a brief ceremony

[solipsistnation]

So we both came up with the same idea at the same time, and when stophittinyrslf got home, we took the remains of Mr. Fish and went for a drive.

We went down to Natural Bridges State Park (which is supposed to be closed at sundown, but there you go) and walked out into the surf, and as a wave was receding, I let Mr. Fish go, off into the Pacific.

On the other side of the ocean, there are tiny fish in tiny streams in Thailand. One day, some piece of Mr. Fish will reach the streams he never knew. I think that's a good thing.

I've been trying to figure out why I was so attached to Mr. Fish, and why this is hitting me so hard. Nikki says it's because he was awesome, which is a pretty good reason. He was a tiny little person who lived on our kitchen table and was always happy to come up and nibble on our fingers (at least until he wised up and got too smart to do that), and who kept us company as we had dinner and talked and drank wine and listened to music. He was our fish, and there you go. The table seems so empty now.

Comments

[mysterysquid.livejournal.com]

Lovely ceremony.

When Charlie died earlier this year, my wife made a conscious effort not to get as attached to our new fish, because she was shattered for days. Some people think of fish as disposable, but I just can't.

Goodbye, Mr Fish...

[ronebofh.livejournal.com]

To paraphrase that great American, Jules Winnfield, "He had personality, and personality goes a long way."

[mandy-moon.livejournal.com]

Aww, I had a Mr. Fish, too. I missed him more than I thought I would when he expired.

I like what you've done to your icon.

[awfief.livejournal.com]

poor mister fish. At least he had a good life with you, even though it was tragically cut short.

[amymarr.livejournal.com]

Aw. I'm sorry for your loss. jamib has been through this many, many times, so I know a bit about it. Also, I have lost cats, to which I grow very very attached. *hug*

[crossbonesdj.livejournal.com]

Perfect ceremony for a good friend.

[gunthersdncemix.livejournal.com]

Did you get him just after you moved to CA? You might be attached to him as a source of comfort after a HUGE upheaval in your life.

Anyway, my condolences and that sounds like a nice farewell for him.

[solipsistnation.livejournal.com]

No, he was kind of thrust upon us by our neighbors in, um... Just March of this year, according to when photos were uploaded. They moved out in a swirl of drama and ambulances, and one day I came home and Nikki told me that the neighbor had come by and said, "Look, I have to take [her husband] to the hospital. Can you watch my fish?" And with that they pretty much vanished. So we had their fish on our table in a little vase with sort of gross water and floaty food bits (he'd been on their living room table for some unknown length of time before that, which is why I joke that he mostly lived on cigarette butts and tequila) for a day or two before I said, heck, this is no good. And I went out and got him a big bowl and some plastic plants and food and stuff, and he seemed much happier. His colors got prettier, and he zipped around more (where previously he'd just sort of floated listlessly) and got all perky. After a while I started dreading the idea that the neighbor girl might come back and want her fish back and considered lying about him or something, but I ran into her at the courthouse when I had jury duty a couple of months later (she was filing her divorce papers) and she said it was okay...

So, he was our little refugee fish. But, yeah, you're right. He was a source of comfort after an upheaval. He was our little guy.

[gunthersdncemix.livejournal.com]

Aw, that's sweet but still sad, and kind of ironic that you got the fish during your upheaval as a result of someone else's.

*hugs*

[indanth.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear about Mr. Fish. Watching Talking Heads video 'Take Me to the River', just because.
http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/t/talking_heads/take_me_to_the_river.html