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a conversation at our house tonight…

(about Sparkles…our goldfish)

me: (realizing the murky water REALLY needed to be clean) “What are we going to do with that thing?

Rich: “We could clean it. OR we could flush him down the toilet.”

me: “Oh Rich! That’s awful. He would die!!! I mean…he would die–he would—wouldn’t he?”

Rich: “Oh—no! He wouldn’t. He’d go right down to the system. You know, it’d be like Finding Nemo.”

[pause]

Rich: “Ya think the kids would notice?”

me: “Nope. They haven’t noticed him for days.”

[another pause]

[Rich exits room with fish…and from the other room I hear a flush.]

[I cover my face]

[Rich comes back in room with EMPTY vase which was a make shift goldfish bowl…OH…the thought of it just takes me back!]

me: “You did it…oh—you must feel horrible. Do you feel horrible? What did that feel like as you did it…as you watched him go? You feel horrible don’t you???”

Rich: [laughs] “Oh no–not at all. They eat those things in Japan.”

And just like that…according to Richard—Sparkles in on an adventure like Finding Nemo. Sorry fish lovers–but just had to document that 60 second convesation at our house tonight! All I can say…is we have 2 in diapers–one in preK and one in kindergarden…so a free goldfish from a fair doesn’t stand much of a chance at our house I’m afraid!!! I wish you all a better week than Sparkles…or just maybe he is now on the adventure of a lifetime…just depends your point-of-view!

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Georgia Smith - October 26, 2010 - 11:35 pm

UM, a little disturbing but funny. We recently flushed a fish that wasn’t quite dead, yet. It was dying though. Now my 2 year old tells everyone that our fish went to be with God by going down the toliet.

karen - October 26, 2010 - 11:35 pm

Oh this makes me giggle! I’m right there with you! We had a thriving tank with 3 little fish in it for a while and then, one by one, they started to die. Only 1 (nameless) fish remained and the filter broke. That was 3-4 months ago and this thing just keeps on living! No one notices him, my husband feeds him and tops off the water when needed and the little fish just keeps on swimming! Even after a week of vacation and no food? He’s a robofish! I’ve wanted to put that tank away for a while now…perhaps you’ve inspired us!?

Bec - October 26, 2010 - 11:54 pm

Oh this post just makes me laugh! We could have had that conversation word for word in our house. We’ve been thorough a few fish now. Life’s too busy and we really aren’t pet people. I tried to keep from smiling when I said to my husband the other day that I wanted to get a bird, just to see the reaction he’d give.

Elle J - October 27, 2010 - 12:41 am

Smiles. We’ve gone the fish route for my son too and I must say that watching them die a slow, ugly death isn’t good for the little ones either. =)

Melanie Strobel - October 27, 2010 - 1:01 am

Too funny! Love it. We had a newt once. Yep… and I had three boys under four. I so wish I could remember his name. Perhaps a newt could be your next pet. 🙂 Call me before you make that purchase. I’ll talk you down.

Megan - October 27, 2010 - 2:13 am

Adventure of a lifetime – definately! =)

Becca Harley - October 27, 2010 - 8:38 am

love it!!!! Definitely with Nemo”:)

april - October 27, 2010 - 8:46 am

haha that was too cute! :0)

Shannon - October 27, 2010 - 10:16 am

Nope. He’s dead. Either stuck in your septic system or in the towns sewer and waste treatment. For future reference the ‘humane’ way to euthanize a fish is to put him in a bowl of water and freeze it.

Nordstroms - October 27, 2010 - 10:29 am

A dear friend gave our son Nathan a goldfish for his 6th birthday! She laughed and we groaned. We thought “Buddy” (as he was affectionately named) would die within weeks but alas after almost 2 years – he lives on! Many, many times when I look at the cloudy bowl that needs to be cleaned (again!) I am tempted to flush away but my little boys would notice all too soon and be very sad. Hope your kiddos don’t notice the fishy is gone!
Heather

SleepyMom - October 27, 2010 - 10:50 am

You crack me up. We were lucky as my husband had access to fish drugs that you can just put in the water to kill it. Our daughter just though it died naturally.

Alison - October 27, 2010 - 3:01 pm

Ha, ha!! Too cute! We have no pets…there is no way I could take care of a little animal right now! I am sure Sparkles is just fine! 🙂

Bobi Bobbitt - October 27, 2010 - 3:39 pm

So funny! We have two fish aquariums right now, one in each of two of our boys’ bedrooms! Reminds me of one of our last fish… I went to clean out the tank so I poured the water into the toilet… except Mr. Fishy ( actually I think his name was Nemo, as most of our fish are named Nemo! ) fell into the water too! I tried to “fish” him out and he swam down the drain, so i just decided to flush him! (:

Asher Collie - October 27, 2010 - 7:49 pm

And here I am TRYING my hardest to keep my kid’s fish alive and they all die. It is now tradition to just go buy new fish every birthday. Wish I had your fish luck!

Kelli Ross - October 27, 2010 - 9:32 pm

TOO FUNNY!
Reminds me of a conversation with my 6 year old this summer on the back porch.
“Mom, do dogs go to heaven?”
“Sure, sweetie”.
“Mom, do bugs go to heaven?”
“Why?”
She stands up, stomps her foot on a spider- and says “That one is with Jesus now.”