Promises, Promises

     The Democratic National Convention has rolled into Philadelphia.  In addition to all the delegates who will listen to speeches delivered and promises made, there are also thousands of protesters decrying injustice and seeking to be heard.  Yesterday I was in the City of Brotherly Love and listened to the folks who have come into town to plead their case.  There was a man from Burlington and college students from Massachusetts who are here with the hopes of influencing candidates and leaving with promises of reform and change.  But promises made are easier to obtain than promises kept.

     I wasn't there to observe the political process, but to enjoy  what was billed as a "Crab Pickin' Pop-Up" at The Oyster House on Sansom Street.  Earlier in the month I received an e-mail advertising a family-style spread of Maryland Blue Crabs.  In addition to "Cornbread, Slaw, a fresh Summer Tomato Salad, Warm Potato Salad and a sweet Berry Cobbler with Peppercorn Ice Cream," I was supposed to get "7 jumbo crabs...and as much drawn butter as you can drink."  That was the promise they made.

     Well imagine my dismay when the tray of crabs arrived at my table.  They weren't jumbos as promised.  Some of them weren't even the legal minimum size.  For the record, a crab is measured from point to point on the carapace.  The minimum is 5 inches across: jumbos should measure between 6 1/2 to 7 inches.  I brought that to the attention of one of the managers.  But being an oyster house it seems they aren't familiar with the sizes of crabs.

     I will say that the rest of the meal was exceptional.  But I am still disappointed that a promise made for jumbo crabs was not a promise kept.  I'm hoping that when I return the management can make good on their promise with more than empty rhetoric and playing politics.