ODE
TO A FISH

Topics: Death; Fun; Happiness; Meaning of Life; Mortality; Youth

References: Job 14:1–2; Psalm 39:5; 90:12; James 4:14; 1 Peter 1:24

Nancy Walker of Newport Beach, California, was invited to attend the burial of a goldfish owned by her neighbor, Jimmy Yeargan, age five. Since Jimmy couldn’t write, he asked Walker to do the honors for him, handing her a small, cardboard tombstone he had brought with him to the ceremony.

“What do you want to say?” she asked.

“His name was Mobert,” Jimmy said.

Dutifully, Walker inscribed the name.

“Do you want anything else?” she asked.

Jimmy thought for a moment then nodded. “Put down, ‘He was fun while he lasted.’ ”

—J. R. Love, Rushton, Louisiana