Hermie by Nathaniel Rich

The short story ”Hermie” written by Nathaniel Rich portrays the story of a grown marine biologist, who suddenly sees his childhood imaginary friend the crab, Hermie. Though the story at first sight only portrays an encounter between an adult and a forgotten friend, something much deeper hides beneath this tale. It is the story of an insecure man’s sub conscience.
The narrator is a married man, living with his wife and 3-year old daughter in Philadelphia. His well-considered thoughts on everything from the hygiene of the restroom to the reason of Hermie’s sudden appearance suggests that he is an intellectual and intelligent man, which is a contradicting aspect to the fact that he is having a conversation with a forgotten imaginary friend. “The Introduction to Marine Biology lecture I give to my freshmen every year is enough to rattle me…” (p. 91 – ll. 3-5). This quote suggests that he is teaching marine biology at a college, which would also explain him doing lectures on different topics concerning this specific subject. However, the quote also indicates a certain level of insecurity and nervousness in the mind of the narrator, given how he fears a simple lecture on a subject he is so comfortable with. His insecurity, and thus need for comfort and reassurance, is what results in him envisioning his childhood friend, in whom he has always found consolation. The story takes place in the restroom of Sheraton Hotel in Salzburg, Austria. The narrator is in the middle of his pre-speech ritual, a habit he has picked up as a comfort before he gives a speech. The ritual consists of him repeating the words “Calm Blue Ocean” over and over again like a mantra. In his opinion, this ritual is probably a way for him to calm himself down by finding comfort in the thought of the ocean something that has always been a comfort, a safe place, and that is