Words I knew I would eventually hear: "Mom, I think Shadow is dead."
A moment of silence please.
After Troy's mom died, his dad gave us a fish tank with about 25 fish in it becaus he didn't want the hassle of maintaining it. Troy cared for the fish and cleaned the tank and the rest of us didn't too much else. We were doing good to remember to feed the fish when Troy was out of town. We lost a few fish. Last winter we finally sold the tank, fish, and cabinetry.
Riley was CRUSHED. Bless 'im. Could not have cared LESS about the fish when they were here, but grieved when they were gone.
So Riley was on a quest to save up enough money for a beta. We beta-shopped and compared tanks and starter kits. Finally, the big day came (no, I don't have it on my calendar -- it was in the spring sometime). We picked out a beta, picked out a beta bowl, and picked out a name: Shadow.
Riley very dutifully fed Shadow and cleaned his water. However -- remember that we're keeping our home fairly warm (okay, we're an OVEN) these days so that we'll be able to at least eat beans and pay the electricity bill. Well, bread, bananas, and evidently betas don't do too well in a constantly hot house. His water just got yukkier and yukkier and I would forget to remind Riley to check on it.
Shadow has been flushed to the beta bowl in the sky. Yes, there were tears shed. No, there was no funeral over the toilet (it was all I could do to not throw up on top of the recently deceased Shadow). The worst part about it is that Riley thinks it's all his fault that Shadow didn't make it. So how crummy do I feel that I can't even pay for my home to be a reasonable temperature for beta water? Plenty of guilt over Shadow's demise. And, of course, Troy was at some lah-dee-dah dinner with 698 of his closest friends, missing the grief, sorrow, guilt, and flushing. He misses all the good family stuff because of his job.
Riley hasn't decided whether or not he wants the vulnerability of another fish. The pain and sorrow are just too fresh now.
Any memorials may be made to: Stirman Family Utility Fund.
5 comments:
Hey. . .if the public school in Abilene are air-conditioned like the ones in Houston, then maybe Riley would like to get a new Beta to share with his class until autumn arrives. Then he gets to have the fish. . .and you don't have to pay for the climate controlled environment. I'm sure the 3rd grade class would LOVE to be home to such a delight. . .or possibly YOUR class and Riley can feed him after school each day.
I'm just sayin'. . .
Poor Riley.
I beta the warm temperature didn't get Shadow. But, just in case, you beta believe my "check is in the mail" to the Stirman Utility Fund.
I don't think Troy has missed ALL the good family stuff as I assume he was present for the conception of your sweetie-pies. (My apologies to your Dad who will probably read this and shudder)
I didn't shudder. I laughed out loud.
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