This past weekend I had the pleasure of introducing Kayt to fresh oysters. When the platter came to our table she looked at me the way that a person typically does when they finally venture to clean out the fridge full of Thanksgiving leftovers-in February. "Have you ever tried a fresh oyster Kayt?" I asked. "Uuuuuh nooooeew..." She replied with the same grimace. "You haven't? Okay, you have to try one!" I encouraged while pouring mignonette over the grey, watery flesh of the oyster.

Me: "SLUUUURP!"
Kayt: "That's disgusting."

A look of euphoria settles over my face as I finish the oyster and Kayt leans over the platter suspiciously. "They look like pools of slimy snot. What do they taste like?" "Like slimy snot. You know, salty and tangy. Slimy snot and ocean water. MMMM." As we finish up our drinks and the last of the Pizza Margherita, two oysters remain on the platter. I offer her one last chance to try an oyster before the bartender clears our plates. "Okay but only this once. But you fix it for me." I have never known Kayt to be a ‘fraidy cat when it comes down to the wire. As I hand over the garnished sea morsel, Kayt looks at the bartender dreadfully making a final request: “Can I have a Coke please? I'm scared." The bartender sets her coke in front of her...

Kayt: "So how do I do it?"
Me: "Tilt your head back, let it slip into your mouth, and don't chew it too much. Definitely don't gag."
Bartender: "Just let it gliiiide down your throat"
Kayt, Me: Muffled laughter
Me: "Yeah Kayt, it's easy. You know the drill."
Kayt: "Okay...So I just suck it right off then?"

We both burst into a fit of laughter. Finally after our amusement dies down, Kayt takes the plunge. Tilting her head back, she gulps down the slippery grey flesh like a pro. With her eye brows raised and her lips positioned slightly downward, Kayt turns to me and says, "That actually wasn't that bad. It was salty." Taking a sip of her Coke she says, "I can't get the taste out of my mouth. Blech."