She finned from one corner to another, the sudden change of home, the transfer into a smaller bowl from a larger (though dirtier) tank that Machi Pichu shared with many more of her brothers and sisters was a bit overwhelming for the little darling. She looked restless and confused. In a short while we also saw how unwell MP actually was. MP's tummy swelled like a balloon pregnant with lead. MP was having some troubles moving, but she was also young and agile, so a bit of care started to show and the lead laden pregnancy quelled with time.
For two years MP thrived with us, joining us for dinner, swimming in the sunshine and at night moving back to near a bedside stand to keep me company. Yes, I took her around the house, settled her in different corners and actually saw that it cheered her mood up a little notch! If she was lying low for a while I'd take her to a sunny spot and her glee was enviable. She danced like a mermaid in the water.
How much I loved her, and the Mr. too, in his silent ways took such regular care of her. He might let go of the match one saturday, but he will never forget to change MP's water and clean the bowl for her. In his silent ways he has always cherished this wondrous being for all of the two years that MP chose to be with us and grace our lives with her being.
We lost MP last year, in November. It the the twenty seventh of that month and for a month prior to that MP had been struggling in pain. She was indeed suffering a lot physically. She couldn't swim normally and always seemed to sink belly up after a few hours. Constant care, mashed pea food and everything that we could do to make her better didn't work. Even now, I feel how horrible it must be to not be able to scream out in the agony that MP might have felt during her last few days. But, in many ways, her death was also the end to her suffering.
And now, in a few days it will be a year since we lost her. I still miss her, her little sprinkles of selfless joy with which she peppered my life. And I hope wherever she is, she is very, very happy. Who knows, she might have now turned into a fairy, but, for me she will always remain the orange winged mermaid who inspired the magic of joy even from within her humble bowl!
R.I.P. Machi Pichu
I still miss you.