September 25, 2012

  • In for a Penny, In for a Pond

    I wonder why when people see water in a 'pond-type' situation they feel compelled to throw money in it.  Is there some compulsion that the money will grow from being in water?  It must work on one level since more people throw money into a pond after they see some money on the bottom.  Who's wish are they really trying to make come true?  The only one's wish I can see being filled is the poor sucker who rolls up his pant legs and goes in to get the coins.  It's not a very big wish generally, I mean, how much can you expect for a few coins?

     

    Part of this query comes from the knowledge that money in water is a bad thing for the ecology of the water - especially salt water.  Copper is used to kill off plant life (algae)  in water and heavy metals aren't good for the animals either.  When I worked in a pet store, some numbnuts hid a penny in a coral rock in the large salt water aquarium and killed everything in the tank.  That person knew they were doing something wrong since they went to such lengths to hide the penny. 

     

    Speaking of pet stores... this past week I went into a pet store where there was a nurse shark in a large fish tank.  There of course is the clever sign that basically says, "Don't put your hands in the tank."  I remarked to the person working there that it seemed pretty self evident that one should not put body parts into a tank with a shark (or piranhas, or a snapping turtle, or an electric eel for that matter - all of which I have seen needing signs.)

     

     

    He said that adults are the worst offenders.  Go figure!?  And for those of you who need to know, it is more for the protection of the animal than the person - people's hands are not clean, but still!

     

    Now here's an odd fact about me.  I have my certification for SCUBA diving and the first dive I went on was a shark dive in the Bahamas.  It is a dive where the Bull sharks are used to being fed so they hang out and tourist divers watch.  These are not Nurse sharks.  So, by definition, I am a thrill seeker, right?!  And I still wouldn't put my fingers in a tank with a "dangerous" animal.

     

    So, how about it.  Are you the kind who tempts the fates with sharks?  Don't forget to wish for immunity when you throw that penny in the pond.

Comments (2)

  • I myself am a risk-averse person and not at all adventurous when it comes to challenges with an element of danger, so scuba diving probably isn't for me! As for putting coins in the tanks, or body parts which could be harmful to either oneself or the animal, it's just a shame that some people can be either so ignorant or cruel. I myself have never been one to go for the "coins in the fountain" thing and I can't recall the last time I ever threw one in. Certainly I wouldn't do it if there were fish involved.

  • @ t_dice: 
    Actually SCUBA is pretty cool and doesn't have to be scary at all.  It was just the luck of the dice that I ended up shark diving my first trip out, and it wasn't all that worry-some... after all, the resort that offered it wouldn't get many takers if the guests got hurt doing so.  I would have preferred to do the shark dive later, but they didn't offer it again the time I was there.

    I concur with you about 'some people' I just don't get the mind set.

    Thanks for the comment!
    smiles,
    Shari

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