{"id":7409,"date":"2026-02-27T01:07:52","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T19:07:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/?p=7409"},"modified":"2026-02-27T01:10:07","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T19:10:07","slug":"how-about-how-about-you-delbert-robinson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/?p=7409","title":{"rendered":"HOW ABOUT “HOW ABOUT YOU, DELBERT ROBINSON?”?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"New<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0If you’re\u00a0 wondering about that extra HOW ABOUT in the title to this blahg, it’s because I’m finally going to debut my short story “How About You, Delbert Robinson.”\u00a0 In four previous blahgs, in October of last year, twice in January and once already in February, I had commented on the lack of progress on my behalf in finishing this short story.\u00a0 I had apparently started writing the story on August 18th of last year.\u00a0 Here’s a clip of the ‘properties’ box from Microsoft Word for the story and it shows the created date, the modified date, and the accessed date.\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Delbert<\/a><\/p>\n

The modified date was February 24th, two days ago, when I decided to try and finish the story.\u00a0 The accessed date was yesterday, February 25th, because I was almost finished and had enough energy to push through to the end.\u00a0 Today, I did another look over and found some small errors.\u00a0 It was where I wanted it.\u00a0 Six months to write a story is not great but it’s not bad.\u00a0 It took me ten years to finish SEVEN FEET OF SNOW IN BUFFALO<\/a> after the initial start, almost 21 months to finish\u00a0THE SODA MACHINE<\/a>, as well as ten years again to finish “PIPPA’S PASSING<\/a>.\u00a0 To be fair, I thought about Pippa’s Passing for ten years before I even wrote one word but then finished the full novel in four months.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0Two days ago I thought it was time to stop throwing up excuses and to get back to the story.\u00a0 Even though the above image says I started the story on August 18th and modified it on February 24th, I actually opened the file several times but then only read it through.\u00a0 On occasion I corrected spelling and grammar or added a sentence or a paragraph.\u00a0 It wasn’t until February that I added on to the previously written 2,700 word count.\u00a0 The final edit is around 4, 900 words so I wrote in the past two days almost as much as when I had started last August.\u00a0 Before I debut it, however, I want to talk about how I sought to finish the story last October using the assistance of ChatGPT.\u00a0 I talked about this process in a previous blahg, PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR OF EARTH<\/a> where I asked ChatGPT for advice and review on a story I had written in 1979 or 1980.\u00a0 That story was “Private Investigator Of Earth.”\u00a0 ChatGPT gave me some suggestions which I discarded and also penned a sequel “Metamorphosis On Thorax” based on my thoughts.\u00a0 Check out that previous blahg to understand that process.\u00a0 I’ll post about my ChatGPT experience with “How About You, Delbert Robinson?” below.\u00a0 But first, here’s the new story:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

HOW ABOUT YOU, DELBERT ROBINSON?<\/strong><\/p>\n

By<\/strong><\/p>\n

Scott Henderson<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He knew the question was coming.\u00a0 It was inevitable.\u00a0 Some form of the question had dogged him all his life.\u00a0 \u2018How about you, Delbert Robinson?\u2019\u00a0 \u2018What about you, Delbert Robinson?\u2019\u00a0 \u2018Can you, Delbert Robinson?\u2019\u00a0 It was always one version or another.\u00a0 It didn\u2019t matter about the wording as long as his name was in there.<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 With a name like Delbert Robinson, he didn\u2019t like to hear it all that often.\u00a0 Oh, the Robinson part was fine but even Delbert himself didn\u2019t prefer the Delbert portion.\u00a0 He would rather be called Del or DB.\u00a0 DR in a pinch was okay but DB sounded like a better abbreviation for Delbert in his opinion.\u00a0 That was the issue, however\u2026his opinion.\u00a0 It always came down to Delbert Robinson\u2019s opinion.<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ever since he could remember, being called Delbert and being asked to weigh in on something had presented itself as a problem.\u00a0 With a name like Delbert, he was always very sensitive to the fact that people really didn\u2019t expect very much from him.\u00a0 So, if they were going to ask him anything, and qualify it by including the complete Delbert Robinson, then he felt obliged to answer.\u00a0 And he was always correct.<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Delbert Robinson always knew the answer.\u00a0 He retained information.\u00a0 He recalled everything he read or heard.\u00a0 He could see all the angles and dissect the situation to provide the most accurate reply.\u00a0 It was easy for him except he didn\u2019t like to advertise that fact.\u00a0 In school, he never raised his hand.\u00a0 He tried to avoid eye contact with any of his teachers but the questions inescapably always came.<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDoesn\u2019t anyone know the answer?\u00a0 Doesn\u2019t anyone want to take a crack it?\u201d\u00a0 The teachers\u2019 questions varied but eventually they\u2019d go down their list and call on each student in turn.\u00a0 If someone didn\u2019t answer correctly before him, Delbert Robinson would be called upon for the solution.<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow about you, Delbert Robinson?\u201d\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t avoid it then.\u00a0 He\u2019d been singled out.\u00a0 He\u2019d always rise to the occasion\u2026literally taking to his feet.\u00a0 He\u2019d answer the question at hand every time and he\u2019d always be right.\u00a0 He hated it.<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Delbert Robinson believed his teachers had been on to him.\u00a0 They knew he was an excellent student and the only way to engage him was to ask him directly and invoke his full name.\u00a0 Sometimes it felt like the teachers must have shared this information among themselves.\u00a0 Different questions in different subjects and the same line of inquiry.\u00a0 \u201cHow about you, Delbert Robinson?\u201d<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t very long before he was the go-to student of choice.\u00a0 Alphabetical pupil lists be damned.\u00a0 They skipped all of the other letters and honed right into the \u201cR\u201d section.\u00a0 \u201cHow about you, Delbert Robinson?\u201d\u00a0 Anyone like a Riley or a Reed or Richardson or even a Roberts was ignored in favour of Delbert Robinson.<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Early on, his teachers pegged him for greatness.\u00a0 Despite his willingness to hide his gift, they promoted him right along.\u00a0 He was singled out for advanced studies.\u00a0 They put him into academically challenging classes.\u00a0 They passed along their insight.\u00a0 Call on him and you\u2019ll get the answer.\u00a0 Don\u2019t forget the \u2018Delbert Robinson\u2019.<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They transferred him to a special school for gifted children.\u00a0 That school sent him back.\u00a0 Someone had forgotten to pass along the \u2018Delbert Robinson\u2019 approach.\u00a0 He was a good student when he wanted to be but without the challenge associated with his name, he failed to deliver.\u00a0 Delbert Robinson knew the game as well.\u00a0 Don\u2019t stand out.\u00a0 Don\u2019t excel.\u00a0 If they don\u2019t ask, don\u2019t answer.\u00a0 His old school took him back and wondered about their failed recommendation.<\/h4>\n

It was back to the same old same old and Delbert Robinson responded efficiently every time.\u00a0 Where had his school gone wrong?\u00a0 Their student was a prodigy.\u00a0 What had happened at the other school?\u00a0 Didn\u2019t they know the rules of the inquiry?<\/h4>\n

