While the Auto Waits (Henry)

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O. Henry

While the Auto Waits

1903

Summary of a Short Story
from the Collection “The Voice of the City”

The original takes about 10 minutes to read

Microsummary

In a park, a woman posed as a rich lady tired of luxury. A man claimed to be a cashier. He later saw her start work as a restaurant cashier, then left in his own luxury car, hiding his wealth.

The division into sections is editorial. The source story is a continuous narrative without any internal headings or divisions.

The meeting at the park bench: the girl in gray and the young man's chance encounter

A quiet corner of a small public park in a bustling city. Twilight, presumably around the turn of the twentieth century.

Promptly at dusk, the girl in gray arrived at the secluded corner of the park, sat upon a wooden bench, and began reading a book in the fading light.

The girl in gray — young woman, restaurant cashier pretending to be a wealthy aristocrat tired of luxury; wears a plain gray dress and veil, beautiful, deliberate voice.

Her modest attire concealed its elegance, and a veil covered her striking features. She had appeared at the same hour on prior days, drawing the attention of an observant admirer.

To repeat: Her dress was gray, and plain enough to mask its impeccancy of style and fit. A large-meshed veil imprisoned her turban hat and a face that shone through it with a calm and unconscious beauty.

Mr. Parkenstacker, who had been lingering nearby hoping for an opportunity to speak, saw her book drop to the ground.

Mr. Parkenstacker — young man, wealthy gentleman who humors the girl by pretending to be a restaurant cashier; ordinary neat dress, polite, observant, owns a white automobile.

He swiftly recovered the fallen volume and returned it with polite gallantry. After inspecting his ordinary dress and unassuming manner, she invited him to sit beside her, remarking that the light had grown too dim for reading and that she wished to converse.

Pretending to be weary of wealth: the girl's aristocratic complaints and the fashionable whims of high society

When the young man attempted familiar flattery, the girl immediately rebuked him with cold dignity, reminding him of her refined standing. He apologized humbly, adopting a quiet, receptive role. Looking toward the hurried passersby on the paths, she claimed that she visited the park solely to feel near the throbbing heart of humanity, having lived a life secluded from ordinary realities. Concealing her exact identity under the maid's hat and veil, she hinted that she belonged to one of the most exclusive families in high society. She explained that she wanted to converse with someone uncorrupted by tremendous affluence.

I wanted to talk, for once, with a natural man—one unspoiled by the despicable gloss of wealth and supposed social superiority. Oh! you do not know how weary I am of it—money, money, money!

She expressed profound exhaustion with unending social obligations, jewels, travels, dinners, and repetitive suitors. When he suggested that vast wealth must be agreeable, she lamented the unbearable monotony of extreme luxury, noting that even the tinkle of ice in a champagne glass drove her to distraction. He noted that champagne was typically chilled in bottles rather than served with ice. She airily dismissed the point, explaining that the idle elite constantly pursued bizarre fads, such as using ice in wine or wearing green gloves to eat olives at aristocratic dinners.

Suitors and humble station: the Grand Duke, the Marquis, and the young man's restaurant job

The conversation turned to the girl's romantic prospects and social obligations. She confessed that she had often imagined loving a common laborer rather than an idle aristocrat, though caste pressures weighed upon her. Two titled European suitors were pursuing her hand: a cruel German Grand Duke and a calculating, mercenary English Marquis.

She then inquired about Mr. Parkenstacker's own line of work. He responded modestly that he occupied a very humble station, and asked whether she truly could care for an ordinary workingman. She confirmed that no calling would be too lowly for the right person. He then stated that he worked across the street in the brightly illuminated eatery.

The girl recoiled slightly at the revelation, expressing relief only when he clarified that he was not an attendant waiting on diners, but rather a cashier on the night shift.

The double revelation: she takes the cashier's seat and he drives away in the automobile

Checking her bracelet watch, the girl announced that she had to depart immediately for social engagements. She mentioned a white automobile with red running gear waiting at the park corner, claiming her driver awaited her while under the impression she was shopping. Forbidding him to follow her so that he would not glimpse the vehicle's monogram, she walked away into the dusk.

Mr. Parkenstacker discreetly trailed her through the trees. Instead of entering the automobile, she crossed the street and entered the glaring, inexpensive restaurant.

The red-haired girl — young woman, restaurant cashier who ends her shift and is replaced by the girl in gray; glances pointedly at the clock as she climbs down from her stool.

The girl removed her veil and hat in the back room and took over the cashier's desk from The red-haired girl. Meanwhile, Mr. Parkenstacker returned to the park corner, noticed the book she had left behind, and left it on the grass. He then walked up to the luxurious white car.

Henri — man, chauffeur who drives the luxurious white automobile with red running gear for Mr. Parkenstacker, waiting for him at the corner of the park.

Settling into the cushioned interior, the true owner of the motor car instructed Henri to drive him to his private club.

Podcast: While the Auto Waits 🎧

Two hosts explore how strangers trade false identities in a park, revealing class anxiety, social performance, and O. Henry’s signature reversal.

This podcast was generated using AI and may contain errors · About the podcast

This summary is based on the edition of the short story from the collection The Voice of the City: Further Stories of the Four Million (New York: The McClure Company, 1908). Illustrations were created using AI.