Bob Thurber

First, we’ll read through the text — a micro-fiction of 150 words

(the word limit for this particular venue)

Three Days of Mourning
originally published at The-Phone-Book.com

On the third day the old man took down a haunch of cooked beef hanging from the cabin's ceiling. The blade of his knife was razor-thin and passed through the meat without resistance. He was sixty years old and in mourning for his wife whose body still lay on the bed. He had been drinking now for three days without sleep and now he wanted to eat. He set himself a place at the table. He ate slowly, chewing each bite twenty times. The meat tasted dry and salty. As he ate he stared straight ahead at the stone fireplace which took up one wall. When he finished he would fetch a shovel and go to work. His wife had died peacefully in her sleep, and he imagined that was not a hard way to go. When his time came he believed very little effort would be necessary.
         (c) 2008, Bob Thurber
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Now we'll examine the anatomy of this piece.

The text consists of eleven sentences, each performing a small structural task. Though each sentence doesn’t do much, in combination they work towards producing a small emotional effect.



1) On the third day the old man took down a haunch of cooked beef hanging from the cabin's ceiling.
Introduction of Time, Character, Place, and Main Prop -- the "haunch of cooked beef."

2) The blade of his knife was razor-thin and passed through the meat without resistance.
 Character in action with Main Prop.

3) He was sixty years old and in mourning for his wife whose body still lay on the bed.
Physical and mental characteristics, and present situation.

4) He had been drinking now for three days without sleep and now he wanted to eat.
Character's reaction to event, and proposed goal.

5) He set himself a place at the table.
Character in action, moving toward proposed goal.

6) He ate slowly, chewing each bite twenty times.
Character in action with Main Prop.

7) The meat tasted dry and salty.
Character's sensory reaction to Main Prop.

8) As he ate he stared straight ahead at the stone fireplace which took up one wall.
Character's reflective delay over a short passage of time.

9) When he finished he would fetch a shovel and go to work.
Character's proposed new goal after reflection.

10) His wife had died peacefully in her sleep, and he imagined that was not a hard way to go.
Character's reflection revealed.

11) When his time came he believed very little effort would be necessary.
Character's emotional response, in summary, understated.


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