That's right while sitting at a bar having oysters and dreaming of redheaded "trannymaids". "Ye gods!" I get ahead of myself....here's how the evening unfolded.
Springing from my desk at quitting time, I dashed down to the subway caught the 6 and headed south towards the beach. Well not actually the shoreline but to the Mermaid Inn where I was to meet my gastronomic friend Kathryn. She had recently found out that everyday from 5:30 to 7pm you can enjoy oysters at the bar for a dollar each!!
My heart raced as I made my subterranean journey to shimmering salty bliss when we stopped in the tunnel and waited. Then we lurched forward into the 23rd street stop only to be told that the train would be going express at 14th street (a stop shy of my destination) DAGGERS!!!
Trying to remain calm as the clock ticked past 5:30, the baby leg and I went as fast as we could to 92 Second Avenue....feet don't fail me now!! Then I saw it....Ingrid, Kathryn's bike...already locked out front of the tavern. There would be no pushing or eye rolling for I knew as the gods know that Mars is hot for Aphrodite that Kathryn would have our places at the bar. Pheew. The MTA would not be my culinary foil this time.
I climbed up onto my perch and there they were the first 12 oysters of the evening.
I ordered a beer...which to my surprise also had a mermaid on it, she had red hair or wait is that a wig? Leave it to me to order a beer with a trannymaid on it!! She was fierce working those clam shells and giving me fantail face!!!
Kathryn and I giddy at our bounty could barely contain our delight so we continued to do so....after the 3rd dozen I looked at Kathryn and said, "Should you tell him or should I?" Our bartender who was fresh and friendly said, "Another?" As if we both were cracked from the same egg we said, "Yes please." The bus boys at this point peeked out of the kitchen to see who was eating oysters by the truck load!! Patrons came, ate and went, yet Kathryn and I sailed on...into 5 dozen oysters and for dessert a lobster roll.
We laughed a lot and talked of dreams and fancies. Traveling to Ireland and which grad schools would be best for a masters in poetry. Not only can Kathryn pound oysters like a sailor home on leave, but the bitch can turn a phrase. (this quite possibly will be her epitaph).
Oysters are like childhood to me, all my memories of Charleston and living on James Island with my parents hosting yet another oyster roast...Dad shucking them as fast as he could feeding my sister and I like baby birds. It's fitting that we squeezed this adventure in right before Father's Day....
Night night little mermaid kisses from the sea...see you next week!!
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