The button
By Porcospino
@Porcospino (31366)
Denmark
July 3, 2009 4:55pm CST
Many years ago I read a story, I don't remember the exact title or the name of the author, but the story is about a button. One day a couple receives a button and they are told that if they push the button, a person they don't know is going to die and then they will receive one million pounds (or something like that).
The couple disagrees about the button. The man doesn't want to push the button, because he doesn't want to kill an innocent person. His wife tries to persuade him to push the button and she says things like: "Come on, they promised it would be a person we don't know, it wouldn't affect us and one million pounds is a lot of money" but the man still refuses to push the button.
One day when her husband isn't there, the woman decides to push the button without telling him about it. A little later she is told that her husband has died. The woman is very sad and angry, she complains and says: "but you promised us that it would be a person we didn't know" and the reply is: "Did you really think that you knew your husband?"
I read this story a long time ago, but I am unable to forget it. What do you think about the story? If you happen to know who the author is please let me know, because I would like to find the story and read it again.
1 person likes this
6 responses
@NonaSaile (924)
• Philippines
5 Jul 09
Hi! This was my first time to hear of the story, but I found the storyline very intriguing I just had to look it up. I think I found it, it is titled "Button, Button" and here's the link to it:
http://www.theshortreview.com/reviews/RichardMathesonButtonButton.htm
I also find it kind of intriguing that the author chose the character of the wife and not the husband who had to be so tempted and thus suffer the consequences.
Have a nice day, Porcospino :)
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
5 Jul 09
Thank you very much. It looks like this could be the one. I have been trying to find it myself, but I never managed to find the story or the author. The rest of the stories that are mentioned in the link sounds very interesting, too, and I would love to read that book 
@NonaSaile (924)
• Philippines
30 Jul 09
Thanks for the BR . I'd love to read Richard Matheson, too. I don't think I've come across any of his works.
Have a lovely day!
. I'd love to read Richard Matheson, too. I don't think I've come across any of his works.
Have a lovely day!1 person likes this
@cobrateacher (8432)
• United States
5 Jul 09
It seems very much like a story of O.Henry, but I don't know. I'm responding to thank you for posting it, as I really think it's wonderful. I know too many couples who don't really know each other. I'm thrilled that my husband and I know each other totally, but that's probably because we've been closest of friends since we were little kids.
1 person likes this
@abetole (221)
• India
4 Jul 09
Hello, this one is quite interesting. I do not know the author of this story but it sounds so nice that I was unable to resist replying. I also read a lot of novels and my best ones to read are suspense and thrillers. I have emailed one of my friends about this story who is a greatest novel fan and hopefully he should be able to tell us the author...cheers...
@bhanusb (5709)
• India
4 Jul 09
I did not read the story and don't know the name of the author.But the story is wonderful and has a lesson. The woman is greedy. But the main theme of the story is a husband and a wife live under a roof for the whole life. Are they actually know each other? The answer is NO.
