|
|
Posted by: Art (artnscience-(at)-yahoo.com) on 5/08/1998@12:22hrs:
Close encounter with calamari
One of my "tuition earning jobs was to work in the credit office of "Two Guys" during school holidays. My boss taught me how to evaluate credit records and issue store money. As a reward he would take us out to his favorite "South Shore" Italian Restaurant. Since his favorite food was "Pasta Calamari," he would wax poetic about this dish. I had never had it before so one day I had some. It was truly a special food. It was prepared perfectly. I have had calamari many times since I left Staten Island but it never tasted as good and it never had the same texture.
Recently, I have taken up the hobby of SCUBA diving. I can't imagine being without the special ability to visit the undersea world to see its creatures "at home" in their native habitat. I am the foreigner in this world and they gently accept my presence. Not surprisingly, my respect for fish and aquatic animals has grown. And, like us fragile humans, aquatic creatures require respect and admiration before they reveal their secrets.
One day, while diving off of Bonaire in the Southern Caribbean, I spotted a small school of squid (calamari). They ignored my presence until I swam as close as 4 feet to them. Then, they backed away at exactly the same speed as my approach. The faster I approached, the faster they retreated. I was determined to get closer. Finally, I decided to stop and just hover in one place. Now that I stopped pursuing them they also stopped. Instead of moving backwards as they had when I pursued, they now approached ME with their eyes and tentacles forward. I stayed still and allowed them to explore my body. They were gentle they did not hurt me nor regard me as food. They just were as curious about me as I was about them.
I had my close encounter with calamari. I cannot eat the dish anymore because they have become my friends.
Art ;-)