The short story Sorry for Disturbing You (2008) by Richard Knight starts in media res – our main character, Ian, opens the door and our second main character, Michael, is standing on his doorstep.
They don’t know each other, but Ian, whose view the story is told from, invites Michael inside his home. He just doesn’t know what an impact this fortuitous meeting is going to have on him yet. On one hand we have Ian. He’s a father, who seems very loving and concerned about his daughter, Corinne, who’s at the house when Michael enters: “”Go back in, Corry. He (Ian( looked at her knowingly, hoping not to frighten her… ”.
[1]Ian also has a wife, Karen, who apparently is staying at her parents’ house, because: “They (Karen & Ian( had things to sort out. ”[2] However it is obvious that Ian cares a lot for her and is very attracted by her, which is very obvious because of the way he describes her; he only comments on how she’s always smiling, laughing and hugging. [3] It also seems very clear that he wants her to get back home: “He felt better now she was coming. ”[4], “He missed her being at home. [5] So Ian is described as a loving father and husband who appreciates his family a lot; they do have some problems but he seems to turn a blind eye to it.
To him qualities such as sympathy, compassion and attendance seem very crucial. On the other hand there is Michael. At the time he turns to Ian he’s drunk: “Ian could now smell the alcohol … “. [6] When reading the short story you only get very little information about Michael; the only source is snatches of his drunken nonsense. It occurs that he used to know the old owners of the house that Ian now lives in, George and Edie Higham.
7] Through the story it seems more and more clear to the reader, that Michael is a very lonely old man, who has been abandoned by his friends and family: “”I should have been at the wedding but I wasn’t allowed to go. ””[8], “(Ian on the phone:(”… He (Michael( said he knows you. ” (George on the phone:(“Yes. Well, he did. ”. [9]It seems that there has been a certain event involving Michael, his daughter, George and Edie; what exactly happened is not clear however the consequences of this event are.
Reading the short story you expect to olve the mystery of Michael appearing at Ian’s house, but finally it seems very clear that Michael is simply looking for company – he has an urgent need for social interaction due to his loneliness. Considering Michael and Ian complete contrasts doesn’t really seem right. At that time they are both suffering from a kind loneliness; Michael really is a solitary figure while Ian is missing his wife, who’s staying at her parents’ place. Maybe this circumstance in Ian’s life is a prime requisite for his hospitality and compassion.
Still there is a big contrast between our two main characters’ lives, which Knight points out in a very interesting way: “The man (Michael( … placed a hand on the bright yellow painted wall inside the door, leaving a dark print. ”[10] It is quite obvious that the yellow wall stands for Ian’s life; it’s clean, bright and full of joy. While the dark print that Michael leaves on the wall symbolizes his life and personality; he’s unclean, indecent and as well as he leaves a dark spot on the wall he is considered a dark spot in society. Michael is a person whom the majority likes to imagine doesn’t exist.He’s abandoned and neglected as well as he’s unwanted. Society doesn’t want to be reminded that his kind of type exists because he leaves a dark print on their minds.
He reminds them that life isn’t perfect. The dark print that Michael leaves on the wall also symbolizes the impact that he makes on Ian. This meeting might be fortuitous but that doesn’t make it indifferent. It reminds Ian of how vulnerable life is and how careful you have to be protecting it; you might just make one little mistake that changes everything: “Back home Corry was in the bath.He could hear them (Karen and Corry( chatting in the bathroom. He switched the television off, made two cups of tea and a glass of warm milk, and took the first careful steps up the stairs.
”[11] In this short story there is no omniscient narrator, therefore the conversation is very crucial for the description and understanding of the characters. As mentioned the story is told from Ian’s point of view so the reader knows of his thoughts and feelings. On the contrary the reader can only form an impression of Michael through his actions and his dialogue with Ian.The limited knowledge about his past, thoughts, feelings and motives create a lot of questions in the reader’s mind, just as Ian says: “… Ian rewound the last few minutes and came up with three questions. Who were Edie and George Higham? Why did the man knock when he had a phone anyway? And how did he know their house number? ”[12] The sudden presence of this stranger creates a mystery, a plot. Now the reader can do nothing but think of how this entire situation even started.
Michael’s rubbish keeps on giving the reader small suggestion of what has happened in the past and makes the reader use his/her imagination.Furthermore it’s a bit amusing to reflect on how narrow-minded and prejudiced people are: “Ian quickly knitted a story. An affair, a discovery, the separation, the alcoholism, the exclusion from his daughter’s wedding. But the regret in this man’s eyes could have told ten different stories. Ian didn’t push for details. He could live without them, wasn’t that curious.
”[13] The function of the dialogue in this short-story is very well demonstrated by this example – if there are too many loose ends one will immediately try to look for answer.Finally it is interesting to consider the title of the short story: Sorry for Disturbing You. Not only does it reflect the awkward meeting between two strangers, Ian and Michael, it also reflects the mentality of today’s society. In modern society everyone is withdrawn and reserved; people mind one’s own business. Only when it is extremely necessary people have contact with strangers, and this is what Knight wants us to reflect on.
Isn’t it possible to be more open-minded and face everyone with the same compassion and sympathy as Ian? This is the motive for Knight’s description of this meeting between two strangers.
