How Rich is Henry?

By David Pearce

In all his seventeen years Henry has operated at a binary level. He conducted relationships in those terms. 0/1, black/white, negative/positive, on/off, yes/no: if the girl said “No” he did not argue or press her to alter her response. Henry was the perfect gentleman. He walked or drove them home and said goodnight. Two events conspire to complicate this happy world view. Henry has fallen in love and now, thanks to Mad Aunt, he is rich. Mel, who loves Henry, is convinced that this alters everything. She is determined to drown herself in Henry's stream. Henry is afraid that she will block the culvert. Can love find a way out of this impasse? A daveshort story designed for the commuter. Just right for the journey.

• Language: English
• Publisher: David Pearce
• Release date: Nov 9, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370404643

David Pearce

Long past my sell-by date but doing all I can to keep fit with daily exercise and a healthy breakfast I spend most of my time writing and listening to the radio with occasional excursions in the local countryside on my electric-assist bike. I live alone in southern France close to the river Rhone and possibly on borrowed time as there is a large nuclear plant close by.

Book preview

HOW RICH IS HENRY?

David R Pearce

This is a daveshort, timed specifically for your commute.

Mel placed her hands at either side of the little table, the one that appeared to have been specifically placed for Archie, and contemplated death. Somewhere she had seen a photograph of a painting. There was a girl all in white so she must have been a virgin; it was a bit late for that now in Mel’s case but she was floating and beautiful, surrounded by flowers and her hair like a fan, not the slightest sign of struggle or agony so it must be quite nice to drown and that is what she would do in Henry’s stream under the willow tree. The only white thing in her wardrobe that was long enough was a night dress that had a Bambi on the front so she would have to wear it inside out and her white cotton panties, the ones that get him excited, that would teach him.

Henry said, You would have to make sure the tide wasn’t ebbing.

It was typical of Henry to say ebbing because it sounds knowledgeable but she could see what he meant. The height of the water in the stream varies dramatically as the tide rises and falls on the beach where it ends its journey. Unless she chose her moment carefully she could end up jammed head first in the culvert, nightie round her waist and legs sticking out and what a romantic picture that would make panties or no panties.

Anyway, why do you want to drown yourself in my stream? Pollution and...

That was exactly the point. How many people can say my stream and mean it literally, not quite literally at this moment because his parents were still alive but they would be happy to bequeath it to him as long as he undertook to keep it free from obstructions, and make a joke about polluting it at a time like this when