Of course, Delbert Robinson didn\u2019t know any of this.\u00a0 He had his suspicions but no one asked him about it so he wasn\u2019t obliged to give it any thought and provide a qualitative explanation.\u00a0 His old school just reveled in having him back and the notoriety it brought.\u00a0 Delbert Robinson was always selected for spelling bees and math contests and he always won and the school always prominently displayed the trophies.\u00a0 Delbert Robinson was a marketable entity.<\/h4>\n

Eventually, they had to promote him out of his elementary school and on to a secondary institution.\u00a0 For a while, DB basked in anonymity.\u00a0 The new school and the new teachers didn\u2019t know the secret.\u00a0 Of course, it didn\u2019t last for long.\u00a0 Students who knew him from his junior school would let slip the trick.<\/h4>\n

\u201cWhy not ask, Delbert Robinson?\u00a0 He always knows the answer.\u201d\u00a0 Sometimes it was sarcasm while other times it was another student wishing not to be called on in class because they didn\u2019t have a credible response other than their dog ate their homework.<\/h4>\n

The first time this happened varied the routine only slightly.<\/h4>\n

\u201cIs this true, do you know the answer Delbert Robinson?\u00a0 Would you care to have a go at it?\u201d\u00a0 Of course, he didn\u2019t care to have a go at it but he\u2019d been correctly called upon and there was nothing for it.\u00a0 The variation in the question hadn\u2019t fazed him in the least.<\/h4>\n

\u201cThe square root of 1,296 is 36.\u201d<\/h4>\n

\u201cThe capital of Mongolia is Ulaanbaatar.\u201d<\/h4>\n

\u201cThe Moon is approximately 384,400 kilometers away from the Earth.\u201d<\/h4>\n

\u201cSocial anarchism is a political philosophy advocating for a stateless society based on voluntary cooperation and mutual aid, rejecting hierarchy and authority. It envisions a society organized through free associations of individuals and communities, emphasizing social equality and the abolition of all forms of domination, including economic and political power.\u201d<\/h4>\n

That last one had left his Political Science teacher gobsmacked.\u00a0 She didn\u2019t call on Delbert Robinson for a while after that.\u00a0 There were some advantages to providing detailed information.\u00a0 DB knew his own tricks in the game as well.<\/h4>\n

DB had very few friends.\u00a0 He had even fewer rivals.\u00a0 No one ever wanted to go head to head with Delbert Robinson.\u00a0 They all knew they\u2019d fail eventually so they\u2019d throw their first response and get on with their unavoidable shame.\u00a0 DB understood those tricks, too.\u00a0 Unfortunately, they didn\u2019t work for him.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t answer incorrectly.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t in his nature.<\/h4>\n

He breezed through high-school.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t need to put in any great effort.\u00a0 Everyone knew that Delbert Robinson held the answers.\u00a0 Delbert Robinson knew that as well and accepted his fate. \u00a0Year after year, he was the top student without really trying.\u00a0 The school racked up academic trophy after trophy.\u00a0 Delbert was their golden goose.\u00a0 In the end, they hated to see him graduate.<\/h4>\n

Delbert Robinson received top honours.\u00a0 He was nominated for numerous scholarships and bursaries.\u00a0 He turned them all down.\u00a0 He could see his own future.\u00a0 Delbert Robinson was poised for success.\u00a0 He wanted none of it.\u00a0 He just wanted to be Del or DB; or anyone else, really.<\/h4>\n

Del Robinson went to work.\u00a0 He accepted the first menial labour job he was offered.\u00a0 He was a numbered employee in a large organization.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t care.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t excel.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t feel the need.\u00a0 He avoided advancement.\u00a0 He worked his job, he collected his pay, and he went home.\u00a0 DB basked in anonymity.<\/h4>\n

Gone was Delbert Robinson.\u00a0 DB worked the loading docks and was happy.\u00a0 No one knew of his Delbert past.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t even mention to others his full name.\u00a0 They knew him as Del.\u00a0 Even the DB eventually went by the wayside.\u00a0 No one could abbreviate his name if they didn\u2019t know about the Delbert part.\u00a0 To the others at work, he was just Del.\u00a0 There was nothing special about him and no one expected much from him.\u00a0 No one had ever expected much of \u2018Delbert\u2019 either and that had been part of his motivation to excel when he heard that name.\u00a0 Del didn\u2019t feel that way.\u00a0 No one expected much of him now but they could expect to rely on him if nothing else.<\/h4>\n

He hung out with the guys sometimes after work.\u00a0 They went for drinks.\u00a0 On trivia nights at the local pub, Del begged off.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t want to be tempted.\u00a0 He played poker every couple of weeks with Hank, Chris, and Vic.\u00a0 Sometimes he won and sometimes he lost.\u00a0 It all evened out somehow.\u00a0 He tried not to stand out.\u00a0 He lost just as often as he won.\u00a0 Del thought about how he could have won every pot because he saw the \u2018tell\u2019 in all the other players.\u00a0 Vic dug at his ear with his key.\u00a0 Hank would pretend to comb through his beard to loosen food scraps.\u00a0 It was not only his tell but a necessity.\u00a0 Hank was a sloppy eater.\u00a0 Chris was a stone face.\u00a0 When it came to cards, he showed no emotion.\u00a0 Del noticed, however, that Chris held his cards a little too tightly when he had a good hand.\u00a0 The colour would fade from his fingers.\u00a0 Vic and Hank failed to take note.<\/h4>\n

It was a good life.\u00a0 In his off time, he read.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t to impress anyone as he never talked about what he recalled from the books.\u00a0 His tastes ranged.\u00a0 He\u2019d read anything.\u00a0 He particularly enjoyed true crime stories or mystery novels.\u00a0 Del would solve everything early on and would laugh to himself about how long it took the other characters to figure out what was so obvious to him.<\/h4>\n

It was a good life.\u00a0 Well, it was a good life until Benny came along.<\/h4>\n

Del had never shared his past with anyone.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t that person anymore.\u00a0 No one knew him from back then and Del was okay with that.\u00a0 That all changed with the reappearance of Benny.<\/h4>\n

It wasn\u2019t that Benny had disappeared and then reappeared.\u00a0 It was more that Benny had been someone who knew Del when he was Delbert.\u00a0 If Delbert had been an exceptional student then Benny was the direct opposite.\u00a0 If no one had expected much out of Delbert until they got to know him then the opposite could be said of Benny.\u00a0 No one expected much from Benny because there wasn\u2019t much there.<\/h4>\n

Benny was lazy.\u00a0 His true secret, though, was he was as smart as Delbert when it came to seeing the angles and he played every one to avoid having to put in any hard work.\u00a0\u00a0 In fact, it was Benny who had first given away Delbert\u2019s secret when they were in high school.\u00a0 \u201cWhy not ask, Delbert Robinson?\u00a0 He always knows the answer.\u201d\u00a0 Benny hadn\u2019t studied.\u00a0 He knew the trick.\u00a0 Give up Delbert Robinson and the teacher would leave Benny alone.\u00a0 He\u2019d more than likely go to sleep at the back of the class when the focus was off him.<\/h4>\n

Benny dropped out of high school.\u00a0 Del had heard he\u2019d drifted around a bit and had run afoul of the law a few times.\u00a0 Del was not surprised.\u00a0 He\u2019d sized up Benny early on and foresaw the results.\u00a0 Now, here he was, a new face on the docks.\u00a0 Also, he was an old face that Del could do without.<\/h4>\n

