"Hope" and Debbie Chandler

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“Hope,” a beta fish, belongs to Debbie Chandler, a miscellaneous inventory purchasing specialist in the Replacements, Ltd. miscellaneous inventory department. It was Debbie’s daughter who initially suggested that she get a fish to put on her desk at work. “She said it would help keep me calm while watching it swim around,” Debbie said.  Unfortunately, the first fish Debbie bought died within just a few weeks. Debbie said, “I felt completely defeated, since other people had told me how hardy beta fish are.” 

Seeing that Debbie was disappointed, her co-worker, Julia, bought her a replacement fish that they named Hope. “We named her ‘Hope’ for all kinds of reasons,” Debbie said, “but mostly that this fish would live much longer than the first one!” According to Debbie, people are always surprised to see Hope when they come to her desk. “They always ask if it is a real fish,” Debbie said.

"Hope"

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Hope gets fed every other day, and she seems to know which days are feeding days. “When I get in on those mornings and turn my light on, she comes right to the top of the bowl,” Debbie said. “During the day, I sometimes will look over at her and she will be looking right back at me – just lingering there in the bowl watching me back. Hope is soothing to watch and very, very low maintenance – it’s cool having her here with me.” Debbie said a few years ago she would bring her puppy with her to work, but the puppy soon became too active and outgrew Debbie’s cubicle. “However,” Debbie said, “a fishbowl is just the right size for the small space!”

When asked about the Replacements, Ltd. pet-friendly policy, Debbie said, “I love that Replacements is pet friendly, whether your pet is a fish or a puppy. It’s a nice break to stop by and visit folks with pets – I think it is a quick fix to relieve stress and always puts a smile on a face.” When asked about working at Replacements in general, Debbie said, “I think Replacements Ltd. is an awesome place to work. The atmosphere here is the best of any place I have ever worked. I enjoy my job and feel valued as member of the Replacements family.”