Each month, I buy a book of twenty stamps. I create twenty post cards. I write twenty short stories about them. I send them to twenty strangers. This is the twenty stamps project.

Request a postcard by sending your snail mail address to sean.arthur.cox@gmail.com or find me on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SeanArthurCox

Thursday, December 6, 2012

The Trespassing Mermaid



The Greenleaf Apartments had decent units and lovely grounds, but had a hard time getting its name out there, and thus suffered financially. That's when Darcy O'Shea had a brilliant idea. They had a well maintained olympic sized pool that no one swam in. If they could get a mermaid to take up residence, everyone would want a Greenleaf 2BR/2BA. Darcy changed the water system from chlorine to sea salt. He filled it with fish that mermaids were wont to eat, and then stocked the shallow end with all manner of shells, seaweed, and pearls so that whoever moved in could fashion any sort of wardrobe imaginable. It only took two weeks before Darcy heard the telltale splash and saw the redhaired sea-she swimming about, enjoying the bounty he had prepared for her. Luring her in, however, was only the first step, for now he needed a way to keep her there. Others suggested bars or shackles, but Darcy, being a touch more considerate and ever mindful of mermaids' respect for rules, simply placed a “No Trespassing” sign by the gate leading out of the pool area, knowing the mermaid would be too polite to cross the fence.

- Originally mailed to C. Stover in Ocean Springs, Mississippi

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