On Sunday morning, we had a death in the family. Jack’s fish Tessio was found on the kitchen counter…he jumped to his death.

I went to feed the fish, as I do every morning after walking Izzy. We named our fish after the characters in The Godfather. So far, we have lost Luca Brasi, Fat Clemenza and Sonny.  We have a new Beta fish but no-one can remember his name, I think it is Barzini.  Anyway, I cannot find the big goldfish Tessio.  I get a flashlight and look deep into the tank and hiding places when I see thru the tank to the other side and find him, belly up, on the counter. Morto! 

This is where it gets bizarre.  I was watching Finding Nemo on Saturday night. I love that movie, even though the mother gets it.  The mother always gets it; I think Disney/Pixar guys may have had a mom issue somewhere in their past.  Anyway, I digress. The fish tank faces the TV…perhaps Tessio was inspired by Nemo’s brave escape; perhaps he became despondent watching the movie missing his freedom; perhaps it was too much for him to watch and he jumped out, heading for the sink and missed and hit the counter.  Either way, no more Tessio. addio dolce vita!

Now years ago, the family would have had a crying episode, a funeral, and wooden cross made and a plot dug.  When Jack’s fish Sushi died (yes Sushi), my father-in-law led the services with prayer and song.  One time, when we had a Craig Carnival fish die within the first 24 hours, I took the dead fish in a Kleenex to PetsMart and said, “I need one that looks like this one…exactly like this one”.  We found it and the switch was made, nobody was the wiser.  I went thru that scenario more than once over the years.

So now I am crying like a nut on Sunday morning and feeling badly that Tessio is gone.  We had him 3 years and he was huge; he had personality. Did I miss the signs?  Was he being bullied by the Beta? Who needs the funeral and grave dug with a headstone now?