Manuel had passed the fish on his way up the road.

In the near there was a boy. He was perhaps nine or ten years old.

The fish gasped and throwing itself in the direction of the river he landed on the pavement with a thud.

Manuel had not paid much attention to the fish because he was preoccupied. He thought how he could pay the rent for his appartment.

He took out a cigarette and leaned against the railing, looking down the street at the fishing boy.

A man and a women were approaching. They were obviously tourists. Manuel was surprised to see tourist in this district of the city, the most tourists only visit the old port with its rococo churches.

They stopped beside the fish, which lay where the boy had kicked it. She said to the boy that the fish would die but the boy didn´t understood her.

So the women asked Manuel if he could speak english and if he could translate for her.

Manuel asked the boy what he would do with the fish and the boy answered that he wants to sell it.

The women asked the boy how much the fish cost. Manuel told her the price wich the boy said him.

Now the women asked if the boy had any change, but the boy answered that he hadn´t any change.

Then she held out the note to the boy who took it.

She stooped down, picked the fish up carefully between forefinger and thumb and threw it into the river.

Than she returned to her companion and they went on up the road together.

After some minutes the fish died. 

The boy climbed over the railings and down onto a ledge just above the water line.

He began dragging the dead fish towards him with a stick. When it was finally within reach he caught hold of it and tossed it up onto the road.

Manuel watched watched him while he finished his cigarette. Than he went away.