Yesterday started well. I slept well after getting up at dawn for the tree removal crew the day before, and got up early enough to make Dad and myself an actual breakfast omelet (with sauted red and green bell peppers, onion, mushroom, and cheese), toasted english muffins, bacon, and cottage-fried potatoes. He usually eats cereal because I tend to sleep late. So when I'm up early, I try to give him a change of pace.
I knew I had a vet appointment for Marley to get a 2nd of 3 shots for "something". All the cats shots seem to have similiar initials. But I had other shopping to do and enough time, so off I went.
A foot-pedal compost can for Dad (to make it easier) and a wooden toast tong so Dad can get those small english muffins out - after I saw him get at one with a fork), kitty litter at Petsmart, an ATM visit, and then a trip through WalMart!
I was looking for camo jeans (no luck), rechargeable batteries (got them), calendars (got them), candy/tea/V8 (got them), locktite screw-holder (no luck), and aquarium fish (thereby hangs the tale)...
I'm not sure how to say this. I know some people are not as capable as others and have some difficulties in life. I understand that, and I am patient. I have had friends and relatives in my younger years like that. I was the kid who told the other kids to calm down (or back off) around other kids who had problems.
The local Walmart has this one guy who works in the pet department. He tries well, but he is slow to do things. Walmart does not make it easier for him. They put several kinds of fish in the same aquarium, they don't put pictures of the fish on the labels and its seems they don't provide any training at catching fish in aquariums.
I have dealt with the guy before. I stay polite and patient. I know he is doing the best he can. I had an appointment to bring Marley to the Vet at 3 pm, but it was only 2 pm, and I had some other things to buy. I got him to write down the 3 fish I wanted. 6 tiger barbs, 6 serpa tetra, and one small plecostomus. I made sure he saw which fish they were.
He got the tiger barbs just fine, so I went to finish my shopping.
10 minutes later, he was struggling to get the serpa tetra. They are coralish-orangy-colored and were in a tank of several kinds of black fish. He kept taking black fish out of the tank. I suggested several easier ways of getting them, but he didn't understand what I suggested. My brain was screaming "just take the net and get them", but I waited. And waited. And waited. It took 35 minutes!!! I felt sorry for him, but I didn't know what to do. I could have netted all the fish in 3 minutes.
Exactly when he was done, another guy in the pet dept called out to him "you need some help?" and "hope you didn't kill any this time". I felt very bad. So after I got my fish, I went over to the guy and asked him why he didn't volunteer to help the other guy when he first saw he was having trouble. He said it was funny watching him. I said it wasn't funny to ME!
I'm not pure on this. I just wanted to get my cheap fish from Walmart and get the heck out of the store as fast as possible and put them in the quarantine tank to see if they are healthy after a week.
But the delay meant I was seriously behind schedule getting Marley to the vet. When I got home, I had to toss the bag of new fish into the main aquarium to stay warm. get out the cat carrier, and get Marley into it.
Naturally, he had to see me take out the cat carrier and he hid. I HATE sitting around the vet office. If you are late, you have to sit around through 2 more appointments. So I got after Marley aggressively. By the time I got ahold of him and him into the carrier, we were BOTH seriously aggravated. Marley clawed me good on the neck...
I gave Marley extra attention last night. But I wonder if that guy at Walmart will be getting any attention. He needs it.
*Sigh*
My new fish seem OK in the quarantine tank. Marley has calmed down and is back looking for scritchies and chin rubs. Dad is happily watching a replay of the golf tournament he watched this past weekend. I am managing my odd household...
2 comments:
Gee, you can see who used to be a bully in school.. Funnier to watch someone struggle than to help, yeah, nice.
Poor Marley, glad he calmed down so quickly for you. Sorry you had such a day though.
Poor Marley. Cats are so fast at hiding when they see the carrier come! That poor guy in Walmart. The store should probably have him in a different job than working with animals.
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