Bye, Bye, Bruce!

This weekend is the AlterFest at Gina's high school. It is a huge, three day party on the school's grounds, with rides, bands, food, beer, blackjack (sounds like your typical Catholic fundraiser, right?). This year we had the Clydesdales there, too.
Art and I were scheduled to work the beer tent from 6-9pm on Saturday night, and we had a good time. It went by fast! Selling beer tickets is the place to be if you want to see your grownup friends and not get stuck hanging with the kiddos. I told Art that I wish I could sell PC products as fast!
Gina was assigned to wash tables in the dining tents - not very glamorous, but she was a good sport. Babysitting cost us $20 - and didn't include a babysitter! We pretty much turned Vincent loose with a pocketful of ride and game tickets. We didn't see him again until he ran out and came begging for money. Luckily, our shift was about over, so he sat in the back of the beer booth until we were done.
Vincent's highlight of the weekend was winning a goldfish. (in reality, it was a FEEDER fish). He named him Bruce (think Bruce the shark from Nemo fame), proclaimed him a "little cutie", and we let Bruce spend the night in Art's giant monogrammed mug from Christine. On Sunday morning, Art and Vincent brought home some fish food, and we fed Bruce breakfast. Upon returning from a day at the pool a few hours later, we sadly discovered that Bruce had passed.
Vincent and I headed to the bathroom, where we ceremoniously said a few words and watched Bruce circle the bowl a few times before going to his watery grave. I gave Vincent a hug, and asked if he would maybe like to get another fish from the store, maybe one that was a little bigger and would live longer. Vincent's reply was simply, "No, I don't want another fish. I don't think I can take any more sadness in my life." Hmm. Wish it were that easy to avoid the sad things in life.
Anyway, his grieving is over, as he and Art are off to the county fair today, and Gina is back to Alterfest for fun (not for working!). And I am having the best Labor Day yet - a quiet house, a good book waiting for me.

Sorry I don't have a photo to include, Bruce wasn't here long enough to get one! :)