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By the time the pasta bake was done, Shelly had already partnered with the staff and most of the performers at Weeki Wachee, even though they were in Florida and we were in cabin country. She at least agreed that a single day for the event would be best. It's impressive what Shelly can get done on a Thursday.
Although I was all set to get the third and final daybed done that night - remember, we had one in the study and I had the assembly down pat - Shelly wouldn't let me be off by myself that night. She wanted me to watch some live performance on Fox. I forget which show it was, honestly, because I nodded off during the opening credits. She got the last laugh, however, when she and Michelle snuck off quietly and left me there all night - but with a spot of whipped cream on my hand and a feather duster to the face come morning. Nice. At least it's classic, and best of all, wasn't eggs or anything that'd leave a stain. Best of all, they were kind enough to remove my glasses first.

Ultimately, we had our fill of the cabin and headed home on the Tuesday morning after Memorial Day. Even though we had originally planned to wait until later in the day, Shelly wanted to get me to go with her to the Mall for a prearranged meeting with the marketing team at Underwater World. Seriously, she worked that fast. The meeting was to take place that afternoon, surprisingly enough.
Although traffic was heavy for the ride home despite making an early start, we had enough time to catch a quick lunch before going into the mall. Shelly had a whole file of marketing ideas that she had sketched and drawn by hand to describe her idea. I didn't realize she could draw so well.
Wearing a plain but professional day dress and cute flats, she was clearly dressed to impress. "Why didn't you put on something a little more presentable?" she asked as we walked from the parking ramp to the entrance.
"I'm not cold. Are you?" So I was wearing my basic jeans and a shirt. Meh.
"Really Greg," Shelly muttered as we went inside. "This is a business meeting after all. Would you expect them to take us seriously if I came in looking like that?"
"You're beautiful in a burlap sack," I said. At least I was wearing pants.
She half-smiled at the remark. "Fine, I guess I'll be doing all the talking anyway."

Most of the meeting, I sat next to Shelly and watched her spearhead the entire operation. She had printed out a bulleted list of her plan, detailed down to the methods of how money would be collected, what would be featured for the event, and stressed that the entire ordeal would be done by performers, and not real live mermaids. If it was a direct lie, it wasn't interpreted as such, since even Raine, Orchid and Crystal were all considered performers by the spring. Tickets and raffle prizes would be issued, and there wouldn't be just performers in the water, but also among the crowd. These folks would then be responsible for spreading the word of oceanographic conservation and, to a lesser extent, the mythology of the mermaid and her mission in the world. Even if the truth of their existence would be denied, the mythology and their presence in pop culture seemed to break through to the marketing team.
Oh, I forgot to explain where we were. We met with three people in a party room located in the facility. There was a table, a plant in the corner, and colorful balloons painted on the wall. The man in the middle, Alan, was the director of the attraction and about my age. I could tell he was genuinely enthusiastic about the whole project, though he managed to remain composed and professional. On his left was an older woman named Janice - I admit that I forgot her last name - who was the marketing manager for the mall, and on Alan's right was a man named Orville McGregor who was stern-faced the entire time. I forget what his position was, but based on his demeanor it probably was related to finance. Lucky for me, Shelly didn't call me out on my failure to be fully engaged in the meeting. I mean, I did pay attention, but not word for word.
Speaking of that, I did have to say a few words here and there, but as I stated, it was Shelly's project. In the end, Alan seemed very amiable to the idea and overall plan.
"This sounds like an incredible project, Shelly," Alan explained once their questions were addressed. "So long as your friends at Weeki Wachee are on board and the proper forms are all filled out, I can't see any reason why this shouldn't be approved."
McGregor grumbled quietly and adjusted his papers before standing. "Keep in mind, however, that the marketing team must first sign off on this pageantry."
"Of course," Shelly said. "When can we expect an answer, Mr. McGregor?"
"About a week," Janice replied as McGregor turned to the wall before breaking into a brief fit of coughs. "But there are things that can be started now."
"Indeed," Alan put his copies of the paperwork into a leather padded briefcase before rising from the table. "Because of your time schedule, I'd encourage you to start making a list of performers and support staff."
"Will the mall be able to provide any stipends for this?" I asked. "I must have missed the part about that marketing budget."
"If it gets approved, there will be funds available, but only for certain portions of the project," McGregor gruffed before starting for the door. "Mainly for the Parkview rental fee, staff at the banquet, and some light advertising. Don’t expect too much."
"The goal is to maximize the donation for the Blue Marine Foundation," Alan added. "We've done this many times, and usually the charities make out very well."
“Are we required to order food from this event center?” I asked.
Alan hesitated. “Yes and no. It might take some logistical issues, but if you’re doing this for charity-” He glanced to McGregor, who nodded. “There shouldn’t be too many problems with getting our sources from elsewhere, certainly.”
"Any money the charity can get, I'm sure they'll appreciate," Shelly said. "Thank you for meeting with us."
"Your dedication to your cause is genuine, Miss Claxion," Alan said as he shook her hand before shaking mine. "We'll be in touch."

