Alone no more...

This morning I was out doing some shopping and running errands and as I sat in my car crossing things off my list, I realized I was parked right in front of Petco (or was it Pet Smart?) and I thought that was kind of interesting. Nearly every day SOMEONE tells me I should get a pet so that I will not be alone in my home anymore. I decided to go inside the store.
First of all, the smell inside the store is a bit less than pleasant. But I went on in...and began to search for my perfect animal companion.
I started looking at the mice and hamsters and guinea pigs. I immediately had a flash back from my childhood--they are nocturnal! I could recall the sound of that Habitrail wheel echoing through our home as "Radar" ran for his life each night. No thanks.
I continued over to the reptiles. How about a snake? Seems easy to care for, don't have to pick up anything after him (maybe his skin a couple of times a year) and I know Allison would love to come feed him a mouse once a week...she LOVES snakes! I continued to through reptile world and over to the tarantulas. Seriously, I love all spiders and have never killed one...they are so beautiful and such hard workers! Several years ago I caught a tarantula in our home and kept him at my desk at work for a while...his name was Harry. Tarantulas are warm and fuzy and fun to feed and again, very low maintainance. Hmm...they could escape tho. Snakes could too.
I glanced at the cats...but the whole cat box thing makes me gag. I think the stench would kill me and the thought of cat hair on my clothes--especially my work suits--turns me off big time.
Next to the cats...the puppies. Damn, they are so cute. Seriously, they are so full of energy and excitement and seem so happy and full of life and I could just imagine one of them all excited to see me when I got home from work each day....And then I watched one take a big crap. Oh, for the love of God, I am not cleaning that off my bamboo floor. Sorry Fido...just not gonna happen.
So, there I was back at the front of the store...with the fish tanks. Thousands of fish--too many in one tank if you ask me--and multiple aisles brimming with all size aquariums, a dozen different kinds of fish food, every kind of plastic foliage you can imagine and hundreds of sandcastles, treasure chests and assorted sized aquarium decor.
I spotted a few little fish bowls and picked one up. And a bag of little rocks. And a tiny little sandcastle. And the smallest box of food. And I asked Jason if he could please take one of the pretty little goldfish out of the overstocked tank for me.
And he did. I said hello to her and brought her home with me.
And now I have a pet. I don't have to take her for a walk or pick up her crap. She will not shed her skin, run all night long and I will not worry about her escaping or crawling on me in the night. She will not disturb the neighbors or leave hair everywhere and she won't tear up my shoes.
She's very happy. She's living alone for the first time in her life. Her place is clean and neat and it's very peaceful and quiet. She's enjoying this time by herself. I think we have a lot in common.
Her name is Sushi.