(Today’s final sentence was suggested by observationblogger. It was thought it might be nice to end with a positive sentence for a change!!!)
It had got to the stage where Delia was too frightened to walk down the street to go to the shop. Despite a high concentration of police in the area, it was still unsafe to walk alone. In the past month there had been three gruesome murders. Before that, who knows how many? The murderer always left the same beautifully written note pinned to the victim: Thanks for the memories.
Once a week Delia would phone for a taxi and get taken to the supermarket right in the busy centre of town. Then she would return laden with bags of the coming week’s supplies. If she ran out of anything (for example, one week she ran out of sugar) it was bad luck. There was no way she would walk to the local shop.
Of course, getting a taxi added hugely to the weekly grocery bill. The taxi there and home again could cost Delia almost as much as the week’s groceries. Fortunately she was experienced at looking ahead and planning. So it was a little unusual when she ran out of milk, butter, flour, and eggs a good two days before she was due to go and shop via the taxi.
“I know,” thought Delia to herself, “I shall simply get a taxi two days earlier and plan to get a little extra so as to get back into the routine.” She phoned for a taxi.
The taxi driver was most pleasant, and had wonderful news. No sooner had the journey begun when he said, “I suppose you know they’ve caught the murderer. The police announced it just a few minutes ago.”
“That’s a huge relief,” said Delia. “I guess then this will be the last time I take a taxi.”
‘I’d imagine it will be,” smiled the nice taxi driver.
Delia sighed. All was right with the world.
News bulletin “Police have released the suspect in the recent spate of murders, in light of the discovery of the body of a woman who was apparently walking home after shopping for groceries.”
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As long as they publish the grocery list found on the body!
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Exactly!
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It was her last sigh, apparently.
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I suspect, yes, it was her last sigh!
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Oh, Bruce, you are utterly merciless with these stories!!!
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Thank you Lisa. That’s a compliment I take it!!
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Reminds me of the beginning of the bone collector. Good to read you again Bruce
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Lovely to see you again, Nitin. You were missed.
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Bruce’s in His Heaven.
I relished the chirpiness with which you have executed the subject pun intended.
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I enjoyed the pun, thanks Uma. There was an unintended pun in this morning’s local paper: Custom officials do not undertake an inspection of coffins that come into the country.
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Hah!
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The pun may be unintended, but how do we know what the Custom officials were said to be not doing?
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Milk, butter, flour, and eggs – was she battered to death?
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Haw haw!! Let’s hope she had enough dough.
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Oooh I love the creepiness of that line ‘I’d imagine it will be,’ smiled the nice taxi driver….deliciously devilish.
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Yes! It is a creepy line!
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Sharp stuff Bruce.
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