CRAB

Something both John and I loved was fresh cracked crab. I have many memories of eating crab with him.

 The first one that pops up in my memory occurred before Mt. St. Helens blew her top. Seven months pregnant with AJ, we borrowed a camper that belonged to his mother’s friend. We drove around the state and eventually went to the ocean. John hated the ocean and sand and only went there to please me. Before we headed inland, we bought fresh crab and found a place on Spirit Lake that would allow us to camp overnight. This location no longer exists.

          I’m sure the other campers would have liked to shoot us or do something that would have eliminated our presence. We arrived after dark. The camper we’d borrowed had a generator, so John put it to work. We sat at a table and cracked our crabs and ate them with fresh melted butter and crackers. They were absolutely delicious.

          Years later, my parents found a place on Highway 99 that had an all you can eat crab night fairly often. I cannot remember how many times my parents, John, AJ and I went to this place. We’d bring our own nutcrackers, scissors, picks and anything else that would help us remove that delectable delicacy from its shell. It was such fun and a very enjoyable time with my family. Eventually I think the place closed (too much cheap crab maybe) and this pleasure stopped. 

        

          John and I still loved crab; and whenever there was a sale, I’d buy a couple and we’d gorge ourselves at our own dinner table. The crab, fresh melted butter and crackers were like manna from heaven. We loved it. And, I believe AJ, having his first crab in utero and later with his wonderful grandfather, loves this delightful and difficult treat as well. While he isn’t eager to crack crab, he does love a dish I make with crab, hardboiled eggs, cheese and a few other ingredients.

          It wasn’t all that many months ago that John and I each ate a crab with butter and crackers together. I noticed then he wasn’t as quick to crack his crab and gave him a hand when I’d finished cracking mine. He also was unable to eat his entire portion. It made me rather sad to see his pleasure in something he loved diminished.

In the sale paper that came last Tuesday, I noticed QFC was having a sale on fresh crab. I bought a smallish one and last night I ate crab for dinner. Instead of sitting at the table with a warmer keeping the butter ready, I stood at the sink and cracked my crab. Once done, I melted some butter in a small dish and ate my crab dipped in the butter and placed on a soda cracker. In between bites, I had a bit of gin to wash it down. I enjoyed my crab (and gin), but not as much as if John had been seated at the table with me cracking his own crab.

          Another shared enjoyment that’s become a singular enjoyment. Really good, but not quite as good as when I shared it with John or my family.