A Fishy Story

A Fishy Story

By Peter Woodgate

Maria was inebriated, but she had every reason to be.

She was sitting in the church listening to the service of her estranged husband’s funeral. It had been a peculiar death, Paulo had been found, in his flat, with a knife sticking out between his shoulder blades.

    The police had come to the surprising conclusion that it was self-inflicted and, in all honesty, you could argue it was. After all, Paulo had been a bastard to everyone and, in particular, Maria. Many a day she had to put on extra make-up  to hide the beatings she took. Yes, Paulo had made so many enemies that everyone said it was inevitable that he would end up dead.

    Paulo’s Mafia family had arranged the funeral but Maria felt she ought to attend to “see him off” and as she sat there she thought back to the day they got married. It was in this very church and Maria half-smiled as she remembered when she laughed, inappropriately, when all Paulo’s brothers scowled at the congregation  when the vicar uttered the words “or forever hold your peace."

Maria was, after all, a simple Leeds girl born of Italian parents and was completely unaware of Paulo’s historical connection with the Sicilian underworld.

    She had fallen for Paulo, simply, because he was so good looking. Tall, dark and handsome with a seductive Italian accent. However, he had a “dark side” too which Maria became aware of after the marriage.

    So, here she was, sitting in the church, listening to all the hypocritical comments about how wonderful her nasty, vindictive, cruel, uncaring husband was. On top of that, she now had to endure the congregation singing his favourite song “Walking on Sunshine,” right now Maria wished he was walking on hot coals.

    Finally, the service was over, the incense sprinkled over everything and everyone, the bag circulated and the coffin escorted to the burial site.

Maria did not follow the burial party, she had been drinking heavily prior to the service and now felt extremely hungry.

    She stopped off at the local supermarket to purchase some cigarettes then made her way to the fish shop.

    For the first time in two years, Maria felt free. They had split up some six months previously, however, Paulo had still made life Hell for her.

Maria was in no hurry and decided to use the restaurant rather than the takeaway and ordered a large conger eel and chips. She was thinking about the horrors of the last two years as her meal was served, smelling and looking delicious.

    She immediately thrust her knife deep into the batter exposing the beautiful white flesh of the fish and as the blade struck the large central bone a feeling of

“Deja Vous” swept over her. 

Copyright Peter Woodgate