I try to be a good neighbor

[Idaho]

My neighbors, Chad and Lisa, went on vacation with their two teanage kids. Left me a key to the house and instructions to feed the fish, feed the gecko, water the plants, and let the cats in and out. Okay, so I go over and feed the fish, only see one cat although there was a black and white one hanging around outside for a few days. Finally figured out how to break into the box of crickets and got seven of them (I think it was seven) into the cage with the lizzard. Forgot to give him water. Did not notice the three gold fish on the kitchen counter. My wife and I did not see the second cat inside the house so we finally realized that the B&W one was the second mystery cat and we started to watch for it. For three days. In the meantime the gold fish died and proceeded to rot in the tank. Euch what a mess. I had a headache last night so my wife went over to feed the critters. She thought that one of the fish in the large tank had died and noticed the the gecko did not look too good. I checked on the fish and sure enough one was floating on its back in the corner of the tank. Hey, I already flushed three fish what's one more? I get a bowl and a spoon and go in to get the 'dead' fish. When I touched the little guy with the spoon he instantly was brought back to life in a mad flurry that propelled water everywhere and himself to the bottom of the tank. Did not look at the gecko. Missing B&W cat showed up last night so I'm thinking "hey this is okay, only killed three gold fish so far." All is right with the world. With my wifes prodding I went over this evening to look at the gecko. (I think she knew something was amiss) Sure enough he is dead. Crickets are getting their revenge and have eaten holes in his side and have started to devour the tail. Now what am I going to tell my neighbors kid? "That's life." Nothing lives forever............ Gaaaaaaah. They come home tomorrow. Maybe I will throw the dead lizzard out and put in a certificate for a new one. Or lay a plastic lizzard in the tank. "He's just tired". At least I got the newspaper and mail all picked up okay.