"The Catbird Seat" is a 1942 short story by James Thurber. The story first appeared in The New Yorker on November 14, 1942. The story was also published in the 1945 anthology The Thurber Carnival.

The protagonist is Mr. Martin, a precise, dedicated, vice-free employee of F&S. Martin is being bullied by Mrs. Ulgine Barrows, who ultimately wants to re-organize Martin's precious filing department. At first, Martin cannot bear the changes and copes by plotting a way to "rub out" Mrs. Barrows. As the story progresses, however, our protagonist shifts gears and shows what power a quiet and controlled mind can achieve through meticulous thought and planning.

“The Catbird Seat” by James Thurber…we begin….