Galloping Foxley

"Galloping Foxley" is a short story by Roald Dahl that first appeared in the 1953 collection "Someone Like You", and was later adapted as a Tale of The Unexpected.

One of the more unusual Tales of The Unexpected, Roald Dahl claimed that Galloping Foxley was based on a true story. The story is about a man named Perkins described as a "contented commuter" but who is in fact obsessed by routine. Every day he arrives at the station and catches the 8:12 train taking the same seat in the carriage. One day his routine is shattered by the arrival of a newcomer who takes first his place at the station, and then his seat in the carriage. The outraged Perkins slowly realises that he recognises the newcomer as a former school-mate. The newcomer clearly does not recognise Perkins, allowing the author to fill the void. The newcomer is Foxley. Whilst at school, Foxley was a prefect who used Perkins as his personal slave: viciously abusing him mentally and physically. Indeed the name "Galloping Foxley" is in recognition of the method in which Foxley takes a run up when delivering a beating.

There are two different endings. In the book, Perkins decides to seek revenge by publicly humiliating Foxley. He stands up and introduces himself; without a shred of emotion, Foxley introduces himself but he gives a different name and school. In the television version Perkins creates a scene and recounts to the other passengers the misery he suffered at the hands of the newcomer. Again the newcomer shows no emotion but denies being Foxley and gives a different name and school. However, he gives a knowing look and rests his cane on his shoulder exactly as the viewer saw Foxley do earlier on. This version is less ambiguous, and it is clear that the newcomer is indeed Foxley returning once again to humiliate Perkins.