If it wasn't for Shelly's driving test on Wednesday, I'm sure she'd be at pins and needles all week regarding the board's decision. Let me tell you how her test went.
Because I couldn't be in the car and because Summer was at work inside of Michelle at the zoo, that meant Shelly got to drive the Bonneville for the test.
"Okay, Miss Claxion-Starsetter, my name is Grant Thompson and I'll be your facilitator today." The older gentleman climbed into the car's passenger seat and adjusted his seat belt before holding up a clipboard. "For the record, there's no time limit, but there is a speed limit throughout the test course of fifteen miles per hour."
"Understood," Shelly said as she put both of her hands on the steering wheel and took a deep breath. "Can you call me by name?"
"Sure, By Name," he said with a smirk. "Feel free to start up the car anytime, Shelly. We'll take this one step at a time."
"Great." Shelly reached for the key and turned the ignition before ensuring that she was buckled in and checking her mirrors. She then turned off the radio so that she'd give the test her full attention.
"Whenever you're ready, let's start by going straight and down to the end of the test area," Grant said.
Shelly took another deep breath and began to pull out, stopping suddenly when a car drove past in the traffic lane.
"Ooh!" she gasped.
Grant made a note on his clipboard. "That's not a fail, but do you know what you did wrong?"
“I didn’t check my mirror,” Shelly said softly.
“Forgetting to look can cause an accident. Shall we proceed?”
Shelly nodded and tried again, this time checking the mirror and going only when the way forward was clear. Since it was, she pulled into traffic and slowly made her way down the road toward the south end of the testing area.
"That’s good. Let's take a left at the stop sign."
Slowing and weaving only slightly, Shelly kept the car straight and slowly tapped the brakes before coming to a complete stop at the sign. Then, she glanced left and right before making the left turn, as it was clear.
"Very good. Let's go straight awhile."
She continued straight and came to a stop at the next stoplight. "I hope I'm not the oldest person you've tested today."
"You're not," Grant said as he made a note on his clipboard when the light changed green. "Straight."
Slowly depressing the pedal, Shelly slowly accelerated to fifteen before stopping at a railroad crossing that had its lights going and a dropping bar. Even though it was a dummy track that crossed the road - and the mere fact that there was no train - she responded to the signal and waited. Apparently, this thing was set to go off randomly during the test.
"Very good. We re-test older folks when they apply for a license here after moving in from out of state, and the last person I tested was in her fifties."
"Oh, okay," Shelly said as the signal went dark and the bell stopped ringing. Checking to see that it was clear, she pulled forward.
"Right turn at the yield please."
Ahead was a roundabout, and Shelly hesitated before taking the corner and continuing through the circle to the right path. Ahead she could see two poles situated along the right side of the road.
"Let's try parallel parking."
Shelly gripped the steering wheel and took another deep breath before pulling just past the pair of poles. "How come they always make these so narrow? I mean, if it's narrow, I don't try to park there-"
"Do your best," Grant replied calmly.
Shelly put the car into reverse and jerked the wheel right before slowly backing up, checking her mirrors and glancing over her shoulder. She quickly tapped the brake before stopping suddenly, and easing the car into the space. Although the car might have been a little crooked, she held her breath as Grant held up his hand.
"That'll do." He then pulled a small handheld mirror from the inside of his jacket and hit the button for the window. Checking the distance between the car with the mirror, he made a note on the clipboard and grunted under his breath. "You can pull out again."
Shelly gasped in relief and pulled out quickly, brushing the fender against the front post. The post began to shake and twitch in its upright position. It stayed upright and settled a moment or six later, perhaps unhinging Shelly slightly from the jostling.
Grant smirked and gave a nod. "Right turn at the next intersection, please."

