mention much worse than
putting one’s feet in fish guts. The only fish I knew of that ate
flesh were piranhas.
“You’re kidding me, right?”
“I’m not kidding. They are special fish that
only eat dead skin. I promise they won’t hurt you.”
Ewww gross!
“Okay?” I said with trepidation. The idea of
letting the fish nibble on me just seemed wrong, but the peer
pressure kept me from running out of the salon screaming and
waiting in Jo’s car.
We stood up and followed the ladies into
another room where a rounded bench seat surrounded a shallow tank.
A bunch of little gold colored fish swam around in the water.
Jo sat down and plunged her feet into the
water. The fish instantly swam over and covered her feet and toes.
I gasped.
“Does it hurt?” I asked while squinting.
“No, it actually feels good. Are you going to
try it?”
I sat on the bench and hovered my feet over
the tank. Was I actually going to do this? The only reason I wasn’t
begging for a normal pedicure was because Jo was enjoying herself.
So, I closed my eyes and before I could think, put them in the
water. It surprised me that the water was warm. I opened one eye.
My feet were covered in fish and it tickled. I let out a
squeak.
“This is so weird,” I said, trying not to
wiggle.
“I know, but just wait. Your feet are going
to feel so soft,” Jo said.
The fish worked their way around my cuticles
and heals and I fought the urge to flick them away. I didn’t
realize I had so much dead skin.
“How did you hear about this?” I asked.
“They suggested it here when I got a regular
pedicure. I was apprehensive at first, because I hate fish. But you
know me; I’m always willing to try anything one time.”
“Well this is something I never would’ve
guessed I’d do and can’t believe I’m doing,” I said while shaking
my head still gritting my teeth. “They seem to be finding a feast
on my toes.”
“You’ll thank me later,” she said while
grinning. “How’s school?”
“Fine, I guess. Algebra is going to kill me
though,” I complained.
“Oh, really?”
“Well, Sam’s been helping me a lot because
she’s really good at math. I just hope she doesn’t get so
frustrated with me that she pulls out all her hair.”
Jo chuckled. “You’re so dramatic
sometimes.”
“Hey, I try.” I swished my feet around
forgetting that the fish were doing their job and then froze
thinking I might have accidentally kicked a few in the process. But
they came back unafraid, nibbling hungrily again. I still couldn’t
get over how weird it was.
“I do have some good news,” Jo said with a
big smile.
I’d noticed Jo seemed happier than usual,
both on the inside and the out. She had a huge smile plastered on
her face the entire time we’d been together.
She pressed her lips tightly together.
“Yeah?”
“John and I are expecting a baby.”
My eyes grew big and I screamed in
delight.
“Oh. My. Gosh. That’s wonderful!” I threw my
arms around her neck and gave her a huge hug. She had tears in her
eyes.
“Oh, Auntie, I’m so excited for you
guys.”
I had an unfair advantage when it came to
babies because I knew exactly what they wanted. Mothers were amazed
at my ability to get even the fussiest baby to sleep so easily. So
the thought of holding my new cousin whenever I wanted was so
exciting. Their sweet emotions were up there with the blissfulness
of falling in love and it had been a long time since I’d had the
privilege of holding one.
“You know, I wasn’t ever sure if I’d get to
be a mommy, I mean I will always feel like your mom in a way, but
to have a baby of my own. We are so excited.”
“Yeah, this is really awesome. You feeling
okay?” I asked
“So far so good. I’m a little tired, but I’m
four months along already.”
Jo took out ultrasound pictures from her
wallet and handed them to me. I tried to find the baby in the black
and white photo, but all I saw was a peanut looking
putting one’s feet in fish guts. The only fish I knew of that ate
flesh were piranhas.
“You’re kidding me, right?”
“I’m not kidding. They are special fish that
only eat dead skin. I promise they won’t hurt you.”
Ewww gross!
“Okay?” I said with trepidation. The idea of
letting the fish nibble on me just seemed wrong, but the peer
pressure kept me from running out of the salon screaming and
waiting in Jo’s car.
We stood up and followed the ladies into
another room where a rounded bench seat surrounded a shallow tank.
A bunch of little gold colored fish swam around in the water.
Jo sat down and plunged her feet into the
water. The fish instantly swam over and covered her feet and toes.
I gasped.
“Does it hurt?” I asked while squinting.
“No, it actually feels good. Are you going to
try it?”
I sat on the bench and hovered my feet over
the tank. Was I actually going to do this? The only reason I wasn’t
begging for a normal pedicure was because Jo was enjoying herself.
So, I closed my eyes and before I could think, put them in the
water. It surprised me that the water was warm. I opened one eye.
My feet were covered in fish and it tickled. I let out a
squeak.
“This is so weird,” I said, trying not to
wiggle.
“I know, but just wait. Your feet are going
to feel so soft,” Jo said.
The fish worked their way around my cuticles
and heals and I fought the urge to flick them away. I didn’t
realize I had so much dead skin.
“How did you hear about this?” I asked.
“They suggested it here when I got a regular
pedicure. I was apprehensive at first, because I hate fish. But you
know me; I’m always willing to try anything one time.”
“Well this is something I never would’ve
guessed I’d do and can’t believe I’m doing,” I said while shaking
my head still gritting my teeth. “They seem to be finding a feast
on my toes.”
“You’ll thank me later,” she said while
grinning. “How’s school?”
“Fine, I guess. Algebra is going to kill me
though,” I complained.
“Oh, really?”
“Well, Sam’s been helping me a lot because
she’s really good at math. I just hope she doesn’t get so
frustrated with me that she pulls out all her hair.”
Jo chuckled. “You’re so dramatic
sometimes.”
“Hey, I try.” I swished my feet around
forgetting that the fish were doing their job and then froze
thinking I might have accidentally kicked a few in the process. But
they came back unafraid, nibbling hungrily again. I still couldn’t
get over how weird it was.
“I do have some good news,” Jo said with a
big smile.
I’d noticed Jo seemed happier than usual,
both on the inside and the out. She had a huge smile plastered on
her face the entire time we’d been together.
She pressed her lips tightly together.
“Yeah?”
“John and I are expecting a baby.”
My eyes grew big and I screamed in
delight.
“Oh. My. Gosh. That’s wonderful!” I threw my
arms around her neck and gave her a huge hug. She had tears in her
eyes.
“Oh, Auntie, I’m so excited for you
guys.”
I had an unfair advantage when it came to
babies because I knew exactly what they wanted. Mothers were amazed
at my ability to get even the fussiest baby to sleep so easily. So
the thought of holding my new cousin whenever I wanted was so
exciting. Their sweet emotions were up there with the blissfulness
of falling in love and it had been a long time since I’d had the
privilege of holding one.
“You know, I wasn’t ever sure if I’d get to
be a mommy, I mean I will always feel like your mom in a way, but
to have a baby of my own. We are so excited.”
“Yeah, this is really awesome. You feeling
okay?” I asked
“So far so good. I’m a little tired, but I’m
four months along already.”
Jo took out ultrasound pictures from her
wallet and handed them to me. I tried to find the baby in the black
and white photo, but all I saw was a peanut looking
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