Winter Fish Story by Shirley Shipe

I just wanted to let you know about Dr. Bob saving the life of Buttons. (Remember these two fish are my Christmas present.) These two guys are called bottom feeders as they eat what food has fallen to the bottom of the tank.

Buttons is like a vacuum cleaner.  He sucks so hard that sometimes he slightly lifts some of the gravel.  He is also a little pig.

Anyway, I was at the kitchen sink cleaning up the lunch dishes, and I heard clanking on the tank.  That little guy had pulled in a small piece of gravel and it wouldn't come out.  Of course, I became frantic and called to Bob. In the meantime, I lifted the light and cover off.

Well Bob, M.D. pushed up his shirt sleeve and pulled Buttons out.  The pebble wouldn't move.  So I ran into the bathroom to get my tweezers and Bob put the fish back in the water. 

Out came the fish again and I tried to slide the tweezers  into the fish's mouth, to no avail!!  Panicky again!!  Bob gave the fish another swim.  Now picture this fish in a two gallon tank banging on the sides of the glass and me fretting.   So Bob takes the fish and the tweezers and maneuvers them into the fish's mouth with "skill and dexterity", and out comes the pebble.   Buttons had a bruised and red cheek, but now he seems fine as if nothing happened.  It sure wore me out.  Can you imagine me fretting over a $5 gold fish.  Well that's the end of my tale.  But not the end of Buttons.

Who says nothing happens to retirees from slower, lower Delaware.