Short Fiction · Chapter
A New Microbe explained
A Houston man, an amateur scientist, skips a church supper to study bayou water under his microscope.
What happens
A Houston man, an amateur scientist, skips a church supper to study bayou water under his microscope. After hours of work, he believes he has discovered a new deadly bacterium and plans to name it after his wife. She then reveals that the water he used was actually from a bucket of Galveston oysters she had bought for the supper, deflating his scientific triumph.
Themes in this chapter
Deception and Appearance vs. Reality
The scientist's apparent discovery of a new microbe is revealed to be a mistake, as the 'germs' are actually from oyster water, highlighting the gap between perception and truth.
Humor and Irony
The irony of the scientist's grand aspirations being undercut by a mundane household error provides the chapter's comedic twist.
Characters to notice
- Unknown Narrator
The unnamed Houston man who is the central figure, a science enthusiast who mistakenly uses oyster water for his experiment.
- Annie Williams
The wife of the scientist, who identifies the bucket as containing Galveston oysters, revealing the error.
Key passages
“Dumble's wrong! He says it's the Hybadid cystallis, and I'm certain he's mistaken.”
The scientist confidently declares that the state geologist's analysis is incorrect.
Shows the scientist's initial certainty and his desire to correct an established authority.
“You've got my bucket of Galveston oysters that I bought to take to the church supper!”
The wife reveals that the water sample was actually from oysters intended for the church event.
The pivotal moment that deflates the scientist's discovery and provides the humorous resolution.