Dastardly deeds

The press descends on my street to report the story of the rogue poisoner. The story broke yesterday, although we heard about it the day before when out in the local bars celebrating the Antroxu festival in fancy dress.

Allegedly the assistant chef at 'El Lavaderu' restaurant, had been poisoning all his colleagues and employers over an extended period of time. He had been using a product based on cyanamide which is used as an alcohol aversion therapy. It causes all kinds of unpleasant symptoms from nausea to palpitations.

A year ago, sadly, the head chef at the restaurant died on the premises from a heart attack. There is now a strong suspicion that this poison may have been the cause.

All the staff had been taken ill, sometimes requiring visits to the doctor or hospital. The exceptions were the alleged culprit and his lady friend, who also worked at the bar. They were the only ones who never suffered the symptoms, so staff started to put two and two together.

As well as the local press in Gijon and Asturias, the story made national news, and was even extensively reported in the international press, including the Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail in the UK.

I've known the accused and his partner for years, at least on nodding terms and occasionally to say a few words. They were regulars at the same bars as ourselves and he seemed perfectly normal to me and everyone else here.

For ages I have though of my little corner of Gijon, Cimadevilla with all its characters and goings on, as being best described as a Spanish 'East Enders'. The plots are really starting to get a bit far fetched now!