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Sunday, March 22, 2009

It's Probably Just As Hard to Name A Puppy


Willie couldn’t resist the urge to get a new goldfish.

I think Erin’s puppy (as of this writing, un-named) made him do it. (See picture of her adorable puppy.)

He brought it home in a clear plastic bag, plopping it into the tank. (A new fish, not a King Charles Spaniel.)

“Her name’s Jan.”

He paused.

“Wanda.”

He paused. “Wait. No. Linus.”

The fishes' names keep changing. As of noon today, there was Yin, Yang, Big Willie, James Earl, and Lulu.

And now Jan/Wanda/Linus.

He’s also added a third decorative rock, two plastic bonsai-looking things, and one of those side-sucking prehistoric fish, tiny now but guaranteed to be, eventually, the biggest thing in the tank.

This is not my first time with a tank. In a previous life, there was a 55 in the living room, alternately housing various cyclids, a doomed arrowana, even a suicidal crab at one time, a foolish creature who climbed to the top of the decorative rocks to wave in imaginary aircraft, despite the Dempsey who routinely fish-handled him.

We only found his large claw, his wavin’ claw.

But this is a 20-gallon, now holding six fancy-looking goldfish, three of them red and white, one solidly gold, one black, and one chocolate-y brown.

Oh, and Waldo, the fish that sucks the sides.

Willie is staring at the tank thoughtfully. His elbow is on his knee, his chin in his hand, when he suddenly straightens his back, slaps his hand on his knee, and stands.

“Comet,” he blurts. “We’ll call her Comet.”

Willie. He Knows What The Fish Want To Be Named.



On Another Note…

Received the “Five Award” from a Warty Mammal. Yes, the Warty Mammal, over at http://annecdotally.blogspot.com/.
It's over to the right there, the unmade-bed-looking animal with the coffee cup.

The Five Award is passed to the blogs you check first thing, and I would like pass it along to the following:

Rene at http://nottherockefellers.blogspot.com/
Belgian Waffle at http://belgianwaffling.blogspot.com/
Red Squirrel at http://passablycontent.blogspot.com/
Fingers at http://whineguide.blogspot.com/
That Baldy Fella at http://thatbaldyfella.blogspot.com/

Big, non-creepy hugs to all. My life is richer with you in it.

27 comments:

Ann Imig said...

I was kinda likin' wanda/jane/linus, although it does have that presidential-assasin ring to it. Comet is a safer choice. Congrats on your award!!

darsden said...

How cute is that puppy! Pearl you need to take a picture of your fish for us :-)

Pearl said...

Ann, thank you! The other names were sounding a bit "Manson Girls", especially when strung together, weren't they?

darsden, she's just adorable, iddin she? :-) Got out a bit yesterday, a little invalid in the sun. :-) Will post pics of the fish soon, as I suspect that they're not all in this country legally and may be wanted elsewhere... Big Willie especially looks like he knows something...

IB said...

We always go with people names:

Jack, Annie, Luther, Sal, Smitty, and Bruce.

underOvr (aka The U) said...

Glad to know you're feeling better Pearl.

That's one bad puppy (in a very good way).

U

Douglas said...

Since fish do not come when you call, it hardly seems worth the effort to name them. Yet, I have named cats and they certainly did not come when I called. In fact, one often ran the other way most of the time. I vote for Wanda over Comet but, I admit, that is only because of the movie.

Dr Zibbs said...

Cute puppy.

The Retired One said...

I say name the fish a dog's name and name the dog a fish's name...that way, we can still pretend to be the more intelligent species.
Adorable puppy, BTW...

Sassy Sundry said...

I had a fish named Charlie. Charlie had babies and ate them.

Sandi said...

I love fish tanks. You have inspired me. I am going to get one.

Jeanne Estridge said...

Comet -- as in meteorite, or cleaning product?

Michelle said...

Gotta go with Wanda Pearly-Q! Or Pearly-Q! Or Q!!!

Tell Willie I said so!!!

Gotta say when i saw the photo of the puppy I thought it was yours and got all kinds of excited. Fish, not so much!!!!

Jodie Kash said...

At least he didn't name the fish "Sushi". God, I hate that.

Unknown said...

Comet is a fantastic name. Our first, and last, fishs' name was "Fa". We let our daughter who was two at the time name it.

Warning: Do not ever put play-doh in a fish tank, as my daughter did.

Ugly, brutal, fish death

Peace-Rene

rachael chatoor said...

That puppy face, is so cute and adorable. How perfect is a puppy? Really, they can do no wrong, even when they are naughty. I was never very good with fish, I banned myself from ever owning one, after I accidently let one slip down the sink drain.

fingers said...

Doesn't really matter what you call them since they forget the name 3 seconds after you give it to them...

Pearl said...

IB, maybe we should start naming fish after our friends…

U, isn’t she adorable? So tiny, too. Spaniels are such easy-going dogs.

Douglas, I liked Wanda, too, although I have to admit that I laughed when he pronounced her “Jan”. It was just so random. “Jan”.

Dr. Zibbs, they’re made that way so you don’t kill them when they poop on your carpet.

Retired One, so we should name the fish “Fido” and the dog “Bubbles”? I like that!

Sassy Sundry, so Charlie was a gender-non-specific cannibal? I’ll bet those are extra!

Sandi, it’s actually a very nice addition to the living room. And don’t forget: a double album, opened up, fits the back of a fish tank perfectly and makes a lovely background!

Jeanne, I’m going to say the celestial kind, although everyone knows that Comet is a superior cleaning product and should be referenced in casual conversation more often…

Michelle, the puppy would be sweet, but we’re going to wait until we live on the first floor (rather than the second).
And I’ll tell Willie that you think it should be Wanda, although he’s already talking about fitting Comet with a tiny little leash so that they can go for “swims”.

Jodie, ooh, that really is wrong, isn’t it?

Rene, oh! And Play-Doh is such a delightfully salty snack, too!

Rachael, the puppy spent a bit of time on my lap yesterday afternoon. I could imagine getting one!

Fingers, I have to agree with you there. Mostly I think we just want to make sure that they get their mail on time…

Anonymous said...

We had similar difficulty with the naming of the gerbils. But with two 55-gallin tanks, I don't bother naming fish.

Cygnus MacLlyr said...

Brother had one of those prehistoric side-suckers-- and I ain't talkin about his spouse...

Definitely got to be the biggest in the tank... the prehistoric side-sucker, too...

Amy W said...

I like James Earl! That's one classy fish name. :)

And thanks for pointing to Belgian Waffle! I was there months ago ad thought it was such a great site and forgot what it was called....

Jocelyn said...

We've had only one wee Betta fish. He lived a sad, perhaps angry, life.

Then he died. His name was Anikin.

I was the only one who cared. I could not attend the flushing.

That Baldy Fella said...

That's always gonna look good on a CV, though.

Skills - The naming of fish.

(Blimey, I got a very complimentary mention! Cheers!)

SweetPeaSurry said...

Stories like that are just brilliant. Which is nothing new coming from you.

The AHA moments must be the best!

Unknown said...

I love the names they come up with! And how frequently they change them.
That award is cute. Scary how much it looks like me in the mornings though, I don't remember doing a photo shoot...

Jess said...

I am seriously about to flip a script over here on how cute that dog is! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! CUTE OVERLOAD!!

MJenks said...

He can name is Wanda only if he gets another and names it Cosmo.

Magpie said...

The names of the fish are like the names that my child gives to her passel of stuffed animals and dolls. I have given up trying to keep track - too many just keep changing!!