Hooked

A fishbowl

Two goldfish: Pat and BobbyRay

Fish food

“No Fishing” sign

Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food ice cream

One dead goldfish –

Goodbye, Pat

Two more for the bowl

BobbyRay’s dead

Then Nameless

Now Kamikaze Pilot Fish / Muerte / Morty

Just an empty fishbowl

With a sign, a plant, and rocks

Enter Ambrose:

Gorgeous, deep brick red

My first Betta

Mirrors provoke him

“He’s a lover, not a fighter!”

A year later:

Another college fish in the plumbing

Another empty fishbowl

Toxorynchites

Tox for short

Not Albus

Not Alby

Not Nepo

Tox

White fish

Gray, pink

My second Betta

Spunky and unique

Then the Big Fish

Swims back into my life

Fifteen minutes, that’s all

But “it only takes a moment”?*

Truth.  Sheer truth.

I’m gone fishing

To put it lyrically . . .

“I’m hooked

            I’m hooked

                        I’m hooked.”**

TL

2:03am

3 January 2005

* “It Only Takes a Moment,” from “Hello, Dolly!”

** “Captain Hook,” by Adam Record