After demonstrating a proper Y-turn, U-turn, and the proper way to back into a parking space, Grant had Shelly drive past the testing facility once more before pulling to a stop at the front of the building. In a way, this was another test of her parallel parking ability, but in a more realistic manner. Seriously, nobody ever goes for the narrow parking spaces if there's a better spot fifty feet away.
"Let's park and retire the engine," Grant said as he held up his clipboard and went over his checklist. "Looks like we might be able to let you out on the road, Shelly."
"Did I pass?"
"Everyone gets better with practice. Plus, as you said, unless you live in the core cities, parallel parking is never that narrow. Rules are rules," he said as he clipped the pen to the clipboard. He then offered a handshake. "Congratulations."
Shelly returned the handshake, and then leaned over the shifter to give him a big hug. She might've bumped the steering wheel, and the horn tapped in retort. She giggled before leaning back. "Sorry."
"You can leave the car parked here a moment while we go inside to sign the paperwork." He undid the seatbelt and climbed out. "Have a nice day."

I had been sitting inside reading a three-month-old Car and Driver magazine when Shelly came to find me.
"I passed!" She was almost giddy.
Without looking up, I nodded and continued reading an article on the newly re-released Ford GT. "Did you hit anything?"
"Almost, I narrowly tipped over the parallel parking bar, but it was on the exit and not the approach." She was jumping up and down. "Greg, did you hear me, I did it!"
"Good work, Fishkins." This time I lowered the mag and leaned forward to give her a kiss. "Did you go through the line again?"
"Sure did. They took my photo, and gave me the paperwork with my clipped identification card." She showed me the state ID card with VOID stamped across the left side of her picture. "I told you I could do it!"
"I knew you could," I said as I got up and tossed the old magazine to the table. "Should we go get some lunch?"
"Sure, can I drive?"

Since she wanted to drive, I let her. We didn't go far, though, as there was an Old Chicago nearby that was easy to get to. Shelly gave me the full report of her test, though she made it sound like she was a lot luckier regarding the parallel parking test. The way I see it, Michelle had done a good job having her practice and re-practice in narrower spots in St. Paul and near the U of M.
Personally, if I were Michelle, I'm not sure if I'd allow myself to be used as a training tool when my own hips were the very fenders that would be scraped and deformed in order to fit into a parking space. Then again, maybe that's why Shelly was able to learn it as well as she did, especially as Summer helped her practice diligently.

As soon as we got home, Shelly asked if she could borrow the car and take a drive around town.
"Wasting no time, then?"
She leaned into my shoulder. "Please? I just want to take a lap around the Metro. You know, drive the entire length of 494 and 694?"
"During rush hour?"
Somehow, I convinced her to wait, and she soon shifted gears from driving to the fundraising project. Since she commandeered the computer room and began making phone calls for donations, I did what most husbands would do while their wives were off being productive. I took a nap and watched Jeopardy.
Michelle later came home and brought - wouldn't you know it - a pizza from Papa Murphy's, even though neither Shelly or I were hungry. Still, that didn't stop us from speculating how Summer might have carried it home. Shelly guessed the roof, while I suggested the trunk.
"The bus," Michelle snapped as she put the pizza into the oven and set the temp. "People were sure eyeing me on the way home, let me tell you."
"Nah, you're just cute," Shelly replied with a giggle.

