Crustacean Love

So, there's this girl I like back in Shimane.

Just my luck. I met her after I decided to move up to Muroran and work at Starfish High.

Hiroshi, being the great friend that he is, told me after I had agreed to move up there, "No getting any girlfriends now. I can't have you backing out of this contract because of a girl."

Thanks, pal.

Anyway, this girl is really cool, has a great sense of humor, is a lot of fun to hang out with, and is willing to give me the time of day. We hung out a lot before I left Shimane. Nothing ever came of it, but we are still really good friends.

And I like her.

It's her birthday next week. I thought long and hard about what I should send her. When I couldn't think of anything, I called her up.

Me: "Hey, how are ya?"
Her: "I'm okay. You?"
Me: "Okay, I guess. It's cold up here."
Her: "Don't get sick!"
Me: "I'll be careful. Say, your birthday's coming up soon!"
Her: "Don't remind me."
Me: "So, whaddaya want for your birthday present?"

No one has ever accused me of being tactful, that's for sure.

She laughed, and jokingly mentioned a famous Hokkaido delicacy. I laughed back, and said, "Okay. It's taken care of. Ha ha ha!" But you see, a plan formed in my mind...

I asked the owner of Ippukutei, the bar near my house, if he knew of anywhere I could find said delicacy. "Master" knows a lot about where things are happening in the area, so I figured if anybody could tell me, it would be him.

He said, "Yeah. I know a guy. Let's go Tuesday! I'll drive."

We went Tuesday, but there were no good specimens available. "We'll try again Thursday."

So we went down to the market again today, and this time there were some decent ones for sale. I bought three of them, and then paid to have them shipped in ice packing to the girl's house in Shimane.

So now it's all taken care of. Yes, indeedy. It's all squared away.

I just gave the girl I like crabs for her birthday.