My Sea Monkeys came just as the comic book said they would - eight to twelve weeks later. I ran around the house skipping with glee, "My Sea Monkeys are here! My Sea Monkeys are here!"
I decided the kitchen was better than the bathroom for the mixing of the Sea Monkey juice - it seemed more laboratory. I took some of the dirty dishes off the counter and put them on the kitchen table - thats when my little sister walked in "hey watcha doin?"
"Sea Monkeys. Go away."
"No! I wanna help! Mom!" Enter the mother.
"What is going on here? Oh! Your Sea Monkeys came. I better just stay here to supervise." Just then, Uncle Greggy came in - their family was staying with us for vacation.
"Hi there ladies! Whats that? Sea Monkeys! Cool! Mary! Savannah, Molly! get in here! We got Sea Monkeys!" Soon the room was filled with aunts and cousins and everybody clammoring to see my Monkeys.
I felt crowded and claustraphobic as I opened the packet. The tank was full of fresh water and I couldn't wait to see my naked little crown wearing smily family of monkeys. Then it happened...
It was one of those horrible chain reaction events that you see happening in slow motion but can do nothing to stop: the packet of Sea Monkeys spilled all over the kitchen counter! I was jostled and stunned and suddenly felt like I was going to sneeze! I shut my eyes...aaaa....aaaaa....aaaaaaa.....
but no sneeze came. All was silent. Nobody moved. I opened my eyes, but what happened? My monkeys were...GONE! I was so confused! Then my mother screamed.
"SHE BREATHED IN ALL THE SEA MONKEYS!!!!!! CALL 911!!!! CALL POISON CONTROL!!!!"
After poison control assured my mother that brine shrimp posed no threat to my delicate lungs, I was free to go cry my eyes out, both at the embarrasment of inhaling Sea Monkeys in front of my entire family, but also at having to wait another 12 weeks to get new pets.