Ormad

I found a prompt that asked to describe a name you have given a pet and why.

ORMAD

Ormad is a word from the African language that means mad or angry. It is also the name that I gave my first pet Beta fish. You might ask why somebody would give a pet such an odd name, but there is a rhyme and reason to my madness. 

When I was in high school, I decided it was time for me to get a pet for myself. My family had always had cats, but I had never had a pet that was my own. Beta fish are cheap and do not come with a lot of responsibility so it seemed like the perfect first fish. I took a trip to our local Petco and found myself surrounded with thousands of beautiful Betas in their little plastic containers. I noticed many fish with bright colors of oranges and reds, swimming around cheerfully as if they didn't notice that their homes were only twice the size that they were. Suddenly, I noticed a fish that seemed to realize what was actually going on. He was a dreadful purple and blue and almost looked bruised. He wore a frown on his face that made it apparent that he realized that in the grand scheme of things his life and presence was pretty miniscule. He paced back and forth the best he could in the small 5 inch container, and I knew that I had to take him home. If anybody could make this fish's life better, it would be me.

I purchased a bowl and decorations for him in an effort to make him feel at home and maybe brighten his spirits a little. After watching him swim around for a few hours, I realized that he still looked upset. I came to the conclusion that the painful frown on his face was permanent. I began looking for names that would fit his gloomy personality. After looking on many websites and pet name forums, I came across a list of African names and their meanings. Finally, the name Ormad jumped out at me and the fact that it meant mad or upset made it feel like it was meant to be. 

Ormad lived a long life for a Beta. I had him for two years before he passed. Ormad was a fish that carried the weight of his small world on his shoulders. He was a unique fish with a unique name. I'd like to think that if Ormad could, that he would be a writer too. He had that stereotypical gloomy presence that writers are known for. I still haven't gotten another pet fish to replace him, but I don't know that I would ever be able to find another fish as miserable as Ormad.