Anne's birthday was in August, and she told us she wanted a goldfish. We said she could have one, but we'd have to wait until we got to England. So now we're here and we had to pay up.
We went to Pets at Home a week ago to get the fish. We had thought to get just a bowl for it, but ended up getting a starter tank with a filter instead. When we tried to get the fish, too, the store told us that we needed to run the filter in the tank for a while (like 7 days) first, to prepare the tank for the fish. OK... But if preparing the water is so important, what happens when we must change the water? But perhaps the preparation is for the tank, not the water. So we oblige and take home just the tank.
On Friday I rode back and bought the fish. They made me fill out a form to attest that we'd had the tank for a while and run the filter. They also asked what size tank we had, so they could make sure the fish would fit. They wrote all this down on a form and kept a copy.
As I'm putting the bagged goldfish in my backpack I wonder aloud whether the fish will be OK for the ride home. The guy assures it'll be fine, but if I have trouble I can "bring the body back" and they'll take care of it. The body? And how will they "take care of it?"
Some people are pretty serious about fish.
On the ride home, I think, it will be fun if we call it Wanda, i.e., a fish called Wanda. Anne likes the name, and it sticks.
Anne says to me on Friday: what happens when our year here is up and move back? What will happen to the fish? I suggest we could eat it. "No! I won't eat my fish!" she says. "Why not?" I say, "you've eaten fish before, and you liked it." She says, "but this fish is my pet. You can't eat your pet."
Ah, I say, that is an important difference ...
4 comments:
You didn't wear a (fake) fur coat into the store, did you?
M
You have experience with fish;
No graham crackers.
Be prepared for a burial service.
Remember the guinea pigs--no medical care.
Mike and Kim:
The advice about not making the conversion on the cost of things is good. I learned that a number of years ago when we were in the UK and the pound was worth about $1.85 or so. You just have to think in pounds.
Good luck with Wanda. I'm no expert on goldfish mortality, but I would think a year is a pretty long time in the average lifespan. You can always find someone to adopt it when you go back.
Susan and Bob had Caroline's 7th birthday party on Saturday. I'll send you a link to some pictures I took there.
Bob
Here's a comment I received about this post via e-mail:
Ronald Rood lived on a small farm in Lincoln, Vt. He once wrote about the relationship he and his family had with the animals on the farm. He summed up the compartmentalization one must make between pets and "employees" with one cardinal rule "If you're going to eat it, don't name it."
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