A week later, Shelly had her answer from the marketing panel at the mall. The marketing board had accepted it unanimously. They wanted posters and marketing materials for the event within two weeks, as well as a full listing of people who would be involved so that security passes could be made.
Before I could get started on the posters, however, Shelly had me assist with the list. That meant calling our friends, Weeki Wachee, and getting our support staff of performers and assistants ready to go. I kid you not, we must've been on the phone for most of the afternoon that Saturday.
"How'd you do?" Shelly asked me later in the day as I nursed the crick in my neck with an ice pack.
"Well," I paused to remove the ice pack as I pulled open the spreadsheet on the computer, "so far I've got a confirmed yes from Raine, Megan, Crystal, Orchid and Nauridia for aquatic performers."
"And me," Shelly said with a spin.
"Of course," I replied. "For contrast, we have ten to twelve mermaid performers from Weeki Wachee who will also be attending the event. Four of them will be in walking tails, while two of them will be fully human, and the remaining four will be fully costumed and immobile, serving as mermaid ambassadors for the interactive spaces. The final arraingment is, of course, subject to change.”
"Yes, you labeled them here, right?" Shelly leaned over my shoulder as she read over their names from the spreadsheet. "How nice! Looks like we'll get to see Mandy again! She's such a gamer."
I nodded and moved down the list. "For support crew, we've got Michelle on as head mermaid wrangler. Basically, her job will be to ensure that someone who knows water quality will be backstage to keep an eye on the real mermaids."
"Also, she'll be the someone who can help ensure that the real mermaids are kept separate from the costumed mermaids when aquarium staff are around," Shelly said as she rubbed her nose. "That's a good plan. With her credentials, she'll have no trouble being cleared for that."
"My name is on here as an event coordinator," I said before scrolling down the list. "Tony signed up as head assistant, while Nick is also listed as an assistant."
"Were you able to find anyone else?" Shelly asked.
"Megan's boyfriend Drew will be on hand, as well as Tiffany and Sarah from Florida. Apparently, they made a deal for airfare. Since Raine, Orchid and Crystal are all traveling together, Sarah and Tiffany were able to get on the same FBI flight."
"Good," Shelly said. "Michelle will be pleased to have another set of wheels nearby if we need it. What about genies?"
"Anabelle can't make the trip, but Jeanette might be off work for the weekend. Said she didn't think she wanted to be in residence because of all the people, but to call her if we run into any problems and that she might be available to visit the cabin afterwards, but only if we‘ve got a spare bed."
Shelly nodded. "I suppose when we're running a fundraiser it's a little unfair for her to be around, since everyone has a tendency to use the phrase 'I wish' when describing where their donations should go."
"Yeah, that was pretty much her reason for not attending, although she did pledge to donate a couple hundred bucks to the cause,” I replied.
"That's nice of her. Anyone else that we might need?" Shelly asked. "Or did you hear from anyone else who might be able to volunteer their time?"
I shook my head before scrolling down to the bottom of the list. "Remind me how the day would go? Because if this is going to be a full day thing, what kind of catering would we need? I mean, how much is this going to cost?"
Shelly took a seat on the loveseat behind the desk. "According to the marketing team at the mall, they've budgeted for nothing more than appetizers and small snacks. There will be access to a bartender for the evening event, but aside from basic amenities there won't be a budget for any large scale catering, unless we can provide meals."
"That would open up another avenue for fundraising, but we'd have to search around for a restaurant or catering company that could accommodate it," I said.
Shelly nodded. "Yes, and at a price where it would be affordable. How about an evening dinner event where you dine with mermaids?"
"Would that be appropriate?" I asked. "Plus, the only place I can think of that could even accommodate a crowd like that would be either a sushi place or Red Lobster-"
"No, no," Shelly cut me off. "I'm thinking of something closer to like what we serve under the sea. Kelp salad, seaberry jam, nori crackers, coral candy and the like."
"Would that even work?" I was skeptical to say the least, since I can only imagine that those kinds of foods would not hold up without a healthy ocean nearby. "Plus, if this is to be a fairly high end thing, people might go in expecting seafood, though they could always have those things there as part of the meal, or even a raffle."
"What would be a reasonable charge for an event featuring seafood?" Shelly asked.
I shrugged. "Maybe seventy to a hundred bucks a plate, but you couldn’t charge a diner more than $100, $150 per dinner, depending on costs. You set up a room with tables, maybe five or six folks to a table, put a mermaid - real or a performer - at every table, and then get a small staff and caterers from there."
"That's assuming we have the space and the budget for it," Shelly said.
"Seems like you mentioned something similar might happen."
She nodded. "I suppose I did." She smiled. "Guess I'll have to research that."
"You can start by asking around for what the performers might like," I suggested.
"Yeah, I'll do that, and look into the other options as well. Sushi might be the simplest thing to do."
"Or maybe a small three course meal? Salad, sushi, and then a main course?"
"No," Shelly said immediately. "It would have to be a four course meal. Dessert has to be in there, and that's a non-negotiable deal breaker."
"Well, yeah," I conceded. "Provided we can get all that for a low enough price so that there's enough left over to make a decent donation."
"Of course," Shelly replied.

