After what happened the other day, I almost believe! I have two siamese fighting fish, in separate vases with lilies growing out the top, roots exposed directly to the water. Very pretty, and so relaxing to watch at the end of a long day.

Well, the other day I was on my way to town. Double checked everything ... to-do list was complete, all the banking stuff accurately prepared, hat and runners and water bottle in the car (just in case I felt the urge to go for a hike later around beautiful Kempenfelt Bay). Checked the lights and doors and windows, made sure the cat was out - everything seemed secure. Grabbed my handbag, locked the back door, went out to the garage and started the car.

ANd sat there. And sat there. And sat there --- engine running, feeling suddenly confused. Feeling like I'd forgotten something, pretty sure I hadn't. Went to back out of the garage -- and couldn't. Something inside was 'bucking' my plans. An urge was growing, really strong, to go back inside the house. Fought it for a minute or two, and gave up. Turned the car off, and went back inside.

Stood there for a couple minutes, looking around my neat and tidy (for once!) little house. Everything seemed in order ... why couldn't I leave? Everything was ready and I wanted to go, darn it all!   What's wrong with me?!?

Found myself plunked in front of the computer again, clicking onto Mudcat, reading a post or two -- most unwillingly. Deriding myself the whole time ("Gonna waste your whole day at the computer again, huh? C'mon, it's a beautiful day out there, there's places to go, people to see, things to do ... turn this thing off and GO!"

But I still couldn't walk out that door. Something kept distracting me, turning me around, somehow. aaaarrrraggghhhhh   Finally, I gave up. Try again later, I thought. Watching my fighting fish dart about, I picked up the fish food and fed him a little.

Went into the bedroom to feed the other one, and OH NO -- it was gone! Picked up the vase, turned it around a few times -- no fish! Impossible, I thought -- it couldn't possibly have just up and walked out! Pulled out the lily for a better look, and finally spotted one little fin waving weakly from between the rocks/glass beads/shells on the bottom of the vase.

The poor thing must have wriggled between the rocks overnight and trapped itself somehow! So I very gingerly removed the rocks etc until he swam free. Seemed unhurt, but very lethargic. Sprinkled a little food on the water and watched him gradually 'come to'. And within a couple minutes he was back to his usual energetic self ... and I was on my way out the back door again to get in that car. ANd finally managed to leave as planned ... ahhhh ... success at last!

And all the way to town -- in fact, ever since that morning -- I've been pondering that mysterious 'block' I'd felt every time I tried to leave. It was like my feet kept turning around even though my brain was saying go GO! And it wouldn't let me be until I'd discovered the tragedy about to unfold in that fishbowl. Betas don't get their oxygen as other fish do -- they need to come to the surface of the water to breathe the air. I was planning on being gone for several hours -- if he'd been trapped without air that long I'd have come home to one dead fish.

Wouldn't have made much of a dinner, either. Barely even a snack   ;-)

Anyways, the only explanations I've come up with to date re what held me back that morning till I found my dying pet are:

1. I'm psychic. REAL psychic! Tuned in to my fishies on a subliminal, subconscious level.   How special of me!   ;-)

2. Fighting fish have guardian angels; my fish's angel was gently urging me back, wouldn't let me go until it was safe.

Hmmm ... I'll vote for number 2. Pretty fishy, eh?   :]

... but if any of you can come up with a better or more scientific explanation, I'm all ears!