Jack Died Today

     When Laura arrived home after work, she saw him. He lay head down next to his house, motionless and stiff. He was a Beta  and had been the king of hill. He wasn't aggressive, but would swim out and warn any trespasser to keep a respectable distance away from his home. Something happened today.

     Laura was sitting in the passenger seat when I left work. As I swung into and onto my seat, and not much afterward, she said, "Jacks dead."

     To tell you the truth, I felt a sudden wave of loss and became submersed in it. Jack was one of our first fish and he was a character. He was bigger than the rest, solid black in color and I suppose that he looked pretty imposing to the others. Even the racing fish.
     At first I thought he was a bully, but he quickly became a favorite as he took what he wanted and defended it. Laura thinks it was the racing fish that killed Jack. I don't know what these fish are called, but they swim and swim, never losing their speed. They are sleek, silver and gold, and they have pronounced black stripes. And they swim, swim, and swim. "Yes. I think it was the racing fish that killed Jack.

     We'll feel the loss for a bit, but he was just a fish, and I'm just happy that I'm here in CrowMac Creek, a place where even the most difficult and challenging situations will be reborn over night as not so difficult or challenging.