A poolside encounter

Once you've finished arranging payment and delivery, the phone call ends, and for the next few days, you simply go on with your life. You go to work, you come home, you watch television and occasionally meet up with your buddies.

Five days after the phone call, you come home to hear a soft, feminine voice singing from somewhere in your backyard. Coming in through the gate, your gaze travels toward the swimming pool, and your jaw drops as you realize that there is a real, live, red-headed mermaid lying on your diving board, singing softly to herself as she lies on her back, gazing up at the sky.

As you approach, the fish-tailed femme turns her head to look at you. "Oh. Hello!" she calls out cheerfully. "I was just getting a little sun." With a flick of her blue-green tail, the young mermaid flips off the diving board and splashes into the water, quickly making her way over to you on the other side. When she surfaces, she props her elbows on the edge of the pool, gazing up at you with big, baby-blue eyes. Smiling sweetly, she simply says. "Hi. I'm Ariel."

You can't help but smile. "Yes, I know. Do you know who I am?"

The little mermaid cocks her head to one side, as though trying to recall a distant memory. Then she gasps. "Oh, that's right! You're my Master!"

"Exactly," you reply. Obviously the owner-recognition software is working just fine.

Overjoyed, Ariel leaps out of the water and throws her arms around you, wrapping you in a surprisingly strong, enthusiastic hug.

Unfortunately, you're standing at the edge of the pool, and with no feet of her own to stand on, Ariel's unexpected weight sends you tumbling into the shallow end, still fully clothed.

"Oops!" she exclaims as you stand up, sputtering and dripping. "Sorry about that. I'm just really happy to meet you."