Fresh crabs

So today, as I was using the Asian brooms to sweep the floor  (an aside here – on a trip to Thailand in the early 80’s my Mother bought 5 of these. They used to sit up off a cast iron cauldron in the entrance of our 6^th floor apartment growing up in Madrid, back when I didn’t have a clue they were actually useful for anything. Anyway, why hasn’t anyone made the sticks longer? I break my back sweeping with them and I am not particularly tall...hmmmm note to self: must engage in broomstick expansion venture when I return. That and import Spanish mops - such a great invention!). Anyway, as I was saying, I was proudly sweeping the floor when a lady stopped by with a bucket filled with fresh crabs and prawns. Ay!!! I do love this place. The crabs were tied up with a string of banana leaf, trying to wriggle themselves out of there. So shortly after, I found myself with 100pesos (2 euros) buying a kilo of fresh prawns plus 2 fresh crabs to have for dinner. I placed the crabs in the fridge, unbeknownst to me that would “put them in a slumber”.  As I took them out to dump them in the boiling seawater that I picked directly from the beach opposite, I inadvertently rinsed them off in tap water only to find them coming alive AGAIN desperately sensing their demise was-a-coming. That is when I had fleeting thoughts of becoming a vegetarian. It was painful to think of the cruel death I was about to put them through, blessed animals. In fact, I had a whole stream of thought about why it is so easy to eat just anything unconsciously… since we don’t experience the sacrifice of animals we eat anymore (instead neatly and cleanly cling film packed in the supermarket isle), or watch the caged hens laying the eggs we have for breakfast and all that stuff. It is quite depressing to think about and I truly do understand why people become vegetarians. However, faced with an appetite and love of food like mine, my guilt did not last long. I made a choice. I took a deep breath, dropped them in the water, and turned around to peel the prawns in the sink. Done deal. What I love about it is the consciousness and awareness of the entire process. I suppose that is what all this “conscious living” fuss is about.  The crabs were delicious, by the way.