The other day I had a meeting with the Quality Assurance team.  It was one of those highly-important kind of meetings that I get invited to so that I can take notes.  This means, I need to pay attention.  Which, as any regular reader to this blog knows, is not my strong suit.   I mean, just look at my cover picture.  It’s a little girl wandering aimlessly on the beach.  No sir, focus and attention is not a strength of mine.   But the good news is I can only improve.  So, that’s good.

But I digress.

I was sitting in a manager’s office the other day.  It was job-retaining level of importance for me to pay attention.  But I looked to my left at the aquarium.  That was my undoing.

Photo courtesy the web

There were larger sized fish swimming around.  I’m sorry I don’t know my types of fish.  I don’t like to eat seafood and I don’t spend a lot of time with them before they become fillets either.  They smell.  And they’re gross.  But the fish had a resemblance to this blue guy in the picture.

Except there were two yellow and one orange.  Plus, a lot of frenetic little fish but this story isn’t about them.  Just the three big ones. The three were swimming laps, because that’s what fish do.  One of the yellow ones was the leader and the other two followed.  Let’s call it a her and name her Flo.  So, there’s Flo doing what fish do best, swimming and pooping (that’s all I’ve ever seen fish do, anyway).  We’ll call the other yellow one Jack and the orange one we’ll dub Frank.

Flo was swimming her laps.  An aquarium is only so big and there comes a time, quite often, when she has to turn.  One time, and this is when I happened to glance over, she turned and there was Jack’s fish lips.  They locked lips.  I think she kind of liked it because there was definite lingerage.  That’s right, she lingered.  Then pushed him away, you know, the fish way.  And then they kissed again.  That’s when I wondered if I was only exhibiting personification.  Perhaps they are not kissing at all.  Perhaps in the fish world this is the way they…fight?  Or say hello?  Or remind each other to pick up some milk on the way home? Although Jack seemed pretty intent on sucking face.  And Frank  wanted to get into the action.  He kept head butting Jack.

I realized I had no idea what was being said in the meeting and tore my eyes away from the aqua-soap-opera.  I did my best to pay attention but the drama in the aquarium had me curious.  It didn’t take long before I glanced over at the threesome.  Flo had managed to free herself from Jack’s tenacious – uh, grip seems like the wrong word.  But he chased her and kept trying to place himself strategically behind her so that another “accidental” lip locking could take place.  She was too smart for that now and deftly avoided his puckering lips.  Poor Frank just wanted to get a little bit of action so he trailed behind both of them and head butted Jack whenever he got the chance.  Kind of pathetic, Frank.  Sorry, but I wanted you to grow some dignity.

I had to listen a bit to what was being said in the meeting.  But again, my eyes diverted to the left.  Flo found refuge under a fake log.   It didn’t fool Jack.  He was just above her when she nervously gave up her position.  I think she should have been patient and held out a little longer.  There’s no guarantee he actually saw her.  He continued to chase and she continued to run swim away.

At this point, it was dire that I pay attention to what was being said so sadly I could not afford to watch the fish show any longer.  I shifted positions so the finned-threesome would not distract me anymore.

However, when the meeting finished, I looked over to see the progress.  There wasn’t any real progress because they are fish in an aquarium.  The three continued to swim back and forth.  Pooping and puckering.  When I gathered my items I did find a tiny, soggy bit of parchment.  I carefully opened it and read, “Want some fish for dinner tonight?”  Surprised, I quickly looked at Flo who used her eyes and nodded her head toward Jack and Frank.

Okay, I lied about that last part.  But I needed a fitting end for this fish tale.  I guess this will have to do.