Description
By the time the pasta bake was done, Shelly had already partnered with the staff and most of the performers at Weeki Wachee, even though they were in Florida and we were in cabin country. She at least agreed that a single day for the event would be best. It's impressive what Shelly can get done on a Thursday.
Although I was all set to get the third and final daybed done that night - remember, we had one in the study and I had the assembly down pat - Shelly wouldn't let me be off by myself that night. She wanted me to watch some live performance on Fox. I forget which show it was, honestly, because I nodded off during the opening credits. She got the last laugh, however, when she and Michelle snuck off quietly and left me there all night - but with a spot of whipped cream on my hand and a feather duster to the face come morning. Nice. At least it's classic, and best of all, wasn't eggs or anything that'd leave a stain. Best of all, they were kind enough to remove my glasses first.

Ultimately, we had our fill of the cabin and headed home on the Tuesday morning after Memorial Day. Even though we had originally planned to wait until later in the day, Shelly wanted to get me to go with her to the Mall for a prearranged meeting with the marketing team at Underwater World. Seriously, she worked that fast. The meeting was to take place that afternoon, surprisingly enough.
Although traffic was heavy for the ride home despite making an early start, we had enough time to catch a quick lunch before going into the mall. Shelly had a whole file of marketing ideas that she had sketched and drawn by hand to describe her idea. I didn't realize she could draw so well.
Wearing a plain but professional day dress and cute flats, she was clearly dressed to impress. "Why didn't you put on something a little more presentable?" she asked as we walked from the parking ramp to the entrance.
"I'm not cold. Are you?" So I was wearing my basic jeans and a shirt. Meh.
"Really Greg," Shelly muttered as we went inside. "This is a business meeting after all. Would you expect them to take us seriously if I came in looking like that?"
"You're beautiful in a burlap sack," I said. At least I was wearing pants.
She half-smiled at the remark. "Fine, I guess I'll be doing all the talking anyway."

Most of the meeting, I sat next to Shelly and watched her spearhead the entire operation. She had printed out a bulleted list of her plan, detailed down to the methods of how money would be collected, what would be featured for the event, and stressed that the entire ordeal would be done by performers, and not real live mermaids. If it was a direct lie, it wasn't interpreted as such, since even Raine, Orchid and Crystal were all considered performers by the spring. Tickets and raffle prizes would be issued, and there wouldn't be just performers in the water, but also among the crowd. These folks would then be responsible for spreading the word of oceanographic conservation and, to a lesser extent, the mythology of the mermaid and her mission in the world. Even if the truth of their existence would be denied, the mythology and their presence in pop culture seemed to break through to the marketing team.
Oh, I forgot to explain where we were. We met with three people in a party room located in the facility. There was a table, a plant in the corner, and colorful balloons painted on the wall. The man in the middle, Alan, was the director of the attraction and about my age. I could tell he was genuinely enthusiastic about the whole project, though he managed to remain composed and professional. On his left was an older woman named Janice - I admit that I forgot her last name - who was the marketing manager for the mall, and on Alan's right was a man named Orville McGregor who was stern-faced the entire time. I forget what his position was, but based on his demeanor it probably was related to finance. Lucky for me, Shelly didn't call me out on my failure to be fully engaged in the meeting. I mean, I did pay attention, but not word for word.
Speaking of that, I did have to say a few words here and there, but as I stated, it was Shelly's project. In the end, Alan seemed very amiable to the idea and overall plan.
"This sounds like an incredible project, Shelly," Alan explained once their questions were addressed. "So long as your friends at Weeki Wachee are on board and the proper forms are all filled out, I can't see any reason why this shouldn't be approved."
McGregor grumbled quietly and adjusted his papers before standing. "Keep in mind, however, that the marketing team must first sign off on this pageantry."
"Of course," Shelly said. "When can we expect an answer, Mr. McGregor?"
"About a week," Janice replied as McGregor turned to the wall before breaking into a brief fit of coughs. "But there are things that can be started now."
"Indeed," Alan put his copies of the paperwork into a leather padded briefcase before rising from the table. "Because of your time schedule, I'd encourage you to start making a list of performers and support staff."
"Will the mall be able to provide any stipends for this?" I asked. "I must have missed the part about that marketing budget."
"If it gets approved, there will be funds available, but only for certain portions of the project," McGregor gruffed before starting for the door. "Mainly for the Parkview rental fee, staff at the banquet, and some light advertising. Don’t expect too much."
"The goal is to maximize the donation for the Blue Marine Foundation," Alan added. "We've done this many times, and usually the charities make out very well."
“Are we required to order food from this event center?” I asked.
Alan hesitated. “Yes and no. It might take some logistical issues, but if you’re doing this for charity-” He glanced to McGregor, who nodded. “There shouldn’t be too many problems with getting our sources from elsewhere, certainly.”
"Any money the charity can get, I'm sure they'll appreciate," Shelly said. "Thank you for meeting with us."
"Your dedication to your cause is genuine, Miss Claxion," Alan said as he shook her hand before shaking mine. "We'll be in touch."

