People in Portland, Oregon put “Visualize Whirled Peas,” “Keep Portland Weird,” and most eccentrically, a picture of the “Jake the Alligator Man,” half man half alligator, which can be seen for real at Marsh’s Free Museum in Long Beach, Washington on the coast where it’s on display to bring in the tourists. It’s from the last century when such politically incorrect oddities were appreciated rather than condemned, which is why it has become a symbol of irony. I have all the bumper stickers on display in my office for the same reason.
Never did I expect to see anything like that again so call me surprised when the “Merman” debuted into my life. Located in a Native American crafts store in Banff, Alberta, Canada. It was described as the “Stoney Nakoda Legend of Lake Minnewanka:”
“One time when our people were camping near the lake, my father heard what seemed to be the beating of a drum. The noise seemed to be coming from the water. He could also hear voices down in the lake. Soon my father saw, near the center of the lake, a strange creature rise out of the water. It was half a fish and half human being.”
Through of similar provenance as Alligator Man, Merman’s presence is tolerated under the umbrella of indigenous totems. In person, it’s even more hideous than its Washington counterpart. Of course, I had to buy the bumper sticker.
Absolution Style by Premium phpBB Styles
