Mr Richard Jenkins Narrative

Mr. Richard Jenkins attended the eight o’clock service at his local church every single Sunday. Each week without fail, he sat in the third row, looking carefully polished, just as he had the Sunday before that, and the Sunday before that, and just as he would next Sunday, too. His jacket was clean and pressed, his shoes had been polished until they were gleaming, his bowtie had been tied perfectly around his starched collar, and his hat was placed neatly upon his head. He was clean-shaved, his hair was combed and gelled into place beneath his hat, and his hands and fingernails had been cleaned. In the more than fifty years since Mr. Jenkins had moved to Mulberry, he had only ever missed one single service.
And, just like every other Sunday, after the service had come to a close, Mr. Jenkins stood and made his way down the aisle and towards the doors of the church. He leaned heavily on his cane and smiled warmly at fellow members of the congregation, even pausing to shake their hands and greet them cheerfully, just as he had the Sunday before that, and the Sunday before that, and just as he would next Sunday, too. After descending the stairs outside the church, he began the short walk to the local diner, …show more content…
Jenkins then removed the carefully folded newspaper from his inside jacket pocket, opening it up and beginning to read. Any changes in his after-church routine lay only in the words on the newspaper and the faces in the diner. He sat in silence for some time, reading the Sunday paper and sipping his cup of coffee, just as he had the Sunday before that, and the Sunday before that, and just as he would next Sunday, too. Occasionally, his eyes flicked up from the paper and he opened his mouth as if to share some of his own commentary on a particular article in this week’s newspaper, or simply read aloud a headline he found notable. Each time this happened, however, he quickly looked back down and hastily pressed the rim of his coffee cup to his parted