When Sally's family get a second desk for their small house, everything seems even more cramped and cozy. It is soon filled with tea sets, books, papers, school supplies, and potted flowers, or at least the flowers used to be there before winter arrived.
Then, Sally's neighbor Holly asked her if she wanted to get some gold fish, as her dad has gotten her too many. She could probably spare at least two, since one may not survive being too lonely and all.
Sally doesn't get too many play things like this. In fact the only toy she has is a dark haired doll wearing a blue dress. She had named her 'bebe'. Bebe's cheeks are soft pink and her eyes open and close when Sally tilts her forward and back.
Her neighbor Holly however, has many toys. She likes to show them off. She lend it to Sally only if Sally does what she wants. But she will lend it or play with the other children in the courtyard without condition. Sally doesn't know why and it makes her head hurt whenever she tries to figure it out. So she tries to play with bebe, her brother Michael and his friends, or read by herself whenever she doesn't feel like doing whatever Holly says.
But this is different. Two gold fishes! They will practically be like the little sisters she always wanted. Sally nods her head rapidly without thinking when Holly posed the question. The two girls walk hand in hand into Holly's spacious house just behind the giant banyan tree like two best friends.
There on the antique desk facing the window, a large wash basin has been converted into swimming pool for tiny fishes. Five gorgeous gold fishes twisted their tiny waists and waved their satiny tails leisurely about, completely unaware of their awed audience. Sally can't help but picking her two favorites right away: a snowy "lady" and an all black general like "boy". She can't tell genders of the fish, but she decided that must be what they are, and their names shall be "Snow Princess" and "General Nero".
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