"The Five-Forty-Eight" is a 1954 short story

Short story

A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...

 by John Cheever

John Cheever

John William Cheever was an American novelist and short story writer. He is sometimes called "the Chekhov of the suburbs." His fiction is mostly set in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, the Westchester suburbs, old New England villages based on various South Shore towns around Quincy,...

 published in The Stories of John Cheever

The Stories of John Cheever

The Stories of John Cheever is a 1978 short story collection by American author John Cheever. It contains some of his most famous stories, including "The Enormous Radio," "Goodbye, My Brother," "The Country Husband," "The Five-Forty-Eight" and "The Swimmer." It won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction...

, though it may have been published previously. The story is about a businessman called Blake, who is accosted on a train at gun

Gun

A gun is a muzzle or breech-loaded projectile-firing weapon. There are various definitions depending on the nation and branch of service. A "gun" may be distinguished from other firearms in being a crew-served weapon such as a howitzer or mortar, as opposed to a small arm like a rifle or pistol,...

point by his former secretary, named Miss Dent. The woman is mentally ill, and is particularly upset with how Blake left her after a one-night stand and then fired her. The story is noteworthy because its focus is primarily on Blake's perception of those around him, from which stems an anti-social history. Though the woman's mental state is somewhat deteriorated, Cheever communicates that her perception of reality is more advanced than Blake's.

Film, TV and theatrical adaptations

The story has been adapted for the theatre and has appeared in this form on the radio. It was also adapted into a 1960 episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Alfred Hitchcock Presents is an American television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock. The series featured dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. By the premiere of the show on October 2, 1955, Hitchcock had been directing films for over three decades...

 starring Zachary Scott

Zachary Scott

Zachary Scott was an American actor, most notable for his roles as villains and "mystery men".-Life and career:...

 and Phyllis Thaxter

Phyllis Thaxter

-Early life and career:Born Phyllis St. Felix Thaxter, she was the daughter of Maine Supreme Court Justice Sidney Thaxter and his wife, a former actress. Thaxter worked on Broadway in the 1930s and signed an MGM contract in 1944...

.

A 1979 television adaptation aired on PBS as 3 by Cheever: The 5:48

The Five Forty-Eight

The Five Forty Eight is a 1979 US TV film Merchant Ivory Productions film for television, directed by James Ivory.-Credit:* A Teleplay by Terrence McNally* Based on a story by John Cheever * Produced by Peter Weinberg...

, with Laurence Luckinbill

Laurence Luckinbill

Laurence George Luckinbill is an American actor.-Life and career:Luckinbill was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas, the son of Agnes and Laurence Benedict Luckinbill. He graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1956 and The Catholic University of America in 1958.He starred in the 1976 Broadway play...

 and Mary Beth Hurt

Mary Beth Hurt

Mary Beth Hurt is an American actress of stage and screen.-Personal life:Hurt was born Mary Supinger in 1946 in Marshalltown, Iowa, the daughter of Delores Lenore and Forrest Clayton Supinger. Her childhood babysitter was actress Jean Seberg, also a Marshalltown native...

in the lead roles.