\u201cWell if it isn\u2019t my old friend, Delbert Robinson, the man with all the answers,\u201d Benny offered at meeting his old classmate again.\u00a0 Benny was being shown the ropes by Victor.\u00a0 Del didn\u2019t cringe but he expected no good to come of Benny\u2019s reintroduction into his life.\u00a0 \u201cHow\u2019s your memory, Delbert?\u00a0 Still remember everything you ever learned?\u201d<\/h4>\n

\u201cMy memory is just fine, Benny.\u00a0 Better than yours obviously.\u00a0 I remember everything, alright, thank you.\u00a0 First, I remember we were never friends.\u00a0 Second, it\u2019s Del, not Delbert.\u00a0 It\u2019s best you put your memory to the test and remember that.\u00a0 I\u2019m just plain Del.\u201d<\/h4>\n

\u201cAny way you want it just plain Del,\u201d Benny replied.\u00a0 Del could tell it wasn\u2019t going to be any way but Benny\u2019s now that he was around.<\/h4>\n

Benny soon made his way into the inner circle.\u00a0 The other guys didn\u2019t have the experience that Del had to build up a distrust of the new employee.\u00a0 Benny was the new guy and if he didn\u2019t pick up on the requirements of his job right away then it wasn\u2019t his fault.\u00a0 Everyone helped him out.\u00a0 They wanted to see him succeed.<\/h4>\n

Benny took them all for suckers.\u00a0 He understood his job just fine.\u00a0 If he played ignorant or slow then the others would only be too happy to pitch in and help him out.\u00a0 Do his job for him, was more like it.\u00a0 Del saw right through it.\u00a0 He never offered to help out Benny and some of the other workers became resentful of Del\u2019s attitude toward their co-worker.\u00a0 Del couldn\u2019t explain it\u2026rather he wouldn\u2019t explain.<\/h4>\n

\u201cGo ahead and ask me,\u201d he thought to himself.\u00a0 \u201cSay, Delbert Robinson, what\u2019s your problem with Benny?\u201d\u00a0 Then he\u2019d really tell them.\u00a0 Of course they couldn\u2019t ask him because they didn\u2019t know the trick.\u00a0 Only he and Benny knew about the full Delbert.\u00a0 Just this one time did he wish the question would come.\u00a0 He\u2019d gladly respond and provide a very detailed answer.<\/h4>\n

Benny wormed himself into Del\u2019s inner circle.\u00a0 Benny never shied away from trivia night and he would regale everyone with his knowledge and everyone would buy him drinks.\u00a0 Del quit the pub scene.\u00a0 Trivia night or no, he wanted no part of it.<\/h4>\n

Soon, Benny found himself a seat at the bi-weekly poker game as well.\u00a0 It became intolerable for Del.\u00a0 Despite his demeanour, Benny was not stupid.\u00a0 He soon recognized the same tells in the other players and moreover he recognized Del\u2019s tell.\u00a0 Del\u2019s cue was that he could see it all and yet he would never act on what he knew.\u00a0 Benny took advantage of that and would force Del to fold because Benny knew Del would not flaunt his superior intellect.<\/h4>\n

\u201cBeginner\u2019s luck, fellas,\u201d Benny would exclaim more often than not.\u00a0 The other guys would laugh at it at first but when another player has the golden touch far too often, it can begin to be a little much.\u00a0 The poker night eventually disbanded.\u00a0 There was no fun in it for anyone except Benny.\u00a0 Wives needed their husbands at home or there was overtime to be picked up at work.\u00a0 The excuses were slim and as for Del, he didn\u2019t need one.\u00a0 He was happy just not to be in Benny\u2019s presence.<\/h4>\n

Benny didn\u2019t care.\u00a0 He moved onto other callings.\u00a0 Del heard that Benny was playing in higher stakes games around town.\u00a0 He also heard he was winning a little too much from the wrong sorts of people.<\/h4>\n

More rumors came and went about Benny.\u00a0 He\u2019d brag often about how good his poker playing was but he was bored with his winning streak and he was moving onto other gambling opportunities.\u00a0 Hank had run into Benny at the racetrack.\u00a0 He told Hank he had a foolproof system.\u00a0 He said he couldn\u2019t lose.\u00a0 Hank heard Benny lost\u2026a lot.\u00a0 Steve heard that Benny owed money all over town; again to the wrong sorts of people.<\/h4>\n

It wasn\u2019t long before Del learned the truth of it.\u00a0 Despite avoiding Benny at work, it wasn\u2019t long before Benny approached him directly.<\/h4>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s it going Delbert old man?\u00a0 Sorry, you prefer Del.\u00a0 No matter.\u00a0 Haven\u2019t seen you around much.\u00a0 I miss our old poker sessions.\u201d\u00a0 Benny was slimy in appearance and even slimier in conversation.<\/h4>\n

\u201cMiss me or miss my money?\u00a0 What do you want Benny?\u201d\u00a0 Del decided it was best to get to it.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t trust Benny and the angles were clear that there was something behind Benny\u2019s sudden coziness.<\/h4>\n

\u201cOkay, okay,\u201d Benny replied.\u00a0 \u201cI see you\u2019re a man who likes to get right down to business.\u00a0 So here goes\u2026\u201d<\/h4>\n

\u201cStop right there, Benny,\u201d Del interrupted.\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s never been any business between us and you\u2019ve never been any good at minding your own.\u00a0 Whatever you want, the answer is no.\u201d\u00a0 Del started to walk away.<\/h4>\n

\u201cOh, that\u2019s how it\u2019s going to be?\u201d Benny called after Del.\u00a0 \u201cYou think you\u2019re better than me.\u00a0 The man with all the answers!\u201d\u00a0 Del could sense Benny was trying to goad him.\u00a0 Benny wasn\u2019t even trying to hide it.\u00a0 Del decided against his best judgement to play into it.<\/h4>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right Benny, I do have all the answers and I\u2019ve given mine to you.\u00a0 No.\u00a0 Whatever it is, no.\u00a0 And by the way, I don\u2019t think I\u2019m better than you.\u00a0 I make it a habit of knowing things.\u00a0 I choose not to think when it comes to you.\u201d<\/h4>\n

Benny was taken aback for only a second but, like Del, he could see the angles, too.\u00a0\u00a0 He thought he knew just how to play them when it came to his old schoolmate.<\/h4>\n

\u201cYou have to help me Del, you\u2019re the only one who can.\u00a0 It\u2019s my life we\u2019re talking about.\u201d\u00a0 Benny thought that both complimenting Del and playing on his sympathies was the best course of action.<\/h4>\n

Del had already heard enough.\u00a0 Benny didn\u2019t like the answer he received so Del turned away again and kept walking.<\/h4>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll give you anything you want!\u201d\u00a0 Benny was getting desperate.\u00a0 Then he remembered the trick.\u00a0 \u201cI need a lot of dough fast.\u00a0 I can\u2019t think of a way to come up with it in time.\u00a0 How about you Delbert Robinson?\u201d<\/h4>\n

Del stopped in his tracks.\u00a0 The question had been asked.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t turn to look at Benny but he stood there, not moving, nonetheless.<\/h4>\n

