All good things must come to an end, a phrase that dates back to 1374, and one that I am pretty sure applies to us and our quest to find the Mermaids on Parade. I have to admit, it’s been a good run. We’ve found 29 mermaids, not including the three that were missing, and the nine that we couldn’t reach due to their perch on the side of buildings. Altogether that makes 41 mermaids.
And then, I spotted one more today. I was conflicted for a brief second about whether or not to point it out to the girls because we were on a tight schedule today already. The mermaid was on the opposite side of the street from us and traffic was already slowing down, and clogging up due to some road work. Still, I said, “There’s a mermaid! Look out Co’s window!” and the girls squealed and giggled. Yet, neither one of them asked to stop. I guess the promise of the cool embrace of Target was far greater than any chipped, sun-faded mermaid in the blistering heat. Of course, I may in fact swing by them by there at another time because knowing me and my anal retentive personality, that mermaid will be my own personal great white whale. I can just see it now. . .me, handing the girls their own copies of our mermaid adventure book and having that niggling itch in the back of my mind about the one I just didn’t get.
The store that houses this one was closed
Jealous Mistress in the Monticello Arcade
Go Diva (look at her tail) in the MacArthur Center
DH came home early this day and the family went on some errands. I have been looking for this particular mermaid on two other occasions as she used to be housed on the median of Granby Street across from the medical center. Anyway, we’re driving down Granby, headed downtown and something tells me to just scan the sidewalks as we approach. Nothing, nothing, nothing and then right as we pull up to the intersection, BAM! I see it. And I yell, “There it is! Pull over! Pull over!” and DH is like, “Huh? What?” We almost clip a Norfolk City Bus, and we definitely tangled up the lanes behind us, but hey! I promised my girls mermaids, as many as we can find. Guess that means we’ll be going back to VA Beach Boulevard after all. . .
