Summary

The short story “The Stack” by Rose Tremain begins with John McCreedy’s wife, Hilda, asking him what he wants to do on his birthday.

He thinks about going out to the pub but does not say it out loud. He asks Hilda what the children would like to do, but she lights a cigarette and tells him that he should decide because it is his birthday.

McCreedy would like to go back to Ireland for his birthday. Hilda leaves the kitchen, telling him to get back to her when he has a better answer. He thinks it is time that the smoking killed her.

McCreedy goes out in the garden, where his daughter Katy is playing with her dolls. He asks her what they should do on his birthday. Katy says her dolls are being stung by the nettles in the garden and asks her father to cut them down. He replies that he is saving them for nettle soup, to make her beautiful....