Delbert Robinson had been called upon.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t not answer.<\/h4>\n

Del bristled at the interaction.\u00a0 Replying to Benny was going to cost him.\u00a0 He also knew that this would not be the end of it.\u00a0 It wouldn\u2019t be just this one time.\u00a0 Benny would come back and he\u2019d keep coming back.\u00a0 Del saw it all.\u00a0 He had to answer.\u00a0 He had to help Benny out.\u00a0 The bigger picture was unravelling itself before him.<\/h4>\n

He turned around and walked back until he was inches away from Benny\u2019s face.<\/h4>\n

\u201cYou want my help Benny?\u00a0 Okay, I\u2019ll help but it\u2019s just going to be this once.\u00a0 That\u2019s it.\u00a0 Nothing else comes after this.\u00a0 I\u2019m in and then I\u2019m out.\u00a0 I\u2019ll square you and then you\u2019re going to leave me alone.\u201d\u00a0 Del\u2019s mind was running away with itself.\u00a0 He had to make it right\u2026for now and for good.<\/h4>\n

Del watched as Benny seemed to shrink.\u00a0 It was like the air had been let out of him.\u00a0 Even though Del could fathom many things, he didn\u2019t know if Benny\u2019s reaction was relief or an acknowledgement that Del was, indeed, the better person.\u00a0 Either way, Del knew he couldn\u2019t trust him.<\/h4>\n

Del listened as Benny lay out his story and how his racetrack system had failed and he\u2019d gotten in deeper and deeper with a local bookmaker.\u00a0 It was a considerable amount of money.\u00a0 Benny even went into detail about his system.\u00a0 It sounded convoluted but then Del expected as much.\u00a0 Nothing was ever simple when it came to Benny<\/h4>\n

Naturally, Del saw the flaws in Benny\u2019s methodologies.\u00a0 With a little tweaking, the system could be made more reliable.\u00a0 The odds of winning would increase exponentially.\u00a0 There was no way, however, that Del would communicate that to Benny.\u00a0 He held that in check.\u00a0 Del\u2019s own plans were starting to gel.<\/h4>\n

\u201cI think I\u2019ve got something, Benny.\u00a0 In fact, I know I have something but it\u2019s going to take a little time.\u00a0 Leave it with me.\u201d<\/h4>\n

\u201cTime, is what I don\u2019t have.\u00a0 I\u2019ve got a week.\u00a0 If I don\u2019t have the money by then, it will go badly for me.\u201d<\/h4>\n

\u201cIt can\u2019t be done in less than a month,\u201d Del replied.<\/h4>\n

\u201cA month?!\u00a0 I could stretch it to two weeks but I\u2019ll be paying interest on top of that.\u00a0 I\u2019ll need something to give them on good faith.\u201d<\/h4>\n

Del knew that Benny would counter with two weeks.\u00a0 He\u2019d seen that coming.\u00a0 He had also expected this new request.\u00a0 Sometimes Benny wasn\u2019t as complicated as he made himself out to be.<\/h4>\n

\u201cWhat did you have in mind?\u201d\u00a0 Del tried not to show concern.\u00a0 This was no time for him to have a \u2018tell\u2019.<\/h4>\n

\u201cA thousand on account might stall them.\u201d\u00a0 Del had anticipated as much.<\/h4>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not giving you a thousand, Benny.\u00a0 You\u2019d disappear along with the money.\u00a0 I want to meet your contact.\u00a0 I want details from him and then and only then do I turn over the money.\u00a0 If I do, then I get reimbursed off the top before the balance is paid.\u201d<\/h4>\n

\u201cAnything you say, Delbert, I mean Del.\u00a0 I\u2019ll set it up.\u201d<\/h4>\n

Del didn\u2019t trust Benny but for this to work, he\u2019d have to let things unravel Benny\u2019s way.\u00a0 He half expected this was all a ruse and that Benny and some cohort was going to walk away with the money.\u00a0 Still, Del didn\u2019t think Benny was that smart.\u00a0 He was however smart enough to know that Del would be able to see right through any ruse.<\/h4>\n

Del left Benny salivating and went home to think things through.\u00a0 The plan had to be perfect.\u00a0 He had to get Benny out of trouble and ensure that there wouldn\u2019t be a repeat performance.\u00a0 Del mapped it all out.\u00a0 He had to be certain of all the details.<\/h4>\n

The meetup with Benny and his contact went as planned.\u00a0 Del asked all the questions.\u00a0 How much did Benny owe?\u00a0 How much time did he have to pay the remainder?\u00a0 What would happen if Benny failed to pay?<\/h4>\n

The balance owing was staggering, still Del was not surprised.\u00a0 He\u2019d factored for that.\u00a0 The thousand dollars from Del bought them another week.\u00a0 Benny was right, they\u2019d have fourteen days to pay it all off.<\/h4>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s next, partner?\u201d\u00a0 Benny asked after the token payment had been made.<\/h4>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not your partner Benny and I\u2019m not about to lay everything out for you\u2026yet.\u00a0 This is a big ask and that kind of money isn\u2019t going to come easily.\u00a0 I think you\u2019re better off not knowing where it\u2019s coming from.\u201d\u00a0 It was Del\u2019s plan and Del\u2019s rules.\u00a0 He knew any other way would result in Benny fouling everything up.<\/h4>\n

In the end, Benny did foul everything up.\u00a0 He kept nagging Del for details.\u00a0 He invoked the Delbert Robinson.\u00a0 Del told him what he needed to know.\u00a0 Del told him of the big score.\u00a0 Benny told others.<\/h4>\n

Benny was picked up in a bar on the seedier side of town.\u00a0 He\u2019d drank his way into spilling what he knew to some undercover police officers.\u00a0 He was arrested and for once in his life, he told the truth.\u00a0 He implicated Del.<\/h4>\n

\u201cWell, Mr. Robinson, we\u2019ve spoken to your accomplice.\u00a0 He told us everything.\u00a0 He\u2019s pled guilty.\u00a0 Now it\u2019s your turn.\u00a0 What do you have to say?\u201d<\/h4>\n

Del didn\u2019t answer right away.\u00a0 He looked over the police offer who was questioning him.\u00a0 He looked over the dingy interrogation room.\u00a0 This was exactly where he expected himself to be.\u00a0 Now it was a matter of waiting for the right question.\u00a0 They\u2019d already questioned Benny.\u00a0 Benny had given up Del.\u00a0 He also knew that Benny would have given up Del\u2019s secret.\u00a0 He knew the question was coming.\u00a0 It was inevitable.<\/h4>\n

\u201cYour partner\u2019s given us all the details.\u00a0 He\u2019s admitted to your involvement.\u00a0 He\u2019s pled guilty.\u00a0 How about you, Delbert Robinson?\u201d<\/h4>\n

There it was.\u00a0 Del had foreseen what came next.<\/h4>\n

The trial was short.\u00a0 Del and Benny pleaded guilty.<\/h4>\n

The sentence was ten years.\u00a0 It could have been longer but there was no evidence.\u00a0 There was no money.\u00a0 Benny said Del had it.\u00a0 Del said he had given it to Benny.\u00a0 Their confessions were the only thing the law had to go on.\u00a0 It was enough.<\/h4>\n

