Book Entry 50: 1961 The Lamp and the Goldfish

When mom got a new lamp for the living room I got the one that had been in the living for my room.  The base of the lamp was a deer figurine standing in tall grass.  It was a flower vase with a lamp top.  Dad said it was the stupidest thing he’d ever seen.  I remember him commenting on anyone stupid enough to put flowers in an electrical object deserved to get shocked.  I must say all mom put in it was silk flowers.

I always had a goldfish or two while I was growing up.  I had gold ones, orange ones, black ones, big-eyed ones, and striped ones.  I always took good care of my fish and I always named them.  Some of my fish lasted a long time while some had short lives like a lot of gold fish.  
There was one fish that simply disappeared from the bowl.  David promised he didn’t take it, mom and dad both said they didn’t take it, and Phillip was only four so I didn’t suspect him.  I looked everywhere for that fish thinking he might have jumped out of the bowl but finally gave up looking and forgot about it.  
 A long while later, maybe several months, I was looking for change around my room.  When I looked in the vase of the lamp I found some of my nickel rings from the dime store, a partial deck of cards, two dimes, and  my missing fish!  I guess I should say I found what was left of my fish!  It took me a few seconds to recognize the curled up, dried out, and leather-like critter. 

When I showed it to mom she came to the conclusion we hadn’t smelled it as it dried because it was so small.  Dad said we didn’t smell it because I always was spraying cologne around my room.  When dad showed Phillip he clapped his hands and said it was his fish.  He admitted he had been fishing in my room and caught the fish which he put in a safe place  away from the other fish in the bowl.  Mystery solved.