There he was, a man she had met yesterday in the pub in Liverpool. It was her first day in this place. He, a man much older than her, was her first acquaintance. They spent the evening chatting about Liverpool docs and Mermaids. He seemed a perfect match for her. He was very stimulating. He told her that his mother worked in the hospital but was never a proper nurse. Her work began when the war broke out and she volunteered with the Red Cross to help the sick and nurse wounded soldiers. His father was an old sailor and he knew a lot of stories from him and loved to talk. So he was a perfect match when she went to Liverpool in search of inspiration for her book.

–           So you are telling me you saw a mermaid.

–           Yes, and not the only one. They resemble humans, but they are pure sea creatures, some of them can speak several languages, but they triumph over matter and their bodies are covered in scales. They are very beautiful creatures. If you do not believe me, I can add that I am not the only one who has encountered a mermaid.

–           Who else has it seen?

–           Well, my father, for example.

–           That’s interesting. Can you make me believe your story tomorrow?

– Yes, of course.

–           How was your day? He asked another day.

–           ‘Not much going on. You know I am just here to look around, so I have been looking around…. and I can’t wait to meet you.

–           Oh. Cute girl. There’s nothing special about me. I am a man who has no special interests.

–           Well, boy. I am not as much of a girl as you might think. If you are trying to discourage me, why did you come?

–           Because you are so cute.

–           Well, boy, I am not as sweet as you think I am.

–           Well, I am also still not discouraged and not disappointed when I look at you.

–           Well, so you are interested in something… But I am disappointed that I am not special…

–           I told you I am not disappointed, even if you are upset. I am disappointed that you do not trust me.

– Well, it depends. You are special on this point. Most people are interested in something. I can not believe you are not interested in something. So there should be a story about it.

–           Well, no story, I told you I am a pretty boring guy. And yes, you are right. I am interested in something, well… the opposite sex.

–           You see, that’s better. So what’s the interesting thing about the opposite sex that you are interested in?

–           Well, I’d say it’s an energy.

–           What kind of energy?

–           I think it’s the energy that keeps a boring man alive.

–           So here we are, a man who is alive and full of stories.

–           Well, I just keep on living. Once when I lost my wife, I lost my life energy. After some time, I regained my energy. But it was not the same. She was a beautiful and smart creature. I think women are very clever.

–           How did you lose your wife?

–           Well, it was a chain of accidental failures – she just pulled all the strings. First I got to know her, then I had to bear the burden of all the things I had enough – of the job I had… Then I was so stressed about keeping my possessions that I lost them. I thought, if they are mine, they will come back one day.

–           And what are your possessions at the moment?

–           Well, just a few health problems and no one can take the sun and the stars away from me. So I have the whole world.

–           And you think I trust you more? I am a materialistic woman.

–           You are right about that. Women are very clever. I told you so. They put us on this earth. I have a job I love, a few friends. I have a sense of belonging.

–           You did not know you could not treat a woman like a possession?

–           Well, you are right. I told you that women are very smart. The history of women is the history of the regime of weak creatures, but they are smart, they can deal with stronger ones than themselves. And if you have no strength, you are lost.

–           Not even as a trophy…. she added.

–           Well, you are right. I told you something…

–           Well, I do not think you like arguing…

–           Oh, Mem, what are you doing to me…?

–           You do not want to waste energy on me?

–           Well, you see, women… they give you energy and they can take energy from you and they are very skillful with energy.

–           Yes, just like men.

–           Well, when you are old, you do not have enough energy for women… that’s the problem. Women are still more civilised and when the man is older, women are stronger. If you are married as an old man, you have gained, you do not lose energy because your wife does not operate with it, as I said, women are very smart and know that you do not have it, but usually when a man is married and not old, he also has no energy for other women, even if that’s what he really wants, so men are unhappy for several years. Women are usually happier in marriage, marriage is the goal for them.

–           Well, marriage can be a prison for both sexes.

–           Marriages should be reformed. But if you are a bachelor, you are like a young sailor who does not know what he wants out of life because he does not know life

–           That’s a nice metaphor.

–           Well, I did not mean what you meant…

–           And?

–           As a sailor, when you are in your boat, you can see many landscapes, but often you are just yourself, the water and a few fish – this can be an inspiring experience to know the energy of life…

I am an old sailor and I rely on myself. I have energy from the sun and rain. I do not need the rowing, I have realized there’s no competition or that you are not a sailor, you are a competitor. But I am a sailor, as I said…. an old sailor. Still, I have some energy to deal with the fact that you are not a cute girl. I can not stand them. Besides, they drain my energy.

–           Well, but you promised to make me believe in mermaids. So you lied and promised you had that power.

–           Well, you do not trust me. I’ve already told you that.

–           So I was talking about young sailors, if I remember correctly. So let me finish my story. Many young sailors also do not know how to deal with mermaids, they get too tempted by their voice or just do not understand their songs, many young sailors just break down when they see mermaids…, they spend too much energy trying to catch them, and they do not know that they can not catch them…, they just have to learn how to deal with mermaids, they are completely different beings.

–           Well, what about you?

–           Well, I believe in mermaids…, my lady. That gives me the strength to live. But I do not trust them. It also gives me energy to live.

–           Am I a mermaid?

–           Well, that depends on you. You are very smart, I am sure…, and maybe cute, but I do not know if you are cute. So tell me: are you a mermaid?

–           Well, I am a writer. I am not a cute girl and I do not believe in mermaids, but I can make my reader believe that you told me you met them.