I had a goldfish once.
I won him at the fair.
I remember walking passed the booth three times before I got up enough nerve to ask if I could try to win one.
I thought all the fish in their clear bowls looked like marvelous fun.
"These games are rigged," warned Aunt Sue.
I did not believe her and I believed her less, when the third ball I threw landed in one of the bowls.
I was a little mad when the lady put my prize in a freezer bag. I wanted the bowl the he was in, too.
"It will be dead by tomorrow," warned my Mother, shaking her head.
I rolled my eyes and said hi to Sam.
Sam was a good fish and I learned within three days, Sam did not care if I paid attention to him or not.
Soon I forgot I even had a fish.
I remember coming home from a weekend away.
Two years later.
"I have bad news," my Mother said.
She showed me Sam.
She had saved him on a paper towel on the kitchen counter. The whole weekend.
"Mom!" I said. "That's gross."
Then we flushed Sam down the toilet.
Awhile back, the kids got some goldfish. I present from their Aunt.
And not one I enjoyed.
"I do not want to clean out the bowl," I whined at Cindy.
"Good thing I work here, then," she replied.
My kids went to bed, still deciding on names.
I noticed right away when I walked into the living room the next morning.
"Did you come up with a name for your fish yet?" I called out to my daughter.
She came up to stand beside me, looking at the fish bowl.
And the dead fish floating on top. Part of his fins had been ate. Her brother's still swimming, mindlessly.
"That's gross," my daughter said.
"I hope Aunt Cindy gets here soon," I sighed.
An old friend was over the next night.
I told him the tale of fish; then he went to the washroom.
That is when I noticed.
And when he came out, I let him know.
It was pretty funny to be talking about dead fish, only to see my son's fish was now in the same predicament. Floating, starting to bloat on the surface of the water.
And I was really happy my friend was over.
I do not like touching Dead Things.
I won him at the fair.
I remember walking passed the booth three times before I got up enough nerve to ask if I could try to win one.
I thought all the fish in their clear bowls looked like marvelous fun.
"These games are rigged," warned Aunt Sue.
I did not believe her and I believed her less, when the third ball I threw landed in one of the bowls.
I was a little mad when the lady put my prize in a freezer bag. I wanted the bowl the he was in, too.
"It will be dead by tomorrow," warned my Mother, shaking her head.
I rolled my eyes and said hi to Sam.
Sam was a good fish and I learned within three days, Sam did not care if I paid attention to him or not.
Soon I forgot I even had a fish.
I remember coming home from a weekend away.
Two years later.
"I have bad news," my Mother said.
She showed me Sam.
She had saved him on a paper towel on the kitchen counter. The whole weekend.
"Mom!" I said. "That's gross."
Then we flushed Sam down the toilet.
Awhile back, the kids got some goldfish. I present from their Aunt.
And not one I enjoyed.
"I do not want to clean out the bowl," I whined at Cindy.
"Good thing I work here, then," she replied.
My kids went to bed, still deciding on names.
I noticed right away when I walked into the living room the next morning.
"Did you come up with a name for your fish yet?" I called out to my daughter.
She came up to stand beside me, looking at the fish bowl.
And the dead fish floating on top. Part of his fins had been ate. Her brother's still swimming, mindlessly.
"That's gross," my daughter said.
"I hope Aunt Cindy gets here soon," I sighed.
An old friend was over the next night.
I told him the tale of fish; then he went to the washroom.
That is when I noticed.
And when he came out, I let him know.
It was pretty funny to be talking about dead fish, only to see my son's fish was now in the same predicament. Floating, starting to bloat on the surface of the water.
And I was really happy my friend was over.
I do not like touching Dead Things.
Comments
The fish lasted till January.
although i must say i'm more than a bit curious as to why you took interest in that particular post. care to enlighten me?
love your prose-poetry by the way. keep in touch.
ingat. [this is 'take care' in filipino, in case you're not]
good sushi?
hasrsh, I know, but can't you hear the kitty purr?
Oh, and BTW cbeck -- good one! ;) I love watching my cats scoping out the fishtank I have now. Of course, I also love watching the 'sweet little kitties' beat on and thoroughly intimidate the dog, too. Though it's even better when the rabbit does it! *snicker* I'm kind of sadistic that way ...