Short Fiction · Chapter
A Years Supply explained
A wealthy man, moved by a chance encounter with a poor little girl named Susie Tompkins, gives her a package he claims will last her and her mother a year.
What happens
A wealthy man, moved by a chance encounter with a poor little girl named Susie Tompkins, gives her a package he claims will last her and her mother a year. Upon returning home, the mother unwraps it to find a calendar.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This excerpt marks the dramatic climax because it captures the precise moment the protagonist’s humor shifts f…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Social Class and Wealth
The millionaire's wealth contrasts with Susie's poverty, and his gift is ironically a calendar.
- Deception and Appearance vs. Reality
The package appears to be a substantial gift but is revealed to be a calendar, subverting expectations.
- Humor and Irony
The punchline—a calendar as a 'year's supply'—is a humorous twist on the reader's expectation of money or food.
Characters to notice
- Jacob Spraggins
The wealthy man who gives the calendar to Susie.
- Maggie Toole
Susie's mother, Susan, who has a wart on her nose and onion breath.
Key passages
“He was one of the city’s wealthiest men, but he made no ostentatious display of his wealth.”
Though immensely rich, he did not flaunt his fortune.
Establishes the millionaire's character.
“It will last you and your mother a year.”
This will sustain you and your mother for twelve months.
The promise that sets up the ironic reveal.
“It was a nice new calendar.”
The package contained a fresh calendar.
The ironic conclusion: a calendar, not provisions.
