A short story written for broadcasting by J. D. Beresford and read by the author
On hearing this story many listeners may feel that when it comes to story-telling, the old hand beats the new hand every time. 'The Umbrella ' is told in the first person, and holds the listener's interest from the beginning. Christmas Eve ; the 'bus full ; a passenger getting on, loaded with parcels, nearly knocking over the conductor, and then tripping over a woman's umbrella. So human! Everything has gone wrong with him all day, but then probably everything has gone wrong all day with everybody on the 'bus-including the conductor. A first-class row looks likely. The occupants of the 'bus begin taking sides. And then....
But that would be giving away an almost perfect ending.