Illustration by Lilli Sams
Podcast staffer Ava Adamson talks about her love for fish and how they have impacted her life.
Fish have always been a part of my life. From an early age, they were my favorite animals. When I was little, I aspired to be an oceanographer, but I developed a fear of bridges and boats and well, that was the end of that.
But even when that dream died, my interest in fish didn’t dwindle.
When I was going into the fourth grade, I begged and pleaded to my parents to let me have a fish of my own. They, of course, said yes, happy that I wasn’t begging for a dog like my sister was. For once, I was the low-maintenance child.
So, off we went to our local pet store. I gravitated towards the betta fishs, in their clear little cups situated on shelves in the fish section. I can still remember scanning that wall searching for “the fish.”
The moment I saw Splash for the first time will be a memory that I hope I can keep forever. I let out a little yelp, grabbed at my mom and said, “That one.”
“That one” was a milky white betta fish with bursts of color on his fins and body, so my very creative 10-year old self named him “Splash”.
Towards the end of elementary school, I was bullied and didn’t really have any friends. I was tall and awkward. Splash became my best and only companion. I would paint pictures of him and talk to him for hours. His presence in my life got me through the end of elementary school.
But, Splash passed away in December of my sixth-grade year. I buried him with his rocks and missed him dearly.
Flash forward to 2019: I’m cleaning my room when I find Splash’s bowl. It felt nostalgic holding his bowl in my hands, and it reminded me of simpler times in my life.
My pleading for a fish to my parents started all over again.
I had to earn it this time, but it made me just want a fish more.
When I finally earned it, we went back to the very pet store where I got Splash. I looked briefly at the goldfish and then darted towards the betta fish. I picked up a couple and started to lose hope that I wouldn’t have the same connection that I did with Splash.
But just as that thought went through my head, I found Cody. Pushed to the back and on sale, he was the cutest little shy blue fish you have ever seen.
Ever since then, Cody and I are as happy as larks. I look forward to seeing him every day when I get home. Cody makes me happy in a way I can’t really explain.
I lost a lot of important people in my life and, slowly but surely, Cody has helped me begin patch that hole in my life. Having companionship even with something that just swims around is important.
Cody has truly impacted my life and made it better, the same way Splash did.