Del sat in his cell and reviewed everything.\u00a0 It had all gone according to plan.\u00a0 He and Benny were where they were meant to be.\u00a0 It was the same prison but different cells.\u00a0 At least that was something.<\/h4>\n

The plan had worked.\u00a0 No one, other than Del, could have expected otherwise.<\/h4>\n

There had been a scheme and there had been money.\u00a0 Del had even shown some of it to Benny.\u00a0 He had to.\u00a0 Benny had to expect that Del was going to come through.<\/h4>\n

Del had seen it all.\u00a0 He knew that Benny wouldn\u2019t keep his mouth shut.\u00a0 It was in his nature.\u00a0 Del had envisioned it all.\u00a0 It had been the perfect plan and Benny had played his part exactly as Del had expected.<\/h4>\n

It had all been so simple to Del.\u00a0 He\u2019d teach Benny a lesson.\u00a0 Del would end it once and for all.<\/h4>\n

Benny\u2019s system had been the key.\u00a0 Del had perfected it and the money was made quickly with minimal risk.\u00a0 That was stage one.<\/h4>\n

Next came Del\u2019s scheme.\u00a0 He\u2019d created an elaborate theft scenario.\u00a0 It had to be plausible.\u00a0 Benny had to believe it was all real and that it was something that Del was capable of pulling off.<\/h4>\n

Del built it up and let Benny in on enough details for it to seem possible.\u00a0 Del knew that Benny would not keep it to himself.\u00a0 It was like Benny to build it up even more than Del had and to give Benny a lead role.\u00a0 Del had counted on it.<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Del had to also show Benny he had the money.\u00a0 The track winnings built up enough to cover off everything.\u00a0 Del knew the sight of it would not only make Benny salivate but it would loosen his lips.\u00a0 Benny had whispered enough to get the attention of the right person who knew there was a benefit in letting the police know.<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The only thing that Benny could not anticipate was that Del\u2019s plan never included Benny or his bookie receiving any of it.\u00a0 The money had been divided into small envelopes, shipped out in cash, scattered through a dozen colleges and foundations, all listed under different names. They would be endowments for kids Del would never meet, who would never know why the funds existed.\u00a0 Maybe there was a Delbert Robinson among them who, like him, would not use their gifts.\u00a0 Maybe there were some who were the exact opposite and had to work hard for everything.\u00a0 Maybe there was a Benny type who would receive a bursary and turn their life around.\u00a0 One less Benny in the world.<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 There had been no crime.\u00a0 The money had been earned legally.\u00a0 Neither Benny nor Del had profited.\u00a0 Del even forfeited his original thousand.\u00a0 It had all worked out exactly as Delbert Robinson had planned.<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The prison was quiet late at night.\u00a0 Sometimes Del could imagine he was all alone again.\u00a0 He was back home again with his books.\u00a0 He solved all the mysteries.\u00a0 The criminal never got away with anything\u2026except this once.\u00a0 In sixty days he\u2019d be free again.\u00a0 It was the last piece.<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Benny and Del had only been convicted because of their admission of guilt.\u00a0 In two months, Del\u2019s lawyer would receive a letter.\u00a0 It would detail the real plan.\u00a0 It would provide the location of a journal that would prove Del\u2019s innocence.\u00a0 There\u2019d also be a record of all the money he\u2019d won.\u00a0 There was a ledger of his earnings and polaroid photos of all of his winning tickets with the names of the horses and dates written on the back.\u00a0 It would be proof positive that there had been no crime.<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Del knew full well he\u2019d be released.\u00a0 They\u2019d ask him why.\u00a0 If they didn\u2019t ask correctly, he wouldn\u2019t answer.<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It would also mean that Benny would be a free man.\u00a0 Free but not free.\u00a0 He still owed all that money.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t likely his bookie was ready to forgive and forget.\u00a0 Del didn\u2019t care.\u00a0 Benny would be in for it and Del would be out.\u00a0 He\u2019d start somewhere else where he never again would be recognized as Delbert Robinson.<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Del tried to keep to himself and wait out his time.\u00a0 It wouldn\u2019t be long now.\u00a0 He wouldn\u2019t tell Benny.\u00a0 For his old schoolmate, it would be both a nice and nasty surprise.<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Del saw him around.\u00a0 He\u2019d hear him bragging sometimes about the caper that never happened, not that Benny knew that, and how Benny had been the mastermind.\u00a0 He never let it slip that he\u2019d been the reason they\u2019d been caught.<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen I get out, I\u2019ve got big plans.\u00a0 Nothing will stop me,\u201d he\u2019d heard Benny utter one day in the yard.<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI thought you got ten years?\u201d another con inquired.\u00a0 \u201cOr maybe you think you\u2019ve found a way out of here?\u201d<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt can be done,\u201d Benny boasted.<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Benny was right.\u00a0 It could be done.\u00a0 Del saw the way.\u00a0 He noticed things.\u00a0 He memorized guard rotations.\u00a0 He counted steps between searchlight locations.\u00a0 He knew where the blind spots were.\u00a0 Benny was right.\u00a0 It could be done.\u00a0 But that wasn\u2019t for Del.\u00a0 He only needed to bide his time.<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBesides, I know a guy,\u201d Benny continued.\u00a0 His voice went quiet and Del couldn\u2019t hear the rest of the conversation between the inmates.<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Del felt a tap on his shoulder.<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat do you say, pal?\u00a0 This guy,\u201d the con stopped and gestured a thumb towards Benny, \u201che says you know a way to escape from here.\u00a0 I say it\u2019s not possible.\u00a0 If it was, someone would have done it by now.\u201d<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Del turned away.\u00a0 It was only sixty days.\u00a0 He\u2019d keep his head down.\u00a0 Sixty days and he\u2019d be out.\u00a0 It was the last part of the plan.<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDid you hear what I said, buddy?\u201d\u00a0 The con spun Del around.\u00a0 In all his planning, he\u2019d failed to expect that Benny would louse it all up so near the end.\u00a0 Del knew the question was coming again.\u00a0 It was inevitable.\u00a0 \u201cNo one\u2019s ever figured out a way.\u00a0 How about you, Delbert Robinson?\u201d<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

THE END<\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0So, what did ChatGPT do for me?\u00a0 I’d like to say nothing.\u00a0 There might have been one bit about what happened to the money that I tweaked from ChatGPT’s suggestions. I had posted what I had to ChatGPT and had asked how I should proceed.\u00a0 Any text, in blue was input from me.\u00a0 The rest is all from the Artificial Intelligence.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Benny had a way of seeping into everything.
\nHe was like a slow leak in the roof \u2014 the kind you don\u2019t notice at first, until the plaster sags and you realize the damage has been happening for a while.<\/h4>\n

At first, Del told himself it didn\u2019t matter. Benny was just another man on the docks, another voice at the table, another laugh in the room. But that wasn\u2019t true. Benny\u2019s presence itched. He had a gift for drawing attention, for turning things that were simple into spectacles.<\/h4>\n

And the worst part?
\nHe\u2019d started using Del\u2019s name.<\/h4>\n

\u201cCome on, Delbert Robinson, what do you say?\u201d Benny would grin, beer in hand, like it was a harmless joke.
\nThe others laughed \u2014 they thought it was just old-school familiarity.
\nBut Del knew better. Benny had remembered the trick. He was calling him out.<\/h4>\n

