F is for...

Frankie!

One of the first things people see when they visit our house is the huge (75 gallon) tank in our livingroom. It's Frankie's home. Frankie may not roam the house like some pets might but Frankie is Family and she makes herself known. She swims and basks and splashes anyone sitting too close to her tank.

Recently, when I was sitting shiva for my father, we had prayer services each night at my home. On the first night, the rabbi turned to the gathered friends and family to ask which way was east because that's the direction we had to face. It turned out that Frankie's tank is on the east wall of the living room so we all turned to face the Frankie and she was thrilled. She had an audience!

For the next few nights, we gathered each evening and faced Frankie and she put on such a show. That turtle loves her public! She would climb up her log and leap off causing water to splash out of the tank. She would paddle like her life depended on it and do anything else she could to grab our attention. She added a bit of levity to an otherwise somber occasion and we all appreciated it.

Frankie may be confined to her tank but she has become more a part of our family than we ever imagined.