ARTHUR THE PERFORMING GOLDFISH
By jay2143
- 1435 reads
Difficult to believe that, isn't it? But it's perfectly true!
Hello! As you already know, my name is Arthur and I am a goldfish. My earliest memories are of the fair. What a wonderful place, full of noise, of music, fairground attractions, the smell of frying, thousands of people milling around. All in all an exciting place to be. It was a great life.
I lived in a glass bowl at the back of a stand. I was a prize on a shooting range! My near neighbours were teddy bears and dolls and all sorts of cuddly toys. Some of them vanished when they were won, but no one ever seemed to win me. I didn't know whether to be pleased or disappointed. I had very mixed feelings.
We travelled a lot going from one end of the country to the other. One day, after a long journey, we arrived in a big town. A large piece
of waste ground had been set aside for us. I watched the setting up of the fair with interest. They had to hurry as we were due to open that evening.
The fair was in full swing. It was going very well. The smiling faces of people who were enjoying themselves made me happy. Around me the dolls and teddy bears were won and handed to excited children. Our stand was a big favourite that evening. Suddenly my bowl was grasped. I had been won by someone. The shock of it shook me up. I started to swim up and down, then in circles going faster and faster. The boy who clutched my bowl watched me in amazement. "Dad" he cried, "I've won a performing goldfish!"
He held my bowl very carefully during the short journey to his house. "Just you wait", he said,"just you wait until tomorrow." What was he talking about, I was nervous. I swam agitatedly all night in my bowl which was perched on a shelf in his room; What was going to become of me?
The following morning he carried me downstairs. Out in the garden we reached what looked to me to be a vast expanse of water. In fact,it was a pond. The boy sat on the rim of the pond and lowered me carefully into the water. I was dumbfounded. There were aquatic plants growong in it, and, in its depths were large rocks full of interesting crevises, where a fish could hide. I explored this aquatic paradise eagerly. The boy watched me with delight. Remembering my manners I came back up to the surface. The boy put his hand in the water, splaying his fingers. I swam between his fingers, to prove both to myself and to him, that I was a performing goldfish. I tried out several high jumps and deep dives. I even managed a somersault or two. The boy was pleased. "I knew it", he said, "all you needed was the space to give full rein to your many talents."
There are times when I miss the fair, its noise, its music and its bustle, all the travelling and the people. But when I swim in my pond, circling the rocks, in and out of the plants, I realise how happy I am. I have recently been joined by other fish, among them a pretty female with a very frilly tail. She seems keen to become friends. What more could I want?!
Copyright Jacqueline Hastings 2009
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new jay2143 Great story all
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