Oysters In Season

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 280, 26 November 1938, Page 11 (Supplement)

Oysters In Season

Done the American Style jyjANY of the troopships returning with wounded men put into Newport News, on the Atlantic coast of America, for coaling and stayed there alrout 24 hours. The Ruahine, the ship I returned ill, arrived there early in December, 1018, and as I had heard Sub rosa that the ship would be in port I applied for leave to vWt Richmond, the largest city in Virginia. With a whispered "tip" to two doctor friends, Major and Captain , I managed to get 48 hours' freedom. and off we all set for the great city. It took us a few hours in the train to reach Richmond, and when we did reach the main street we sure were the centre of public attention, for the inhabitants did not seem to have ever seen "gnys" attired ba we were. Quite a number, of Americans stopped us and asked what troops we ltelonged to, and when told we were from New Zealand and were oil the way home we were inundated with invitation* to dunces, parties and all sorts of convivial functions. However, we politely declined the somewhat embarrassing hospitality and made for a restaurant for a good square meal. In this establishment we were again the centre of attraction. It was a lielp-yourself restaurant. We ■gathered together the necessary implements In the way of cutlery, then picked up plates, cups.' etr., then) parsing still further on, we loaded a plenteous supply of the most tempting delicacies we had set eyes on for many a day. Then We made for our «eats and silently set to on the edibles.

Just then, however, Major noticed a menu with thtf word "oyster," and thereu|*in eating of the victuals we had collected abruptly stopped. ' Galling the waiter, the major ordered two dozen oysters. The waiter stood aghast. "Two dozen, did you say, sir?" lie asked, with obvious incredulity. "Yes, two dozen, and as soon as you can," came the peremptory retort from the major, who , was by this time experiencing a flood of gastric juices in anticipation of a delicious repast. ' Tlie waiter walked away, was seen to ' hesitate and retraced his steps to again ask with amazement. "You said two r ! dozen!" "Ye*, yes, ve<», of course, but I hurry, mail," came the impatient reply, j "I have not tasted an oyster for three j • years." In due course the waiter emerged from i the precincts behind the eatery, carrying I a real outsize in trays, as large as he > could grapple with, containing the 24 , oysters. The entry of the waiter with ! his load —and what a load —caused no . little stir in the restaurant, the diners I staring in open-mouthed wonderment at I such a gargantuan feed for three soldiers. ' The waiter placed the tray on the table : and named a price equivalent to £3 in • English currency, which the major 1 "coughed up," and. looking at the tray 1 as he paid over the money, seemed as r though seized with a sudden attack of I epilepsy or heart attack, for before his e eyes, instead of an array of luscious rock t oysters, were 24 huge, ugly clams, each e al>out four inches long, two and a half wide, and an inch thick. Two would have made a generous "donkey's breakfast." The major stared at the trayful of inanimate tilings and simply ftaid: "I'glil I couldn't eat them." e The clams, however, were "brought i> up" many times during the re*t of the voyage. EDfcN ROSKILL.