The REAL Reason I Moved to VA

You may think you know the reason I moved to Norfolk... for a great job, to be near family, to be near the beach, but now I'm going to share with you the real reason....BLUE CRAB!

My Mom grew up in MD where the blue crab is revered above all other creatures. In Maryland people are pretty particular about what type of crabs they eat and the blue crab is king. When I was little every year we would go on a trip to my grandparents house for a crab feast where a bushel of crabs would be pounded, pulled, ripped, and devoured until there was nothing left but empty shells and big smiles. It was here that I learned the proper method of eating this mythic creature, in Maryland the way blue crab is served is under a 1/2 layer of old bay seasoning, and the use of a trusty wooden mallet and knife is a necessity to obtain the tender white meat. Also necessary for eating crab is a sleeve of saltine crackers and an ice cold beer because the old bay sets ones mouth, lips, and fingers on fire and the only way of putting it out is a pull of freezing cold beer.

Since we were kids our crabs were washed off under the faucet because beer was not available to our age group. Now that I'm older however I can speak from experience that an ice cold beer somehow elevates the crab to an otherworldly level.

I digress, when I heard that I got the job I was supper excited because I would be withing 20 minutes of my revered blue crabs habitat, the Chesapeake bay. It was also important that I move to VA because in MD the blue crab is so revered there are major shortages of supply due to over crabbing. This over crabbing has raised the price of blue crab to $69 a dozen, so unfortunately our crab feasts had to end, however my love of this delectable creature continued on. Thus I moved to VA where the people don't have the same reverence for the crab and I only pay $18 for a dozen. Whenever I start to miss home, friends, and family I go out to the nearest crab shack, pick up a dozen crabs, and remember why it is great to live in VA.

So when you think of me don't pity me for living so far from the family, instead pity the poor blue crab because the great hunter has moved to town and is taking advantage of her situation while it lasts. In closing, to the noble blue crab (48 and counting) who have sacrificed themselves for the greater good I say thank you...you have made me a happier person.