The 9th story in the Black Widowers case files, Isaac Asimov wrote it for Tales of the Black Widowers (1974).
Tonight's host is Rubin, and he's insisted on hosting in his apartment over in the West Side of Manhattan Island. Since they're not at the Milano, Henry won't be serving them, so Rubin invites him as the guest. Rubin does, however, make it a rule that Henry cannot help him serve the meal.
During dinner, Rubin is constantly moving about the small apartment, and chatting with his guests. They talk about the various bulls, the annoyances of living in a modern apartment house (Avalon calls it a "beehive"), and the recent string of crimes. When it's revealed that Rubin himself was the victim of a break-in two weeks ago, Henry decides that he wants to put him on the grill.
After dinner, Henry questions Rubin some more about the so-called carpenter. The sound has been made for months, at odd times, and never very loud. Rubin has failed to figure out who was causing it, having stalked the halls, asked the doorman, and even brought up the issue with his tenants' organization. The meeting was a month ago, and he told the other tenants that he had the banging recorded and labeled, which would prove the irregular hammering that went on. Henry tells him to fetch the recording only it must've been stolen during the break-in. Henry is proven correct once again.
This work provides examples of the following tropes:
- Absence of Evidence: Henry guesses that Rubin's recording of the irregular banging was stolen in the break-in, which provides evidence that the hammering was some sort of code being passed back and forth. This convinces Trumbull (who has federal government connections) that he needs to have the doorman questioned about the asians living in the apartment house.
- The Big Rotten Apple: The characters discuss the recent crimes and distrustful attitude in this area of New York City.
- Continuity Nod: Astute readers will remember that Henry Jackson used to be a fairly wealthy individual, from "The Acquisitive Chuckle". This shows up again when Henry shows up beautifully dressed and wearing a derby.
- Dashingly Dapper Derby: Henry is wearing a dark brown derby that crowns his conservative suit. Astute readers will recall from "The Acquisitive Chuckle", Henry used to be very wealthy.
- Driving Question: Why are they banging in the house?
- Fairplay Whodunnit: The clues are all presented during the dinner and grilling, and the audience can deduce what is happening by the time Henry sends Rubin to collect the tapes he made of the irritating clatter.
- Fancy Dinner: The Black Widowers meet tonight at Emmanuel Rubin's apartment, where he serves an eggplant dish, roast turkey entree, and stuffing. His Bavarian cream came out too sweet, so he has store-bought cake as a substitute if they don't like it.
- Framing Device: Technically the characters are at the scene of the crime, but the only way that actually impacts to plot is that the doorman doesn't mention the banging that Rubin complains of. The setting acts instead as an excuse for Rubin to talk about how the noise from the neighbor has been bothering him.
- Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: Subverted Trope, because when Rubin mentions ESP and poltergeists, Trumbull objects to these excuses and demands that Rubin keep his speculations to the purely natural.
- The Namesake: The title refers to the sound of the street, made by traffic and the sirens of police cars, ambulances, and fire engines. Rubin also uses it to refer to the inconsistent hammering that he's been hearing.
- Nerd Glasses: Rubin is the writer of the group, and in this story both his thick glasses and avocation are emphasized.
- Perp Sweating: Done unintentionally, as the first group of Black Widowers had asked the doorman about any recent incidents at the apartment house. The doorman knew that someone had tried to break into Rubin's apartment, but didn't mention it to this group. Then several more appeared. The last one to show was a familiar face; Rubin's friend who works for the federal government. He decided that the group must have come to solve Rubin's recent break-in, and they'd realize he had a part in it, so he went to the apartment to confess.
- Phone-In Detective: The club members are physically present at the scene, but the only way this is utilized in the plot is the doorman, who fails to mention Rubin's annoyance at the irregular hammering.
- Public Secret Message: Rubin has been bothered by irregular banging in the apartment complex. Henry deduces that the hammering is actually a method of sending secret messages between Chinese spies.
- Real Men Cook: Rubin claims to be a gourmet chef, and since he's host, he wants to he wants to be the one cooking the meal. He serves an eggplant dish of his own recipe, a roast turkey entree and stuffing as a side. The gelatin of his Bavarian cream didn't set, so he has store-bought cake as a substitute if people want.
- Sharp-Dressed Man: When Henry walks up to Avalon and Drake, they don't initially recognize him because he's dressed even nicer than he usually is. That's because he is usually in the Milano uniform. He's even wearing a derby.
- Swapped Roles: Rubin won't allow Henry to help serve the meal because Henry is their waiter at the Milano, but tonight Rubin is having him present as the guest.
- Yellow Peril: Rubin points out that some of the women in his apartment house have been looking for excuses to place blame on asians ever since the Chinese delegation from the United Nations started staying in a nearby motel. He calls it the "yellow menace", and it has particularly been on his mind since his wife, Jane, said the one who broke into their apartment looked Chinese. They had broken in to steal the recording Rubin had made of the irregular hammering.
