A Day of Waiting is an excellent story written by ‘Ernest Hemingway’. This simple story revolves around a nine-year-old boy named “Schatz”, his father, and his doctor. The story excellently portrays the emotions of fear in the mind of an innocent nine-year-old boy. The entire story timeline is one hour during which Schatz learns of his high temperature, is terrified, and thinks he is going to die due to a wrong impression on his mind.

The story begins with Schatz entering his father’s room at 9:00 am looking very ill. There is frozen ice all over the ground. Schatz has fear all over his face, which worries his father. His father calls the doctor for a complete checkup on his son. All the trauma begins when the doctor declares that Schatz suffers from a high fever, above 102 degrees.

Schatz is confused and scared upon hearing this. He immediately remembers what he heard from children in France that the temperature around 40 is certain death. Although he is only nine years old and has little understanding of thermometer readings, this scares him. As his father explains the readings of a thermometer and convinces him that high temperatures do not cause death, his worries fade and he feels relieved and relaxed.

The doctor also plays a vital role in the story. He is the one who deduces symptoms of high fever in Schatz and diagnoses symptoms of influenza. Afterwards, he prescribes the appropriate medication for the child.

At one point, Schatz’s fear of certain death causes him to lock himself in his room while his father goes hunting. He refuses to let anyone into his room. The people in the neighborhood try to make him understand the truth about the thermometer readings, but he was so devastated and convinced of his death that he rejects any interference.

The story is beautifully written in a way that gives Schatz both a positive and a negative role. He is a determined child with great willpower. Schatz sends an important message to this story: “Don’t believe everything you hear.” One should not blindly believe everything that is told and should investigate the situation for himself.

The story finally concludes when the innocent little mind realizes that his fever won’t kill him if he takes the right medication and takes care of himself.