Mark Roffi hates these society do's

where a good time is had by all

The wealthy flaunt with extravagance 

make the insignificant crawl

​

A self-made millionaire 

he has all he can afford

Penthouses, Rollers and a lifestyle

with which he is indefatigably bored

​

He searches for some conversation

over the crowd a visual pan

And notices a lady clad in white

and immersed in a crispy tan

​

She wore not an ounce of jewellery

Her makeup was most inoffensive

Chestnut hair, coiled across her head

healthily and inexpensive

​

Roffi introduced himself,

although by birth a British creature

She lives in Caorle in Italy

the town's friendly neighbourhood teacher

​

She lived with her retired husband Arnold Rogers

in a chalet on a hillside sunny

They got by on his books on fishing

publications that still make small money

​

They spoke all that evening,

faces to the wall quite discreet

He found her refined and most relaxed

the kind he thought he'd never meet

​

He asked her out to dine tomorrow

slightly timid and not so hard

She agreed to the invitation

amused by his quaint facade

​

So, they met again the next evening

and dined at the Cafe Royale

Their talk was incessant and casual

with never a word banal

​

He found himself opening up

in a way he thought he never could

Relating all his insecurities

and what's more, she understood

​

They continued to meet through the week

he was smitten like a fool

She was calm and unaware

unfazed and rather cool

​

Finally, the time had come

and in an apprehensive disposition

They met on her departure's eve

and he made his marriage proposition

​

She had the good sense to reply

“I really could not do that

I know we shouldn't have gone this far

After our cordial party chat”

​

“You are not like your reputation

You're vulnerable, that's nice

But I can't betray Arnie's trust 

I'm not prepared to pay that price”

​

“It would be inhumane to him

He's exposed and rather humble

You can live without me

He would simply crumble”

​

“All your adoring words

are really rather grand

But I need most to be needed

Please try to understand”

​

The next day she was gone

on a plane bound for Venice

Leaving him with memories

and cursed thoughts of menace

​

His thoughts turned to obsession

He was determined to get her heart

Inspired by words of common prayer

"Till Death Do Us Part"

​

He contacted a special agency

and received, in hibernation,

Photos of Rogers and his house 

and a dossier of information

​

Then with great endeavour

ensuring he could not be tracked

He hunted down a mercenary

who would commit the final act

​

He met his man in Paris

in a Bistro in the heart of town

He recognised him reading Le Figaro

with the headline pointing down

“Calvi?” asked Roffi

in a distinctly cautious tone

“Oui Bonjour Monsieur

We've spoken on the phone”

Roffi sat and passed his file

to Calvi, smart and slender

Photos of Rogers and his villa

details of his daily agenda

As Roffi paid half the fee

Calvi stressed the implications

Roffi demanded a job well done

WITH NO INCRIMINATIONS

“Don't leave a trace” said Roffi

“Nothing remotely revealing”

“Don't worry: said Calvi, “I'm a Pro

And Italian jails are hardly appealing”

Calvi booked two rooms in Venice

the other as Russo, his real name

And asked them to expect a book for Calvi

On the History of Spain

​

That evening with that self-same book

of Spain through the ages

He placed a gun in a hole

that he had cut amidst its pages

​

With a silencer in the binder

6 inches, no feeble device

He taped up the package

and forged print-work so precise

​

He posted it to the Venetian hotel 

under the Mr Calvi mask

And days later boarded an aircraft

to begin his heinous task

​

He arrived at the Hotel as Russo

with good banter and a gentle laugh

He asked for Mr Calvi's package

“Can I take it on his behalf?”

​

Customs had ripped the pack

looked inside and read the spine

A history book on Spain?

That's absolutely fine

​

Morning came, he donned his suit

Milan's finest tailor and thread

Had breakfast on the balcony

and considered the day ahead 

​

Later he hired a car 

and began his short and sunny drive

He reached Caorle by lunchtime

The place was barely alive

​

After lunch when all was ready

he advanced to Rogers' abode

and proceeded up the driveway

a short and pebbled road

​

It began to rain very hard

the sound was a great disguise 

He walked into Rogers' study

where he sat typing, a diminutive size

​

Rogers turned around

to meet his unfamiliar guest

Calvi fired his fatal shots

to his head and at his chest

​

Killer met client, ten days later

same point in Gai Paris

“Nothing went wrong, no slips up?” asked Roffi

As he nervously paid the rest of the fee

​

“Your man is destroyed” said Calvi

“His person you may merrily bereave”

But Roffi was then thrown into shock

Calvi spoke as he got up to leave

“Oh yes, I was interrupted by a lady

highly attractive, it must be said

But don't worry Monsieur, No incriminations

I shot the woman DEAD!”