The Goldfish Bowl

By Cherie O

Fin and Goldy shared a fishbowl together. Their bowl was always cloudy and murky. The human who lived in the house where Fin and Goldy lived cleaned their bowl regularly, but within minutes, it would get cloudy and murky again.

Fin and Goldy had been together for a few years. They were used to each other. They had fun together. Fin would chase Goldy’s tail as she hid in the stone castle, pretending not to see him. Fin would quietly swim up behind Goldy and try to scare her. They would laugh and swim fun circles around each other.

But like any relationship, Fin and Goldy also had their moments of unsmooth swimming. Fin got used to Goldy always wanting things her way. The new rocks they’d get in their bowl from time to time had to be placed just the way Goldy wanted. During feeding time, if Goldy wasn’t ready to eat and Fin was, Goldy didn’t understand why Fin insisted she eat with him at the same time. This upset Goldy, and she started to say not-so-nice things to Fin. Goldy grew bored that feeding time was such a big deal to Fin; she would much rather swim and clean stones in their bowl. She felt there was a lot that needed to be done, and Fin just didn’t understand.

As time went on, Fin and Goldy got a little older. Their days were predictable and repetitive. The human did his best to change their water regularly. The fish couldn’t understand why, no matter how hard Goldy tried to keep the bowl clean by eating algae off the sides or turning over stones at the bottom, the water always stayed murky and cloudy. They both noticed, but neither talked about it—they simply got used to it.

One day, the human dropped a new fish into the bowl to join Fin and Goldy. They both liked the new fish. As they got to know each other, New Fish watched how Fin and Goldy had their good times and not-so-good times. One day he asked them why their water was always cloudy and murky.

“It’s always been like this,” they told him. “Don’t all fish swim in water like this?”

“Oh no!” said New Fish. “The last bowl I was in had crystal-clear water.”

That got Fin and Goldy thinking. Then why is our bowl always like this? they wondered. The next day they asked New Fish if he knew why their bowl was cloudy while others weren’t.

“Yes, I do know,” he said.

Fin and Goldy were surprised. “Please tell us!”

“Okay,” said New Fish, “but only if you promise not to be upset.”

“We won’t be upset,” they promised.

New Fish continued. “Ever since I arrived, I’ve watched how you two get along—or pretend to get along—sometimes better than others. Goldy, you want everything your own way, and if Fin doesn’t agree, you get upset. If the rocks aren’t placed just right and Fin suggests a different way, you won’t even consider it. When feeding time comes, Fin looks forward to his food. You don’t as much. Fin, you get mad at Goldy if she doesn’t eat the moment the first flake drops. Goldy, you don’t seem to understand that Fin looks forward to this all day. It’s no wonder your water is always cloudy and murky. Don’t you both want to swim in clean, clear water?”

Fin and Goldy looked at each other, letting New Fish’s words sink in.

Finally Goldy spoke. “I didn’t know I always wanted things my way,” she said, beginning to cry. “When I was a little fish, I was always told I was wrong or bad if I didn’t act a certain way. So, to avoid feeling bad, I started to see everything as right or wrong—my way or the wrong way. That’s what I learned growing up.”

Fin then spoke. “Yes, but then anything I did that didn’t seem right to you made me the bad fish.”

Goldy felt ashamed and quickly swam away to hide in their stone castle at the bottom of the bowl. She stayed there for two days. Fin and New Fish left her alone but felt bad for what she was going through.

On the third day, Goldy came out of the castle. She swam right up to Fin and looked him in the eyes.

“I didn’t know I was doing that,” she said softly. “I didn’t know it had to be my way all the time. I’m sorry, Fin. I will try not to be like that anymore. It’s your bowl too. I’ll try not to shut you down when you have ideas.”

Fin looked at Goldy with love in his eyes and hugged her tightly, scale to scale.

The next day, the human came to change the water in the fishbowl. To Fin and Goldy’s amazement, the water stayed clean and clear the entire week. Swimming was so much nicer. When feeding time came, Fin almost didn’t even notice, because he was having so much fun decorating their rocks with Goldy. New Fish watched the couple with joy in his heart. He, too, was much happier swimming in clean, clear water.