Ch. 2: Bloat's Fish Mart

Bob's Fish Mart was a small fish store in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Bob himself was a portly man wearing a green cap backwards and wearing a plaid shirt and green overalls and wearing brown shoes.

"Another day, another dollar." said Bob as he switched his closed sign on his store to open.

We see one tank that has a bloat fish in it.

"Well Bloat," said the Bloat fish miserably, "Another day, another point of your life where you just watch outside of your tank; seeing every fish but you be taken by a human."

Bloat sighs in sadness.

Just then, a giant net came down and it startles Bloat to the point where he 'bloats'. The net handler reveals to be no one other than Bob himself.

"Congrats, bloat fish" said Bob dryly, "You were just picked online by some guy in Australia named Phillip Sherman. You are going to be sent off by mail."

Bloat could not believe his ears (if he had any that is). He has an owner now!

So, faster than you can say, 'Great Scott' Bloat was put into a tank-like package that had coordinates to somewhere in Sydney, Australia. Bloat spent 3 days in the tank with what food he has.

"Man, this trip is taking half of my life." Bloat complained.

Suddenly, he felt the ship stopped and he was suddenly picked up by a man in a mail costume.

"Is this guy that Sherman man?" asked Bloat.

In a matter of hours, Bloat was in a dentist's room and he saw the dentist himself.

"You must be the new fella from Bob's Fish Mart in America," said the Dentist enthusiastically.

Bloat saw the name-tag on him that said Sherman.

"He's my new owner!" said Bloat happily.

Sherman put Bloat in the tank.

"There you go," said Sherman before going back to his business, "Make yourself at home."

Bloat was gasping with excitement.

"Wonderful!" said Bloat happily, "A new home, an owner, and in a building. This is the high-life."

He looked around and saw the waiting room of the patients. After looking at it for a good 3 minutes he took off and looked back at the dentists office. After another 3 minutes, he explored the tank. He saw the tiki's, the diver toy, and even the upper point with the filter, but after swimming around for the next 5 minutes, he got bored.

"Wow," said Bloat, "I never thought that it would get old so fast."

"Don't I know it," said a mysterious voice.

Bloat look startled as he turned and saw a Moorish Fish Idol come to him.

"Uh, hi?" said Bloat nervously, "I'm Bloat."

"Name's Gil," said the Idol, "And you're right, this Tank gets old so fast the moment you set fin in it."

"Maybe we can make the best of it," said Bloat.

"Negatory," said Gil, "For I know of a place where we can swim that can never get old!"

"And what place is that?"

Gil pointed his fin to the window.

"The window?" asked Bloat.

"No, silly," said Gil, "Outside the window."

Bloat looked again, this time outside the window and saw what Gil was referring to.

"The Ocean?" asked Bloat.

"Yes," said Gil with pride.

"How are we ever going to make it there?"

"Dunno," said Gil, "Could take years. In fact, I bet a lot of fish will enter this tank who want to escape it just as much as I do."

TO BE CONTINUED...