#CastleRock #Readathon ‘Mrs Todd’s Shortcut’

About the story…

The fifth tale in the 1985 collection, ‘Skeleton Crew, Mrs Todd’s Shortcut is about the long term predilection of Ophelia Todd for saving time by ‘wrinkling the map’, driving fast in her little Mercedes go-devil, all over Castle Rock-and beyond.

*It is mentioned in the afterword, that Ophelia Tod is based somewhat on King’s wife, Tabitha. Also, it just occurred to me that tod is German for death. Coincidence?*

Narrated by old timer, Homer, to his friend Dave at the garage forecourt, watching the 2nd Mrs Todd zoom past, the inevitable comparisons between past and present wives , results in Homer passing on the story of how he became friendly with ‘Phelia, and what he saw when he travelled around with her.

Both women are identified as an adjunct to their husband, Mr Todd, and yet ‘Phelia is the one most prefer because she has not only added to her husband’s social standing, she has created her own identity from it. This is reinforced by the way that the second wife has no name (a la ‘Rebecca’) and reminds the reader of the way life in a small town can be. In mentioning the second Mrs Todd, you become aware that the first, ‘Phelia, has ever left, died, or disappeared and therefore she is the essence of the tale being told.

Ostensibly a tale about a woman obsessed with saving time and drawing and re-drawing maps of Castle County and

it’s outlying areas, this also looks at the process of ageing, vanity, humility and engagement with said community on its terms. In so doing , in her support of the town children, driving them to swimming lessons, giving up her time for fundraisers (because it is the right thing to do), she becomes not only part of the lexicon of the strange happenings of Castle Rock, her reward is, essentially, time travel.

Having exhausted all the known roads, she becomes aware of the unknown, and whether they were there all along or whether her flying around in the go-devil opened a portal to another time zone is uncertain, but this reader rather likes the way that the world bending is left ambiguously.

Sharp and sassy, King creates this wonderful vision of ‘Phelia racing to beat the devil, convinced if she can save enough time she can hold back the ageing process, do more good works, spend more time doing what she loves-but at what cost? Doesn’t every pilot need a co-pilot?

Homer and Dave are typical King everymen, they speak with a Maine dialect familiar to all Constant readers, and this is a neat short story of 22 pages that has a beginning, middle and end.

What happens in between?

Well that would be telling….

Links to other King stories-

Pg 182-Joe Camber is mentioned , another inhabitant of an infamous Castle Rock cautionary tale, told in ‘Cujo’

Pg 188– Gates Falls is referenced -this appeared in the short story ‘Graveyard Shift’

Pg 189-Derry Hospital and Old Derry Road are mentioned as places on the map route ‘Phelia tells Homer about. Derry features in many of King’s works, especially ‘It’ and ‘Insomnia’

About the author…

Stephen King is the author of more than fifty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His first crime thriller featuring Bill Hodges, ‘Mr Mercedes’, won the Edgar Award for best novel and was shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger Award. Both ‘Mr Mercedes’ and ‘End Of Watch’ received the Goodreads Choice Award for the Best Mystery and Thriller of 2014 and 2016 respectively.

King co-wrote the bestselling novel ‘Sleeping Beauties‘ with his son Owen King, and many of King’s books have been turned into celebrated films and television series including ‘The Shawshank Redemption‘, ‘Gerald’s Game’ and ‘It‘.

King was the recipient of America’s prestigious 2014 National Medal of Arts and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for distinguished contribution to American Letters. In 2007 he also won the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America. He lives with his wife Tabitha King in Maine

Links-https://www.stephenking.com/

Twitter @StephenKing

@HodderBooks