The first time I tried eating an oyster it didn’t go well. It was in my grandmother’s kitchen. Someone had bought a sack and my family was shucking and swallowing. My aunt talked me into trying one. It took another twenty years before I tried another raw one.

Luckily, I was never so squeamish about trying cooked versions. My dad ordered baked oysters at Mike Anderson’s. That would probably be my last meal if I could order more than one order. Later, I convinced myself to order the fried oysters at Bozo’s. That was about as perfect as a fried food could be. I started to rethink my whole concept on oysters.

Finally, with friends somewhere I decided to try raw oysters and concluded that when they are shucked for you they are the best fast food ever. Now, I can get enough of them.

Now, I feel like an evangelist for the oyster with my philistine family and friends. The day after our wedding we met with our family at Drago’s in the Riverside Hilton. I ordered a dozen charbroiled oysters. Only my dad seemed to be interested. Then they were delivered to our table. Cristina couldn’t ignore the smell of the melted parmesan and butter. She had to have one. Then her mom succumbed to the allure of the oysters. Finally, her sister’s boyfriend decided to have one. Only my mom and her sister refrained. I’ll convert them next time.

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