FANCY MAN, THE

by Stott, Mike

Does Amy Granville have a ‘fancy man’? Set in a small Pennine village in the 1920’s, Amy and Arthur have been married just under a year, but the small community begins to talk in whispers when Amy starts visiting the public baths twice a week and taking long walks alone. Arthur is more interested in local cricket, football, and the pigeons he keeps, and in an attempt to inspire more romance in their relationship, Amy does nothing to dispel the rumours of her ‘fancy man’. The plan initially works, as Arthur’s rage and jealousy turn to desire for her, and the couple begin making love every night of the week, much to the consternation of the neighbours. But when Amy falls pregnant, Arthur is convinced that the baby isn’t his but the ‘fancy man’s’, and nothing she or anyone else can say or do will dissuade him from his notion, leading to a tragic and unexpected twist.