Mermaid Memories

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Do you remember the games we used to play?

I do.

Walden Pond (he made a wild guess)

Yes, I remember Walden. Swimming.  Even when we didn’t have bathing suits!  (Later, flirty on her part)

Yeah, that was cold.

You always were a ‘fraidy cat when it came to cold.  You said if I was cold, I should keep my uniform on.

(?? What did she mean there??)

You laughed.

But I went in, didn’t I?  And when I came out, you said I looked beautiful.

You did.  Your blouse stuck to you.

It did.  

Good times.  Was that when I threw you in?

(He never threw me into Walden.  Or anywhere.  He ALWAYS wanted me to do it on my own)

Do you remember throwing me in?

(Uh-oh.  She’s fishing)  I remember you laughing.  I remember you splashing, but I don’t remember throwing.  Isn’t that funny?

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When child meets Brother (DO THEY MEET???)  She has to get him to type.  It’s hard for him to write with his hand and he’s a VERY slow typist.  He couldn’t have written the letters.

SWIMMING ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS; OR, HOW TO BECOME A MERMAID IN MASSACHUSETTS

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NOTES from Phone

Some Boys you love

Some Boys who love you

Are you in love with Muttonchop?

You pay attention to details

Someday that will come in handy

It won't be the first time she didn't pay her rent on time

The only details Dona noticed were her dogs. And her own health. She knew about trees and all the paths around her house, she was great at getting everybody out for a walk.  Even the woman, who seemed to be afraid to break a nail, or get bitten by a bug or get any mud on her.

You never touched me.!!

Mermaid in our backyard pool

I've decided to become a mermaid

She looked at her, again, never knowing what was true and what was an exaggeration. She had seen amputees who replaced the bottom parts of their legs with steel cheetah calves. So anything was possible.

Was she making a joke?

That cruel thing adults do when they talk to kids, as if everything is a fairy tale?

She'll answer with a riddle of her own.

Are you going to be a real mermaid or a fake one??

Good question, kid!!!

I think I'm going to start out fake, and then become real.  If I can.  Practice at it. Fake it til I make it.

(are you going anywhere?

I have a date with the president, but I'll come home afterwards and tell you all about it!

But I'll be asleep!

Don't worry, the president is pretty dull. The evening won't take long.

The black trash bags outside her house bothered the kid.  They seemed soft, like maybe they were full of something that should be recycled instead of thrown out.

She found one of her expensive blouses, covered in mud.  Not just a spot or two, but ground in- turned brown.  And a few thick wool skirts.

Was she digging up dead bodies and collecting their clothes?

Feel the mud.

Because I can't.

So you knew it was me the whole time?

I knew it wasn't him.

Why did you let me pretend?

Because I wanted it to be him!! I wanted to have conversations like that with him.

Girl and brother/Muttonchip  peek in and see them kissing, woman blindfolded, handcuffed crying.

But she had watched before?

Girl noticed that there was something different in her voice.  This was how she talked to a man she Loved. Not the dull way she talked to Mutton-chop

Scene!!!

Girl watches Ophelia

Watches her get rescued

Can't tell if he's trying to kill or rescue her

He sees someone, doesn't know who

Major moment

Flashback/setup??

She recognizes him

He shaved his goatee

Her loving him is the final surprise

She knew it wasn't her brother

He couldn't write like that

Gun? Knifepoint?

Does brother become violent& can woman calm him down?

Cyrano story??