# Spawn of "Identify this short story from vague details" thread

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spawn-of-identify-this-short-story-from-vague-details-thread/508848>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [September 4, 2009, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spawn-of-identify-this-short-story-from-vague-details-thread/508848 "2009-09-04T11:59:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spawn-of-identify-this-short-story-from-vague-details-thread/508848/1 "2009-09-04T11:59:14Z")

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We haven’t had one of these for a while - or if we have I missed it through sheer inattentiveness - and I have an i.d. challenge.

Many moons ago I read a short story about an old guy who worked in a grocery store. I believe he got mandatorily retired - or fired - or something. He may or may not have been married, and his wife may or may not have been a screeching shrew of a harpy. Anyway, he ends up moving into the attic of the store with a comfy chair and his books, and comes out at night to feed himself with the inventory.

Of course the store manager and employees notice things are going missing, but there’s never any sign of a break-in, so they’re all getting creeped out thinking the place is haunted or something.

Eventually the old guy ends up saving the store from a disgruntled ex-employee with firebug tendencies, and the store manager decides that even if something weird is going on, it’s a good weird, so the story ends happily.

I have no idea if I read this in a magazine, or an anthology, or online, or what. I don’t even know how long ago I read it. Does it sound familiar to anyone?

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**Author:** ![Ronald\_C.Semone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@Ronald\_C.Semone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ronald_C.Semone)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spawn-of-identify-this-short-story-from-vague-details-thread/508848/2 "2009-09-04T12:57:52Z")

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There is always John Collier’s classic _Evening Primrose_ which has a similar plot except for the part about the fire and the happy ending.