RIP Fatty

 So you know how the big fat fish has just been getting bigger and fatter...well it got to the point where it couldn't swim anymore.  It would just lay there on the bottom of the pond.  I felt so bad for it.  Kelley wanted to whack it on the head and put it out of it's misery, and I guess I should have just let him, but he seemed to have this will to survive that made me think that maybe he could get better.  Sunday when Candice came over we were out there looking at it.  I picked it up with the net and it tried to swim a little bit, but it's so big and awkward, ( little tiny fins on a gigantic body) it just sinks back down to the bottom of the pond.
Candice wanted me to take him to Marks ark, but I had already talked to this guy out at this pond place about him last summer and he said he would like to see him so I decided to take him there.  Kelley loaded him up into a five gallon bucket and I headed up there.  Candice had called and I needed some support so she said she would meet me out there on her lunch hour.  She is a peach.  So I headed over there.  Candice didn't understand the directions I had given her on how to get there, so she was not there when I got there.... my bad communication. 
Anyway, when I got to the pond store, there were lots of cars parked out front and people were sitting in their cars like they were waiting for something.  I got out and asked this guy sitting in his truck if he knew if the owner guy was there.  He said no, he is not coming in today.  He asked me if he could help me and I told him I was bringing my fish to show him cause he is sick.  The guy said he would look at the fish.  He asked if he had a fungus or white spots on it.  I was like "no, he's just really fat." He got the bucket out and took the lid off and was like woooo that is a big fish!  He watched him for a minute, then said "I hate to tell you this, but I don't think he's going to make it" "He's got some kind of bloating disease"  He asked if we had other fish and I told him "yes!  a lot of fish!" He said he hoped they didn't get it too!  Ha!  no kidding! 
He was super nice though and asked me if I wanted him to take care of it or if I wanted to go home and bury it at home.  I think he must have thought I was a lot more attached to this fish than I really was.  I mean he was talking about having a funeral for it and everything.  I was just like...ya...if you would take it that would be great.  He said he would throw it in the canal behind their store and just let nature take its course from there.  He said a raccoon would probably come eat it.  I was cool with that.  Then he said well lets go back there together so you can be there when I let him go.   I was really wishing Candice was there at this point. ( I didn't know she was driving around looking for this place all this time)  So we walked back behind their store...they have a pond a some tee pees  set up back there ( the guy that owns this place is an interesting fellow...a very natural man...I think if he would have been there, he would have probably done CPR on the fish or possibly some voodoo or black magic to bring it back to life.)  He walked down the bank of this canal, opened the lid to the bucket and asked me what the fishes name was.  Haaaaa!  I told him we just always called it fatty.  Then he said something about the circle of life and how fatty would be donating it's self for the betterment of another animal so I should feel good about that.  Then he said "Rest in peace Fatty" and dumped him into the canal.  Oh I wished Candice was there!  He came up and we both just stood there and watched fatty sink to the bottom.  He turned to me and asked me if I was OK, then gave me a hug.  I'm not making this up. 
When I got in the car, I called Candice to tell her what had happened.  The guy came up to the car like he wanted to talk to me so I rolled down my window.  He said his buddy in the truck had googled the bloating disease and said it came from over feeding the fish...then their intestines get blocked up and they can't poop so they just blow up.  So he said to not feed them so much.  I really can't imagine this being the fishes problem because it has been growing bigger for about two years now...I would think it would have popped by now if that was what was going on.  But what do I know. 
I felt so bad, when I finally talked to Candice she was  clear down by state street.  I know she had limited time on her lunch hour so we just met over at Rumbi and had lunch together.  So glad I have her to laugh with about these crazy things that happen...just wish she could have been there, she would have loved this!