7/31/07

What Would You Do?

This is such a cliche problem it is almost funny, but I still would like to take a poll on what you would do if you were in my place. First of all, I am housesitting for a family from Sunday-Friday, and they have 2 dogs and a gold fish. The seven year old managed to keep this fish alive for two months. I mean seriously, how often does that happen? My fish never lived more than a week when I was her age. Now, when I got here on Sunday after the family left, I thought the poor fish was sleeping. Is that possible? Do fish sleep? By yesterday, however, it was definitely dead. Very, very, very dead. Today, even more dead. What should I do? I don't want to tell the seven year old that after she kept her fish alive for two months I came in and it died the same day I got here. I went to the pet store today to find a replacement, but none of those millions of fishies looked like the one that died on me. What would you do if you were me and you were houesitting and the seven year old's fish died on you? Help!
-Kristen

6 comments:

S.Morgan said...

OK, here's what I'd do--Tell her the "hand in the glove" story. You know? Good fish go to heaven and her fish is now swimming in the blue beautiful pools in the sky. He just left behind a shell of a body. Have a beautiful little funeral. Then if she cries and wails, tell her bad fish fry in hell, and she's going there too if she doesn't stop whining. (joke! joke!) Are you sure the fish is dead? Kristen? You'd better give it mouth to mouth resuscitation to make sure.

Chan said...

Umm, can you call the parents and ask them what they'd like to do? I mean, if they don't mind explaining that the whole thing to the kid, then it's a done deal. Or you can tell the hand/glove story. It'll be good practice for the mish anyhow.

Kristen said...

Great idea Sister Morgan. I'd love to give the the little fish face mouth-to-mouth seeing as that may be as close as I'm going to get to a male--any species of male--for at least the next 18 months. Unfortunately, little fish face fell off. Did you know fish decompose? Sickie, sickie, sickie. And it smells! Note to self: If my kids ever decide they want goldfish, I am suddenly "allergic" to them.
I'm trying to decide if I should call the parents on vacation. Would you want to know so you have time to prep the kid, or would you rather wait until you get home to find out?
-Kristen

Kristen said...

p.s. I like the bad fish fry in hell story. HA

S.Morgan said...

In all seriousness, you nut, Chan has the best idea: Call the parents. That way you're absolved of any expensive therapy bills the child may have to go through later because she thinks her babysitter murdered her fish. Whoops. Sorry. I just can't get serious about this--thinking of the real problems you're going to face on your mission, I say flush the fish, calm down, and fix big bowls of ice cream.

E. Anona said...
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