Late, Late Show by John O'Hara

Bring back Craig!

See? I don't just review Donald Barthelme short-stories. "Late, Late Show" by John O'Hara is my first story by this author and it actually might be my last one for a while. The only minor redeeming factor here is the brisk dialogue and zippy repartee between the couple, which essentially makes up the entire narrative. Everything else felt completely pointless. 

The couple is watching a movie and the husband recognizes a familiar name in the screenwriting credits, a Ralph P. Stimson. The husband then proceeds to tell the wife about how he first met Stimson when they worked together at an advertising agency before quitting abruptly and leaving for Hollywood. He shares various personal details about the man such as his quirky personality, offbeat fashion sense and the way he groomed his moustache, which was radical for the times. Why should we care about any of these details about Stimson's life? Anyways, during WWII, it's possible that they were both working for the CIA although the husband is evasive on the subject, much to the wife's chagrin. I find myself pondering what exactly John O'Hara intended for readers to glean from this narrative. Are we meant to decipher hidden depths within the rapid-fire banter, unraveling insights into the intricacies of this couple's dynamic? If that's the case, prepare to be disappointed because all you will find is a vast and empty hollowness.