Heartbreak on a Stick

Today, we picked plums. We’re up to ten grocery bags full and probably have three or four more bags left to pick on branches we can’t reach. Oliver resents their presence in his breakfast nook.

My new favorite thing about August is shrimp and plums kabobs.

But this was the beginnings of heartbreak. Obi was supervising as I prepared the kabobs. It was quite shrimpy smelling in the kitchen and he was going crazy with excitement. He was trying to see what I was cooking and laying claim to his share.

Obi doesn’t like shrimp.

I tried to tell him but he didn’t believe me. Since I had one extra shrimp after I was done kabobbing – and Oliver had shown up to join in the noisemaking – I microwaved a shrimp for them. This brings up two points you should know:

1. It takes about 40 seconds to cook a shrimp.

2. Shrimp will pop and jump all over the microwave. Don’t overcook your shrimp just because it is fun to watch.

I cut the shrimp into bite sized pieces and sat on the kitchen floor to give it to the boys. Oliver was very excited. Obi was disgusted by that pink thing I ‘d put in front of him. Oli ate it for him.

Because his nose said there was something delicious in the kitchen, Obi tried eating directly from my hand. Possibly the floor that he eats off every day was tainting the food? But no. Shrimp is gross and he spit it out. Oli ate it for him.

I could see his heart breaking. Why was I trying to feed him this gross pink thing and denying him that food making the fantastic smell? Why was Oliver accepting it? Why was Oli gnawing on my fingers like that sludge was the best thing since tuna?

When The Boy brought our kabobs in from the grill, Obi’s hope was restored. He sat on the couch and watched us eat. When I was done I pulled the extra shrimp meat from the tails and put it on the floor for him.

Pleh.

Clearly this is a cruel joke I’m playing on him. And Obi? He doesn’t think it is one bit funny.

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