A FISH SELLER'S GODDESS

Fridays and Saturdays are the weekends. But like clockwork, every Friday morning the lady appeared in front of the fish seller’s stall. She would be the first to select the choicest catch of the day. She would halfheartedly haggle with the price more because it was expected of a good housewife than for saving.

One Tuesday, she had some special guests coming. She decided to buy the fish herself. So off she went and bought some fish. She was his first customer. That day he went home and was pleased to find that he had made more than expected profit for a weekday. He thanked the gods and went about his work with a pleased heart.

The next week, the same thing happened. She appeared unexpectedly to buy some fish on a Wednesday – a weekday! His profit was higher than expected that day. He smiled.

A week passed by, and although she had bought fish from him the Friday before, she appeared before him. Yes, she bought some fish once again. On tallying his accounts, a big smile spread across his face.

The next few Fridays, she was again his first customer. Those Fridays, he also found that he had made a generous profit. He started looking forward to Fridays when he could sell her some fish. On weekdays, when she did not come, he started to believe there was at least some dip in his takings because she had not come. It was obvious, though, that the weekdays brought in fewer customers and less profit. He knew that but liked to believe otherwise. And so, it was not long before he started believing that she brought him good luck.

He would greet her with subservience because she was his goddess of good luck!

.........well, was she?

Or was it a coincidence? The bad bargain hunter who came on an unlikely day and three occasions!

Dhaka, 7 Feb 2014