Men I have Given a Fish

By Rachel Rodman

“What do you think?” I asked him, heart in my throat.

He gave me a wan smile. Then, leaning forward, he gave the plate that I had so carefully prepared a sniff.

“It kind of smells like fish,” he admitted.

*

He had enjoyed our date to the Aquarium. So, for our one-week anniversary, I wanted to go big.

Making a pilgrimage to the Sea Witch, I secured for him dominion over all the fish in the ocean.

In exchange for my soul.

As we stood on the dock, I showed him how to flutter his fingers so that, in a gesture of obeisance, a thousand fish would erupt from the water at once.

He was certainly surprised.

“Does this include the dolphins?” he asked finally.

“No,” I said.

“Oh,” he said wistfully.

*

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