The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

Harold awakens in South Brent to a vivid memory of the men at the brewery poking fun at the way Queenie walked and carried her shoulder bag. He dresses and applies fresh bandages to his feet before going downstairs to breakfast. While he eats, he rereads Queenie’s letter; something about the stationery upon which it is written vexes him, but he cannot place it. A woman complaining about the rainy weather interrupts his thoughts; though he does not respond, she continues to talk. She shares a story about a trip she won to Benidorm and her regret over not taking the vacation. Harold finally responds by saying, “Maybe you were afraid […] I had a friend once but it took me a long time to see that she was […]” (64). The conversation takes Harold into his memory as he recalls how he first met Queenie. She was a plain, sensibly dressed woman who took her job seriously and brought the financial department into order with organization and discipline. However, the men at the brewery did not treat her with respect; Napier had set a precedent of hiring women for their looks or their willingness to be exploited.