"All That You Love Will Be Carried Away" is a short story by
Stephen King. It was originally published in the January 29, 2001 issue of ''
The New Yorker
''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...
'' magazine. In 2002, it was included in King's collection ''
Everything's Eventual''.
Plot summary
Alfie Zimmer, a traveling salesman peddling gourmet frozen foods, pulls into a
Motel 6
Motel 6 is a privately owned hospitality company with a chain of budget motels in the United States and Canada. Motel 6 also operates Studio 6, a chain of Apartment hotel, extended-stay hotels. The hotel brand is owned by The Blackstone Group's ...
in
Nebraska
Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...
for the night. He settles in and pulls out a revolver, ready to commit suicide because he can't "go on living the way he had been living." Alfie has a hobby of recording strange bathroom graffiti which he has discovered on his many long, lonely travels. He starts noting down scrawls on the walls that attracted his attention, gradually becoming fascinated with them. During his solitary travels, he has come to regard these "voices on the walls" as his friends as well as something to think about during the long drive, describing the messages as something precious and important that often "spoke" to him.
Alfie decides that "a shot in the mouth is easier than any living change" but every time he puts the gun in his mouth, he worries that leaving the notebook filled with bizarre ramblings behind will make him seem insane to whoever finds his body. Alfie wants to write a book about the graffiti, even coming up with a great title, but knows "the telling would hurt". While standing in the freezing cold of the winter night, sobbing to himself, Alfie decides on a plan: if the lights of a farmhouse behind the motel reappear through the snow before he counts to 60, he will write the book. If not, he will toss the notebook into the snow, then go inside and shoot himself.
The story closes with Alfie standing near the field outside the motel, starting to count, thus leaving the ending ambiguous.
Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
This story was made into several different
Dollar Baby
The Dollar Baby (or Dollar Deal) is an arrangement by which American author Stephen King grants permission to students and aspiring filmmakers or theatre producers to adapt one of his short stories for $1. (He retains rights to his work. As he beg ...
short films. The films were made by Scott Albanese, Brian Berkowitz, Mark Montalto, Chi Laughlin & Natalie Mooallem,
James Renner
James Renner (born March 30, 1978) is an American author, investigative journalist, producer, and director. He worked as a reporter for ''Cleveland Scene'' and was editor of the alternative newspaper ''The Cleveland Independent''. He is known fo ...
, Anthony Kaneaster, Seth Friedman, Robert Sterling, Hendrik Harms and Chloe Brown.
The most recent adaptation, directed by Bolen Miller 2022 stars
John Ennis (Mr. Show With Bob and David, Zodiac, Tenacious D and the pick of Destiny, Walk Hard, Better Call Saul, Twin Peaks: The Return,).
See also
*
Stephen King short fiction bibliography
External links
Stephen King Short Movies
References
{{Stephen King
2001 short stories
Short stories adapted into films
Short stories by Stephen King
Short stories set in Nebraska