The Pusher-in-the-Face by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Short summary

5 seconds

A young man punched an elderly lady for talking loudly in the theater. In court she screams and is so indignant that the judge acquits the «mugger.

1 minute

Charles David Stewart is accused of battery on an older woman. He was not acquainted with her and for some reason punched her in the face.

The plaintiff said that in the theater, the man sitting in front of her punched her in the face out of the blue. He hit her hard enough that her friends had to put a cold compress on her nose all night long.

The defendant made a full confession of guilt. He said that at the play the woman first put her knees in his chair. He tolerated it.

But then she began to tell her friends about her indigestion and the same problems with the plumber.

The story was overly naturalistic, and the woman spoke so loudly that Stewart couldn’t hear the actors on stage. He couldn’t stand it and hit the woman.

After his story, the victim begins to scream loudly and accuse Stewart. The judge reprimands her and acquits Charles.