Thanks, Comrade. I was actually just having a similar thought about it being personal. If it means something to me and he knows that, then it's personal. If he acknowledged that more, it would help. Like to say that he'd try his best to find space for it because he knows it's important to me. The way he phrased it just makes it sound like a random item in his office, like you said.

If the fish is disposable, then am I disposable, too? Yes, I know it's not the same, but...