Be like Caraleen

Far far away in the Arabian Sea lies the curious island of Soqotra, where aloe grows wild and the baboons sleep all night in the dragon trees.  Birds of all colors can be seen; coquelicot, smaragdine; too many to name; including colors unimaginable to the eye.  More magnificent then the kaleidoscopic birds and the sunrise on the surface of the surf, is the daily emergence of the Soqotra Mermaids from deep under the sea.  It is unknown just how many of them there are, since no other being alive on the island dares to stay close enough to count their school.  There is an unspoken rule known by all that the mermaids command their distance.

After consuming their hearty breakfast of oyster and seaweed sandwiches they pioneer into the daily arduous task of combing their long silky hair with their favorite combs, ragosa spider conch shells. Flipping their mighty fins, and lining up like soldiers, each of them combs the next in succession until the very last is complete. All of them execute their underwater habitat chores without hesitation in anticipation of ascending towards land.  It is their desire to spend most mornings leisurely upon the vast shoreline of sand, basking in the ripples of sun streaming through the prickly branches of the dragon trees. None of the mermaids venture off alone: another unspoken rule in the book of unspoken rules of the Soquotra Mermaids.

On just another day on the way up up up to meet the shore, somewhat out of sync, their navigation was fraught with under the sea antics. Before they surfaced, Maybaleen the mermaid pointed at and called the mermaid Avaleen, Dipseydoodle.  Most of the mermaids laughed and a few of them gasped in horror.   Dipseydoodle; as any mermaid knows, is not a very nice name at all. The rules on land are the same as they are under the sea. All mermaids are to treat each other and their environment with respect, but on that morning, Maybaleen broke an unspoken rule by disrespecting Avaleen, and Avaleen in reprisal broke an unspoken rule. As all of the mermaids swam away and began to surface, Avaleen did not follow.  As her cover, she hid behind a nearby band of coral and she was saddened to realize that not even one of the other mermaids looked back to see that she had lagged behind. Turning away from her pain, as fast as she could, she swam in the opposite direction, down, down down.

While she was swimming solo for the first time, she imagined she could hear the morning giggles of her mermaid sisters, as they pulled themselves out of the water across the sand.   The sound she imagined stung like a jellyfish, if a jellyfish sting were to have a sound. The greens and blues and orange of the coral along her solo journey did not soothe her as it usually would on any other given day. Tears could not be felt on her cheek under the sea, but she knew they were there.  

And then along came Lurtie the Leatherback sea turtle.

“Are you lost,” asked Lurtie?   Never before had he seen a mermaid without her sisters, and it was his concern over this abnormality that prompted him to get close enough for Avaleen to hear his question.

“No I’m not lost.  None of the other mermaids noticed my absence, so it is very nice of you to stop and ask.  Never have I ever had a turtle talk to me before.  Where is your pack? Will you get in trouble for talking to me?  My name is Avaleen.  What is your name?”

“I am Lurtie.  Pleased to meet you. I do not travel in a pack as you do.  It’s been years since I’ve seen my family and turtles do not find any benefit in hanging out with friends.  When I’m old enough, I’ll seek a mate, but I will always return to my solitary life.  It’s how we Leatherbacks roll.  I’ve seen your pack before and I know to stay away.  Why did you break away?”

“Do you know what Dispseydoodle means?

“Ouch. Yeah...I  mean…I  think so.  It’s a very bad word, I know that much. Don’t tell me. Someone got their feelings hurt?”

“Yes.  Very much so.”

“Maybe you heard wrong.  It is possible down here to be misinterpreted, don’t ya think.”

“No. I’m sure. How many other words sound like Dipseydoodle? It was our nasty Maybaleen that said it.  She’s almost always the one to start trouble.  Last week she went after Caraleen and Caraleen just laughed while everyone else was laughing at her.  I really don’t know how to do that.  It’s not my nature.”

“Well how’s that working for you? Look, don’t get me wrong.  I can’t say I understand what it’s like to live with others, but I do know even though what Maybaleen did is not right, as much as you may not believe it, you have the power to change your reaction, even if it’s against your nature.”

“How do you know this Lurtie?”  

“Hey.  I live my life alone.  I’ve got plenty of time to think and besides, if I don’t take care of myself, who will?  You’ve got to take care of numero uno. Do you know what I’m saying? OK, maybe Leatherbacks are born with this knowledge, but those that live with others should know this too.  So it’s been said, there are none closer to humankind under the sea than the mermaid. Humans are so complicated with their emotions, feelings, and thoughts. Guess you mermaids are similar in that way, too. Don’t know anything other than being a turtle, and I must say life for me seems so much less complicated.”

“Listen, the bottom line is, what Maybaleen said is only true if you believe it. And furthermore, as tempting as it may seem, you also don’t have to retaliate.  If you are mean back you have swam down to her level.  Keep it light.  Be like Caraleen.  Caraleen is wise; and is probably off swimming or basking in the sun as I know you mermaids like to do.  And where are you right now? Be like Caraleen.”

“Oh I don’t know Lurtie.  I can see where you are coming from.  You seem so kind and wise, but….

“No buts; just do it. Simple. If you want a different outcome, try a different reaction. Please don’t take this the wrong way, but we’ve been talking for some time now, and since I’m a solitary kinda guy, I best be on my way.”

“Thank you so much for this talk Lurtie.  I can only promise to try. I feel better already.  Where can I find you to let you know how things work out for me?”

“Look.  It’s been real, but as I said.  I do my thing solo, and since you’re not a turtle, well, there is slim to no chance in this vast sea our paths will cross again. I do hope you will learn to believe in yourself. It’s the only way to get by in this magnificent although sometimes cruel, cruel, world of ours. Land and sea. Remember, more often than not, it’s only cruel if we allow it to be.”

There was no hug goodbye, although Avaleen would have loved one, but there was a knowing this chance encounter was meant to happen.  It was as if it all happened according to the Sea God’s plan. Avaleen was gifted a new sense of awareness though her pain and her talk with Lurtie.  It was a blessing and a curse that she felt things more deeply than the other mermaids and she now understood she could choose her reaction in difficult situations.

 “I can do this,” she thought, with Lurtie in her heart and mind as she instinctively swam back towards the mermaid habitat.

When she made it back to the pack the sun had set and the other mermaids were leaning on their dinner stations having their nightly crustacean stew.

“Where were you Avaleen?” said Robaleen, loud enough for all the mermaids to hear.  “We were worried sick.”

Avaleen was about to respond with, “yeah sure,” when she said instead, “I’m so sorry I was unable to keep up with the pack today.  My bad. Must have gotten lost in the current.  It won’t happen again.” Her words began with a bit of a white lie and telling the truth was another unspoken rule. Silently, she asked for the Sea God’s forgiveness.

Robaleen, Maybaleen and the rest of the mermaids briefly looked towards Avaleen, heard her response and just went back to eating and giggling.

Avaleen smiled and dug into her delicious bowl of stew that was already set for her, each morsel effortlessly sliding down her clear throat into her happy mermaid tummy.