Of Mermaids & Soul Sacrifices

Have you ever seen a mermaid?  I have.  There's one in our living room, up high on the shelf, one hanging on a towel by the dishwasher and another by our front door, although I don't see that one too often because we are back-door kinda people but still, I know she's always there.  Now my dream is to meet one myself and have a conversation with her, to learn all the tales she might have to tell.  Mom says mermaids aren't really real.  Supposedly they are just figments of the imagination of sailors that have been out to sea a wee bit too long.  I'm out to prove her wrong and I'm keeping a lookout each and every day as we walk along the river and I gaze out on the water.  I'm hoping word gets around and maybe, just maybe there is one out there who'd be just as interested in meeting me as I am in meeting her.  Do me a favor and pass the word please.

 

One day recently we changed directions when we hit the beach and headed west instead of east.  We passed a sign that said NO TRESPASSING but we'd been told that just referred to cars, not to us walkers.  It was interesting to see the lovely homes that nestled along the way, how fun for those folks to have the water and sand just outside their windows.  Suddenly we came upon something we'd certainly never seen before, it was a fence made out of shoes!

Yes, shoes of all sizes and colors and the fence seemed to go on forever.   Well, this was a mystery and I was determined to solve it.  Where did all of these shoes come from?  Were these offerings to the Sea Gods?  Were they placed there to "shoo" off trespassers or was this all that was left of those who treaded where they didn't belong?  I enlisted Moms help and asked her to ask around and see what she could find out.  She hit public media, made some phone calls and received the help of some friends with insider information.  Turns out that the folks who live there have collected the washed up shoes for the past fifteen or so years from their daily walks.  Flip-flops, tennis shoes and even a boot or two have all added up in a tremendous way and I dare say, there may not be another such fence anywhere else to be found.  I feel so lucky to know about this one and if I ever discover an abandoned shoe along the sand, I know exactly where to take that sacrifice where it will be united with other members of its tribe and where it's soul/sole will be revered.

Loves & Licks,
Stella