Age anxiety and fish trouble - Chapter 13

Thursday

I'm not even surprised when I feel the usual tingling and burning in my legs. It doesn't feel as much as it did in the beginning. Perhaps the body has gotten used to it being this way and resists less or it is the case that I myself want to transform and the evil becomes a reward for the body. The clock shows 02.17

I once again manage to stop the transformation. I get up straight away and get dressed and go out. This time too I choose Stumholmen and the same place.

It doesn't take long until I'm transformed and plunge back into the water. The water feels incredibly nice against my skin and I feel cozy in my whole body. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that the water doesn't have chlorine and is better for my skin and scales.

I swim roughly the same way as the previous day, but after swimming under the bridge at Lidl, I instead swim down towards the mayor's quay and the fish square. On the way there, I pass the new bridge that the municipality has built. There are often many people there during the day, but now it is completely deserted.

I pass Stakholmen and swim to Saltö fishing port. There might be some fish there. It didn't take long before I managed to catch a pike. It will be at least as surprised as I am. But down it goes. It grinds its teeth but it doesn't do anything at all.

There are quite a few ships at the harbor and I am careful not to fall into any nets. In one place I almost get stuck, but luckily I manage to parry the net with the help of my side fins.

I am shocked when I get to the Cyberzone and see all the rubbish that people threw into the sea. In some places it is almost like a dump. I see several pet bottles down there in the water. I toss them up so they are on the ground for potential collectors to grab.

I swim on and soon I'm at Saltö bathing place. There is also a lot of rubbish in the sea here, but no cans. If I had the time, I would probably make sure to pick up the trash, but I know it will take time. Maybe something I can do during the holidays. I've never really thought before about how we humans litter the ocean, but now I see it with my own eyes.

I continue swimming but when I get to Dragsö and the back where the troll forest is, I decide to swim back. Instead of passing the Saltö fishing port, I turn past the entire Dragsö campsite and away towards Borgmästarkajen and the fish market again.

When I'm almost outside the museum where I work, I get such an urge to jump like I did the previous day. I take a gamble and set full speed away at the boat jetty where the archipelago traffic goes. Soon I have super speed and I throw myself out of the water while screaming out loud with joy.

I jump two more times but it's not as high as the first time but I'm completely satisfied. I simply didn't have as much speed.

When I get to Stumholmen again by the bush, I see a crow pulling at my plastic bag. I hiss at the bird and it flies away. The bird doesn't seem to have pooped on either the bag or the clothes inside, so it's calm.

It's past 6 when I get home and I decide to have an early breakfast. Some eggs and sandwiches with ham on them will be good. The fish in the fridge has started to smell bad, so I throw away the bag with the herrings that were left. I think about what I want for food today and in the end I decide on a young pancake.

I've already eaten a rather large fish and don't feel like fish for lunch. After packing the food and also looking a bit in the daily newspaper, I go to work.

In the evening there is a concert in Bastion Aurora with Håkan Hellström. I think it might be fun to go to that concert. Probably Tony will maybe also go because I know he likes Håkan Hellström like me. I can call him after work and ask.

Once at work, they need a little help with an intern who will work there in the summer. I promise the boss to show and explain everything she needs to know and maybe even give her a little personal guidance.

There is a very young girl standing there. Sometimes I am surprised when such young people come there and want to work. Most of the time they don't know as much about history as they should but with the right help they usually learn quite quickly.

I get the impression that she is quite shy in the beginning as she stands chewing gum and doesn't seem to be really listening, but after a short walk around she starts asking questions about the old Blekinge and Karlskrona.

Both Sune and Olivia meet the intern. Olivia jokes with her when she notices that the young girl very often uses the word "so" when she has to ask or explain something. The young girl takes it well and laughs with Olivia about her choice of words. During a break I also see her smoking. I explain that she is absolutely not allowed to do it indoors and she seems to understand that well.

When we have lunch, the intern sees the newspaper where it says about the mermaid. She says she would love to meet a cute and cuddly merman. I can't help but blush a little. Sune looks at me a little strangely and shakes his head.

The day goes by quickly and when I go home I feel satisfied. The intern will probably do his job well.

When I get home, I call Tony and ask if he's going to the Håkan Hellström concert. He is interested and we decide to meet outside Bastion Aurora at 7.30pm. The concert starts at 8 p.m.

I change clothes and put on something colorful and casual and walk away towards the Basion. It's full of people out there but I'll find Tony soon. He also wears nice clothes and a real sailor's cap.

Soon everyone is let in and we find a good place. Tony walks over to the bar and orders himself a beer and a Sprite for me. There are also some snacks in the form of salty sticks and salty pretzels but neither Tony nor I want them. Also, it's way too expensive.

Tony and I toast each other and cuddle. The concert will soon begin. There is good pressure in the music and the bass roars in the chest, but that's how it should be when it's a real concert. Both Tony and I scream ourselves hoarse as we shout along to Håkan's various texts. We know the songs by heart.

The concert goes on for almost two hours and my ears ring a little when I go home. Tony takes the bus home because he has been drinking alcohol and is not allowed to drive.

When I get home, I go to bed almost immediately. One more day to work and then vacation, I think. I've already made plans. Already tomorrow I intend to try to find the mermaid. Maybe she will explain if it was because of the bite that I changed or if there is another explanation.