A Feed of Fish with Freddie

By Carl Delprat

Throughout the last two decades I have written many short stories.
An idea just would come out of nowhere and sometimes after overhearing a passing conversation or seeing an interesting slice of life. Yes, catching snippets far too good to forget.
Shopping centres are great places for this kind of material.
Just walk about ... and stories are just bubbling away everywhere.
And the memories . . . when you reach your 70’s the memories can leak out at the most unexpected times. It’s like someone is giving your head a spring cleaning, and so many once lost moments get disturbed ... and then ... they won’t go away until I make them a story.
So being a Storymaker is perhaps a curse?
Most of these stories have MG cars in them and are placed in and about the city of Newcastle New South Wales. Some were once used in magazines and then ... lost until now found in my computer files.
So, if you are a light reader, or perhaps you like a short story with an impact, have a rummage through this chocolate-box selection of hard and soft centres.
And there are poems, many many poems, so perhaps they may become another chocolate box, ... who knows?
Yes, take a trip through time and find out what once was . . . and, did any of it really happen ... or was it just more of my imagination?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Carl Delprat
• Release date: Jul 2, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311736451

Carl Delprat

Carl Delprat is a prolific storyteller. His home is the Australian coastal city of Newcastle, New South Wales.

Book preview

A Feed of Fish with Freddy

And many other interesting short stories

by

Carl Delprat.

Storymaker.

ISBN: 9781311736451

Copyright 2015 Carl Delprat

Cover design painted by Carl Delprat.

3rd November 2015.

A special thanks to Carmen, Carmel and Herb for all their help.

This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favourite e-book retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

As per all fiction I have written, any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely accidental and with no intention of insult or offence.

Note: My stories are in Australian English, and … indicates talking while ‘…’ signifies thinking.

Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

**********(0)**********

Other excellent stories by Carl Delprat are ~

31 LAMAN STREET. Is where an evil ghost wreaks havoc amongst the locals.

THE THREE TREES. An international serial murder mystery set in the 1950’s.

GIRL SOLDIERS. A futuristic global adventure where the girls have taken over.

ALL STRINGS ATTACHED. Find out what happens after a mysterious glowing object is discovered in a coal seam. Based on Steven Hawkins ‘string-theory.’

THE STORY OF ANNIE. The long life of a MG-TC roadster.

THE TWO BROTHERS. A crime and passion novel with a serial killer on the loose.

DREAMMAN. Is where a young man uses his dreams to fight for good over evil.

WHAT ABOUT MADELYN? A political catfight between two rivals.

THE HARPSICHORD MAN. A tale about a criminal harpsichord builder.

**********<(0)>**********

A note from the author … about A FEED OF FISH WITH FREDDY.

A special something for the light reader . . .

Throughout the last two decades I have written many short stories.

An idea just would come out of nowhere and sometimes after overhearing a passing conversation or seeing an interesting slice of life. Yes, catching snippets far too good to forget.

Shopping centres are great places for this kind of material.

Just walk about … there's stories just bubbling away everywhere, and the memories . . . when you reach your 70’s the memories can leak out at the most unexpected times.

It’s like someone is giving your head a spring cleaning, and so many once lost moments get disturbed ... and then … they won’t go away until I make them a story.

So being a Storymaker is perhaps a curse?

Most of these stories have MG cars in them and are placed in and about the city of Newcastle New South Wales. Some were once used in magazines and then … lost until now found in my computer files.

If you are a light reader, or perhaps you like a short story with an impact, have a rummage through this chocolate-box selection of hard and soft centres.

And there are poems, many, many poems, so perhaps they may become another chocolate box, … who knows?

Yes, take a trip through time and find out what once was . . . and, did any of it really happen … or was it just more of my imagination?

**********<(O)>**********

Contents

A note from the author

About Carl Delprat, Storymaker

Other titles by Carl Delprat

1: A FEED OF FISH WITH FREDDY

2: A CHANGE FOR THE GOOD

3: OLD-JOHN’S ANNUAL INSPECTION

4: BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR

5: BACK WITH SALLY AGAIN

6: BEYOND THE CROSSROADS

7: DARWINIAN DEVELOPMENT

8: THE MISSING MG STORY

9: FREDDY’S FINAL FATE

10: GETTING NOTICED

11: MICHAELS MOVE UP TO MG’S

12: SATURDAY SURPRISE

13: MG MISTAKES

14: THE LONG WAY HOME

15: THE-NAME-THAT-MUST-NOT-BE-SPOKEN

16: THE TF TIME BOMB

17: UNDERWEAR (What’s it all about?)

