The Long Arm of Looney Coote
Encyclopedia
"The Long Arm of Looney Coote" is a short story
by P. G. Wodehouse
, which first appeared in the United States
in the November 1923 issue of Cosmopolitan
and in the United Kingdom
in the December 1923 Strand
. It features the irrepressible Stanley Featherstonehaugh Ukridge
, and was included in the collection Ukridge
, published in 1924.
in the forthcoming by-election
at Redbridge
, and goes down to help. He sends Corky many telegrams detailing the successes of the campaign, and persuades him to pen a song to help the cause.
Corky meets Coote again, and hears that his expensive new car has been stolen. Sending Coote on his way to Scotland Yard
to report the theft, Corky heads down to Redbridge to see how his song is going down. Dragged out to canvas
a poor neighbourhood, he finds that the situation is not as simple as Ukridge implied - the seat is very close and could go either way. Boko reveals that Ukridge is pivotal to the campaign, and worries that any scandal concerning Ukridge could ruin his chances.
At a large and important meeting, Corky steps out into a corridor for some peace, where he meets a police officer who is clearly anatgonistic to Lawlor. Hearing the man plans to arrest Ukridge for stealing a car, Corky tries to stop him, but fails - he announces Ukridge is under arrest to the mob, who turn on Lawlor.
Back in London
, Ukridge berates Looney Coote for reporting his car stolen, despite Ukridge leaving a note to say he was borrowing it. Of course, the note is still in the great man's pocket. Looney is happy, however, having been inspired by the incident to bet heavily on a horse named "Stolen Goods". On Ukridge's advice, he used Ukridge's bookmaker friend, who was bankrupted by Looney's large win.
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by P. G. Wodehouse
P. G. Wodehouse
Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, KBE was an English humorist, whose body of work includes novels, short stories, plays, poems, song lyrics, and numerous pieces of journalism. He enjoyed enormous popular success during a career that lasted more than seventy years and his many writings continue to be...
, which first appeared in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the November 1923 issue of Cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan (magazine)
Cosmopolitan is an international magazine for women. It was first published in 1886 in the United States as a family magazine, was later transformed into a literary magazine and eventually became a women's magazine in the late 1960s...
and in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in the December 1923 Strand
Strand Magazine
The Strand Magazine was a monthly magazine composed of fictional stories and factual articles founded by George Newnes. It was first published in the United Kingdom from January 1891 to March 1950 running to 711 issues, though the first issue was on sale well before Christmas 1890.Its immediate...
. It features the irrepressible Stanley Featherstonehaugh Ukridge
Stanley Featherstonehaugh Ukridge
Stanley Featherstonehaugh Ukridge is a fictional character from the short stories and novels of P. G. Wodehouse.Ukridge is a schemer who will do anything to increase his funding -- except, of course, work. An alert and creative opportunist, he makes sure that no kindness shown to him, however...
, and was included in the collection Ukridge
Ukridge (short stories)
Ukridge is a collection of short stories by P.G. Wodehouse, first published in the United Kingdom on June 3, 1924 by Herbert Jenkins, London, and in the United States on March 19, 1926 by George H. Doran, New York, under the title He Rather Enjoyed It....
, published in 1924.
Main characters
- Stanley Featherstonehaugh UkridgeStanley Featherstonehaugh UkridgeStanley Featherstonehaugh Ukridge is a fictional character from the short stories and novels of P. G. Wodehouse.Ukridge is a schemer who will do anything to increase his funding -- except, of course, work. An alert and creative opportunist, he makes sure that no kindness shown to him, however...
, the irrepressible entrepreneur - Jimmy Corcoran, Ukridge's writer friend
- George Tupper, an old schoolfriend of Ukridge and Corcoran
- "Looney" Coote, another old schoolfriend, a superstitious chap
- "Boko" Lawlor, a schoolfriend standing for Parliament
Plot
Corky runs into Looney Coote at Sandown Park Racecourse, where the latter has had some luck on the horses but lost his wallet; we hear of the impending dinner of Wrykyn Old Boys. There, after heavily plugging a bookmaking business he has become partner in, Ukridge hears that his old pal Boko Lawlor is standing for ParliamentParliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
in the forthcoming by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
at Redbridge
Redbridge
-Places:*London Borough of Redbridge**Redbridge, London, a place in that borough**Redbridge tube station*Redbridge, Kansas City, a neighborhood in South Kansas City, Missouri*Redbridge, Hampshire...
, and goes down to help. He sends Corky many telegrams detailing the successes of the campaign, and persuades him to pen a song to help the cause.
Corky meets Coote again, and hears that his expensive new car has been stolen. Sending Coote on his way to Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
to report the theft, Corky heads down to Redbridge to see how his song is going down. Dragged out to canvas
Canvassing
Canvassing is the systematic initiation of direct contact with a target group of individuals commonly used during political campaigns. A campaign team will knock on doors of private residences within a particular geographic area, engaging in face-to-face personal interaction with voters...
a poor neighbourhood, he finds that the situation is not as simple as Ukridge implied - the seat is very close and could go either way. Boko reveals that Ukridge is pivotal to the campaign, and worries that any scandal concerning Ukridge could ruin his chances.
At a large and important meeting, Corky steps out into a corridor for some peace, where he meets a police officer who is clearly anatgonistic to Lawlor. Hearing the man plans to arrest Ukridge for stealing a car, Corky tries to stop him, but fails - he announces Ukridge is under arrest to the mob, who turn on Lawlor.
Back in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Ukridge berates Looney Coote for reporting his car stolen, despite Ukridge leaving a note to say he was borrowing it. Of course, the note is still in the great man's pocket. Looney is happy, however, having been inspired by the incident to bet heavily on a horse named "Stolen Goods". On Ukridge's advice, he used Ukridge's bookmaker friend, who was bankrupted by Looney's large win.
See also
- List of Wodehouse's Ukridge stories