Mr. Goranovsky, also known as “Mr. Do-Gooder,” is a
good citizen; honest, upstanding, with a certain civic-mindedness that compels
him to find a clerk when he sees a man shoplifting. The store is called
Gwynn’s, and it has an odd shoplifting policy. Since an employee didn’t see the
actual snatch, they are loath to stop the man for fear, if he didn’t steal
anything, of alienating a customer. They ask Mr. Goranovsky to be a witness
when the man is approached. He hesitantly agrees, but quickly regrets his
decision.
“Citizen’s Arrest” is deceivingly simple and overtly
ironic. It takes the expected—crime, punishment, and possible retribution—and
twists it into something unexpected. It is humorous, charming—in a hardboiled
way—and exemplifies the idea that no good deed goes unpunished. The prose is
simple—
“My
fingers trembled as I lit a cigarette.”
—and, unusually, there are no first names. It is Mr.
Goranovsky, Mr. Levine, Mr. Sileo, which gives the story an uptight formality.
A formality that acts as a foil to the climactic twist. And the twist is what
makes the story good.
Ben, I have heard of Charles Willeford but I'm afraid I have not read his work.
ReplyDeletePrashant. I haven't read much of his work. A couple short stories is all. I do have a few of his novels around and I'm hoping to try one sooner rather than later.
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