If it wasn't for Shelly's driving test on Wednesday, I'm sure she'd be at pins and needles all week regarding the board's decision. Let me tell you how her test went.
Because I couldn't be in the car and because Summer was at work inside of Michelle at the zoo, that meant Shelly got to drive the Bonneville for the test.
"Okay, Miss Claxion-Starsetter, my name is Grant Thompson and I'll be your facilitator today." The older gentleman climbed into the car's passenger seat and adjusted his seat belt before holding up a clipboard. "For the record, there's no time limit, but there is a speed limit throughout the test course of fifteen miles per hour."
"Understood," Shelly said as she put both of her hands on the steering wheel and took a deep breath. "Can you call me by name?"
"Sure, By Name," he said with a smirk. "Feel free to start up the car anytime, Shelly. We'll take this one step at a time."
"Great." Shelly reached for the key and turned the ignition before ensuring that she was buckled in and checking her mirrors. She then turned off the radio so that she'd give the test her full attention.
"Whenever you're ready, let's start by going straight and down to the end of the test area," Grant said.
Shelly took another deep breath and began to pull out, stopping suddenly when a car drove past in the traffic lane.
"Ooh!" she gasped.
Grant made a note on his clipboard. "That's not a fail, but do you know what you did wrong?"
“I didn’t check my mirror,” Shelly said softly.
“Forgetting to look can cause an accident. Shall we proceed?”
Shelly nodded and tried again, this time checking the mirror and going only when the way forward was clear. Since it was, she pulled into traffic and slowly made her way down the road toward the south end of the testing area.
"That’s good. Let's take a left at the stop sign."
Slowing and weaving only slightly, Shelly kept the car straight and slowly tapped the brakes before coming to a complete stop at the sign. Then, she glanced left and right before making the left turn, as it was clear.
"Very good. Let's go straight awhile."
She continued straight and came to a stop at the next stoplight. "I hope I'm not the oldest person you've tested today."
"You're not," Grant said as he made a note on his clipboard when the light changed green. "Straight."
Slowly depressing the pedal, Shelly slowly accelerated to fifteen before stopping at a railroad crossing that had its lights going and a dropping bar. Even though it was a dummy track that crossed the road - and the mere fact that there was no train - she responded to the signal and waited. Apparently, this thing was set to go off randomly during the test.
"Very good. We re-test older folks when they apply for a license here after moving in from out of state, and the last person I tested was in her fifties."
"Oh, okay," Shelly said as the signal went dark and the bell stopped ringing. Checking to see that it was clear, she pulled forward.
"Right turn at the yield please."
Ahead was a roundabout, and Shelly hesitated before taking the corner and continuing through the circle to the right path. Ahead she could see two poles situated along the right side of the road.
"Let's try parallel parking."
Shelly gripped the steering wheel and took another deep breath before pulling just past the pair of poles. "How come they always make these so narrow? I mean, if it's narrow, I don't try to park there-"
"Do your best," Grant replied calmly.
Shelly put the car into reverse and jerked the wheel right before slowly backing up, checking her mirrors and glancing over her shoulder. She quickly tapped the brake before stopping suddenly, and easing the car into the space. Although the car might have been a little crooked, she held her breath as Grant held up his hand.
"That'll do." He then pulled a small handheld mirror from the inside of his jacket and hit the button for the window. Checking the distance between the car with the mirror, he made a note on the clipboard and grunted under his breath. "You can pull out again."
Shelly gasped in relief and pulled out quickly, brushing the fender against the front post. The post began to shake and twitch in its upright position. It stayed upright and settled a moment or six later, perhaps unhinging Shelly slightly from the jostling.
Grant smirked and gave a nod. "Right turn at the next intersection, please."

