Sometimes I really get into the strangest things. Lately it's been reading about crustaceans. I read an awesome books a few months back about lobsters called The Secret Life of Lobsters (by T. Corson), and now I am reading Beautiful Swimmers by W. Warner, which is about blue crabs and that is turning out to be pretty amazing as well.
All of these have me itching to take a trip to New England, and see if I can't bribe a fisherman to take me along for a day. I want to help sort peelers and soft shells, and be able to see the discern the signals of an impending molt. I want to wear a big sweater, and rubber boots. I want to catch my own lobster (or crab, I'm not picky), and gorge myself on fresh seafood. I want to hear the old timers tell stories that start out with "It was back in the springtime of 62' and..."
In my reading it seems like another world, those little fishing towns scattered on the coastal islands. It's a grimy life and a hard one, but the fishermen and their families are drawn to it just the same. They themselves can't explain why they'd rather be knee deep in stinky lobsters instead of sitting in an office somewhere. That last part, above all the rest is what is most interesting to me. It sounds so awful, the pay isn't that great, the weather and the animals themselves are unpredictable, the hours are bad, the benefits are worse....but they love it. I don't get that. I must be missing something. That's why I want to go check it out.
One of these days I'll get there. Until then my books will have to do.
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