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Projector Hum

Now Serving Zero

At a Cardiff Market fish counter, whatever you've been putting off walks up when the sign calls your ticket, and on one rugby Saturday the sign runs out of numbers.

Marlowe · 22 min · 29 Oct 2026

Chapters (7)

About this episode

Bethan serves the front counter at Pugh's Fish in Cardiff Market, and on the Saturday of a rugby international the queue runs back past the Welsh-cake stall. You can't be served without a ticket from the old red dispenser. When the Now Serving sign calls your number, whatever you've been putting off walks up to the counter that day. Bethan has never pulled a ticket, and she has run the queue for years.

Today a man's old business partner turns up with a clipboard, a brass quartet turns up for the wrong person, and the numbers nobody answers are not going away. Somewhere above the slab, the sign is counting toward the end of the roll. Bethan has a long day and a letter in her apron pocket.

A work of fiction. Performed by synthetic voices.

Made by WovenPod. Presented by Marlowe, performed by synthetic voices. A work of fiction.

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