Never Wrong

Submitted by Kevindubrow on Fri, 08/15/2008 at 8:54pm.

“Idiot girl. Now, I can take your queen.”

Catherine remained silent. She always did when facing the, as her mother would put it, “prickly” master of the mansion in which she lived, along with her mother, a maid, and father, a chauffer lived in. Despite her parent’s humble career paths, she knew she was lucky compared to other black families. They lived well, with the food, living quarters, and health that most Americans in the 70’s had. Sitting by the fireplace now, she studied the elaborate chess board that Smithers, the retired owner of the third largest oil company in the world, had owned for countless years.

Looking more closely now, she saw it. Of course. That seemingly helpless bishop was in fact just part of an elaborate trap to take her queen, and fork her two rooks. “I should have known,” Catherine thought as she got up to get Smithers a second cup of brandy. As far as she knew, Smithers never made mistakes. From Starting out as the owner of a gas station, to playing chess on winter nights, he did everything right.

As Smithers drank deeply from his glass, he looked at Catherine down the bridge of his nose. “I swear, as long as I live, you will never beat me.” Catherine knew it was true.

Suddenly Smithers made jerking movements. A heart attack. Panicking, Catherine franticiy tried remembering something from the middle school she went to, but nothing came to mind. She watched, horrified, as he slumped to the floor.

Later that night, when the ambulance carted Smithers off, Catherine knew he was dead. As she put away the chess board for the last time, she noticed something. She couldn’t believe it. She put the board back on the table, moved the last bishop to D2, and whispered to herself, “checkmate.” Right then a scrap of paper fell from underneath the chess board. “As long as I live,” It read. Catherine shook her head. Even when he was dead, Smithers was never wrong.

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