After demonstrating a proper Y-turn, U-turn, and the proper way to back into a parking space, Grant had Shelly drive past the testing facility once more before pulling to a stop at the front of the building. In a way, this was another test of her parallel parking ability, but in a more realistic manner. Seriously, nobody ever goes for the narrow parking spaces if there's a better spot fifty feet away.
"Let's park and retire the engine," Grant said as he held up his clipboard and went over his checklist. "Looks like we might be able to let you out on the road, Shelly."
"Did I pass?"
"Everyone gets better with practice. Plus, as you said, unless you live in the core cities, parallel parking is never that narrow. Rules are rules," he said as he clipped the pen to the clipboard. He then offered a handshake. "Congratulations."
Shelly returned the handshake, and then leaned over the shifter to give him a big hug. She might've bumped the steering wheel, and the horn tapped in retort. She giggled before leaning back. "Sorry."
"You can leave the car parked here a moment while we go inside to sign the paperwork." He undid the seatbelt and climbed out. "Have a nice day."

I had been sitting inside reading a three-month-old Car and Driver magazine when Shelly came to find me.
"I passed!" She was almost giddy.
Without looking up, I nodded and continued reading an article on the newly re-released Ford GT. "Did you hit anything?"
"Almost, I narrowly tipped over the parallel parking bar, but it was on the exit and not the approach." She was jumping up and down. "Greg, did you hear me, I did it!"
"Good work, Fishkins." This time I lowered the mag and leaned forward to give her a kiss. "Did you go through the line again?"
"Sure did. They took my photo, and gave me the paperwork with my clipped identification card." She showed me the state ID card with VOID stamped across the left side of her picture. "I told you I could do it!"
"I knew you could," I said as I got up and tossed the old magazine to the table. "Should we go get some lunch?"
"Sure, can I drive?"

Since she wanted to drive, I let her. We didn't go far, though, as there was an Old Chicago nearby that was easy to get to. Shelly gave me the full report of her test, though she made it sound like she was a lot luckier regarding the parallel parking test. The way I see it, Michelle had done a good job having her practice and re-practice in narrower spots in St. Paul and near the U of M.
Personally, if I were Michelle, I'm not sure if I'd allow myself to be used as a training tool when my own hips were the very fenders that would be scraped and deformed in order to fit into a parking space. Then again, maybe that's why Shelly was able to learn it as well as she did, especially as Summer helped her practice diligently.

As soon as we got home, Shelly asked if she could borrow the car and take a drive around town.
"Wasting no time, then?"
She leaned into my shoulder. "Please? I just want to take a lap around the Metro. You know, drive the entire length of 494 and 694?"
"During rush hour?"
Somehow, I convinced her to wait, and she soon shifted gears from driving to the fundraising project. Since she commandeered the computer room and began making phone calls for donations, I did what most husbands would do while their wives were off being productive. I took a nap and watched Jeopardy.
Michelle later came home and brought - wouldn't you know it - a pizza from Papa Murphy's, even though neither Shelly or I were hungry. Still, that didn't stop us from speculating how Summer might have carried it home. Shelly guessed the roof, while I suggested the trunk.
"The bus," Michelle snapped as she put the pizza into the oven and set the temp. "People were sure eyeing me on the way home, let me tell you."
"Nah, you're just cute," Shelly replied with a giggle.

