We had a loss during Scott's trip. I finally decided to clean Caleb's fish's tank, and on Sunday evening it was lying on the bottom of its tank with its mouth open. I left the water out for 24 hours, but I failed to use conditioner and it didn't survive. I felt awful. We told Caleb last night that his fish was dead, but of course he doesn't understand what that means.
Tonight, Stitch was floating on the top of the tank, and Nikki insisted that we needed to do something about it. We decided on the traditional burial at sea. We told Caleb what we were going to do and why, and then we poured the fish into the toilet. We paused to let Caleb see that it still wasn't moving and then he flushed the toilet. As soon as he did, he freaked.
Caleb: [with hands on cheeks] OH NO! STITCH! COME BACK!!
Me: Caleb, Stitch is dead. He can't come back.
Scott: Stitch is with Jesus.
Caleb: ???
Me: Go upstairs and wrestle with Daddy!
Caleb's face lit up and he ran upstairs. After all, Daddy's been gone for four days. But when it was time for his bath twenty minutes later, I went to put his clothes in the hamper while he pottied and Nikki found him leaning over the toilet like he was going to vomit.
Nikki: Caleb?! Are you okay?
Caleb: Oh no! My pish! He's gone! [leaning his head to the side and closer to the toilet] STITCH! Come back!!
Nikki: Caleb, Stitch isn't in the toilet. He's with Jesus.
Caleb: [still looking] Oh no.
When I took him out of the bath, he checked one more time.
Caleb: Mom, my pish is gone. He doesn't come back.
Me: No. He's gone.
Caleb: Oh.
But he eyed the toilet one more time.
As he was getting dressed, he broached the subject one last time.
Caleb: Mom, Stitch is gone. He go in the hoilet.
Me: Yes, we'll miss Stitch, won't we.
Caleb: [brightening] Hey! I have a idea! Let's get another one pish!
Grammy is coming tomorrow, so I imagine we'll have another "pish" before I get home from work. Note to self: when this one goes, no more burials at sea!! I'm more than a little concerned that Caleb thinks that Jesus is in his "hoilet."
3 comments:
This is definitely publish worthy!! Great, great, great, ending!! Life.
Oh, so sweet and so sad at the same time! Hopefully that "another one pish" will live a long, long time.
I was cracking up! I love this age...they are so curious and pure. I will make sure to tell Corey about your "pish", because our beautiful goldfish Dorothy won't be around forever and we will make sure to avoid any burial situations.
Post a Comment