Published in Guernica, July 7, 2021

The saltwater aquarium in my new dentist’s office is its best feature. My favorite fish is a red fish with big eyes and a black stripe along its back. He has a generally grumpy demeanor, and I cannot help but feel a friendship form between us. I take photos of him and sometimes post them to Instagram. (“This red fish is my favorite fish, he is a total weirdo.”) He is popular among my friends.

Image via Rijksmuseum: Vissen in een aquarium, Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof, 1876 – 1924.