Greg looked down at his mattress, trying to avoid eye contact with Zack. He
didn't like confiding in people; after his two lovers had left him, the
thought of sharing his emotions scared him. He had made some friends, both
in and outside of Mineral Town, but he shied away from growing close to
them. He felt that, if he had made all his loved ones leave him, he must
not be a good person to have around. On the outside, Greg was friendly and
happy, but within, he was like a troubled adolescent, constantly feeling
insignificant to the world.
Zack patted his friend on the shoulder. He would've never thought that Greg had such a horrid past. The old fisherman had always been so cheerful, and always helped out the villagers who were new to fishing. Then again, Zack had never asked him about his past. Greg was always listening to his problems, but he never complained about what had happened to him. Zack felt as if he owed something to the old man.
"Hold on a minute," said Zack. "Didn't you say that you thought Tanya left you because you confided in her?"
"Yeah," replied Greg. "I told her everything about Candice, and when her husband came back, she left with him."
Zack's brow furrowed. That didn't sound quite right. "Did you save the note?"
Greg nodded and reached for his photo album. He removed a picture from one of the slots, and an aging piece of paper tumbled out with it. He handed the note to Zack, who read it over a couple of times.
"What do you think she meant by this, Greg?"
Greg took the piece of paper. It said the same thing it always had, reading, "Greg- husband came. Love. Bye." He looked up at his roommate, and said, "She meant that her husband came for her, and she decided that she loved him. Then she said goodbye."
Zack shook his head. "Are you sure you're not misinterpreting that?" he asked. "From what you told me, Tanya despised her husband. He hit her all the time, and then left them without warning. Heck, she even moved to protect herself and her daughter from him! Maybe she meant to tell you that her husband took her away, but she still loved you."
Greg thought about that for a moment, surprised. He had never thought about it that way. He had been in shock when he received the note, oblivious to the world, and hadn't even noticed that he might have been thinking of it the wrong way. Of course! If hindsight was 20-20 vision, then Greg just got laser surgery.
The smile that had momentarily appeared on his face disappeared, and Greg shook his head sadly. "What's wrong?" asked Zack, puzzled. He thought his friend would be happy.
Greg heaved a sigh, and looked up at his younger roommate. "I just realized what I lost," he said. "I could've gone after her then, if I had realized what the note meant. Now, she could be anywhere, and I'm too old to go out looking for her. For all I know, she could be dead."
Zack snorted incredulously. "How can you say that, Greg? Don't give up hope so easily! We'll find her someday...you'll see."
***
Greg stared idly at the clump of sand in front of him. Boredom had driven the old man to making sandcastles in a remote corner of the beach, but even that was growing old. Greg had never been very good at making symmetrical objects, so he ended up molding the sand into fish-like shapes. He sighed, realizing that his hobby would never escape him.
"Greg!" called a voice. It was Zack. The fisherman quickly stood up and dusted the sand off his pants before walking toward his friend's voice.
"Where are you, Zack?"
"Inside," Zack replied. "You've got to see this fishing show on TV- I think you'll really like it!"
Greg shrugged and went in his house. He found Zack reclining on one of the mattresses, watching the screen in front of him. He joined the younger man, his joints creaking as he sat down.
"And now it's time for 'Fishing for Mermaids,' the show that helps you find your loved ones! Today's guest is Mr. Hardy Weinberg, who is searching for his daughter, Chelsea. Hardy, is there anything you'd like to say?"
"Yes, Bob, there is. Chelsea, I'm sorry. I should have supported you in your decisions in life, but I didn't. If you're out there, I want you to know that I love you, and want you to come home."
"You heard him, folks! If any of you find Chelsea out there, give us a call at 1-800-MERMAID, and we'll reunite her with her father. Can we catch her, or will she be another elusive mermaid? Tune in next week to find out!"
Greg shook his head, smiling slightly. "Fishing show, huh?" he asked.
Zack grinned. "I thought you might be interested. Who knows who watches this kind of stuff? Tanya might tune in one day."
