Summary and structure
In this section of the study guide, you can read the summary of “Tickits” by Paul Milenski as well as information regarding its structure.
Summary
Toby Heckler walks around the city with a notepad and a pen which he uses to give misspelled tickets to all the people he meets who do not respect the rules of the city. He gives tickets to people for parking incorrectly, for not respecting other pedestrians on the sidewalk, for almost crossing the street when the lights are still red, and so on.
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Structure
“Tickits” is not a plot-centered short story but respects some of the plot elements. The story has an exposition and various tension points, but it lacks a clear climax and resolution.
The narrative simply follows Toby, the main character, on a typical day in his life. Consequently, the story is structured around the main character and his actions. The author’s purpose is to convey a portrait of a mentally challenged man and his frustrations with the world and his situation.
Title
The title of the short story represents a misspelled form of the word “tickets” (understood as an official notice of an offense, such as a parking ticket). The fact that the word is misspelled suggests the story...
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Beginning
The story begins by introducing us to the main character and the setting (the streets of a city) in a short exposition:
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Middle
The middle of the short story follows Toby as he hands out tickets to people who have barely done anything illegal: “When the green light read ‘WALK,’ Toby and the man crossed. The man went into a shop. Toby waited for him, handed him a slip as he came out, ‘ALLMOST WALKD.’ ” (p. 1, ll. 16-17)
When Toby meets patrolman McVee, it becomes clear the patrolman is acquainted with Toby’s habit of handing out “tickets”. The patrolman’s tone suggests he is not bothered by Toby acting like a police officer in the neighborhood, and that he is even amused in a good-natured way about Toby’s actions:
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Ending
The conclusion of the story presents Toby alone in his room, taking out a shoe box where he keeps his mother’s tickets, and adding a few more to the pile. Toby’s frustration with the world and his mother is finally written down as well:
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