Inside the cover of D2's journal she has defined the essence of the boy/girl relationship that causes mankind endless joy and woe:
Girls are clean and pritty
Smell Butiful
GOOD LOOKING
Boys are stinke
Finding joy in everyday living.
Personally, I am tired of the burden of so much death and carnage. Unfortunately, our lack of ability to keep the few creatures we have cared for, or at least attempted to care for, alive, has not slowed my childrens' intent to continue to beg for more pets.
Recently D1 has picked up the oral arguments with me on this subject. Apparently she wanted creatures that belong in lakes and rivers to live in her bedroom more desperately than I originally thought. In exasperation she finally stomped out of my bedroom. A little while later, she slipped this under my bedroom door:
If I do not get fish side affects may include, thoughts of suicide, chronic depression, nausea, insomnia, post dramatic stress syndrome, and series of violent mood swings. A serious but rare side affect may include schizophrenia resulting in multiple personalities and frequent conversations with imaginary objects, people, fish and places.