Today's crazy. I spent the morning at the salon, cheering on my stylist as she tried to fix my latest hair fryage disaster. Sorry so late. Longer letter later.
Thing 1:
Our fish, Chopie, died.
(Chopie, in happier times)
Yesterday, Kid C walks past the tank with my sister, when he stops and says -- with instant tears in his eyes, "Chopie's dead."
me calling from the other room: "Don't be silly. Betta fish live for years. You have to work to kill them."
my sister: "Oh yeah, he's totally fine." But behind Kid C's back, she's looking at me and shaking her head, and mouthing the words He's totally not fine.
So I take a look. Chopie's upside down, floating in the center of the tank (not the top... who knew?) and his eyes are literally bugging out of his head.
I shoo Kid C out the door, and tell him everything will be okay. Then I call Sam and order him to grab another Chopie asap.
Sam comes home with this:
Most decidedly, this is not a Chopie lookalike. In fact, it's the opposite of Chopie.
So, I did what any other mother would do when presented with a learning opportunity. At some point, every kid has to learn about life and death.
I told Kid C that Chopie had a rough day, glimpsed the afterlife, saw a light at the end of the tunnel, and decided against going toward it. Instead, Chopie turned to the dark side.
He is now known as "Chopester", Chopie's evil alter-ego, much like Angel vs. Angelus.
Don't worry. I told Kid C that someday, if Chopester works really hard, he just may earn his soul back and return to his original colors.
2. Wanna hang with me?
Tomorrow (Saturday), Lindsey Leavitt is signing books at The King's English at 2:00. I'll be there, as will most of my writer peeps. I met Lindsay in L.A. at the SCBWI conference, and she very much rocks.
Her book PRINCESS FOR HIRE looks fabulous and I can't wait to get my hands on a copy.
So, if you're available, come to the party and find me and say hello.
Okay, back to the madness. Anyone else's husband turn into a completely different person during March Madness? Sam's coming home early today. He never comes home early. Methinks it hast something to do with 10 grown men trying to put a ball through a hoop.
I'm sorry about Chopie...you actually handled it quite well. I'm sure kid C will understand life, death and the dark side. All of which are very important concepts to learn about in 1st grade. What did you name the new fish?
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, Dave has been glued to the TV watching game after game of March Madness. I actually love it too!
First off, you are going tomorrow at 2pm? Who is going to watch the kids? I will be watching basketball all day long and I don't have any time to look at anyone in the house--our kids will essentially be left alone in our house.
ReplyDeleteLong live Chopester!!
I think it's kind of ironic that you wanted your goldfish to die forever and they never did. Then, you buy a Betta and it dies. I think you may have the wrong kind of fish.
ReplyDeleteWe bought my daughter a betta so my daughter could share her room with someone because she complained she was all alone. And there was no way we were providing a sister for her.
ReplyDeleteI've lost count of how many fish have died since that first betta. Blah. My recommendation is to never, ever get involved in a relationship with fish.
ah, kyle and josh have succumbed to the madness of march as well...
ReplyDeletei consider myself a widow at this point.
we had a beta commit suicide once, have i told you? jumped right out of the fish bowl into the sink drain when grace was cleaing the bowl one day. go figure--he met his death by kitchen sink disposal~
should say CLEANING the bowl...
ReplyDeletetypo.
Some Bettas have a death wish. I too have had a suicidal Betta. It jumped out of the bowl and dried up on a kitchen towel at my in-laws house. My MIL poked it for a few minutes before she figured out what it was.
ReplyDeleteI read somewhere that Bettas prefer a warmer water temperature, and so once, Matt stuck the fish bowl on the candle warmer, intending to leave it there only for a second, but of course forgetting about it. Poor little cooked Betta.
On a non-death-related-but-still Betta-related note: 6 years ago (holy crap has it really been that long?!) I got my friend a Betta for his birthday. He named it Master. I made him rename it.
That was an excellent and much needed laugh. You are a superb parent, Brodi. Superb.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear about Chopie, but I loved your life lesson to Kid C. If Chopie is not on the dark side, does he get a new lightsaber?
ReplyDeleteThankfully my hubby does not like basketball. I only lose him in the Fall to football which is okay because I'm addicted to it too.
How's it going on the new beam-me-up-Scotty device? As soon as you get that up and running, I'm totally coming to the book signing. Just let me know....
ReplyDeleteSorry about Chopie, but I'm sure Chopester will find that the dark side has several perks. Sleep is easier without a conscience, for one, and it is easier to walk (or swim) down a crowded street when everyone runs, screaming, out of the way. It's not like he needs to have a soul to connect with his true love, right?
(On that note, I do not recommend introducing a female beta to his environment. My friend did that once, the male tried to mate, the female was too young and, well, she ate him. Those fins are made for attraction... not evasive maneuvering.)
I got an email reminding me about that signing at the Kings English! I so want to go but have my daughters "knight" themed birthday party... guess I'll miss the signing.
ReplyDeleteBut I'll be there in spirit!
I should probably be ashamed I haven't ever seen Angel, or buffy for that matter. But I did totally get your idea, it's sorta like spider man and that other dude in that one spider man movie. Hahah! Ok I'm lame, sorry.
ReplyDeleteErin- I was serious when I said we named the new fish Chopester. He's Chopester "the Damned" Johnson.
ReplyDeleteSam- Just leave them some food near the door. And wipes. And a cell phone.
Jenni- I know! Isn't it the very definition of irony? I'm just mad I let myself get attached to the little bugger.
Jenilyn- too late. But it is better than, like, having another baby, or getting something high maintenance like a dog.
Dorien- Maybe Chopie committed suicide. The coroner did say he found air in his lungs... suspicious.
Heather- those are the best/worst Betta stories ever. I want to use them in a book! Especially the one where your in-laws find what looks like a raisin on the counter...
Keersten- thanks for reading.
Una- I heard somewhere that electricity and water don't go well together. Maybe I will get evil Chopester a light saber.
Robin- Hilarious comment all around! Especially the perks to being evil.
Olivia- I'm not going to even pretend a kid birthday party will be funner. But I will say you'll be missed.
Debbie- Get thee to a video store (do they still call them video stores?) and rent thee Buffy seasons 1-7! Now! Seriously, best series on television. Ever. Except for Sanford and sons. And My Two Dads.
Great story. I'll have to remember that one for future use.
ReplyDeleteHeids- I'm all for lying to children.
ReplyDeleteWe think Nemo might be dying.... hard to tell though, stupid fish. Since Nemo belongs to the toddler, we figure we can throw a new blue betta in the thing before he notices....
ReplyDeleteMy friend's betta (well, her little girl's) looked dead for a day or two and then suddenly revived when they dropped it in the toilet to flush it! Granted he died a couple days later, but weird....
Britt- Ha ha! That's so weird he died a few days later...
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry about Chopie; we had one called Carrot Top and her death was very hard to take.
ReplyDeleteAnne- It sucks that we get so attached, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteMy son's beta lived for 2 1/2 years!!! (he even lived through new-baby-in-the-house times when the people were lucky to get fed and their water changed!) Then he died. I blogged about it and everything. Then he came back to life and lived for another month and a half! Crazy fish! Then he was dead for real. I was glad that he finally made up his mind... no more of this shilly-shallying with the question.
ReplyDelete