Our Five Ring Circus: Dylan's Loss

Monday, July 20, 2009

Dylan's Loss

Dylan has now experienced the loss of 3 pets. Surprisingly, it's his fish, that died yesterday, that hurt him the most.

Dylan got Dorothy when he was just a year old. Dorothy was a blue, MALE Betta. "She" has been Dylan's roommate for 3 years.

Recently, Dylan asked if Dorothy was a boy or a girl. When I told him, "she" was a boy, he asked why he had a girl's name. I explained that he was a baby at the time, and named him after Elmo's goldfish. He briefly contemplated changing his name, but said he wanted to keep calling him Dorothy.

Dorothy had Dylan's back. Every night that I walked into his room to check on him, after he was asleep, I would turn around and find Dorothy staring at me through the aquarium glass, with "her" fins all puffed out around "her" face. There's no doubt in my mind that "she" would attack me if given the chance.

I knew Dorothy was nearing the end. "She" hasn't looked healthy for the past month, and was quite old for a fish.

I found Dorothy yesterday morning. I told Grant about it, and we decided that we would tell Dylan the truth, just as we did with the other pets. When we first told him, Dylan's face paled, and he looked shocked. We told him that Dorothy lived a very long life, and loved him, because he took such great care of her. We promised that he could pick out another fish to put in his aquarium. His response, was a simple, "But I love Dorothy."

Dylan didn't seem too bothered by the news after that. He immediately ran to see if I was telling the truth, then helped us remove Dorothy from the aquarium.

I thoroughly cleaned the aquarium, and put Super Snail back in, and got it ready for a new fish.

Tonight, Grant walked past Dylan's door, thinking he was sleeping, and saw Dylan staring at the empty fish tank. He told Grant that he was so sad about Dorothy. A few minutes later, I walked by, and heard him crying.

I immediately went in, and held him in my arms. He told me that he missed Dorothy, and was so sad that his fish was gone. He really loved her. My heart broke in a million pieces, and I found myself crying along with him, wishing that I could bring "her" back. The pain he was feeling spilled out with each word, and I felt his pain as he ended each sentence with a little sob or sniffle. This display of raw emotion was unlike anything I've ever seen from Dylan.

To some, it's just a fish. But this was Dylan's roommate for 3 years. Dylan's constant companion. Dorothy has been swimming in the aquarium in Dylan's room for as long as he can remember.

This is the first time I've ever seen Dylan sad, and I hate that I can't really do anything to make the situation easier for him. I just want to take his pain away, but I know this is something that he has to get through. I hope he is able to find another fish to love, one that he will be able to watch swim around, as he falls asleep. Just as he did, every night, for the past 3 years, with Dorothy.


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9 comments:

  1. How sad!!! It's hard to see your kids so upset, but it's also sweet to see that he cared for the fish so much! Poor little thing!!!

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  2. Aww...I have goose bumps...poor baby!

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  3. Awww, poor Dylan. Our dog died yesterday too...very sad :(

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  4. Poor Dylan. That is such a hard lesson to learn :( I also hope he finds a new friend to share his room with.

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  5. Aww! Poor guy! I would totally have been crying right along with him as well. :(

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  6. Awwwwwwwwwwww, poor sweet little thing. =0(

    It made me sad just reading it. I hope y'all can find someone new for him, too.

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  7. Awww this made me sad reading it, poor Dylan =( Hope he cheers up soon and finds a new special friend!

    Gotta add that as soon as I saw his fish's name was Dorothy, I wondered if it was after Elmo's fish lol!

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  8. Poor sweetheart. Your post made me cry. Big hugs to him.

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