So I wanted shrimp. Call me crazy, right? I had a craving for two weeks. Shrimp, shrimp, shrimp. But getting shrimp is problematic for me.

I’m afraid of the lady at the grocery store. Which lady? Well, I’m afraid of all of them. Walking up to the butcher counter and asking for a dozen shrimp… well. It just doesn’t happen often.

I went last week and saw the shrimp on sale. I walked past the counter seven times, eyeing it. But when someone asked how they could help, I shook my head and sprinted away.

Yesterday, I vowed it would be different. It almost wasn’t. I went by the counter six times, saw the lady there that I fear the most of all of them, and I gave up. I went to the produce department and looked at the plants for a while. I cried some. And then I drew a deep breath and went back.

I went back! And when the most-feared butcher lady asked me, “Whaddayaneed?” I closed my eyes, pointed and said in a near-whisper, “Can I get twelve of these?”

I almost passed out, and I had tears in my eyes…but I got the shrimp!

I dipped them in flour and egg and then coated them with coconut and deep fried them. For dipping sauce, I heated a half cup of orange marmalade with four tablespoons of Thai hot chili sauce.

Everyone at the store thinks I’m a lunatic, I’m sure. I cried all the way home.

But man… they were delicious.