"I'm glad one of us finds this funny!" he said to Sarah, while trying to shove the mermaid off.

Every time he managed to get her off, she would just bounce right back.

"Yes!" he said back to the mermaid. Seeing the hurt look in her eyes, he felt guilty immediately.

"I'm sorry," he said, more gently this time, "but I - I can't. It just wouldn't be fair to you. I can't live in the water. Can't expect you to live on land. Doomed from the start. It was lovely meeting you though, and if things were a bit different, maybe. But right now, the answer is no. I'm so sorry."