The weekend had finally come for Jillisa. It had been a long hard week at the office and she needed a escape for the weekend, so she went to the beach. When she got there she found the beach crowded with people. Turned out that she was not the only one thinking of the beach this fine beautiful day in California. The boardwalk was not so crowded, and long the boardwalk were small shops or vendors with portable stands selling everything from cool pop to trinkets, to jewelry. Bored and disappointed at not finding a good spot in the sand to just lay out and enjoy the sun she browsed along checking out the different sellers, and what they had to offer. Jillisa stood out in the crowd of people walking along the boardwalk. Sure she was attractive with full breast, shapely legs, long brown hair, and soft blue eyes, but what made her stand out was that she was one of those that loved the color pink. It was her favorite color. She wore a 2 piece pink bikini, pink flip flops, and carried a pink purse. Jillisa found a vendor selling ice cold pop. She bought a diet Coke, then went on checking what the other vendors had to offer going into small shops and such. Nothing caught her eye till she spotted a older guy with a cart selling necklaces. He had many different kinds, from silver to gold to some made with shells. Some had crosses, celtic circles, pentagons, dolphins, sea horses, starfish, and even fairies, the seller had about everything. She looked through them, but still didn't find anything of interest. On impulse she asked the Vendor, " Do you have anything that has a mermaid on it ?" The seller was a older man, in his mid 40s wearing a colorful blue Hawaiian shirt, and tan khaki pants looked at her. She felt that she needed to explain herself. " You see I have always loved mermaids, and I have been looking for a mermaid necklace forever. I have found a few, but they were not quite what I am looking for." The guy looked at her, then thought a moment and said, "I might have just what you are looking for." His cart had the necklaces displayed on top, but on the seller side there was drawers where he kept inventory, cash, small bags to put the necklaces in, and in small one drawer there were 2 black velvet pouches. He open one, put it back, then opened the other. Satisfied he turned to her saying, "I think this just might be what you are looking for." There was a strange twinkle in the man's eyes when he gave it to her, but it was forgotten when she opened up and took out the silver necklace from the small pouch. It was a simple thin necklace, but on the end of it was one of the most detailed small silver mermaid that she had ever seen. It looked as if she was sleeping, and would open her eyes anytime. It was gorgeous and she knew that she just had to have it. Jillisa couldn't take her eyes off of her. "How much ?" She asked. "$50" he told her. "Would it be OK if I wrote a check ? I don't like to keep much cash on me." she stated to him. "Sure, no problem. I accept cash, credit cards, and checks." he said. Jillisa opened her purse, found her checkbook and brought it out. On the cover of the was Ariel in her full mermaid form. She opened it up and begun writing the check on a check that showed some tropical beach some place. The vendor noticed the checkbook and check and commented," You really do love mermaids and the sea." Jillisa smiled a shy smile at him and said, "I have loved mermaids since I was a little girl. I got hooked on them when I seen Arial for the first time. I some times wish that I could be a mermaid, you know just hop in the ocean and swim away from all my troubles." she sighed and looked out at the ocean before going on, "but while I love the water, love being near it I can't swim. My parents were too busy to teach me or take me to classes when I was young. When I got older I was too embarrassed to take classes, so I never did learn how to swim." "Then why come to the beach ?" he asked. "To lay in the sun, be close to the sea, and dream of being a mermaid. While it could never happen I can still at lest dream." Jillisa said to him. "Well maybe that will change for you someday." he said with a knowing smile. "Oh I doubt that." she told him, then said, "And it looks like I might not even get to enjoy the beach today, just so many people out." He looked at her for a moment then said, "You know if you want a nice quite place just to lay out I know a place. The current is too strong and has plenty of riptide close to the shore, not a good place to swim, but sounds like just what you are looking for. It is not too far from here, but the road to it is on a curb and is easy to miss. I would have to draw you a map for you to get there, but at lest you would be by yourself." She looked at him, he seemed harmless, and she had a gut feeling that she could trust him. "Sure why not." she said. He took out a notebook that he kept track of his accounts on from the look of it, and drew a map of the highway, then of a curb where he drew a road that linked to the highway, but wound back and forth a few times before it ended at a small cove. "It is a old gravel road, so when you get to the curve keep your eyes open. It is easy to miss. That is why so few people know if it, and after a few bend in the road most other people think the road leads to nowhere, so the few that do find it usually turn around and go back. Just keep going and you will find the cove easily enough." he told her as he handed her the map. She took the map and the necklace and put them both in her purse. She thanked him for telling her of this cove, and the wonderful necklace, then turn and walked in the direction of her car. The man watched her go and smiled, then took down and put away the necklaces. He had some place to be in a few hours and he had things to prepare for.
