Short Fiction · Chapter
One Touch of Nature explained
Mr.
What happens
Mr. J. Wilmot Birdsey, an American baseball fan exiled in England after his daughter married an earl, attends a baseball game between the White Sox and Giants in London. He invites two fellow fans to dinner at the Savoy: a young journalist named Waterall and a bearded man who calls himself Johnson. During dinner, Waterall recognizes Johnson as Benyon, a bank robber wanted by the American police. Despite Birdsey's pleas for mercy based on their shared love of baseball, Waterall calls Scotland Yard. Benyon pulls a pistol but cannot use it, breaking down in tears. Birdsey, enraged by Waterall's smugness, attacks him physically.
Themes in this chapter
Loneliness and Connection
Mr. Birdsey, an exile from his homeland, finds deep camaraderie with fellow baseball fans, but this bond is shattered by Waterall's betrayal.
Deception and Secrets
Benyon hides his criminal identity under the alias Johnson, but Waterall's sharp memory exposes him, leading to a dramatic confrontation.
Comedy and Misunderstanding
Birdsey's moral outrage is comically misplaced: he is more upset that Benyon's arrest will ruin the baseball memory than by the crime itself.
Characters to notice
- Mr. J. Wilmot Birdsey
An American baseball fan exiled in England after his daughter married an earl; he sneaks away from a family dinner to attend the game and invites two strangers to dine with him.
- Waterall
London correspondent for the New York Chronicle; a cold, duty-driven man who recognizes Benyon and calls Scotland Yard despite Birdsey's objections.
- Mr. Benyon
A bank robber who has been hiding in Algiers for five years; he attends the baseball game under the alias Johnson and is betrayed by Waterall.
Key passages
“The feelings of Mr. J. Wilmot Birdsey, as he stood wedged in the crowd that moved inch by inch towards the gates of the Chelsea Football Ground, rather resembled those of a starving man who has just been given a meal but realizes that he is not likely to get another for many days.”
Mr. Birdsey felt like a starving man who had just eaten, knowing he would soon be hungry again.
Describes Birdsey's joy at attending the baseball game and his dread of returning to his exile.
“He loved baseball with a love passing the love of women, and the prospect of never seeing a game again in his life appalled him.”
His love for baseball was greater than any romantic love, and the thought of never watching another game terrified him.
Highlights Birdsey's deep passion for baseball, which drives his actions in the chapter.
“He came to a sudden resolution. He would postpone the parting. He would ask them to dinner.”
He decided to delay saying goodbye by inviting the two men to dinner.
Birdsey's impulsive invitation sets the stage for the chapter's central conflict.
“It seemed incredible to Mr. Birdsey that this aspect of the affair should not be the one to strike everybody to the exclusion of all other aspects.”
Birdsey couldn't understand why everyone didn't see the situation the same way he did.
Birdsey's moral priorities are skewed by his fanaticism for baseball.
“He’s a fan. Why, say, he’s the fan.”
He's a true baseball enthusiast, the ultimate fan.
Birdsey's defense of Benyon is based solely on their shared love of the game.