Fish! Can't live with them. I decided not to replace the school of lemon tetras; we were down to our last one. I chose them because I followed one of the new aquarium stocking plans in a book. The poor thing sat in the corner or under the bend in the log and twitched. I was sure he was going to die. He didn't. He got big. But without a school of his own species, he was stressed and he twitched. Got a great deal on a larger used tank. Decided to buy the guy some companions because now we had room.

The girl at the Petco warned me that they weren't doing well; I had already chosen several other fish. No lemon tetras came in. Inquired. She'd order me some. Made a fool gushing over how happy our old guy would be. On the way home, the news broke about the Tinley Park murders. Counted the days, which passed slowly. Resisted to get them on the Wed. because they would have just arrived. Went Thurs., well I should have waited until Sat, thinking the ones that wouldn't have survived shipping would have died. But, it was going to be the warmest day. The girl was working and she remembered me. I proudly carried them out in the little cooler I'd brought, babbling stupidly. I put them in the tank. He went over. Then he went and hid.

Now, he's under the dip in the log, twitching. The five baby lemons that survived are schooling together.

At least I tried!