**********<(O)>**********

1: A feed of fish with Freddy

"Time: 1970’s. Location: Story starts on the Pacific Highway at Burbank outside of Wyong and finishes halfway up the notorious Wyong Straight."

**********<(1)>***********

The green canopy allowed just enough light through for Freddy to tackle the slippery bends … and as they approached the Garden Nursery … the Bellbirds started up.

Well I reckon there must be speakers and a recording somewhere in the bush, said Bill. Those birds can’t be for real; every time I come here they are making those pinging noises…

That approaching uphill right-hander stopped him in mid-sentence ... Fred was well into the perilous portion of transportation.

"Freddy … now take it easy mate, struth the … road is always wet here …"

Four cross-ply tyres reached their limit and — Fred’s MG-Midget — had — one back wheel — then both — sliding through the gravel — and now — on opposite lock — and still sliding …

For-one-instant — a Holden Ute — appeared — on the wrong side of the road? —

While — the —still d-r-i-f-t-i-n-g —tiny-blue-Midget’ — finally finished a 180-degree pirouette and — slithered to a stop.

"Freddie, …please!

The engine screamed … the tacho declared danger … and the right hand rear wheel spat gravel. Fred had some lost time to make up.

Eight silent minutes later the two carelessly dressed young men pulled over beside a quaint roadside fish shop.

Now this was not your average fish and chip shop.

The sign outside announced FISH-HOT-FAMOUS-BONELESS, and it sold the most delicious fried fish for the amazing price of just sixpence per piece.

Sometimes a sign would proclaim ‘SORRY NO FISH’ and break the travellers hearts. However, today the fish fanciers were lucky.

They waited in line until it was their turn.

The proprietor appeared from behind a fibro wall holding a large tray with a large battered aluminium cover. It was the same cover that featured in the photo placed near the counter.

In this picture an old bloke in a chef’s hat was handing this same beaten lid to a younger version of the bloke who was serving them.

How-many-would-you-like? Was always the first question asked, followed by … Salt-and-vinegar? This activity had the hint of some elapsed devout ceremony.

He would then smile and lift the lid to proudly present a steaming pile of golden fried fish pieces.

The boys, … open mouthed … watched … as the owner dished out their request …sprinkled the lot with salt … and … then wrapped it all up with butcher’s paper.

He often gave you an extra piece for free.

Bill and Fred sat on a timber bench seat and watched the traffic go by. Some of it turned through the ‘Entrance’ Railway gates, while the majority continued onto Wyong towards Newcastle or back to Sydney.

The little blue MG-Midget had to be in the picture, yes there it was parked where everyone could see it. The blue really stood out, and it could actually look … sometimes … like a much larger car?

Except for the numberplate, yes that looked very oversize, and when someone was sitting in it.

Now that could look a bit silly and with two people … yes … that could be a laugh. Many slightly ‘oversize,’ persons could not fit in … and some … could not get out!

For some mad reason, Fred had taken a fancy to very-small-cars.

Oh yes! Fred would so often say, When you’ve got a tiny fast car … you get more road to drive on, more room to slide around the corners, more room to overtake on hairpins … these tiny little cars are almost as much fun … as much fun as motorbikes!

Yes, that’s what Fred would say, and that’s what Fred was telling Bill right now.

Right now while they waited for the too-hot fish to cool down a bit.

There were no flies to shoo away and the fish tasted perfect, just as it always did.

Fred mate, we were bloody lucky again today mate … Gawd you are a bit of a idiot, you nearly finished us off you did … and that poor bloke in the Ute, struth that was close … and I thought I was going to be sick.

Fred bit a fat piece of fish in half and found it rather h-o-t in the middle.

He tried to cool it with a burst of panting.

"Geez Freddy, have you forgotten about last weekend already, like that incident at Gosford? … That poor old man on the bicycle, well we could have killed the old bugger and …

While I’m at it … I may as well mention the previous weekend before at Woy Woy when you …"

A firm hand was placed on Bill’s shoulder while the other w-a-v-e-d a fresh piece of golden fish in the air.

"Bill old mate we got through, no troubles, but I’ll tell you something mate .