Rumble Fish

I’ve been lamenting my petless state for long enough. This week I installed a one-gallon aquarium on my desk, let it stabilize for a few days, and then rescued a siamese fighting fish from its tiny bowl at the pet store. I figured that given the one-inch-of-fish-per-gallon rule, a fish that likes to be alone would be the best fit. He’s been very busy today, so perhaps he likes finally having some room to move around in.
I can’t bring myself to call it a betta. There’s no poetry in that, unless you say the whole latinate name: betta splendens. But really, I’m calling it a rumble fish. For awhile we thought its name might be Rusty James, but it’s become clear that it’s Motorcycle Boy instead. Whatever his name is, he certainly makes my work space more pleasant.