Short Fiction · Chapter
Identified explained
A stranger attempts to cash a draft at a Houston bank but is repeatedly asked for identification.
What happens
A stranger attempts to cash a draft at a Houston bank but is repeatedly asked for identification. After presenting letters, business cards, and even his monogrammed shirt, the cashier remains unsatisfied. Finally, the stranger reveals a mustard plaster on his chest, claiming it proves he is Henry B. Saunders, and the cashier reluctantly pays him.
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
- Deception and Appearance vs. Reality
The stranger's use of a mustard plaster as 'proof' of identity plays on the tension between appearance and reality, as the cashier ultimately accepts a superficial sign.
- Humor and Irony
The absurdity of using a mustard plaster as identification, and the cashier's lingering doubt, create a humorous and ironic twist.
Characters to notice
- Unknown Narrator
The narrator describes the scene at the bank.
- Henry B. Saunders
The stranger who presents the draft and uses a mustard plaster as identification.
Key passages
“You will have to be identified by someone who knows your name to be Henry B. Saunders.”
The cashier insists that the stranger must be recognized by someone who can confirm his identity.
Establishes the bank's strict identification policy.
“That plaster might be somebody else’s after all, but no doubt it’s all right.”
The cashier wonders if the plaster could belong to someone else, but decides to accept it.
Highlights the cashier's lingering uncertainty and the story's ironic conclusion.