A week later, Shelly had her answer from the marketing panel at the mall. The marketing board had accepted it unanimously. They wanted posters and marketing materials for the event within two weeks, as well as a full listing of people who would be involved so that security passes could be made.
Before I could get started on the posters, however, Shelly had me assist with the list. That meant calling our friends, Weeki Wachee, and getting our support staff of performers and assistants ready to go. I kid you not, we must've been on the phone for most of the afternoon that Saturday.
"How'd you do?" Shelly asked me later in the day as I nursed the crick in my neck with an ice pack.
"Well," I paused to remove the ice pack as I pulled open the spreadsheet on the computer, "so far I've got a confirmed yes from Raine, Megan, Crystal, Orchid and Nauridia for aquatic performers."
"And me," Shelly said with a spin.
"Of course," I replied. "For contrast, we have ten to twelve mermaid performers from Weeki Wachee who will also be attending the event. Four of them will be in walking tails, while two of them will be fully human, and the remaining four will be fully costumed and immobile, serving as mermaid ambassadors for the interactive spaces. The final arraingment is, of course, subject to change.”
"Yes, you labeled them here, right?" Shelly leaned over my shoulder as she read over their names from the spreadsheet. "How nice! Looks like we'll get to see Mandy again! She's such a gamer."
I nodded and moved down the list. "For support crew, we've got Michelle on as head mermaid wrangler. Basically, her job will be to ensure that someone who knows water quality will be backstage to keep an eye on the real mermaids."
"Also, she'll be the someone who can help ensure that the real mermaids are kept separate from the costumed mermaids when aquarium staff are around," Shelly said as she rubbed her nose. "That's a good plan. With her credentials, she'll have no trouble being cleared for that."
"My name is on here as an event coordinator," I said before scrolling down the list. "Tony signed up as head assistant, while Nick is also listed as an assistant."
"Were you able to find anyone else?" Shelly asked.
"Megan's boyfriend Drew will be on hand, as well as Tiffany and Sarah from Florida. Apparently, they made a deal for airfare. Since Raine, Orchid and Crystal are all traveling together, Sarah and Tiffany were able to get on the same FBI flight."
"Good," Shelly said. "Michelle will be pleased to have another set of wheels nearby if we need it. What about genies?"
"Anabelle can't make the trip, but Jeanette might be off work for the weekend. Said she didn't think she wanted to be in residence because of all the people, but to call her if we run into any problems and that she might be available to visit the cabin afterwards, but only if we‘ve got a spare bed."
Shelly nodded. "I suppose when we're running a fundraiser it's a little unfair for her to be around, since everyone has a tendency to use the phrase 'I wish' when describing where their donations should go."
"Yeah, that was pretty much her reason for not attending, although she did pledge to donate a couple hundred bucks to the cause,” I replied.
"That's nice of her. Anyone else that we might need?" Shelly asked. "Or did you hear from anyone else who might be able to volunteer their time?"
I shook my head before scrolling down to the bottom of the list. "Remind me how the day would go? Because if this is going to be a full day thing, what kind of catering would we need? I mean, how much is this going to cost?"
Shelly took a seat on the loveseat behind the desk. "According to the marketing team at the mall, they've budgeted for nothing more than appetizers and small snacks. There will be access to a bartender for the evening event, but aside from basic amenities there won't be a budget for any large scale catering, unless we can provide meals."
"That would open up another avenue for fundraising, but we'd have to search around for a restaurant or catering company that could accommodate it," I said.
Shelly nodded. "Yes, and at a price where it would be affordable. How about an evening dinner event where you dine with mermaids?"
"Would that be appropriate?" I asked. "Plus, the only place I can think of that could even accommodate a crowd like that would be either a sushi place or Red Lobster-"
"No, no," Shelly cut me off. "I'm thinking of something closer to like what we serve under the sea. Kelp salad, seaberry jam, nori crackers, coral candy and the like."
"Would that even work?" I was skeptical to say the least, since I can only imagine that those kinds of foods would not hold up without a healthy ocean nearby. "Plus, if this is to be a fairly high end thing, people might go in expecting seafood, though they could always have those things there as part of the meal, or even a raffle."
"What would be a reasonable charge for an event featuring seafood?" Shelly asked.
I shrugged. "Maybe seventy to a hundred bucks a plate, but you couldn’t charge a diner more than $100, $150 per dinner, depending on costs. You set up a room with tables, maybe five or six folks to a table, put a mermaid - real or a performer - at every table, and then get a small staff and caterers from there."
"That's assuming we have the space and the budget for it," Shelly said.
"Seems like you mentioned something similar might happen."
She nodded. "I suppose I did." She smiled. "Guess I'll have to research that."
"You can start by asking around for what the performers might like," I suggested.
"Yeah, I'll do that, and look into the other options as well. Sushi might be the simplest thing to do."
"Or maybe a small three course meal? Salad, sushi, and then a main course?"
"No," Shelly said immediately. "It would have to be a four course meal. Dessert has to be in there, and that's a non-negotiable deal breaker."
"Well, yeah," I conceded. "Provided we can get all that for a low enough price so that there's enough left over to make a decent donation."
"Of course," Shelly replied.