Behold, the beauty in my tank

When I got the job for which I had my final day last week, my mom bought me a fish to keep on my desk, with the most adorable office-type setting in its tank. It's a Beta fish, with a reddish body and teal fins.

I took one look at the thing and groaned.

You can't really see it, but the red photo frame has a picture of two creatures hugging and behind the cabinet is a fine piece of plastic potted plantage.

It's not what you think. I happen to find the little fish so cute and lively. He responds to my mom's voice--and, by default, mine too because if it weren't for the accent, people wouldn't be able to tell who's speaking--and he flits around all day being all happy and not bored. What's not to love? But that's just the problem. I don't think I could handle coming home to find him unresponsive. I shudder at the thought. But of course I started preparing the speech I'd give while flushing the little cutiepie down the toilet the day I first laid eyes on him.

I didn't take him to work. Which was a good thing, because I got word of the layoff about two months after I was hired.

But despite my resistance, I did get hooked. This little fish just makes me smile. When there aren't people around, he snuggles up inside that green file cabinet and when I come up to talk to him or feed him, he pokes his face out to say hello.

Yes, I realize this is a horribly out-of-focus photo. But he's not very cooperative, so you get the gist.

I realize that this is likely one of those times where the owner/mother/caregiver thinks her charge is the most beautiful specimen of life on this earth and shamelessly subjects everyone around her to mundane stories and photos of him, but I don't care. This fish is frigging awesome. How often have you seen a non-legged animal rest his weary non-booty on a chair and give you the most sincere May I Help You look ever? There's a reason you come here, people.

No PhotoShop, I swear.

It's going to be a sad sad day when I lose this little guy, but one thing's for sure: he'll have a kickass obituary.