Eating fish with decent flavor proved to be one of the many struggles for Bob and Iris as they worked to remain at home in their twilight years.
Iris had picked up some bland tilapia and hunted for a seasoning to spice up the fish. She found a bottle on sale- a victory. For the most part.
But the victory picked up a little patina when she tried to pop off the plastic covering to peel away protective seal. The plastic cap refused to budge.
Iris couldn’t see well enough to locate the seam between the cap and the bottle so, after several tries with a table knife, she handed the project over to Bob.
Bob’s hands were stiff and weak with arthritis but he gripped the cap with determination. He tried a paring knife and a pair of scissors.
“They put super glue under this cap,” Iris declared.
“Food quality glue,” Bob added.
He finally tore the cap loose and freed the trapped seasoning in the bottle.
“The manufacturers must mean this stuff for nimble fingers,” Bob said.
“Or for people who can see,” Iris said.
For Bob and Iris, most jars could be conquered with a electric bottle opener or a pair of pliers.
This was all part of their survival strategies. They were always on the lookout for tools to conquer products that weren’t sympathetic to fading eyes and stiff fingers.
But the work was worth it.
“The fish was delicious,” Iris said.