Greg raised an eyebrow. "I doubt that," he said. "She wasn't the kind of person who would watch an Oprah rip-off."
Zack lightly slapped his friend on the back. "You're such a pessimist, Greg!" he said. "Give it a chance. You never know what will happen."
***
One week later, Greg found himself in front of the television, waiting for the show to begin. He didn't believe that anything would happen, but Zack's words had given him a little lift in spirit. He was a little embarrassed to be watching the show at all, but he listened to the voice in the back of his head that told him to watch.
"Hello, and welcome to 'Fishing for Mermaids,' the show that helps you find your loved ones! I'm Bob, your host. Last week, our guest was Mr. Hardy Weinberg, who was searching for his daughter. Here he is again, folks."
A man walked onto the screen and sat on a chair to the right of the host. "Hardy," continued the host, "it seems that someone out there found your daughter! She couldn't make it to the show today, but she left you a letter." The man read the letter, and tears ran down his cheeks. "What does it say, Hardy?"
The man wiped his tears away. "It says that she loves me and will call me soon! She's sorry that she took a job I didn't like, and she wants me to know that she quit it as soon as she saw me on TV. She also says that she's going to be married soon, and that I'm invited to her wedding!"
"If you don't mind my asking, Hardy, exactly what profession was Chelsea in that you objected so strongly to?"
The man grinned, hugging the letter. "She was an exotic dancer," he replied.
The audience burst into laughter, and the man was ushered off the stage. The host began to talk again. "I'm sure that we're all very happy that Chelsea's going home- except her clients, of course. Today's fisherman is Mr. Michael, who is looking for his father, Greg."
Greg stared at the television screen, his jaw dropping. He watched as his son, now fully grown, walked to the chair and sat down. The man on the screen had many of Candice's features, but had some of Greg's, as well. He was so much older than Greg remembered him being, but the old man had no difficulty recognizing the boy as his own.
"Welcome, Michael. You say that you're looking for your father...would you mind telling us the story?"
"No problem, Bob," replied Michael. "My mother ran off with me when I was nine, leaving my father behind. He hadn't done anything wrong to her; she just wanted a big city life, which my father, a fisherman, couldn't give her. When I was old enough, I went to a community college, and met the woman of my dreams. Now I'd like to find my father and introduce him to his soon-to-be daughter-in-law."
"A touching story," said the host. "Is there anything you'd like to say to your father, Michael?"
"Of course," he said. "Dad, I miss you and love you. I'm sorry for what Mom did to you, and I want you to know that I had no choice in the matter. I want to see you again, Dad!"
Greg felt his eyes watering. "I do too, Michael," he said to the screen.
"You heard him, folks!" said the host. "If any of you know Greg, give us a call at 1-800-MERMAID, and we'll reunite this family! Can we catch him, or is he another elusive merman? Tune in next week to find out!"
Greg reached for the phone and quickly dialed the number on the screen. So many things had gone wrong in his life, and now he had the opportunity to make something right.
***
Zack sat on his mattress with a glass of Coke, watching television. He didn't have many opportunities to relax, and he liked to enjoy what little time he had. Greg wasn't in the house very much, so he had the house to himself. Zack paused in that thought. He hadn't seen Greg at all lately, now that he thought about it. The last time he had seen the fisherman had been two days past. The younger man grew a bit worried, and was about to call for help when he heard his friend's name mentioned on the TV screen.
"It's time again for 'Fishing for Mermaids,' the show that helps you find your loved ones. Last week, we had Mr. Michael on the show, who was searching for his father, Greg. Michael?"
A boy that looked surprisingly like Greg walked on the stage, sitting in a chair next to the host. Zack dropped his glass, splattering Coke all over the place. It was Greg's son! The one he hadn't seen for nearly thirty years! Zack shook his head in disbelief.
The host continued his speech. "Michael, we found your father! In fact, he called in himself as soon as he saw last week's show. Greg, come on out!"
