I have three specific down-the-shore memories that involve crabs:
1. When I was very young and at the beach, I would dig holes all afternoon and be fascinated by the sand crabs (aka mole crabs) that I uncovered. They were about the size of marbles and quite harmless; I remember they'd tickle your hands if you let them squiggle through.
2. The Mancills' house was along a large inlet and you could lower crab traps off the backyard retaining wall during high tide. We'd catch all sorts of things, not just crabs. Definitely a few flounder. And I think a starfish or two, though my memory is hazier on that. One time we caught a small "regular" crab and it escaped the trap when we brought it up and started to scamper along the ground. I got too close and its claw grabbed my finger, which caused a mini meltdown on my part. Mom loved telling that story.
3. But the major meltdown on my part came the first time we pulled up the trap and there was a horseshoe crab inside. I was not prepared. I had never heard of horseshoe crabs. I had never seen a horseshoe crab. And then suddenly this thing with no face and a spike protruding from the back was in the cage. I screamed and cried, leading to me getting teased about the incident for decades thereafter, even long after I learned what amazing and harmless creatures they truly are.
Other snapshots and memories
- Adorable little me on Mulberry Street
- Kitchen at Willow Street house in Montoursville
- Me and Pop-Pop in the kitchen
- Commodore 64 corner
- (Missing) snapshot & memories: Thanksgiving
- Me & Cyrano
- Me in a Star Trek shirt
- All kids do these days is play video games
- Posing with a Saturn V in 1982
- The Phillies are hot, and so was I
- Relocated fire engine in Montoursville
- Family outfits of 1972
- Our little bookstore
- Well-dressed for first day of nursery school
- At the Penn State computer lab
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