and then there were two

Last fall, on a whim, I bought an Ecosphere for my apartment. I brought it home from Brookstone, found a perfect spot for it, and---since I obviously couldn't tell the globe's inhabitants apart---christened all of them Ebi, the Japanese word for shrimp.

I've become seriously attached to the little guys. Oh, sure, it's not like I can cuddle or pet them, but I enjoy watching them swim around their tiny home, and I especially love watching them eat. One in particular has a healthy appetite, and within a month of bringing the Ecosphere home, he was much bigger than the others. I renamed him Bruiser, and I often sit down at my dining room table, rest my head on my folded arms, and watch him delicately pick at the algae with his tiny front claws.

Tonight I found Bruiser lying on his back, his legs waving feebly, and the sudden lump in my throat took me by surprise. Obviously, it's nowhere near as bad as losing a "real" pet, but I'm still going to miss him.

Bruiser, my friend, may Shrimp Heaven be an eternal all-you-can-eat algae buffet.