
I have to tell you . This little town that I now am a part of has it's own dialect and a rare type of people that are genuine home town folk.
First of all, everyone evaluates each other on a mental scale. In other words I can be talking to someone and when they walk away, the other bystander will say, "Ah don't listen to him, he is about 60%."
Everyone here does it, and I have learned to calculate and consider averages now.
Also these wonderful sea-farers live a lifestyle completely unbeknownst to my NY way of living. They have this delightful way of 'letting people be'. This is a true conversation.
Me: Hi Mom, what are you up to today?
Mom Riggin: Not much, waiting to see if Aunt Ollie is showing up.
Me: Oh are you expecting her?
Mom Riggin: Well she mentioned coming by for lunch but with her memory she up and forgets where she is going sometimes and heads back home.
Me: oh...
Poor Aunt Ollie at 87 is only 70% these days.

This soft shelled blue crab town is now not only located on the map but since every other bay property has been taken over, the condos are pushing into our quaint little town and have taken over the 'strip'. The Strip is a mile and a half split highway that ends at the pier and bay. It is the main street of the town. Today's the strip's pier is flanked by two larg condos and four more are on the rise. Crisfielders regard this as a intrusion, but temporary, which humors me.
Billy Jean, a local gal explained it to me and Matthew this way.
Matthew: Yeah, they are putting in 4 more as we speak.
Billy Jean: Now Matthew, who do you think is gonna buy them things at $500,000 a piece?
Matthew: Someone who wants to see the view that was once ours.
Billy Jean: Well you just wait til they face a storm in one of them things, it is gonna rock like a cradle.
Matthew: I imagine.
Billy Jean: Well now you know they have gone and done us a favor Matt.
Matthew: How's that?
Billy Jean: Way's I see it, we've got us here a million dollar wind wall.
I love Crisfielders. I have come to enjoy their outlook, their love for each other, and the way even the wealthiest among them live gently. They unite and withstand, that's why this little town survived as long as it has.

I watched an interview once with a couple of our many crabbers were featured. The interviewer asked one man what he thought of crabbing, in which he replied I love it, that it was what his daddy did and his grand daddy did. The interviewer asked how old he was when he started. He said he was about 7 and he had gone and caught himself a crab right off land near his house in his own crab pot. He said that when he reached in the crab got him next. He then said he had to pound that crab off of his finger. He was so mad after that he returned every day for three months to stomp that crab. He said it inspired him to become one of the best crabbers yet.
The funny part was that every time I tell a Crisfielder the story they laugh and before I can tell them who the crabber is, they say, "That's old Tyler's story!"
I felt this was a necessary post today, because for years I been an 'outsider' to Crisfield. Certainly not indigenous to the area like my Matthew and folks, but today, an older gentleman at the store, Mr. John was introducing me to a friend and said "This is our newest here, She's a transplant." Now if that don't warm the cockles of your heart, I don't know what would.
I still can't help and wonder what percentage they give me though.
