Eulogy to an Unnamed Fishy

You made me so happy that day when Heather and I first met you in the Petsmart. I was really excited to get a new fishy because it was something I had been saving until after I had passed through that trial by fire otherwise known as “the MCAT.”

The way you gleefully wiggled around the tank made us smile, which is why we chose you even though Heather really liked the black fish with the googly eyes (but they kinda give me the creeps which is why I said "no" to Heather and chose you instead).

We spent the whole ride home trying to think of a good name for you, and I almost got into an accident because even though it was raining I kept looking at you trying to figure out what to call you.

When we brought you to the apartment you seemed to like the new big tank. You were shy at first though, and you used to hide under the rock or behind the plants in the corner. But after a few days you came out more and seemed to have fun swimming around with Shubu and Eddy. The three of you always made me smile when I came home from work and would see you riding the current from the filter or letting the bubbles carry you to the surface over and over again.

This week I was already sad about having to kill so many of my poor tumor-ridden mice, then tonight when I came into the living room and found your tiny dead body stuck to the filter my heart broke even more. You seemed so healthy and happy just this morning as I was calling you by several different names during feeding time to see if any would stick. Sadly, you weren’t around long enough for me to know which one you liked. (Just for the record Danni, I never called him Willy).

Maybe we'll never know why you died. I don’t know whether to blame it on sickness (which I really hope it isn’t or else Shubu and Eddy might get sick too) or the awful heat wave (even though I’m pretty sure that the water temperature didn’t change that much…you know water, with it’s high specific heat and all…). Maybe it was just your time to go.

What we do know is that you’re in a better place now, probably with Cleo and that fish that Heather threw in the dumpster that one time because she thought it was the spawn of Satan and then tried to cover up her crime and then worried that the fish was so evil that it would just keep growing in the dumpster until one day when she was bringing out the trash it would be big enough to eat her alive.

So little unnamed-yet-known-by-many-names fishy just know that even though you were only on earth for a short while, you were loved. And even though I didn’t cry when I found you like I did when Cleo died (don’t worry Anne, it definitely wasn’t a repeat of that experience) I was really, really sad and I’m going to miss you. RIP.