Then We Were Three

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Then We Were Three is a short story by Irwin Shaw. It was first published in McCall’s in 1955 and later collected in Tip on a Dead Jockey and Other Stories. It also inspired the 1969 film Three, with Sam Waterston and Charlotte Rampling.

The story is told through the eye of Munnie Brooks, a 22-year-old who travels Europe with two wealthier friends, Bert and Martha. Bert is witty and cynical, and Martha is independent and self-assured. The three form a close, platonic trio and travel in Munnie’s sports car, moving from resort to resort. They meet Martha in Florence and decide not to let romance spoil their friendship.

Munnie secretly falls in love with Martha, though he tries to act casual as he watches Bert and Martha flirt with each other. On a beach picnic, a small boat capsizes near shore. A man cries for help as he struggles to swim to safety. Bert and Martha stay distantly helpful, but Munnie cannot just watch. He strips off his clothes and jumps into the water to save the drowning man. He reaches him but grows exhausted, and a fishing boat arrives to rescue both the man and the women clinging to the boat. Munnie, who is naked, refuses to be rescued and barely makes it back to shore.

Back at the hotel, Bert mocks Munnie for his heroics while Martha laughs. Later that night Bert and Martha go to Martha’s apartment, and Munnie quietly packs his things. He writes Bert a short note saying he’s returning to the United States, making no mention of Martha. He drives away in the rain, feeling that the carefree summer has ended and that his innocence has faded.

The story draws on a real incident Shaw heard about in Europe and is often discussed for its subtle themes of innocence, trust, and the uneasy mix of American naiveté with European sophistication. It’s been noted as one of Shaw’s sharply observed expatriate fictions.