Summary

The short story “Fusilli” by Graham Swift focuses on an unnamed man who goes to a supermarket before Christmas.

While in the supermarket, the man thinks about how he and his wife, Jenny, decided not to celebrate Christmas that year. He also thinks about how they reacted to Remembrance Day the previous month with mixed feelings.

As he walks through the supermarket, the man remembers a call he received a month ago from his son, Doug, who was a soldier deployed in Afghanistan. The man recalls feeling angry before the call and being anxious to talk to his son. Doug advised his father to buy dry pasta instead of fresh, advising him to try the fusilli variety.

The man thinks that he and his wife will never eat fusilli again. It is revealed that Doug has died, and the call was the last time his father heard his voice. The man believes that his family will not recei...