A SECRET IN THE VILLAGE
By Steve Penticost April 2020
Almost from the moment he left the house he knew that everyone had heard the news. Gossip in a small village was impossible to control.
Mrs Williams in the village store had taken his money for the bag of sugar and given him a proper stare: you know the type, the one your mum gave you when things had gone bad, the one that silently but effectively said ` you’ve let me down’. It cuts you to the quick and gives you that horrible knot in your stomach.
As he left, he couldn’t help but see Major Roberts, his no nonsense brusque manner wasn’t held back.
` rum show my boy, can’t quite believe it, never took you for…’
He paused, summoning up the words from deep inside.
` for one of those type of people’…
He gave a snort and pushed past leaving him standing there in a daze. How had it gone so wrong, he had taken every precaution, ticked the right security boxes, sent a postal order and for the last two years no-one had the faintest idea. It was not as if it was hurting anyone else, it was a private matter, a personal need. Well it was until that idiot postman had blown his cover. Literally in this case. What possessed him to stop his van outside the shop, open the window and wave the envelope at him shouting out loud that he was sorry it was ripped but the package inside was just fine.
There it was for all to see, right in front of Mrs Graham, a woman far more effective than the bush telegraph when it came to spreading news.
As he walked slowly back to his house, he could see his wife standing in the driveway, the one person he hoped had not heard. Perhaps there was still a chance he could explain to situation to her, get his story in before the others got a chance. As he got closer the look on her face gave it away, she knew.
`How could you Robert, I mean…it’s so demeaning…the looks I am getting…my mother warned me before we got married…she always had her suspicions. You know we’ll now have to leave the village and just when I’ve finally got the top border sorted.’
He had no reply, he thought about promising to change, he knew this would be a hollow promise. When you’re addicted its hard to stop.
`The thing is Robert’ she said whilst staring at no-one in particular
` The Telegraph has a perfectly good crossword, daddy swore by it, but honestly Robert getting the Guardian sent to you in a brown envelope, and me the secretary of the Rotary… well I’m just pleased that Daddy is no longer here to see it. If he wasn’t already dead, he would die of shame.’
Robert watched as she stormed off, suitcase in hand, leaving in the newly arrived Taxi.
He sat down on the garden bench, unfolded the paper to the correct page. He pulled out his pen and looked at the first clue, 1 across – 6 letters – `use privy but don’t forget to keep Mum.’ Easy he thought and started to write
This is a good example of managing build-up in a story. We very quickly know that Robert, the central character, has a secret which has been blown. And it’s a secret that is going to offend the values of the small village in which he lives. Social disgrace looms, as he realises that more and more people know about his moral lapse. As the narrative progresses, the reader’s expectations of the enormity of Robert’s offence grow. Paedophilia? Porn? Something worse? His wife’s reaction cranks up the tension. She has no choice but to leave him – ‘and just when I’ve finally got the top border sorted.’ Then of course we get the pay-off – a nice satirical punch: Robert is a Guardian reader! This is a good example of using suspense for comic effect. Also, the piece did exactly what was requested in the brief.