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Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Merman or Manmaid?

Six months ago, Puff and I were on a tour of back roads along the NC & SC border. We stopped in the cute little town of Landrum, which is all of about two blocks long. It has old historic buildings and quaint little antique shops. And even an Amish furniture store that was complete with an Amish family out front grilling hot dogs for anyone who wanted one. We wandered in and out of some of the shops and then, when I had to take a pee break, we headed to the last store on the row. It was a gift shop promoting its Christmas wares plus ice cream and coffee. I figured they had a toilet.
 
What I found inside was much better than any bathroom break could ever have been.
 
I found HIM.
 
 
Yes, he is a construction worker mermaid mix of a fella, in Christmas ornament form. The first time I saw him, I doubled over in laughter and probably was on the verge of tears. (I failed to mention he also had other mermaid-mix friends featuring an indian, police officer, gypsy-Aladdin-type, and a busty nurse!) Well, I HAD to have him. He was going to be the best gag ornament I ever got Kimhead. Except... he was $22. And even though he was hilariously funny, he was not on sale. And I couldn't justify that price.
 
Cue the last 6 construction-worker-mermanless months. As the holidays came and went, I kept thinking that my tree was just so bare without him. I had developed a crush and was desperate to have him back. So, this past Saturday, Puff and I had an opportunity to go back to Landrum for an afternoon. And it was AGONY. We first went to Tryon, NC, for brunch and then we had to check out the Amish store and I had to pretend to be interested in all those fuddy-duddy antique stores. Dammit... all I wanted was to get down to the end of the street and get my MERMAN!!!!
 
When we got into the shop, I tried to play it cool. I casually browsed the front racks, knowing he had been in the very back corner of the back room last time we were there. After about a good 20 seconds, I couldn't stand it anymore. Puff knows I'm not cool, so no use trying. And there he was! Just where I had left him! (Although, he was now without his Indian friend. So sad!) And again, that $22 price tag just killed me. I couldn't pick him up. Nope, I couldn't do it.
 
That's when my dear, loving husband forced me to pick him up. And once he was in my hands, he wasn't going anywhere. In fact, Puff actually bought him for me! Except he's being boxed up to gift to me for Christmas 2011. That's OK. Now that I know he's home, safe and sound, I can wait til next December. That gives me all those extra months to figure out what to NAME him!
 
Any suggestions?

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