I Want A Goldfish

Uli Wheeler wanted a pet, but she didn't know what pet to get. She asked her Mom to take her to the library, and she took out a big book full of pictures of different pets. As soon as she got home, she sat down at the table and opened the book.

The first section of the book was about goldfish. The goldfish were so pretty. It would be fun to watch them swimming around their bowl. Goldfish would be easy to take care of. "I want a goldfish!" Uli decided.

The next day in school when Uli told her friends she wanted to get a goldfish they were not impressed. "Goldfish are boring." said one.

"Yeah, all they do is swim and eat." said another.

"I don't want a goldfish." Uli decided.

When she got home that day. she immediately took out the big book of pets and started to go through it again. The next section was about cats and kittens. They looked so soft and cute and cuddly. "I want a cat." decided Uli.

When she went to school and told her friends she wanted a cat, they still were not impressed.

"My sister's cat is always scratching me." said one.

"Their litter boxes smell, and you have to change them a lot." complained another holding her nose.

"I don't want a cat." Uli decided.

As soon as she could, she went back to the big book of pets. Next, there were dogs. There were dogs happily wagging their tails and dogs doing tricks. Having a dog looked like fun. "I want a dog." Uli decided.

The kids in school still were not impressed. "You have to walk a dog even if it's cold or hot or rainy or snowy." said one.

"Our dog is always bothering us when we are eating and trying to still our food." another kid told her.

"I don't want a dog." Uli decided.

When she went back to the big book of pets, she saw rabbits. They were nice and soft and quiet. "I want a rabbit." Uli decided.

The kids at school said "Rabbits leave droppings all over your house." and they also told her that sometimes rabbits bite.

Uli did not want a rabbit.

Next in the big book of pets, there were guinea pigs, and hamsters and gerbils. They were all cute and little and stayed in cages. Uli was sure she wanted a guinea pig or a hamster or a gerbil.

The kids at school told her that guinea pigs and hamsters and gerbils might bite and their cages had to be changed a lot or they got really smelly.

Uli did not want a guinea pig or a hamster or a gerbil.

There were birds but birds were noisy and messy. There were horses but horses were hard to take care  of and expensive. There were turtles but turtles might have salmonella.

Uli was sad. She did not know what pet to get. "Don't worry about your what your friends say." her mother told her. "Just get the kind of pet you want."

Uli thought about it for a long time.  "I want a goldfish." decided Uli. A goldfish would be easy to take care of. It would not have to be walked, and it would not have to have it's cage changed.

"You're sure, that's what you want?" asked her mother.

"Yes." replied Uli decisively. "A goldfish will be a great starter pet."

"Starter pet?" said her mother in surprise.

"Yes. After I have a goldfish, I will get a cat, and then I will get a dog ...