The New Fish, Mufasa

All that she can think about today

is fish. 

It's not a good enough reason

to skip class --

for most people,

but anything is a reason to skip

when you're Laura. 

She sits on her stool,

perched at eye level 

with the Betta,

Mufasa. 

He looks terribly angry!

What an unfortunate configuration

for a face.

Then again, 

he is only a fish,

and there are no other fish for him 

to impress.

Why not have an unfortunately configured face
if you're going to be alone?

Oh, it's not so bad really.

Someone would love him.
probably.

Maybe she should buy him a mate.

Mail order bride

for the fish,

Mufasa!

Ha! That makes her laugh.

When she pokes her finger into the water

for him to come 

and kiss

with his fish lips

as, she's told, fish do,

he convulses,

hitting glass and splashing water.

Could it have been real anger 

in his eyes?

He's only a fish.

       %%%%

You would not believe 

how hurtful

the darting spastic 

movement of a fish

can be. 

Laura is embarrassed by 

Mufasa's rejection

of her pinky finger.

She returns to her desk,

back to

Mufasa

so that she can't see him.

        %%%%

If you talk to plants,

it's said 

that they'll grow.

Laura believes, it is the plant's 

way of expressing love.

Perhaps a fish can show love too.

And perhaps Mufasa will learn to love

if she talks to him

the way she talks to her plants.

So Laura tries,

nervous --

Talking is hard enough with people...

After the awkwardness 

of the first broken silence is over,

she begins to enjoy it. 

No excessive nodding, needless smiles

"Uh-huh"s and "Mmm-hmm"s 

from a fish.

He just floats,

almost transfixed.

She sings to

Mufasa,

songs from Sunday school,

long forgotten

somehow surfacing again

provoked by her tender feelings

toward the fish,

Mufasa.

He swims towards her

a little

from his previous spot,

plastered against the wall of the tank

furthest from her.

She smiles.

He plasters himself back to the wall

refusing to look at her again.

How dare she think

that a few songs

will win the friendship

of Mufasa!

"This has been good."
She stands
ready to walk back
to her desk.

"We'll talk again soon,"

and she leaves him

for today.