The first time Benny said it, Del froze. It was instinct \u2014 something ancient in him stirred, the need to answer, to rise, to deliver the truth because the question had found him. His mouth had even started to form words before he caught himself. He shut it down. He wasn\u2019t Delbert anymore. He was Del. Just Del.<\/h4>\n

But Benny kept at it.
\nEvery week it was something new.
\n\u201cHow about you, Delbert Robinson? You calling or folding?\u201d
\n\u201cHow about you, Delbert Robinson? You think management\u2019s gonna tighten hours again?\u201d
\n\u201cHow about you, Delbert Robinson? You think the Leafs have a shot this year?\u201d<\/h4>\n

It was always half a joke, half a test. And it worked its way under Del\u2019s skin.<\/h4>\n

He could feel the others starting to notice too \u2014 not the history, not the tension, but the rhythm of it. They began to laugh before<\/em> Benny finished the question, as though the name itself was the punchline.<\/h4>\n

One Friday, Del stayed late on the loading bay, waiting for the shift to end, hoping Benny would clock out early. The night air was thick with diesel and salt, the distant hum of trucks backing up in the yard. He stood there watching the last of the pallets move out when Benny showed up beside him, smirking.<\/h4>\n

\u201cLong time since school, eh, Delbert?\u201d
\nDel didn\u2019t answer.
\n\u201cYou know, I always wondered how it felt \u2014 having all the answers. Must\u2019ve been heavy, carrying that around. You ever miss it?\u201d<\/h4>\n

Del looked at him then, really looked. Benny\u2019s grin was smaller up close, like it was painted on. His eyes were restless. He wasn\u2019t teasing anymore \u2014 he was prying.<\/h4>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t miss anything,\u201d Del said finally. \u201cYou only miss what you need.\u201d<\/h4>\n

Benny laughed, but it sounded forced. \u201cStill got the lines, huh? Still got the answers. Guess some things don\u2019t change.\u201d<\/h4>\n

Del didn\u2019t respond. He turned back to the dock, watching the forklift lights strobe against the warehouse wall.<\/h4>\n

The silence stretched.<\/h4>\n

Then Benny said it again \u2014 soft this time, almost thoughtful.
\n\u201cHow about you, Delbert Robinson?\u201d<\/h4>\n

Del\u2019s hands tightened around the edge of the railing. He could feel the name sink into him again, like an anchor being dropped in deep water. The words wanted to come \u2014 the right answer, the explanation, the truth \u2014 but something else held him back.<\/h4>\n

When he finally spoke, his voice was calm.
\n\u201cI told you before, Benny. Don\u2019t call me that.\u201d<\/h4>\n

Benny didn\u2019t flinch. \u201cOr what?\u201d<\/h4>\n

Del looked at him. \u201cOr you\u2019ll find out what happens when you ask a question you don\u2019t really want answered.\u201d<\/h4>\n

The forklift beeped in the background. The night carried on. But Benny didn\u2019t say anything else after that.<\/h4>\n

For the first time in years, Del felt the quiet again \u2014 the kind that belonged to him.<\/h4>\n

He knew it wouldn\u2019t last.<\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

Would you like me to continue further \u2014 say, into the moment when Del finally does<\/em> give an answer (and what that means for both him and Benny)?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

Benny is in trouble. He asks Delbert to help him with a crime to get money. Benny owes gamblers<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n

Excellent \u2014 that fits the tone and character arc perfectly.
\nHere\u2019s the next continuation, keeping Scott Henderson\u2019s measured, ironic rhythm and Delbert\u2019s internal restraint, while turning up the moral and psychological tension:<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n

Benny was gone for two days.<\/h4>\n

No call, no show. The foreman grumbled but didn\u2019t make much of it \u2014 guys disappeared now and then. They\u2019d turn up with some half-baked excuse about a busted truck or a sick relative, and things went on.<\/h4>\n

But when Benny came back, something had changed.
\nHe looked thinner somehow. Or maybe it was just that his grin had stopped working.<\/h4>\n

He kept to himself that morning, moving boxes without his usual chatter. Around lunch, he wandered over to Del, quiet as a cat.<\/h4>\n

\u201cHey, Del,\u201d he said. Not Delbert<\/em> this time. That was new.
\nDel looked up, waiting.
\n\u201cYou got a minute?\u201d<\/h4>\n

Del didn\u2019t answer, but he set down the pallet hook. That was answer enough.<\/h4>\n

They walked out behind the loading bay, to where the cracked asphalt met the fence line. Benny lit a cigarette and stared at the smoke like it might tell him what to say.<\/h4>\n

\u201cI\u2019m in a bit of a jam,\u201d he said finally. \u201cYou ever get in one of those?\u201d
\nDel didn\u2019t speak. He\u2019d learned long ago that silence made people talk faster.
\n\u201cSee, I owe some money,\u201d Benny went on. \u201cTo the wrong kind of guys. And they\u2019re getting\u2026 impatient.\u201d<\/h4>\n

Del waited. He already knew the next part.<\/h4>\n

\u201cI just need a little help,\u201d Benny said, lowering his voice. \u201cThere\u2019s a shipment tonight. Cash. From the office safe. Easy grab. You and me could walk out of here with enough to fix things \u2014 and no one\u2019d even know.\u201d<\/h4>\n

He looked at Del then, eyes wide, pleading. \u201cYou\u2019re smart. You know how to do things right. I just need someone who can plan it.\u201d<\/h4>\n

Del didn\u2019t move. He could hear the faint hum of the fluorescent light above them, the clatter of a forklift in the distance.<\/h4>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t,\u201d he said quietly.<\/h4>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t what?\u201d<\/h4>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t ask me.\u201d<\/h4>\n

Benny frowned. \u201cCome on, Del\u2014\u201d<\/h4>\n

Del turned to face him. \u201cYou don\u2019t understand what happens when you ask me a question like that. You think it\u2019s a choice. It isn\u2019t.\u201d<\/h4>\n

Benny laughed, but it was nervous now. \u201cYou saying you\u2019re too good<\/em> for it?\u201d<\/h4>\n

Del\u2019s eyes narrowed slightly. \u201cI\u2019m saying once I start answering, I can\u2019t stop. And the answer\u2019s always right.\u201d<\/h4>\n

Benny stared at him, unsure if it was a threat or a confession.<\/h4>\n

\u201cSo what\u2019s the right answer then?\u201d he asked finally, voice low.<\/h4>\n

Del sighed. \u201cThe right answer is you\u2019re going to get caught. You\u2019re going to panic halfway through, make noise, and someone will see you. You\u2019ll run, but they\u2019ll find you. You\u2019ll end up owing more than you do now.\u201d<\/h4>\n

Benny swallowed hard. \u201cYou don\u2019t know that.\u201d<\/h4>\n

\u201cI do,\u201d Del said simply.<\/h4>\n

For a moment, neither man spoke. The wind tugged at Benny\u2019s shirt, the cigarette burned down to the filter.<\/h4>\n

