photograph © Alastair Forbes
Photo prompt of a bridge going over a small river:
Not my usual gig.
I’m a detective. Wat (pronounced watt, short for ‘Waters’) Allen Bridge, my name. ‘Wat’ a nickname I got as a kid who loved being in the water more than anything else.
Anyway, I would have turned this gig or job down, except the money was too good, I was down to my last sawbuck and then there were the usual enticements; gorgeous sexy broad in fear for her life, hidden stash of cash, mob involvement … yada yada yada.
Like I said, all the usual we P.I.’s get our kicks out of … with one exception. The fish bowl.
Lily, that’s the broad’s name, came in carrying a fish bowl with obligatory goldfish, mermaid, fake sea grass and a closed miniature treasure chest sitting on some gravel inside. The water swishing along with the dame as she walked over and set the bowl on my desk.
‘What’s with the fish bowl, doll?” I asked.
She explained. According to his will, inside the closed treasure chest were a portion of the remains of her deceased husband. Not missing a trick I said, “Yeah if his remains are in there, he’s definitely deceased!” She wasn’t amused. She told me that inside the remains, inside the treasure chest was a key. A key to the location of a million dollars.
The problem was she couldn’t bring herself to open the miniature chest and dig through her husband’s remains to get the key. Which I could understand being a sensitive guy, but a million smackers is still a million smackers and for what I was being paid, no prob. I could get my fingers wet and open the sucker… or so I thought.
But the more I thought about it, well it kinda’ started to bother me too. Putting my fingers inside his remains just seemed, well, weird.
So here we sit staring at the fishbowl. I am troubled.
*
Hope I made you smile, at least a little bit!
For more information about Sunday Photo Fiction click here for the details. Alastair will be your capable and caring guide. And, while there, be sure to click on the little blue guy for more short stories by some great writers!
Thanks for stopping by, have a great Sunday and week ahead,
~ Penny
The Why About This 
I can picture it all. And the goldfish thinking…”If I only had fingers and feet I’d get the damn key and get out of this fish bowl. Maybe even hook up with some gorgeous koi. 🙂
I love it jules and i’m sure you’re right too! ha, ha!
Speaking of Marlowe… there was a prompt for haiku noir… thought you might enjoy:
https://julesgemstonepages.wordpress.com/2014/12/02/spinal-tap-cd-bonus-gw-36/
That has a touch of Marlowe to it – I love it and I am glad to see I am not the only one who has it snowing on their blog..x
LOL Penny, as I was reading, I suddenly heard Humphrey Bogart saying, “What’s with the fish bowl, doll?” I love old time detective stories–especially written in first person 🙂
Yeah, I admit I did try to imagine him in that role. Me too, a lot, thanks Lyn! 🙂
Facepalm!! I loved it 😀
Thanks, it was fun. I’d love to really write an old fashioned detective story. A great genre!
Just think in monochrome and it will go well 🙂
I like it!
🙂 I think of Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer – although that was colour, or Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe. Or even the one that Captain Picard uses on the holodeck 🙂
I say Jon Luke in that one too, he was great! 🙂
Yes he was. I use a line from that sometimes when someone occasionally says to me “how’s tricks?” I reply with “Who’s Trix?” I can’t remember which episode that came from but it is one that stuck with me 🙂
😀
AnElephantCant quite believe this
The treasure in the fish bowl has sunk
Now perhaps this really sucks
But for 1 million bucks
And sweet Penny he just sticks in his trunk
An elephant is too sweet to get his trunk wet, although the retrieval of a million dollars is a pretty good incentive, apart from just being a nice elephant of course! 🙂 xo
Why she couldn’t bring herself to do so?
>
I guess in the story it just bothered her to put her fingers in his ashes, I didn’t have any other reason except for that one, Yoshiko. 🙂
I see 🙂 is she afraid to dirty her hands?
Something like that! 🙂
🙂
I smiled. Enjoyed the writing.
I’m so glad Susan. Thank you!
Good one Penny! I thought for sure he was going to open it! You got me!
Glad you liked it, Barb! 🙂