R.I.P. Goldie and "the other one"

Barbara and Jimmy's first pets have already met their speedy demise. That's just as well with me, as their eager enthusiasm and attentiveness at having a pet of their perished just as speedily. I hate the thought of cleaning out the damn fishbowl. (It was actually a fishbowl-like vase of my mom's)

They were fully prepared for this, actually and it didn't cause much fuss. In fact, Barbara had asked me outright on the day of their eighth grade school carnival, before the prized fish had even been secured, "If I win a fish, will it die?" She ws perfectly happy to accept the fact, that yes, it would eventually die, and that fish don't live as long as people, or even other types of pets. She nodded sagely and said, "So we'll get to keep it for a while and then it will die." And that's just what happened, only sooner than I thought! Her teacher had whispered to me, "They're just feeder fish they got for free, they may be dead by tomorrow!" I'm proud to say, ours lasted 2 whole weeks. Rest in peace, dear Goldie and whatever the name was- Oh, it was Lily. It was a good two weeks while it lasted.