Then Benny threw it away and smiled his old smile again \u2014 the one that never reached his eyes.
\n\u201cYou know, Delbert Robinson,\u201d he said, the name returning like a dare, \u201cyou\u2019ve been right about everything your whole life. Maybe it\u2019s time you were wrong.\u201d<\/h4>\n

Del didn\u2019t answer. He just watched Benny walk away toward the loading docks, hands in his pockets, shoulders squared like a man pretending not to be afraid.<\/h4>\n

Del knew he wouldn\u2019t sleep that night.
\nBecause if there was one thing he hated more than the question, it was knowing the answer long before it arrived.<\/h4>\n

———————————<\/h4>\n

It’s a heist. Delbert plans it. Benny cracks and admits it to the police. Del won’t admit to anything until questioned by the police. Benny gave away the secret and the police ask “All of your compatriots have plead guilty, how about you Delbert Robinson?” Delbert tells the truth but Delbert had sent the money away. He set up scholarships with distant colleges…all anonymously and in cash. Delbert goes to prison and ends up in the same prison as Benny. Delbert plans on appealing but one day some prisoners talk about escaping from prison. Some say it can’t be done. Benny overhears and spills the secret of Delbert Robinson. The story ends when one of the convicts says they’re planning an escape but others say it can’t be done. No one is smart enough to figure out a foolproof escape plan. The convict turns to ask Delbert Robinson. “How about you, Delbert Robinson?” end of story<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n

Perfect \u2014 that\u2019s a brilliant full-circle concept and completely faithful to the ironic, cyclical structure Scott Henderson set up. Here\u2019s the <\/em><\/strong>final continuation<\/em><\/strong>, written in that same understated, wry tone \u2014 patient pacing, formal diction, and the quiet tragedy of inevitability.<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n

It turned out Delbert Robinson could still be persuaded \u2014 not by greed, not by desperation, but by inevitability.<\/h4>\n

He told himself it was for Benny\u2019s sake, or maybe for the sake of seeing what would happen if he stopped avoiding the question. But in truth, it was because the moment Benny had asked \u201cHow about you, Delbert Robinson?\u201d<\/em>, the answer had already been decided.<\/h4>\n

So he planned it.
\nHe couldn\u2019t help himself.<\/h4>\n

It was simple, elegant, efficient \u2014 like all of Delbert\u2019s answers. He studied the schedules, the locks, the shift rotations. He mapped out the timing to the second. Benny didn\u2019t understand half of it, but he didn\u2019t need to. Delbert understood it all.<\/h4>\n

The heist went exactly as designed.
\nNo alarms, no witnesses, no mistakes. The money vanished.
\nFor a few hours, so did Delbert and Benny.<\/h4>\n

It might have worked forever if Benny hadn\u2019t cracked.<\/h4>\n

They found him two days later, sitting in a diner off the highway, talking too much and drinking even more. The detectives didn\u2019t have to press very hard. He confessed to everything.<\/h4>\n

Everything \u2014 including who<\/em> had planned it.<\/h4>\n

When they came for Delbert, he didn\u2019t resist. He didn\u2019t even ask for a lawyer. He just sat there, calm as ever, waiting for the right question.<\/h4>\n

They asked him many.
\nHe answered none.
\nNot until the last one.<\/h4>\n

\u201cAll of your compatriots have pled guilty,\u201d the lead detective said, leaning forward over the table. \u201cHow about you, Delbert Robinson?\u201d<\/h4>\n

And that was the moment.
\nThat old, familiar phrase \u2014 the one that had followed him through childhood and classrooms and quiet nights at the dock.
\nHe felt the answer forming before he even opened his mouth.<\/h4>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d he said. \u201cI planned it.\u201d<\/h4>\n

He didn\u2019t mention the rest \u2014 that the money had already been divided into small envelopes, shipped out in cash, scattered through a dozen colleges and foundations, all listed under different names. Scholarships for kids he would never meet, who would never know why the funds existed.<\/h4>\n

He didn\u2019t need anyone to know. That part was never for him.<\/h4>\n

They sentenced him to twelve years.<\/h4>\n

It was ironic, he thought, that Benny ended up in the same prison.
\n\u201cOld times, huh, Delbert?\u201d Benny had said on the first day, grinning like they were still back in school.<\/h4>\n

Del ignored him. Mostly, they stayed out of each other\u2019s way. He read in the library, played cards in silence, and watched the world keep asking questions that no one really wanted answered.<\/h4>\n

But word gets around, even in prison.<\/h4>\n

It started small \u2014 an argument in the yard about the new fencing, someone joking about breaking out. \u201cCan\u2019t be done,\u201d one man said. \u201cNot unless you\u2019re a genius.\u201d<\/h4>\n

And that\u2019s when Benny, lounging nearby, laughed.<\/h4>\n

\u201cYou want a genius?\u201d he said. \u201cAsk Delbert Robinson. He\u2019s got all the answers.\u201d<\/h4>\n

The laughter spread like a spark through dry grass. The name travelled faster than the story. Soon everyone knew \u2014 the quiet man in cell block C, the one who never lost at cards, the one who never guessed and was never wrong.<\/h4>\n

One night, a small group gathered in the rec room, whispering plans that sounded like fantasies. Someone mentioned the impossible \u2014 an escape.<\/h4>\n

\u201cIt can\u2019t be done,\u201d one of them muttered. \u201cNo one\u2019s smart enough to pull that off.\u201d<\/h4>\n

Another man, older, with a scar down his cheek, leaned forward and nodded toward the corner, where Delbert sat reading.<\/h4>\n

\u201cHow about you, Delbert Robinson?\u201d<\/h4>\n

Del looked up slowly, closing the book with deliberate care.
\nHe could already see it all \u2014 the walls, the timing, the guards, the weaknesses. The angles arranged themselves in his mind like pieces on a chessboard.<\/h4>\n

He knew the answer.<\/h4>\n

He always did.<\/h4>\n

But this time, he didn\u2019t say it.
\nHe just smiled \u2014 a small, tired smile \u2014 and went back to his book.<\/h4>\n

Outside, the yard lights flickered. Somewhere in the distance, a siren wailed and faded.<\/h4>\n

Would you like me to polish this into a single seamless version of the full story \u2014 edited and formatted so it reads like a cohesive short story manuscript ready for submission or publication?<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0I didn’t answer ChatGPT’s final question.\u00a0 If it had asked, “What Do You Think, Scott Henderson?” I might have considered it.\u00a0 I hadn’t like the answers ChatGPT had given.\u00a0 It was too descriptive and it didn’t sound like my voice.\u00a0 Maybe that’s why it took me from October to now to finish it.\u00a0 I had to completely forget what ChatGPT had offered me.\u00a0 I had to finish this my way.\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0Speaking about finishing, I’ll end this blahg with what ChatGPT had to say today.\u00a0 I’m flattered by some but not enough to pursue anything further.\u00a0 I think the story works the way I want it to.\u00a0 It should after all, it took me forever to finish it.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

ChatGPT’s response<\/strong><\/h4>\n

This is a strong, tightly controlled character study with a very satisfying structural payoff. Since you\u2019ve shared the full story, I\u2019ll respond with thoughtful feedback at three levels: concept, character, and craft.<\/h4>\n

