O. Henry’s Short Story, ‘The Romance of a Busy Broker’

There’s more to life than work

What's important in life can get away from us as it did with the busy broker in O. Henry's short story, "The Romance of a Busy Broker." (fizkes/Shutterstock)

In “Essays, Letters and Miscellanies,“ Leo Tolstoy says: ”Stop a moment, cease your work, look around you.” Tolstoy urges us to resist the human tendency to be so consumed by work that we forget to look up and see the life that surrounds us.

In his short story “The Romance of a Busy Broker,” O. Henry shows that when we allow work to swallow us, we do not see what is around us and end up losing our humanity. By following the busy broker Harvey Maxwell, Henry shows that we can see life, with all its secrets and beauties, if we pay attention.

Harvey is an efficient and hardworking broker who hardly ever lets anything distract him while he works. At his desk, he is “no longer a man; [but] is a busy New York broker, moved by buzzing wheels and uncoiling springs.”

He is so absorbed that when his young stenographer, Miss Leslie, approaches, he does not notice her kind smile or that she seems to be reminiscing about something.

Soon a young, flamboyant woman comes in to apply for the stenographer position. But when brokerage office manager Pitcher brings her to speak with Harvey, Harvey is confused and frustrated. He completely forgets the instruction he gave to Pitcher the day before to have Miss Leslie replaced:

“Why should I have given you any such instructions? Miss Leslie has given perfect satisfaction during the year she has been here. The place is hers as long as she chooses to retain it.”

Waking Up to Life

As the hours pass, some of the hectic action subsides. Harvey begins to look up from his work. He opens the window to let the spring air into the office.

As the warm breeze surrounds him, the sweet scent of lilac hits him. His heart is overcome, and his mind is filled with thoughts of Miss Leslie, for this scent is Leslie’s scent: “It is her own, and hers only.”

All thoughts of work disappear from his mind and are replaced with the strongest attention on her. He’s in love. Harvey mutters to himself: “By George, I‘ll do it now. I’ll ask her now. I wonder I didn’t do it long ago.”

With determination, Harvey hurries to Leslie’s desk. As she looks up at him with a smile, he quickly proposes to her, acknowledging his inability to court her properly.

This proposal stuns the young lady, and she exclaims: “Oh, what are you talking about?” Then, after repeating his love for her, Miss Leslie must remind Harvey of what has recently occurred.

Through this story, O. Henry shows that if we allow work to swallow us so completely, we fail to notice those people and things that are most important. We forget important words and actions and cannot remember the beautiful secrets that we share with others.

Though work is good and crucial, it must not be our principal thought and aim. Life should be our focus, with all its beauties and wonders. These are the beauties and wonders that make life worthwhile.