How I Met My Best Friend, Over a Dead Fish

A long long time ago, or what feels like a long long time ago, but really was only about two years ago, I was eating lunch with a group of mixed friends and acquaintances outside, underneath a certain tree. I was happy and soaking up the sunshine, but also sad. That was because of the fish.

This fish was named George, and he happened to be inside the water bottle that my friend Melanie had arrived to lunch with. He also happened to be dead, and today happened to be his funeral.

So after I finished and the burial spot had been chosen at a tree a while away (nobody wanted that smell around forever), Melanie and I dug a hole and made a ceremony out of unceremoniously dumping out the water bottle. But then we realized that this was a special moment. We had loved George while he was illegally (if school rules are laws) alive in our locker. So, we wanted to get it down on film.

The first person who sprang to mind was my friend Hannah, who always had her phone around. But she happened not to have brought it that day. The rest of my friends-with-phones didn't want to get close to the stinky fish, six inches under or no, and in desperation I finally ran back to the lunch tree and cried out "Who here has a phone and is willing to film the funeral?"

I think it was quiet for a moment before anyone responded, but then this girl stood up and said she had a phone and she'd be okay with the fumes. She was a redhead (so jealous, I've always wanted red hair) and I remember the white puffy vest she was wearing, and a red shirt, I believe. I'd seen her around (she was in a few of my classes) but never spoken to her. Anyway ...

I walked with her to the tree and we filmed it. Nothing special. The video is a little wobbly and there's just the sound of me saying "George, you were a wonderful pet," and Melanie and Hannah adding their sorrows as well. You can see the dirt, and a little orange flash of the fish. I should know, because I've seen the video at least twice. Once right after it was filmed, me complaining that my voice was awkward. Once about a year and a half afterward, laughing about how awkward my voice was. And how I met my best friend, over a dead fish.

I know, I know. Life is weird, but magic happens. I'd tell you about how our friendship took its first step, past another George and plenty of other adventures, right to the top. But you know, there's time for all that later. 'Cause you know, it's not like either of us is going to forget.

So welcome to our blog. We promise to try and keep it up and remember, despite things happen, like little fights or misunderstandings even after we promised we'd never do something dumb like let friendship falter (ooh, what a cool phrase). Or, you know, Pepper moving across the lake in June. But life is weird.

And magic happens.