Some weeks ago I was visiting the greengrocer's in Hornington when I met the gentleman who's opened the new fish shop on the other side of the road: he's a West Indian from a Methodist background. He asked whether I would bless the shop and so yesterday, having gained the permission of His Grace the Rector of Hornington, I did so. The owner was there, a friend of his, and, as I discovered when I looked round, three members of my congregation who turned up after the Walk of Witness, and a bemused customer.
Mr Fish Shop insisted I have a gift in thanks, which was a bit of swordfish he prepared with lemon juice and herby marinade ('Salt it for half an hour, cover it and cook it in the oven for 20 minutes and have it with some mash, that's all you need'), and some dressed crab from Cornwall. He also gave me £20 for the church - 'I had prayers said in my old shop elsewhere and promised to give something to the church but never did, so this is paying ma debts'.
The swordfish was lovely.
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