The Sailor and the Mermaid

I meant to tell you about the mermaid and the sailor. I don’t know why I waited so long- so many things to talk about, I guess. Somehow this dingy coastal hotel full of tourists, teens, lowlifes, layabouts, pensioners, and greasers reminded me of that story. I’m sure you’ve heard it before, or at least some part of it.

Sailor discovers mermaid on beach, takes her to his ship.

They fall in love. Period of happiness ensues.

She can never be truly human or truly happy out of water.

He travels over the water, but can never live in it.

She tries to cut her tail into legs, but only succeeds in bloodying herself.

Sailor is drunk and can’t help administer first aid.

He takes up with a whore.

Mermaid goes back to sea, where the salt water heals her wounds.

In an alternate dream universe, they are together forever; she can walk, and he can swim, and their spirits move together through space and time.

But in this life, they are too young to honor true love. Their bond withers in this world, and their joining is relegated to the invisible realm.