The old fisherman walked onto the stage, and the boy jumped up ecstatically. "Dad!" he cried, knocking over the chair in his enthusiasm. The two embraced, and the studio audience applauded in the background.
"So," said the host, "what have you been up to for all these years, Greg?"
Greg sat at a chair next to his son, smiling happily. "Well, I moved a few times, lived life...nothing too extraordinary. I just really missed my son, and am glad to see him again. Thanks for giving us this opportunity, Bob."
The host smiled. "That's my job!" he said. The two were ushered off the stage, and a new person came on, but Zack switched off the television set. He picked up a rag and started cleaning up his spilt Coke, still smiling. He was glad that Greg had finally found his mermaid.
***
A few seasons later, Greg sat fishing on the pier of the Mineral Town beach. He had gone to his son's wedding a little while after appearing on the show, and had instantly fallen in love with his new family. Michael's wife was a real sweetheart, and he was glad that the two had found each other. The woman liked Greg a lot, as well, and offered to let him stay with them sometime. Greg accepted her offer, and planned to go visit them every winter- the one season with very bad fishing.
The crisp fall air felt cool on Greg's skin, and he smiled. Soon enough, he'd be with his son's family, enjoying the feeling of unity that he had so long been denied. He still tuned in to "Fishing for Mermaids," hoping to see someone else from his past, but it hadn't happened as of yet. He was content with what he had, though. He would love to see Tanya and Sophie again, but he knew how doubtful that was.
Zack walked over to him, shuffling through a pile of letters. "You've got mail, Greg," he said, handing a letter to him. Greg took the letter as Zack walked back to the house with his own mail. He tore at the edge with a fingernail, revealing the stationary within. Opening the letter, he began to read it.
"Dear Greg,
I saw you on television the other day, and I'm glad that you found your son again. I contacted Michael, who said that you'll be visiting him in the winter annually. He offered to let me come over as well, and I accepted. Things must have seemed somewhat hectic when I left, and I'm sorry that I had to leave you like I did. It was no choice of mine, that's for sure. I'm looking forward to see you again, as is Sophie. I love you, and always will!
Love,
Tanya"
Greg smiled, feeling his cheeks growing moist. He had Michael back, and now he had the love of his life back, as well. It seemed that thing were finally going to be alright.
Zack patted his friend on the shoulder. He would've never thought that Greg had such a horrid past. The old fisherman had always been so cheerful, and always helped out the villagers who were new to fishing. Then again, Zack had never asked him about his past. Greg was always listening to his problems, but he never complained about what had happened to him. Zack felt as if he owed something to the old man.
"Hold on a minute," said Zack. "Didn't you say that you thought Tanya left you because you confided in her?"
"Yeah," replied Greg. "I told her everything about Candice, and when her husband came back, she left with him."
Zack's brow furrowed. That didn't sound quite right. "Did you save the note?"
Greg nodded and reached for his photo album. He removed a picture from one of the slots, and an aging piece of paper tumbled out with it. He handed the note to Zack, who read it over a couple of times.
"What do you think she meant by this, Greg?"
Greg took the piece of paper. It said the same thing it always had, reading, "Greg- husband came. Love. Bye." He looked up at his roommate, and said, "She meant that her husband came for her, and she decided that she loved him. Then she said goodbye."
Zack shook his head. "Are you sure you're not misinterpreting that?" he asked. "From what you told me, Tanya despised her husband. He hit her all the time, and then left them without warning. Heck, she even moved to protect herself and her daughter from him! Maybe she meant to tell you that her husband took her away, but she still loved you."
Greg thought about that for a moment, surprised. He had never thought about it that way. He had been in shock when he received the note, oblivious to the world, and hadn't even noticed that he might have been thinking of it the wrong way. Of course! If hindsight was 20-20 vision, then Greg just got laser surgery.
The smile that had momentarily appeared on his face disappeared, and Greg shook his head sadly. "What's wrong?" asked Zack, puzzled. He thought his friend would be happy.
