Yes, dear friends. A great shock.
What can I say about Flappy the GoldFish.? Well, for a start, his name was not really Flappy. No. Many years ago, when the sun seemed brighter, the days longer and the grass greener, I skipped gaily into King Heath and purchased two fish and a bowl for a fiver. Neil and Buzz as they were known to one obsessed with the moon landing, cost 50p each. The folly of a child, naming fish after two of the most famous humans on the planet. Or it would have been had I not been 42 years old. But no matter. It was obvious who was who. Neil was a mustard coloured fish that seemed contemplative and solid. He'd gently fin his was round the bowl. Buzz, on the other hand, was bordering on manic. He'd shoot round the bowl like a thing possessed and was rarely still. Not an inch of the bowl was unexplored by Buzz. Although it was a small bowl. And their fishy personalities matched their famous humans. Neil Armstrong, arguably the most famous man ever, since that eventful day in 1969 has rarely given interviews, shuns publicity and lives quietly. Buzz Aldrin, on the other hand, got back from the moon and shot around like a mad thing, glorying in everything and picking up the odd addiction along the way.
There is one big difference with my Neil and Buzz, mind. Neil only lasted a week or so. He probably bored himself to death. Buzz, on the other hand just kept manically swimming everywhere and growing and growing. And when my lovely lady Rebs saw him, knowing more about animals than I do (if not an actor, she would have liked to have been a vet. She deals with me quite well...) she instantly commented on the size of his fins and the fact he flapped around a lot. Hence the nick-name Flappy. I think she thought Buzz was a stupid name..
John Slater saw Flappy about a month ago.
"Woah! Big goldfish", he said. And he was right.
The end, when it came, was quick. He'd been a bit off colour for a week or so. No, not off Gold colour. We fish owners just know. I played with his aeration for a bit, but it was to no avail. He did his belly up thang and although I left him for a day or so ( he did it once before and recovered. An attention-seeking ruse, I think) and I tried some medicine, it was to no avail and he passed away officially last night. He is now at rest with the other Hennegan pets - Andropov the Mexican Red Kneed Tarantula - in the Hennegan Pet Plot. Up the garden. Not buried, ju st chucked up the garden and left for nature.
I couldn't flush Flappy down the loo - he'd have blocked a main sewer, the size of him. Obviously I am distraught and yet my pain is eased by the fact that the sodding thing cost me a fortune in fish tanks, filter, pumps and other tackle. His last set up cost about five hundred quid in total! EBay, here I come!
A-hem. Please feel free to attach any tributes/comments to this post. He didn't get out much, but Flappy had a good innings, as they say. Amen.
Flappy/Buzz in happier times. He was a good fish. We shall not see his gigantic likes again. (Unless I nip down the fish shop of course.)
6 comments:
To another who love their fish I feel your pain - I have Rock who is large and really is a carp and I'm being extremely cruel keeping him in a small rectangular tank but... his compatriots Cliff and Quentin bit the dust many moons ago - Quentin made a run for it and flipped out into the dog basket and Cliff, I dropped by accident trying to clean the tank, he came round after the fall but only managed a sad sideways swim as I think I broke his spine. He died in the night. Altogether I might turn myself in to the RSPC umm F Pollyx
I feel your fishy pain. But look forward to the E-Bay cheque!
Polly Polly Pol Pol. Don't punish yourself. Quentin, Cliff and, yes, Rock. They all can feel your love. Even the dead and decomposing pair. Bless you, my child.
Anonymous. Yes, the pain is real. But it will be salved muchly by a juicy check from the Bay.
Hilarious! thats what i first thought, then, poor fish but it is just a fish, like a mouse, it's only a mouse, then it's just like a cat or a rabbit, we eat rabbits, some people eat horses, i eat cows and pigs and chickens, and fish!
it's just a fish, buzz or flappy, he was great he had a name a little personality, would respond with a different character to another fish not the same, unique like people, just smaller, like small people, children, but its not just a child, it's a fish!
Andy.
I think you are quite right. I think. Bless you. Yes.
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