Panhandling Mermaids

My wife and I were walking along the Gloucester waterfront a week ago and at the end that is nearest to Stage Fort Park, there are a series of rocks. As we were walking by I imagined what it would be like if a pod of mer-people, took up residence there, maybe voluntarily, but possibly forced there because of pollution, or over-fishing.

I imagined that at first there would be a lot of initial interest in them and their story, local and national press coverage, television crews and press helicopters . Scientists and others who wanted to photograph and study them. An influx of vendors exploiting the situation by selling everything from snacks to mer-themed t-shirts and hats.

Inevitably, people would gradually lose interest, and the mermaids who were once magical and mythical, would become commonplace. Add in a bit more time, and they might actually start to become a problem. Since they no longer have their deep-water homes, they no longer have the means to support themselves, and rely on handouts to live. They may descend into problematic public behaviors like smoking, drugs, drinking. With that in mind, I doodled the scene below.
Mermaids as homeless, panhandling to survive, and with the same sort of reaction from those passing by.