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Wednesday, March 17, 2010

I Shoulda Seen It Coming

When I first met him, he belonged to my oldest daughter. I thought he was attractive and almost... foreboding. He was quiet and kept to himself. Once my kids were grown, I never thought I'd share my home with anyone else. But there he was. Lisa didn't have much time for him, and to be truthful, she didn't keep up with his needs. Not that he had many, but the ones he did have were important to him.

One day, Lisa casually asked me if I wanted him. I was surprised. She said she was fond of him, but she didn't want to see me living alone. She knew that I would be a better match for him. Reluctantly, I agreed. I took him home with me that very day, and we had been living together ever since.

He never disapproved of anything I did or didn't do. He didn't ask much of me, in fact, the few minutes a day that I shared with him, seemed to be enough.
He was a great listener. Most of all... he was faithful. I always knew where he was and what he was doing. I'd see him glancing at my friends from time to time, but he was content sharing his life with only me.
The fact that we were from different continents only heightened our interest in each other. He was beautiful, both inside and out.

I knew he wasn't feeling well lately. I could see it in his eyes. I thought he was depressed, and tried to cheer him up every chance I got. His illness was more serious than I thought. It was physical.

I now question my nursing skills. I found him dead this morning. It was apparent that he had been dead for at least a few days. Yet, I didn't notice and kept leaving food for him. How could a nurse ignore a complete lack of vital signs?

Yes, Kahn Mahn, my beta fish is gone. His empty tank now tugs at my heart strings.

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