I can make your short story disappear

March 2, 2013 8:19 AM

Please help me identify a short story I read in high school. It's about a man who claims that he can make people disappear to the extent that no-one will remember that they ever existed. He is asked to prove the claim... *possible spoilers inside*

At the end, there is a reference to an empty chair or bar stool? (being knocked over I think), when all the seats were taken before.

There is this discussion but they didn't figure it out. At least it proves that I wasn't imagining it. I also thought it might be Guy de Maupassant, but I've had a look at likely candidtates on this site and haven't found it.

Thanks in advance, this has been bugging me for a while.

posted by pianissimo to Writing & Language (2 answers total)

Best answer: Exit by Harry Farjeon (made into a film). The story appears in some anthologies. Here's one for sale on Ebay Australia, but darned if I can find the story itself online. Maybe someone with better GoogleFu can do it.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 10:52 AM on March 2, 2013 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks Marie, that's the one! Good to know it's a film too.
posted by pianissimo at 7:33 PM on March 2, 2013