MY son bought me a new fountain.
Recently, I decided I might like some fish in it and ventured into the local shop that sells them.
I though there were goldfish and that was it. But it was not to be. For example, there are Ryukin, Lionhead, Fantail, Catfish and Sucking Catfish, Red and White Ranchu; White Clouds Cornet; Zebra and Leopard Danio; Red, Blue or Red and White Oranda, Red Cap, Shubunkin, Wadin, and goldfish.
Get the picture? These fish people take things seriously.
All I wanted was a couple of fish.
I settled for five tiny little swimmers, took them home, read the instructions, threw them in the fountain and they have never been seen again.
So my son decided this was not good enough, chatted to a knowledgeable friend, and went back to the shop and bought six larger sized goldfish. They swam happily and popped up and gazed around, everyone was delighted.
I was left with strict instructions that they were to be fed, every day for the first week. and I have to be truthful, I forgot for two days..
Mea Culpa
I thought oh no when I remembered and ran out with food in hand and one was floating around belly up. Oh the shame.
It was one of the new, big expensive ones too.
I raced back down to the shop and replace it, and as the girl there knows the family she was sworn to secrecy.
I drove home, went out with the new arrival to float him round in the plastic bag as instructed (one of the other instructions was to be gentle or the fish would be stressed… are there fish tranquilisers?)
I was congratulating myself on my subterfuge, but then had an awful thought.
We have this front doorbell thing, it films everyone coming and going through the front door, and my son has the habit of just checking it during his lunch break.
There was his mum, for ALL the world to see, bag of goldfish held carefully in one hand (so as not to stress it), tin of fish food in the other. There was no escape.
I owned up, and I have not had any more belly ups since, but even at my age the lesson is there, always tell the truth or it will come out, unless I had put a bit more thought into it.
I should have snuck round and come in the back way. After all, one goldfish looks very like another. He might never know.
