As a member of the Science department, I have been inundated with tasks related to the up-keeping of our school’s equipment.

Today, a gentleman, whom I have been conversing via WhatsApp last year, came to my school to wash the fish tank. I didn’t need to do this, but I wanted to meet him in person and shake his hand (and tell him that I had settled his quotation for this year — yes, this is why teachers are overworked.)

After saying hello to him, I continued my laptop at the Sci lab table. Then, I struck up a conversation, “So, Uncle, what fish do you like rearing the best?”

That was when I learnt that goldfish typically live for seven years and can live for up to ten years. All my life, I have erroneously thought that goldfish just live for a few weeks.

Then, I asked him about how big goldfish can grow up to.

“And Uncle, why do you like to keep fish?” I persisted.

He smiled bemusingly, “Isn’t the way they swim beautiful?” He was probably wondering why I was asking him weird novice questions.

I am kinda gratified that I learnt something new about how a stranger navigates the world amid a mundane school day.