The Straightforward Mermaid
The straightforward mermaid starts every sentence with Look . . . This comes from being raised in a sea full of hooks. She wants to get points 1, 2, and 3 across, doesnt want to disappear like a river into the ocean. When shes feeling despairing, she goes to eddies at the mouth of the river and tries to comb the water apart with her fingers. The straightforward mermaid has already said to five sailors, Look, I dont think this is going to work, before sinking like a sullen stone. Shes supposed to teach Rock Impersonation to the younger mermaids, but every beach field trip devolves into them trying to find shells to match their tail scales. They really love braiding. Look, says the straightforward mermaid. Your high ponytails make you look like fountains, not rocks. Sometimes she feels like a third gender– preferring primary colors to pastels, the radio to singing. At least shes all mermaid: never gets tired of swimming, hates the thought of socks.
–Matthea Harvey
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Cute last line. They always sound like things you’ve written, in this diary.
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ryn: No…probably because I’m not an alcoholic. 🙂 yet.
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ryn: i just mean we damage each other. even though you’d think we’d have enough damage and could call it a day on that. I need to do some work before I reply to your email, but I will, don’t hate me
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ryn: right. maybe it’s the other one I need then. It don’t feel very healthy to me, being angry for fifteen years.
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no… I need to thank you for that email, I don’t think if you hadn’t written that I’d have been alright last night… but was thinking about it all as i walked to the pub and you managed to make me feel … Idon’t know… less unreasonable. Anyway we had a nice time at pub that kind of alternating dangerous/mushy(bit too drunk) (have literally just woken up (very late for me) (still drunk I think
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Wow that note even looks drunk. It wasn’t me it were the character limit. Ah god i don’t want to go the hospital today I want to get back into bed and then go for lots of coffee (or at least work construction so we can bitch about life together…) come on lazy bastard to the hospital with you.
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You always get such unbeliveably nice jobs! I hoep you have got it and I haven’t jinxed you by saying this. Also, obviously you are a prude and would never actually seduce even boys who work in libraries, all mouth no trousers, etc etc
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Yeah got some cleaning work and that I will reply to your email in a bit, though didn’t you promise me TWO (I am so greedy) hope your weekend is going ok, sweetheart
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I don’t dare do owt at med school that makes me seem more of a liability than I already am to them… seriously do you think if I am only getting bad marks and attendance problems they will let me scrape through without asking about my health? the thing is I can apply to a completely different county so they shouldn’t (hopefully) have any access to my medical records – I am basically relying on
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the admin staff to be completely useless. which in my experience they have been so far so I think I have a decent chance. But I don’t dare go begging for money…
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I’m sorry I don’t mean to bother you when you’re so busy.. i’m alright
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Job sounds great, see I never really believed there were no normal fuckups in nc… i’m sure you’re up to your ears in casual sex and corporate milk frothing by now…
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ryn: yeah, makes sense. Thanks for your emails. Am mulling over them (=I am too lazy and upset and stupid to reply sensibly tonight) I wrote a better entry, more worth reading.
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ryn: hah! It’s a tad more run down. Plus outsiders never really get the big deal, it’s more the people who live there who love it. Not a tourist city. But I’m glad if I can give you any kind of good dreams…
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hope you’re feeling a bit better soon.
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