Greg heaved a sigh, and looked up at his younger roommate. "I just realized what I lost," he said. "I could've gone after her then, if I had realized what the note meant. Now, she could be anywhere, and I'm too old to go out looking for her. For all I know, she could be dead."
Zack snorted incredulously. "How can you say that, Greg? Don't give up hope so easily! We'll find her someday...you'll see."
***
Greg stared idly at the clump of sand in front of him. Boredom had driven the old man to making sandcastles in a remote corner of the beach, but even that was growing old. Greg had never been very good at making symmetrical objects, so he ended up molding the sand into fish-like shapes. He sighed, realizing that his hobby would never escape him.
"Greg!" called a voice. It was Zack. The fisherman quickly stood up and dusted the sand off his pants before walking toward his friend's voice.
"Where are you, Zack?"
"Inside," Zack replied. "You've got to see this fishing show on TV- I think you'll really like it!"
Greg shrugged and went in his house. He found Zack reclining on one of the mattresses, watching the screen in front of him. He joined the younger man, his joints creaking as he sat down.
"And now it's time for 'Fishing for Mermaids,' the show that helps you find your loved ones! Today's guest is Mr. Hardy Weinberg, who is searching for his daughter, Chelsea. Hardy, is there anything you'd like to say?"
"Yes, Bob, there is. Chelsea, I'm sorry. I should have supported you in your decisions in life, but I didn't. If you're out there, I want you to know that I love you, and want you to come home."
"You heard him, folks! If any of you find Chelsea out there, give us a call at 1-800-MERMAID, and we'll reunite her with her father. Can we catch her, or will she be another elusive mermaid? Tune in next week to find out!"
Greg shook his head, smiling slightly. "Fishing show, huh?" he asked.
Zack grinned. "I thought you might be interested. Who knows who watches this kind of stuff? Tanya might tune in one day."
Greg raised an eyebrow. "I doubt that," he said. "She wasn't the kind of person who would watch an Oprah rip-off."
Zack lightly slapped his friend on the back. "You're such a pessimist, Greg!" he said. "Give it a chance. You never know what will happen."
***
One week later, Greg found himself in front of the television, waiting for the show to begin. He didn't believe that anything would happen, but Zack's words had given him a little lift in spirit. He was a little embarrassed to be watching the show at all, but he listened to the voice in the back of his head that told him to watch.
"Hello, and welcome to 'Fishing for Mermaids,' the show that helps you find your loved ones! I'm Bob, your host. Last week, our guest was Mr. Hardy Weinberg, who was searching for his daughter. Here he is again, folks."
A man walked onto the screen and sat on a chair to the right of the host. "Hardy," continued the host, "it seems that someone out there found your daughter! She couldn't make it to the show today, but she left you a letter." The man read the letter, and tears ran down his cheeks. "What does it say, Hardy?"
The man wiped his tears away. "It says that she loves me and will call me soon! She's sorry that she took a job I didn't like, and she wants me to know that she quit it as soon as she saw me on TV. She also says that she's going to be married soon, and that I'm invited to her wedding!"
"If you don't mind my asking, Hardy, exactly what profession was Chelsea in that you objected so strongly to?"
The man grinned, hugging the letter. "She was an exotic dancer," he replied.
The audience burst into laughter, and the man was ushered off the stage. The host began to talk again. "I'm sure that we're all very happy that Chelsea's going home- except her clients, of course. Today's fisherman is Mr. Michael, who is looking for his father, Greg."
Greg stared at the television screen, his jaw dropping. He watched as his son, now fully grown, walked to the chair and sat down. The man on the screen had many of Candice's features, but had some of Greg's, as well. He was so much older than Greg remembered him being, but the old man had no difficulty recognizing the boy as his own.
"Welcome, Michael. You say that you're looking for your father...would you mind telling us the story?"
"No problem, Bob," replied Michael. "My mother ran off with me when I was nine, leaving my father behind. He hadn't done anything wrong to her; she just wanted a big city life, which my father, a fisherman, couldn't give her. When I was old enough, I went to a community college, and met the woman of my dreams. Now I'd like to find my father and introduce him to his soon-to-be daughter-in-law."
