The Blue Mermaid

 

“Sit back.  Relax.  Finish your drink and then I’ll tell you the story of The Blue Mermaid.”

I remember my great grandfather, a fisherman back in the day, would tell us kids about his encounter with a mysterious mermaid.  He was maybe 40 miles out from Boston harbor, on his last run of the season.  His fishing nets almost completely worn, his ship and his body showing their age.

It was towards the end of the day.  The sun was starting to set, and the winds had changed direction for a third time.   As my great grandfather pulled the ship around to head back to the harbor, he heard a loud popping sound, like an automobile tire blowing out.  It startled every crew member.  Nothing like that had happened before and it made no sense.  The ship was under sail.  Nothing mechanical was running.  Everyone just stopped where they were and listened, trying to figure out what had caused such a loud noise.

For a brief moment my great grandfather thought it might have been a lightening strike, but there was no weather about to suggest that.  Randy, a crew member, guessed they may have hit something submerged as they made the turn, but there wasn’t any jolt or odd movement of the ship, suggesting that was the case.  The only thing that happened at the exact same time of the sound was the wind.  It suddenly just stopped.  There wasn’t so much as a breeze.  It was dead silent.

 

“Sit back.  Relax.  Finish your drink and then I’ll tell you the rest of the story in a while.”