not all who wander are lost

not all who wander are lost

Thursday, December 04, 2008

Choppa

Last night we ventured out on the town of Wellfleet, visited the local pub, our new spot called the Bomb Shelter. It's a small local joint. Good people. 

We played some pool, played the jukebox. Bob and G Love and Jimmy Smith Chicken Shack and Kenny Rogers The Gambler and Manu Chao and on and on and we were in our element, having a nice time. Not very busy at the "bah". A local scene, about 7 or 8 folks at the bar and another few at the tables. One of the guys was having his wrists massaged by the lady sitting beside him. Kinda weird. They were both commenting on my pool shots, and there were a few mumbles here and there about "shucking oystas".....Dude having his wrists rubbed had on knee high rubber boots, jeans, and a black sweatshirt that said Maryland. Hmmmmmm~Who IS this guy? I thought.

Erik, Leo, and I stepped outside for some air towards the end of the night and Shucking Dude followed us out. On a whim.....I asked, "So, I heard something about 'shucking'......do you shuck?" Which....for a little lady from Michigan felt like I was going....well, out on the proverbial limb.  I mean, do you ASK a question like that? HOW do you ask a question like that? Do you shuck, are you a shucker....ya know....I didn't want to SOUND like I was from Michigan. We were trying to....assimulate into the local scene. Blend in.

"Uh....yeah. I shuck......I'm the world champ...so.....yeah, I can shuck some oystas." (heheheh)
 
The 3 of us just kinda stared at him for a second.

"Did you say....world champion?"

"Yup......world champ last yea."

"What's your name man?" asked E

"Choppa" said Chopper

(E, Sa, and Leo exchanged glances like, heheh....mom's gonna like this one)

"Where is the world championship for oyster shucking?"

"Last yea it was in Galway Ireland. Nice place...."

Well, as you can imagine, E had been to Galway and a lively discussion ensued about the pints and the Guinness, Guinness cheese Guinness anything you want in Galway....

I brought it back to the oysta. "My mom just bought her first shucking knife and she's going to appreciate the fact that we just met you man."

E: "Our mom's from Norway dude....like, FROM....NORWAY"

Choppa: "Himie Petersen"

E, Sa, Leo: Huh?

Choppa: Himie Petersen.....he represented Norway at the world championship last September. Cool guy.

Blah blah blah, yada yada yada.....I GOT MY PICTURE TAKEN WITH THE WORLD OYSTA SHUCKING CHAMPION.

mmmmmmm-hm. that's the kind of night you have in Wellfleet in early Decemba.



1 comment:

CMort said...

youve never written anything about me, and im a world famous mother shucker!

i love keeping up with you on this blog, however id rather have you all here! when do you come "home"? much to talk about...