Eighty Nine

The PetSmart manager pointed at the beta fish, sitting lifelessly in his cup. "No, he isn't lonely," she said, smiling. "I asked if it was humane to keep fish by themselves in a habitat the size of a Whopper Junior. "I named my fish Titus, like the ancient emperor," she said, dodging my question. "He's my little dictator. Sometimes he acts so mean. I put little Roman columns inside his bowl."