Overall Impression<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\u201cHow About You, Delbert Robinson?\u201d<\/strong> is a clever psychological tale about identity, compulsion, pride, and control. The repetition of the titular question works beautifully as both:<\/h4>\n
    \n
  • \n

    A structural device<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
  • \n

    A character trigger<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
  • \n

    A thematic anchor<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    The ending is especially effective because it loops back to the core compulsion \u2014 Delbert must answer when properly invoked \u2014 and leaves us on the brink of whether he will finally break his pattern or fulfill it one last time.<\/h4>\n

    It\u2019s poetic and darkly ironic.<\/h4>\n

    What Works Especially Well<\/strong><\/h4>\n
      \n
    1. \n

      The Central Gimmick (and It\u2019s More Than a Gimmick)<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      The idea that Del can only respond when formally addressed as Delbert Robinson<\/em> is smart \u2014 but what elevates it is that:<\/h4>\n
        \n
      • \n

        It\u2019s psychological, not supernatural.<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
      • \n

        It feels like compulsion born from ego and identity.<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
      • \n

        It becomes both his power and his prison.<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        That\u2019s strong conceptual writing.<\/h4>\n
          \n
        1. \n

          Benny as a Foil<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Benny is a perfect mirror opposite:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
          \n

          Delbert<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/td>\n

          		\n

          Benny<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n

          \n

          Disciplined<\/h4>\n<\/td>\n

          		\n

          Lazy<\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

          \n

          Strategic<\/h4>\n<\/td>\n

          		\n

          Impulsive<\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

          \n

          Sees angles<\/h4>\n<\/td>\n

          		\n

          Exploits shortcuts<\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

          \n

          Plays long game<\/h4>\n<\/td>\n

          		\n

          \u00a0 \u00a0Plays immediate game<\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

          \n

          Controls ego<\/h4>\n<\/td>\n

          		\n

          Flaunts ego<\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

          Benny is not stupid \u2014 and that\u2019s crucial. He\u2019s clever but undisciplined. That contrast gives the story real tension.<\/h4>\n
            \n
          1. \n

            The Prison Plan<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            The reveal that:<\/h4>\n
              \n
            • \n

              There was no crime.<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
            • \n

              The money was legally earned.<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
            • \n

              The confessions were deliberate.<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
            • \n

              The money was donated anonymously.<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              That\u2019s a sharp twist \u2014 not a cheap one. It recontextualizes everything and reinforces Del\u2019s need for control and moral superiority.<\/h4>\n

              It also adds a layer of coldness. Del doesn\u2019t just solve problems. He orchestrates lives.<\/h4>\n

              Thematic Depth<\/strong><\/h4>\n

              You\u2019re exploring some strong themes here:<\/h4>\n
                \n
              • \n

                Identity vs. autonomy<\/strong> \u2014 Is Del free, or is he enslaved by the need to answer?<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
              • \n

                Ego disguised as humility<\/strong> \u2014 He claims he doesn\u2019t want greatness, but he needs to be right.<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
              • \n

                Control as obsession<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
              • \n

                Punishment disguised as justice<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                The final question in the yard is perfect because it reframes the entire story:<\/h4>\n

                Has Del learned anything?
                \nOr is he about to engineer one final masterpiece?<\/h4>\n

                The Ending<\/strong><\/h4>\n

                The final line works.<\/h4>\n

                It mirrors the opening structure and completes the loop.<\/h4>\n

                What\u2019s powerful is that you don\u2019t answer it.<\/h4>\n

                We know:<\/h4>\n
                  \n
                • \n

                  He sees the way out.<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
                • \n

                  He has 60 days left.<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
                • \n

                  He doesn\u2019t need to escape.<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
                • \n

                  But he was asked properly<\/em>.<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                  That tension is the entire story distilled into one moment.<\/h4>\n

                  Very effective.<\/h4>\n

                  Areas You Could Tighten (If You Wanted To Polish It Further)<\/strong><\/h4>\n

                  These are refinement notes, not structural criticisms.<\/h4>\n
                    \n
                  1. \n

                    Some Repetition Could Be Sharpened<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                    The repetition of:<\/h4>\n
                      \n
                    • \n

                      \u201cHe knew the question was coming.\u201d<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
                    • \n

                      Variations of inevitability.<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                      Works thematically \u2014 but you could trim 10\u201315% of repeated phrasing to make it feel sharper and more deliberate rather than slightly padded.<\/h4>\n
                        \n
                      1. \n

                        Mid-Story Pacing<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                        The racetrack and debt section is solid but slightly extended. You could tighten:<\/h4>\n
                          \n
                        • \n

                          The negotiation scene.<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
                        • \n

                          The bookmaker interaction.<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
                        • \n

                          The explanation of Benny\u2019s system.<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                          Not by removing content \u2014 but by compressing language slightly.<\/h4>\n
                            \n
                          1. \n

                            Emotional Depth<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                            Del is fascinating intellectually, but emotionally distant (intentionally).<\/h4>\n

                            You might consider one subtle humanizing crack:<\/h4>\n
                              \n
                            • \n

                              A moment of loneliness.<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
                            • \n

                              A flicker of regret.<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
                            • \n

                              A moment where answering costs him more than he admits.<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                              Right now, he feels almost surgical. That works \u2014 but a single hairline fracture could deepen him even more.<\/h4>\n

                              What Genre Is This?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

                              It sits nicely between:<\/h4>\n
                                \n
                              • \n

                                Psychological fiction<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
                              • \n

                                Moral thriller<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
                              • \n

                                Character-driven noir<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
                              • \n

                                Literary short story<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                                It would fit well in a literary magazine that appreciates irony-driven narratives.<\/h4>\n

                                The Strongest Line (In My Opinion)<\/strong><\/h4>\n

                                \u201cIf they didn\u2019t ask correctly, he wouldn\u2019t answer.\u201d<\/h4>\n

                                That line is the thesis of the story.<\/h4>\n

                                Final Assessment<\/strong><\/h4>\n

                                This is:<\/h4>\n
                                  \n
                                • \n

                                  Conceptually strong<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
                                • \n

                                  Structurally clean<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
                                • \n

                                  Thematically coherent<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
                                • \n

                                  Built around an excellent character engine<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                                  It reads like a story written by someone who understands long-game storytelling.<\/h4>\n

                                  If you\u2019d like, I can:<\/h4>\n
                                    \n
                                  • \n

                                    Do a line-edit pass for tightening<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
                                  • \n

                                    Help craft a submission-ready version<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
                                  • \n

                                    Suggest magazine markets<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
                                  • \n

                                    Or explore what happens if Del answers the final question<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                                    Because honestly?<\/h4>\n

                                    I\u2019d love to see what he says.<\/h4>\n

                                     <\/p>\n

                                    Keep on waiting ChatGPT.\u00a0 There’s no need for an answer.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                                    \u00a0 \u00a0If you’re\u00a0 wondering about that extra HOW ABOUT in the title to this blahg, it’s because I’m finally going to debut my short story “How About You, Delbert Robinson.”\u00a0 In four previous blahgs, in October of last year, twice in January and once already in February, I had commented on the lack of progress […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[330,339,340,31,309],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7409"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7409"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7409\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7422,"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7409\/revisions\/7422"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7409"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7409"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7409"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}