found that part of the story funny. Silence…offended silence, actually. I had to inch my hand up, mainly because I had witness again' me. That was the reaction that the story and human-nature intended, per Mrs. Johnston.
Years of slogging thru English, and my lone claim-to-fame eludes me. Please help! Any suggestions/guesses appreciated.
- Main character - young man (teen) named Trevor or Travis, I'm think…a somewhat stately name (which is fairly important to the story).
- Other characters - other teens as his friends (a gang, almost)...an older man, fairly well-to-do, who owns a nice home.
- Setting - I THINK a city in England post WWII (late '40s). Tough economic times. Not sure of that though.
- Plot/storyline - Older man helps out 'Trevor'(?), who is headed for trouble running with his roughneck teen peers. Older man gives him chores/responsibilities, pays him…tries to grow him up. The young man both appreciates and resents it. The older man has to leave town for a few days and feels that 'Trevor' is ready to make the leap to trusted, responsible adult, and asks 'Trevor' to housesit for him. The teen is resentful of what the man has...and has done...and, egged on by his peers, they play a destructive 'joke' and rig the house for demolition. The man arrives back in town, approaches his house then watches it crumble.
Reading this story in a rush in the class before it was due, I got to the house-destruction part and burst out laughing. Others who were to be in my English class were between miffed and horrified that I found that so funny (I didn't mean to :) ) . Our English teacher asked how many of us had found that part of the story funny. Silence…offended silence, actually. I had to inch my hand up, mainly because I had witness again' me. That was the reaction that the story and human-nature intended, per Mrs. Johnston.
Years of slogging thru English, and my lone claim-to-fame eludes me. Please help! Any suggestions/guesses appreciated.