Stress Disorder: Or how I almost killed a feeesh.

When the boss is away the assistants will...

So my boss unexpectedly headed out to location for our next movie a little early, not giving her time to fully think through all of the things that needed caring for... including her bubble wall mounted betta fish.  In a slight panic I get a phone call "please go feed my fish!!!"

Thankfully I find him belly side down, but I've never seen a fish look sad before in my life, and this fish looked downright depressed.  After dropping in a few bits of food he satiated his hunger and started swimming happily around.  Good.  Fish is still alive.

Now.  How do I get the fish, in this wall mounted rounded bottom bowl fixture to the office so I can care for him daily?

The next day I recruit K, and we head back down to pick up the fish.  It's a relatively calm ride back with a little sloshing but zero splashing, that is until the final turn into the parking lot when I hit a bump and water goes everywhere!  We're just giving our little feesh friend a taste of what it'd be like in the ocean.

Once back in the office, I'm looking for a place to hang Mr. Feesh & my intern in the meantime has leaned him up against the wall and propped the tank upright with stacks of scripts.  This would be OK and all until another intern moves one of the stacks and the whole bowl tips over... including Mr. Feesh!  Flopping around, my intern showed very quick skills and scooped him up and back into the bowl before realizing that the water was all over his laptop as well.  What an incredibly traumatizing first day for our newbie. 

So we realize that this stupid fixture will not do, and go hunting for a new fish bowl.  I find a little vase left over in my boss's office, and we transfer him over (after very carefully reading up on the temperature etc of the water... I know cold & hot water could kill the guy.)

Relief. 

Until I start reading up on Betta fish a little more and notice a constant warning.  They jump.  And the tend to jump if there's too much water in a bowl.

!!(*(@#&*$&#@*(*(@#*(&$#*!!!

Plus I also have an inconsolable intern who's constantly apologizing and fretting over the safety of this fish.

FINALLY we found a vase that was both sturdy enough to never tip over, and tall enough so Mr. Feesh wouldn't commit suicide like Chris' frog.  Success!

... for now.

And for the kicker ~ as I tell my interns to head home, the newbie says... "Are you SURE it's OK to go home??  I can be on call for the FISH!!!"