Fiction Reviews: Got A Letter From Jimmy (Shirley Jackson)

 

This very short story narrates the ordinary life of a husband and a wife.

The wife hasn't a positive idea of the men, she wonders if men are quite sane.

In the hand of her husband there is an unopened letter, it was written by Jimmy.

The wife thinks of some of the reasons why Jimmy has written a letter to them.

This causes her uncontrollable anxiety; she needs to open it at every cost, what is written there? reinforced by the intention of her husband to send it back to the sender.

Her Husband's reluctance causes her a mental storm about what might be written there.

Her husband didn't change idea he is not interested in what Jimmy has written to them.

She started to have violent thoughts towards her husband and then a devastating idea that John will read the letter and not her.

The wife asks him if he sent the letter to the sender, he says he doesn't remember.

She is convinced that her husband is lying to her, so much so that she smashes his head and his damn letter.