"A touching story," said the host. "Is there anything you'd like to say to your father, Michael?"
"Of course," he said. "Dad, I miss you and love you. I'm sorry for what Mom did to you, and I want you to know that I had no choice in the matter. I want to see you again, Dad!"
Greg felt his eyes watering. "I do too, Michael," he said to the screen.
"You heard him, folks!" said the host. "If any of you know Greg, give us a call at 1-800-MERMAID, and we'll reunite this family! Can we catch him, or is he another elusive merman? Tune in next week to find out!"
Greg reached for the phone and quickly dialed the number on the screen. So many things had gone wrong in his life, and now he had the opportunity to make something right.
***
Zack sat on his mattress with a glass of Coke, watching television. He didn't have many opportunities to relax, and he liked to enjoy what little time he had. Greg wasn't in the house very much, so he had the house to himself. Zack paused in that thought. He hadn't seen Greg at all lately, now that he thought about it. The last time he had seen the fisherman had been two days past. The younger man grew a bit worried, and was about to call for help when he heard his friend's name mentioned on the TV screen.
"It's time again for 'Fishing for Mermaids,' the show that helps you find your loved ones. Last week, we had Mr. Michael on the show, who was searching for his father, Greg. Michael?"
A boy that looked surprisingly like Greg walked on the stage, sitting in a chair next to the host. Zack dropped his glass, splattering Coke all over the place. It was Greg's son! The one he hadn't seen for nearly thirty years! Zack shook his head in disbelief.
The host continued his speech. "Michael, we found your father! In fact, he called in himself as soon as he saw last week's show. Greg, come on out!"
The old fisherman walked onto the stage, and the boy jumped up ecstatically. "Dad!" he cried, knocking over the chair in his enthusiasm. The two embraced, and the studio audience applauded in the background.
"So," said the host, "what have you been up to for all these years, Greg?"
Greg sat at a chair next to his son, smiling happily. "Well, I moved a few times, lived life...nothing too extraordinary. I just really missed my son, and am glad to see him again. Thanks for giving us this opportunity, Bob."
The host smiled. "That's my job!" he said. The two were ushered off the stage, and a new person came on, but Zack switched off the television set. He picked up a rag and started cleaning up his spilt Coke, still smiling. He was glad that Greg had finally found his mermaid.
***
A few seasons later, Greg sat fishing on the pier of the Mineral Town beach. He had gone to his son's wedding a little while after appearing on the show, and had instantly fallen in love with his new family. Michael's wife was a real sweetheart, and he was glad that the two had found each other. The woman liked Greg a lot, as well, and offered to let him stay with them sometime. Greg accepted her offer, and planned to go visit them every winter- the one season with very bad fishing.
The crisp fall air felt cool on Greg's skin, and he smiled. Soon enough, he'd be with his son's family, enjoying the feeling of unity that he had so long been denied. He still tuned in to "Fishing for Mermaids," hoping to see someone else from his past, but it hadn't happened as of yet. He was content with what he had, though. He would love to see Tanya and Sophie again, but he knew how doubtful that was.
Zack walked over to him, shuffling through a pile of letters. "You've got mail, Greg," he said, handing a letter to him. Greg took the letter as Zack walked back to the house with his own mail. He tore at the edge with a fingernail, revealing the stationary within. Opening the letter, he began to read it.
"Dear Greg,
I saw you on television the other day, and I'm glad that you found your son again. I contacted Michael, who said that you'll be visiting him in the winter annually. He offered to let me come over as well, and I accepted. Things must have seemed somewhat hectic when I left, and I'm sorry that I had to leave you like I did. It was no choice of mine, that's for sure. I'm looking forward to see you again, as is Sophie. I love you, and always will!
Love,
Tanya"
Greg smiled, feeling his cheeks growing moist. He had Michael back, and now he had the love of his life back, as well. It seemed that thing were finally going to be alright.