NaBloPoMo prompt: What is the scariest thing you've ever eaten?

When I was a child, my mother kept a kosher house.  Not that my parents are particularly religious, but my grandmother would never have eaten a meal in my mother's house if the food wasn't kosher.  Shellfish and pork  products never made an appearance on my mother's table.

We did eat non-kosher foods when we weren't at home, of course.  But while my parents would sometimes order shrimp or clams, shellfish wasn't a big draw for us.

So I managed to live well into adulthood before I ever encountered a raw oyster.

It was Christmas time, and I was at a business lunch at a very nice NYC restaurant.  We'd all ordered steaks, and our host ordered a variety of shellfish to be shared among the guests.  Including raw oysters.

I'm always eager to try new foods (within reason), so when I was encouraged to take an oyster, I did. 

I looked at the oyster.  It seemed innocuous enough. 

They told me "You eat the oyster whole.  Just lift it up to your mouth and swallow it.  Let it slide down your throat."

Oh?  OK...

I looked at the oyster again.  It seemed a little...slimy.

Uh, yeah...a little bit scary ...

Should I or shouldn't I?  Should I?

Oh, grow up and just do it.

I lifted up the shell and brought it to my mouth.

And my lips clamped shut, seemingly of their own volition.

And I couldn't get them to open up.

Sorry to waste a perfectly good oyster, but ...no. Not going to happen.