There is a legend that exists in this small town about a boy named Spanky. Some say that they’ve seen him for themselves while others scoff at the mention of his name. Anyways, the legend goes like this……
Spanky didn’t always have it easy. He never actually knew where he came from. As his adoptive parents had explained to him he had floated up on a piece of driftwood as a small baby the day that their small town on the east coast had experienced a flood. They explained to him that they had never seen such a contrast. Spanky had looked so serene and peaceful; you would have thought he was sleeping on a cloud. However, he was sleeping on a cold hard piece of driftwood that floated amongst the dirty water that had caused devastation for the town’s people. Something that intrigued Spanky about the story of his appearance was that they explained how his legs lay very close together. They described how there was almost a glue-like film that kept his legs from separating. They also noted a birthmark that rested on his right hip that resembled that of a fork.

Because Spanky did not have a good sense of where he came from, he often felt alone and lost. To sever the pain Spanky felt, he would eat and eat and eat. Round little Spanky would waddle into school each day and constantly be tormented for his obesity. The kids that made fun of him didn’t understand that food was what gave him comfort. One day in the locker room after gym class, Spanky’s birthmark was accidentally exposed in front of everyone. And the fact that he had a birthmark the shape of a fork on his hip only gave them a leg up on the insult side of things. Billy, the head bully, would always say, “ You even have a fork on your FAT stomach. You were destined to be a fat loser!!” Comments like this one that were being thrown in Spanky’s face all day long, only dug his insecurities deeper. Every day at school was a struggle that Spanky had to power through so that he could get to the one place he felt he belonged, swim team.

Spanky’s parents had enrolled him on the team, using the little money that they had, after they realized the special bond that Spanky had with water. One time, my friend’s dad overheard Spanky’s dad telling the other coworkers about Spanky. “ He was always begging me to take him to work with me,” said Mr. Thomas, Spanky’s adoptive father who worked for the fishing company in their town. “So, one day I brought him! Ha, the way his face lit up when his eyes met the water, you would’ve thought I had given him the world. I think the reason that he loves the water so much has something to do with the fact that he floated in on a piece of drift wood. I think that there was some other supernatural force working there or something. We haven’t told him this, but he was wrapped in seaweed the day he floated up to our doorstep. On the seaweed was written Arthur Lovelace in some fancy letters. Me and my wife think that this is his real name, but we didn’t keep it cause ya can’t live around here and have a name like that and not get beat up. So, we named him Spanky. It was my dad’s name, it’s my name, and now it’s his.” All of these indications of a connection to water lead Spanky to the local “Y” where he went each day after school.

Spanky was an all-star swimmer for his team. He dove into the pool as a fat boy who was out of shape, but he swam in the pool like an athlete. It really was miraculous how well he could swim. He was like a blur underwater. Some said that Spanky’s ability came from the coach. He and his coach had a special bond. Spanky’s first day at the pool brought along some insecurities. Spanky was self conscious about his body weight and his birthmark that acted as a symbol for his dependence on food. Spanky’s coach gave him some encouraging words that eventually convinced him to get in the pool. He said,
“Spanky, we’ve all got our problems, the pool is where we can forget about our problems. Now you get in the water and prove all of the bullies wrong. Everyone deserves to be happy.” After Spanky’s performance, everyone was amazed by his natural talent. When he got out of the water, the coach said, “ I don’t think that your birthmark is a fork. No, after the show you just put on, I think that it is pretty obvious that that birthmark is a triton.” And maybe, he was on to something…..

It had been a year since Spanky had first joined the “Y” and although his bond with his coach grew stronger and his ability in the pool continued to amaze people, Spanky still felt the sense of loneliness. One day Spanky accompanied his father to work. It was a warm day and the sun was glistening atop the waves. They docked the boat and took a minute to just take it all in. Spanky begged his father to allow him to jump in the water. Finally, Mr. Thomas reluctantly gave in to Spanky’s request. Spanky whipped off his shirt and cannonballed off the back of the boat into the glistening water. Spanky felt the bubbly water rise up all around him and elevate him to the top of the water. Once his head burst through the water’s surface, he saw a green scaly fin splash the water. Fear instantly paralyzed his body. Mr. Thomas started screaming from the boat to get back in but it was as if Spanky was hypnotized by the creature that was swimming towards him.

He felt a nudge at his right hip and he started to tremble. Suddenly a man with a chiseled face emerged from the water with a look of wonder on his face. He had long blonde hair with thick beach waves. His eyes met Spanky’s and the words “Arthur Lovelace? You have the triton birthmark.” rolled off of his lips. An odd and gooey feeling fin swiped across Spanky’s leg. With that Spanky snapped out of his paralysis and responded, “What? Who are you?” Mr. Thomas was at the edge of the boat standing with his eyes squinted and his jaw dropped. Mr. Thomas managed to mumble the words, “Who are you? And how do you know my son?” With that Spanky looked at Mr. Thomas like he had three heads and asked, “What is wrong with you?” Mr. Thomas scurried to the cabinet beneath the steering wheel of the boat. He unlocked it and pulled out a steel box. He brought it over to the edge of the boat and opened the box. It was filled with water and Mr. Thomas pulled a long strip of seaweed out from the box with shaky hands. His chin quivered as he read the fancy letters that wrote “Arthur Lovelace” on top of the seaweed. The blond man took Spanky in his embrace and started crying tears of joy and astonishment. Spanky, still not knowing what was going on looked up at Mr. Thomas and asked, “ Who is this guy?” The man responded, “I am Timothy Lovelace, your father.”

After everything was explained to Spanky or Arthur, they all just sat at the edge of the boat in silence. Spanky walked through his whole life trying to make sense of the fact that his biological father happened to be a merman. It did give a logical reason for a kid like Spanky having a natural talent for swimming. And it did explain how his appearance at the Thomas’ door some thirteen years ago came to be. However, the whole idea of it was just beyond belief. After Mr. Thomas and Timothy gave Spanky some time to let the information marinate, the possibility of Spanky being converted to a merman was discussed.

There were so many variables involved with the decision though. Spanky’s life on land was not ideal for a kid, considering his weight and bullying issues. This was finally his chance to be where he belonged and fit in among his peers. However, Spanky’s relationships with his adoptive parents and swim coach might diminish if he were not able to see them every day.

Because it happened some twenty years ago, no one knows exactly whom Spanky chose that day. The kids, now adults, who went to school with Spanky never speak of the events that happened in our small town when they were just kids. However, there are rumors that two figures swim up to Mr.Thomas’ boat every once in a while, but nothing is for sure.