Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Hostage Situation Update


The Hostages: Amminadab and Arphaxad
(photo credit: Palm Tree Fan)

So far the animal rights wackadoos have not come for my fish Arphaxad and Amminadab, who live in a bowl with NO toys, only a plant and each other. Even though Arphaxad, the white one with the orange head, is larger, Amminadab chases it around and it never turns around and says, "Hey, I'm bigger!" This weekend my Archirritant asserted that trout are smarter than dogs, but I don't see much evidence that A&A have a whole lot in the way of deep thoughts. They are, however, quite adept at begging. They will be swimming around happily until I pull out a piece of broccoli or a carrot, and then suddenly they are at the side of the bowl, staring at me. You can see what miserable lives A&A lead, between the spider plant and the cycad on the windowsill, overlooking the lake. Poor fishies.

My coworker's hostages, Nemo Two and Blue, are also alive and well as I write this. Once again I am fish sitting them. I was thinking of getting a triggerfish and slipping it into the tank to see if my coworker would notice, but then I was afraid it might eat Nemo Two and Blue. Triggerfish are very pretty, and they are supposed to be hardy and intelligent, good beginner fish for the saltwater aquarium enthusiast. The reef triggerfish has blue teeth, can shoot a jet of water out of its mouth, and can change color like a chameleon, but the single coolest thing about it is that its name in Hawaiian is humuhumunukunukuapua'a, or little pig-nosed triggerfish. I wonder, in a battle of intellect between a triggerfish (or humuhumu) and a trout, who would take it?

At home, my hostages Cashmere, Charlie, and Sylvia are still doing well, although they are very hot. Sylvia has been drinking tons of water and eating only her weight in food every night instead of her usual three times her weight. When the air cools off in the evening I put a fan in the window to draw cool air in, and this morning Cashmere was sprawled in front of it. When I turned it off, she gave me the stink eye, and when I explained that soon it would be drawing in very hot air, she just thumped her foot. I did actually turn the AC on for them today, since the heat index is going to be over 100... and then I boke to work! Hardingfele and Tailor came over to go swimming last night, and Tailor said her summer camp will be meeting inside today because the heat is so dangerous. Hardingfele asked if my pets had nicknames, so here they are:

Charlie - Charles, Sir Poopalot, Buddy, Boy Bunny, Carlito mi Conejito
Cashmere - Little Girl, Cash, Shmere, Girl Bunny, Conejita
Sylvia - Tylvia

Famous Hat

2 comments:

Olivia said...

I want a cat who can shoot jets of water, turn weird colors and have blue teeth, but they dont make them that way. My hostages are doing great, enjoying the indoors and the outdoors. Here is an ethical question - if cats are my hostages, are the fleas on them, the hostages of hostages or are they taking the cats hostage. My husband killed 2 fleas off the cats and I threatened to call PETA :-)

Olivia said...

PS Did you know the government will take my cats and your bunnies hostage. Maybe even the fleas. Witness this bus stop conversation today:

Journey into right wing wacko world where Obama is Hitler:
See button at bus stop. Ask 20 something male to explain. He said Obama is Hitler because 1) They are both socialists (not true) 2) They both want to bring about the new world order (define that) 3. They both were not born in their countries (hearsay for BO) 4) They both kill children (true for Adolph, support of some legislation for BO). So then He gives me his wacko website to check it out and I say with a straight face that I would rather pick fleas off my cats. He is still serious and says that the government with Obama will take my cat away one day when I come home. I will find my cat gone. After all he says THEY microchipped it. No, I say, I microchipped it, so it wont get lost. As my bus pulls in, he says that they will be microchipping kids and adults. Chipping kids would not be so bad, at least I can track where Rockstartailor goes :-) The wacky website is infowars.com. So not going there. So yes in the middle of liberal Madison, right on the UW campus, there is a nutjob like that. I did not even want to argue, just wanted to ask him about his button. I can respect a conservative position but one dude is crazy!

So beware of the knock on the door, it may be PETA or it may be the government taking your fish, your cat, or your bunnies.