Short Fiction · Chapter
Act I explained
A group of college students, including Bertie, Tommy, Spike, and Johnny, attend a football game in a rainy town.
What happens
A group of college students, including Bertie, Tommy, Spike, and Johnny, attend a football game in a rainy town. After missing their train, Tommy loses his ticket and is thrown off repeatedly, enduring a grueling journey home through rain, snow, and hardship. He finally arrives at Bertie's room, exhausted and disheveled, only to learn Bertie had found his ticket all along.
Characters to notice
- Bertie Hey
A college student who laughs at Tommy's misfortune after finding his lost ticket.
- Tommy Migosh
A student who loses his ticket and endures a long, painful journey home.
Key passages
“I got blisters on my feet till it felt like I was walking on watermelons.”
My feet were so blistered that walking felt like stepping on watermelons.
Tommy exaggerates the pain of his long walk.
“May your children all have ingrown toenails.”
I hope your children suffer from painful toenails.
Tommy curses the conductor after being thrown off the train.