Thursday, June 4, 2009

The Shrimp Boil From Hell... It Only Takes One Bad Shrimp


One time when Mr. Snooty and I were first going out together, we were invited to a married couple friends' home for a Shrimp Boil. It was really the first time I'd been to one that was New Orleans Style. They had butcher paper spread out over the tables outside, with large rolls of paper towels strategically placed all about. There were also sleeves of saltine crackers scattered about.

Best of all, there were Stuffed Artichokes at every other place setting and they were absolutely divine. When the Shrimp Boil was ready, our host and hostess turned out several pots of shrimp, red potatoes, sausages, and corn-on-the-cobs, onto the tables. It was a massive feast and we all ate like we'd never before had such a meal.

About halfway through the meal, Mr. Snooty started feeling badly and leaned over to mention it to me. I said something like "Oh, just don't eat any more. You've overfilled yourself". The look on his face said otherwise.

I mumbled our thank-you to everyone and hustled him to the car just in time for him to *blow beets* everywhere. Fine. I finally got him into the car and began driving him back to his apartment. He threw up two more times, all over the white leather interior and the passenger side door of his Grand Prix. I felt really awful for him, but was at a loss as to what I could do to help. I also knew there was no way I was going to get through the ordeal without some of the vomit getting on me. It's one of my biggest *gag factors*. I even hated getting it on me when it was my own children.

We reached his apartment and he managed to throw up again before I could get him up the stairs and inside. Once I got him through the door, he threw up several more times in the bathroom. I began to get scared. I'd never seen anyone throw up so much in my life. I finally decided to call his parents but it was approaching 2:00 AM.

The phone rang several times before his Dad answered. I could tell he was groggy with sleep and wasn't at all happy about being awakened in the middle of the night. I tried to explain to him that his son was violently ill and throwing up constantly. He said "Well, you're with him, so you deal with it. He's probably just drunk". Then he hung up. He. Hung. Up.

I was horrified and I didn't know what to do. I was only 24 years old and I'd never seen anyone throw up that many times, considering the amount he had eaten. He kept telling me to take his car home and come back tomorrow, but I was afraid he was going to die. Not that I had a clue as to how I should help him. Seriously. No Google searches back in those days. So, I waited out the night and in the morning when he woke up his first words to me were "I thought I told you to take my car home and come back."

Incredulous, I informed him that I stayed with him because I was afraid he might die. Some thanks. Oddly enough, he has always been like that every time he's gotten sick over the years. He just wants to be left alone. Not me. I want sympathy and wait service...



The man is sooo lucky I still married him.



I guess the moral to the story is this: When you're eating any kind of fish, but especially shrimp, pay attention to what you're eating. If it smells funny or even looks odd, toss it. It's simply not worth throwing up for hours on end.

17 comments:

Unknown said...

You are such a good woman!!!

Living in a seafood town, you learn that rule very quickly!!!

Daryl said...

Good advice and I do believe we can stand side by side at the Saint convention since Husband is also one of those 'go away, leave me alone, I am sick' people .. me? I want to be waited on and comforted ...

I Am Woody said...

An incident very similar to that is why I cannot eat fish anymore:(

Anonymous said...

My husband doesn't know what he wants me to do, but he doesn't want me to leave him alone.

I don't know that I would have gotten back in the puke-mobile in the middle of the night. I'd have stayed there too!

Pleasing Procrasinator said...

Cookie is quit the oposite, he makes damned sure everyone in the house knows he is sick and you better not forget about him. He is worse than the kids (rolling my eyes).
I get sick and it's fend for yourself baby.

I agree with asthmagirl, I wouldn't want to get back into that car,it would be enough to make yourself match the nice work already put into it.

Anonymous said...

eww as if you wanted to drive home in a puke covered car. LOL!

noble pig said...

I've only seen that amount of barf when bad clams were involved. It's seriously amazing how much you can throw up and yes, you think a lung and guts are going to come up.

snooty daughter said...

eweeeeeeeeeeee!
Thanks for all the times you let me vom on you :D Especially in nice restaurants in front of a lot of people

imom said...

Such great advice Snooty!! I've had food poisoning a few times and the cause has almost always been the shrimp... I should know better than to eat it at restruants!

I wouldn't have gotten back in the puke coated car either!!

Mental P Mama said...

Wow. Most men want to be left alone when they're sick. And their wives want loving care from a man who doesn't get it;) Thank goodness you were there to help him. I may never eat shrimp again.

Leave a Legacy said...

You deserve a medal. It was obviously true love - you're still together. I almost felt sick reading about your ordeal.

Moms Musings said...

I'm just the opposite. When I'm sick I just want to be left along. My husband on the other hand wanted attention. In his opinion, even a hangnail was fatal.

Midlife, menopause, mistakes and random stuff... said...

Don't men think they are dying when they are sick?????
Poor Mr. Snoots........that sounds horrid being so sick. And you're right.........he's lucky you married him after that, lol. I can't stand all of that either.....I barely made it through my kiddo's illnesses myself Snooty!!
Have a beautiful weekend filled with love, joy and laughter (and no vomiting of course) and.......

Steady On
Reggie Girl

Staci said...

I feel for Mr. Snoots, I had a similar experience from an oyster. Only one I've ever eaten in my life. Pretty much stopped any desire I've had since to eat seafood!

imbeingheldhostage said...

I suffer the same gag reflex and the fact that I made it through this whole post without gagging, I think I deserve a medal.
Whooeee! You are a much better woman than I (and no, I would NOT have taken a puke filled car home, I would've walked even if it was 20 miles).
He needs to buy you something sparkly. Every month.

aurbie said...

Stinky shrimp? There's your clue.

I must have a stomach of iron. I never throw up, except 10 years ago on Christmas Day when I drank too much. But then I must have a good nose.

abb said...

Had bad tuna last night. It wasn't pretty, but not as bad as Mr. Snooty. The end.

 

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