A few months ago, I bought three small koi. Two were suicidal. I only discovered this after putting them in their big pot, going to the garage for a cold soda, and returning to find them flopping about on the stepping stones, gasping. They contracted a fungus, having brought on wounds with their foray into a drier environment, and departed for a better place. The remaining koi hid from us in fear and trembling.

Last night there was a mighty rustling in the big tree out back. This happens on warm nights, and once I got the kids to sit out there in the dark to see what was lumbering about. Elsewhere, this might be foolhardy, since you just never know when Sasquatch or other form of wildlife could appear.

But whatever it was sensed them somehow, because for once the boys were silent. Not surprising since even when they were quiet, they seemed really noisy.

We decided the varmints were either raccoons or possums, since neighborhood cats would not be crashing into garbage cans or making such a racket.

This morning, a family member reported that the filter in the pot pond had been removed, and the quivering koi gone. All that remained were a few shiny scales and a set of tracks that led to the front door and back to the pond.

Maybe it wanted to come in and use the bathroom.