Short Story Summaries

To prepare for an upcoming project of designing a book cover, I read a number of short stories, including O. Henry's "The Cop and the Anthem," Miranda July's "Birthmark,"
 and Geoffrey Becker's "Black Elvis."


The story I'm planning to design for, "The Cop and the Anthem," was released in December 1904 and follows the tale of a homeless man in Manhattan named Soapy as he seeks shelter for the coming winter.  Leaving his park bench, he attempts a number of unlawful actions in order to be arrested and sent to the enclosed and heated jailhouse.  Every time Soapy pulls a crime or any suspicious activity, he is either considered innocent, or dealt with in other ways, such as when the restaurant management throws him back out to the street when he is unable to pay his bill.  Walking aimlessly around Manhattan, he stops in front of a chapel and upon hearing the music decides to turn his life around and find a job the following morning.  Just then, a cop approaches him questions him, and takes him into custody--a typically ironic O. Henry ending.

Childe Hassam's 1890 impressionist painting of a New York winter, entitled "Winter in Union Square," an image that came to my mind while reading "The Cop and the Anthem."

"Birthmark" was written in 2003 and published in The Paris Review, a literary quarterly.  It is the story of a young, beautiful woman born with a port-wine stain on her face who undergoes a cosmetic laser treatment.  After the procedure she is much more confident. Her only complaint is that she no longer has her distinct Norwegian accent, but she quickly gets over it.  Years later the young woman is married and doing fine.  She is in the kitchen trying to open a jar of jam when it slips from her hand and splatters everywhere.  Her husband rushes to her aid.  As he does he thinks he sees a splotch of red on her cheek, uncertain whether it is just the jam or something worse, and sends her to the bathroom.  There the young woman realizes her port-wine stain is back and is devastated.  When she finally returns, convinced that no man could love a woman with such a blemish, her husband is on his knees, wanting to love her even more.


"Black Elvis" is the story of an African-American guitarist and cover artist, focusing on the songs of Elvis Presley.  On his way to Slab's, the local bar where he often plays gigs, he runs into two young boys at the bus stop who ask him some questions.  He quickly gets rid of them and continues on to Slab's where he finds out a regular at the bar, Juanita, died the night before.  Before his set, newcomer Robert Johnson, a young Memphis-raised Korean gentleman with a nice guitar,  is called up on to stage.  He plays an emotional blues set, and the crowd instantly loves him, making Black Elvis jealous.  When Black Elvis' turn comes, he approaches the stage and decides to do something different; as a tribute to the late Juanita he plays "Amazing Grace."  After his set, he shares a drink with Robert Johnson, and they discuss Graceland, Sun Studios, and creating an original, marketable image until Johnson leaves for a girl.  When Black Elvis returns home, Juanita is there--from beyond the grave--calling him a hypocrite for singing some Jesus music, and telling him she doesn't believe in him anymore.  Black Elvis turns on the lights and she's gone.  Her looks outside his window and sees the two kids from the bus stop spray-painting his face on the road, and his esteem his restored.