This short story was written in 1926 and was included in the book The Richer, The Poorer, one of Dorothy's short stories’ best sellers.
It describes the life of an African-American man, living in Boston with his wife and children. As a janitor he is a hardworking man, but he is only half comfortable and content with his life. He feels life has become monotonous. Thus he and his daughter begin to use the daughter’s typewriter to write fake business letters. He envisions himself as a busy business magnate, typing out important letters on his pride-filled company’s letterhead, employing a dozen or more employees and he swaddling in and out of the polished offices, in good quality suits.
The make believe world created with his daughter brings joy to his heart as it fulfils his life-long dreams of becoming a businessman.
Unfortunately one day, his daughter, unaware of her father’s secret dream, sells the typewriter. Devastated by a dream falling apart and afraid he and his imagination may be mocked, he loses all hope of a happy life, suffers a heart attack and dies.
The main theme in this story is dissatisfaction with the current life scenario.
"..more than anything in all the world he wanted not to go home. He began to wish passionately that he had never been born, that he had never been married,...He knew quite suddenly that he hated his flat and his family and his friends."
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