A Three-Finger Welcome
Chapter 1. John and Mr Wilson welcomed Cinde and Cohen into their home with a plate of fish fingers. As the two visitors smiled awkwardly, John was reminded of the old adage that “fish fingers make friends”. He had heard it whispered in his grandmother’s kitchen many years ago and had never forgotten it.
The four sat around the table, John and Mr Wilson on one side, Cinde and Cohen on the other. The conversation was polite but strained at first; no one knew what to say. Then, as if by some unseen force, they each began to talk more freely, taking turns to tell stories of their past and present lives.
John shared a funny story about his first job as a busboy in a restaurant kitchen while Cinde told them about her travels around the world. Mr Wilson described his childhood growing up on a small farm while Cohen recounted his parents' journey to America from India.
The laughter filled the room as they talked until late into the night. Before long, all four felt like old friends who had known each other for years instead of strangers who had just met that evening.
They said their goodbyes with hugs and promises to stay in touch – an unspoken understanding that this would not be their last meeting. On the way out, John handed each of them an extra fish finger from the plate he had served earlier – a three-finger welcome back into their lives whenever they needed it most.
The END
