A Fish Story (Or, The One That Didn't Get Away)

It all started with a simple supply list. My director's manual for VBS listed "One goldfish in bowl". Goldfish??? I need a GOLDFISH for VBS??? Sure enough, one of the object lessons called for a live fish.

What was I gonna do with a goldfish? I don't even LIKE goldfish. Reading over the story, I quickly ascertained that a betta would work just as well. I figured I would take it to school after the day's lesson and use it as this year's class pet.

So I don't know exactly what impulse made me turn to Nicky and say "You can have the fish when we're done with it at VBS." Maybe it was the way he was intently staring at the betta in it's little plastic container in the shopping cart. Maybe it was the fact that he was telling me to walk SLOOOWLY through the store so it wouldn't get hurt. Most likely, it had something to do with the fact that Kairi has a cat. I have a cat. Scott has a dog. Nicky? Nothin'.

So I blurted out that the fish was his, if he wanted it. As if. His face lit up from ear to ear. When I told him to name the fish, he said, oh so seriously, "I think its name is Rainbow. Because it's not quite a rainbow. But it has a lot of colors."

So Rainbow went home on Nicky's lap. He was placed in his new aquarium. Nicky, who wants to start karate in a couple of weeks, was DELIGHTED to find out that Rainbow was a fighting fish. It took a few minutes of talking to explain why going back to get another fish for Rainbow to beat up was a bad idea. (Boys!)

So, if mommy nixes the aquarium death match, what do you do with a new fish? Why, read it "One Fish, Two Fish" of course!