Speedy

     There is a park right by our house, actually in our neighborhood. It is a very beautiful park, especially in the summer when it is bursting with flowers.  I am not really sure why it's part of our city's park system.  It really doesn't function like the kind of park I think of. When I think of a park, I think of a playground full of kids sliding down slides, swinging on swings and monkeying around on the monkey bars. This park does not even have a playground. We also have a lot of open field parks in our city... there isn't an open field in this park either.

     This park, although open to the public, has a very different function. This park is full of weddings on Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the spring, summer and fall. The gazebo is normally holding a bride and a                                              groom gazing into one another's eyes dreaming about happily ever after... they have no idea what they are getting into, do they?

     Looking upon the happy couple are their friends and family sitting in white chairs who are really dying to move to the white tent. We all know what waits in the white tent. FOOD Isn't that why we go to weddings?

     Anyway, I have no idea how I got on to all of this. It has nothing to do with the real intention of my post. I guess I wanted you to picture this gorgeous park with a rusty neck little boy running around it. A little boy who by the end of the day usually resembles Pigpen, the Peanut's character. For the record, it wouldn't matter if there was a wedding taking place, they would still allow a character like Jackson to enter and pull fish out like he's fly fishing on a secluded river in Montana.

     Early Monday evening, Jackson got a wild haired idea to go fishing at this park. As far as I know, no one mentioned the word fish, fishing, park or any other thing that would cause his face to light up and a smile to spread across it. All the while holding up one finger declaring that he had an idea. "Let's go fishing!".

     It mattered not that we had no bait. Nor did it matter that the only pole that had a hook on it was a Barbie pole.

     Armed with his Barbie pole, Jackson conned Paul into taking him fishing.

     20 minutes later.....

      The door flew open and then I heard some yelling. Behold, there was a dirty Jackson holding his Barbie pole with a fish attached to it.  "I caught a fish!  I caught a fish!".

     Of course I am thinking, why on God's green earth would that man (my husband) let Jackson come home and stand on my carpeted family room floor with a dirty fish dangling from a pole. By the way, there was also some green algae hanging from the pole and the fish. And, that poor fish, struggling to survive, gasping for breath. 

     Sometimes, I don't know how to talk to these people who live in my house.

     The next thing I know, that little fish is being slung around as Jackson flies up the stairs into the kitchen.

     "I need a bowl, mom! Quick! Speedy needs some water!"

     Speedy? Speedy!! We've named this poor fish already.  I am quite sure he doesn't want a name. All he wants to do is go home. Home to his parents and friends and the algae and murky water. Home... where the poor fellow can BREATHE!

     So, meet Speedy. Speedy is the newest member of our family. Well, he was a member of our family.... for about 24 hours. He lived on the kitchen table in that bowl. For food, he was given a few bacon bits, some raw turkey bacon, and some bread crumbs. I am pretty sure he hated all of it. The evidence was floating all around that nasty water. Jackson was convinced he liked bacon because... that's how he lured Speedy onto the hook, raw turkey bacon.

     I was convinced Speedy was not going to make it through the night. But, Speedy's state of consciousness was clear to all who live on this street when Jackson woke up. With eyes barely open, he screamed, "He's alive!"

     So, Speedy made it through the night. And, when Jackson started hounding Paul about going fishing on Tuesday night, we convinced Jackson that Speedy's dad was looking all over for him.  

     "Jackson, remember how Nemo's dad looked all over for him???"

     Speedy was released back into the wild waters of the pond. Gracie joined the escapade and in about 30 minutes they caught 5 more fish... that all went back in the water.

     We are once again a pet free house! PTL!!

     To read more about our first pet.... that we no longer have, click here.