Short Story 2 : The Fried Fish

 The Fried Fish

                                - T ABRAHAM

    It was a usual day in summer where the sun shines with it's full radiance and there is an urge to avoid the foods that may cause stomach aches which are quite unbearable during this season of the year. But some teddy bears like to eat hot and spicy foods amidst this season of hotness. One such person is Stuffy. Stuffy was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Eddy of the Smart Lane street which is known for it's delicacies available for the teddy bears. The supermarket which is located in this street is known for it's unique quality of honey and fishes that it sells.

(SOURCE: AI GENERATED IMAGE)

    Mrs. Eddy was getting ready to go for buying the groceries for the day and was heading towards the supermarket. Then to her surprise Mr. Eddy and Stuffy were also there inside the supermarket with a few colleagues who are working with Mr. Eddy. After seeing them both she joined with them and was browsing through the supermarket to buy two bottles of honey and a few spices to prepare peppered honey for the dinner and she also bought six fishes for the night and the teddy bears are said to eat them raw without any boiling or process of cooking being done to the fish.

    Then suddenly Stuffy noticed a new stall being kept inside the store which was selling fried fishes which were hot and spiced with chilies and pepper. Mrs. Eddy was warning him about the prevalent stomach aches which may attack anyone when they eat spiced and fried fishes during the summer. But Stuffy said, 'I want to try it mom. Pleaseee... pleaseee..' and one of Mr. Eddy's friend said to Mr. Eddy, 'Why is she worried about having a fried fish during the summer ? It is so common that we all have it during the summer and stomach aches are just temporary and would just last for a few minutes.' Then hearing this Mr. Eddy told, 'She is just worried about the food being made inside the supermarket and wants Stuffy to have his fish at home. It was more prevalent that stale fishes are being cooked and served at these stalls'. So they all agreed and Mr. and Mrs. Eddy along with Stuffy headed towards their home and Mr. Eddy's colleagues bid them goodbye and went on their way.

    When they all reached home Stuffy was pestering his mother to make fried fish which was there at the supermarket and Mrs. Eddy said, 'Stuffy, are you a good boy my dear ? It is already time for dinner and if I have to make fried fish for you it may cross nine. So, tomorrow we may have it for our lunch'. But Stuffy wanted to have fried fish for his dinner and started to cry, 'I want fried fish.... I want it right now.....' Mrs. Eddy was already tired after her household chores for the day and seeing her son cry made her more tired and finally she said, 'Okay Stuffy... Okay.... stop crying and we can have fried fish'. Then Stuffy stopped crying and Mrs. Eddy started to clean the fish and prepared it in the same way how they have made it at the Supermarket. But since Mrs. Eddy was so tired she had forgotten to remove the sharp and piercing bones of the fish which can only be chewed and broken down by herself and Mr. Eddy but it might cause severe pain and trouble to Stuffy if it get's into his throat.

    Then they all sat down to have their dinner. Mrs. Eddy feeling very tired went and sat down in her chair and Mr. Eddy went to get refreshed after his day's work. It was Stuffy who has started to eat the fish which was fried and suddenly when Stuffy had chewed and swallowed the fish he suddenly began to vomit and was feeling uncomfortable. By this time Mrs. Eddy was asleep in her chair and Mr. Eddy came in to see what was going on. Then he woke up his wife and then without realizing that the pain and vomiting was due to the improper removal of the bones they thought it might have been because of the stomach ache.

    Stuffy suddenly fell down and laid motionless. Then they called for Dr. Delicious to see what was wrong with Stuffy. Then Dr. Delicious told, 'Your son has swallowed the bones which has badly injured his throat. I will prescribe a medicine to get relieved from the pain and he has just fainted due to the pain. Don't be worried. He will be fine'. Then, Mr. Eddy looked suspiciously at Mrs. Eddy and she was sweating profusely with fear conquering her eyes.