It was 90 degrees when John and I drove across the Bay Bridge on our way to the peninsula of Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Fishing vessels dotted the peaceful waters below. Our destination was a quaint seaport town rich in colonial and maritime history. Ordinarily our goal would be to visit museums — or to walk the lovely brick-paved streets of the historic district and soak up that famous Chesapeake charm.
Not so on this August morning.
This visit to Cambridge was all about ‘biology’ and ‘genetics.’ Dirty Jobs was revisiting past episodes with a family theme: relatives getting dirty side by side. Dirty DNA, Mike called it. In a unique twist on Take Your Child To Work Day, Mike had kicked off the first ever, Take Your DNA-Source To Work Day.
Like all parents of boys, we had done our share of getting down and dirty as a family: digging in the garden, building forts in the woods, and dams in the stream… One likes to think that when sons reach middle-age, those days are over. But, we’ve seen Mike’s show…
We knew there would be no make-up lady to dab our perspiration or wardrobe mistress to iron out wrinkles — and certainly no five star hotel at the end of the day, or fancy limo. We were dressed sensibly — short pants, respectable old lady capris, tennis shoes… At the last minute, I had put on my mother’s seed pearl necklace and some dangling earrings. We would be on camera, after all, and our friends watch the show. Mom would be thrilled to know that her favorite pearls had made it to national TV, even if they might get a little dusty.
At 9:00 am we caught up with Mike and met the three Brooks brothers, who gave us a tour of the J.M. Clayton Seafood Company. The oldest working crab processing plant in the world, Claytons oozes family DNA. The business has been owned and operated by the same family for over four generations. By the time we met up with Mike’s crew, the temperatures had climbed well into the nineties. The six young men and one woman were just as Mike portrays them on television — focused, professional, and hard-working.
When it was time for our first assignment of the day, we felt confident — there were no lift pumps or sewers at Claytons. Mike led us to a picnic table beside a pier on the Choptank River. On the table was an impressive mound of steamed, Maryland blue crabs.
“There you go, Mom and Dad. I know it’s a dirty job, but for the next hour or so, your assignment is to eat crabs and be charming.”
John and I looked at each other smiling, and drooling — and perspiring. Now here was an assignment we could sink our teeth into. The jury’s still out on the ‘charming’ part, but we did our best. For the next hour we sat in the full sun, oblivious to the temperature, eating Maryland’s ‘fruit of the gods’ and bantering with our son. When it was time to proceed to our individual assignments, we wiped our faces and hands and reluctantly tore ourselves from the remaining crabs. I resisted asking for a doggie bag.
John was led to the ‘crab-picking’ room and taken under the wing of two veteran pickers, Nicey and Sissy. The women showed him all they knew about extracting the succulent white meat from steamed crabs. For the next two hours, John, wearing a white apron, learned the tricks of the trade.
Meanwhile, I was taken to the cooking room where I delivered hundreds of crabs to the 
steaming pots. Not exactly a Herculean effort; I pushed a button that operated a winch. At the end of the shoot, I spooned baiter meat into Mike’s mouth while he talked about crabs. Scraping the dribbles from his chin, I remembered a much earlier time — before whiskers.
As with any experience, I took a lot away with me from our day in Cambridge.
1) The show really is authentic — no rehearsal; no script; no pretense — John actually did practice picking crabs for 
hours, not just long enough to get it on camera. He claims he didn’t put any into his mouth.
2) The crew really is fun-loving, as I noticed at the end of the day when they had a water battle while unloading the van. When they eyed Mike with their water bottles, my son came close, put his arm around my shoulder, and grinned back at them. Whatever it 
takes…
3) Last, and most important: television really does add ten pounds — but only to your waist, hips and thighs… You can’t count on it to flesh out your scrawny neck or skinny arms.
15 Comments
It was so nice to see the Dirty DNA Sources! Love that new commercial for Kimberly Clark, too
Hi Mrs. Rowe saw the show that aired you and Mr.Rowe were great. You both seem like really down to earth and fun to be around. I love snow crab legs but not blue crabs. I look forward to see you and your husband again working with your son Mike. Take care and keep blogging!!
You both were charming and lovely. May this be the first of many visits by the “DNA Sources.”
Hugs,
Julie
Like a book you can’t put down, your blog always has me coming back to turn a page and read more of your wonderful stories.
Thank you for sharing with us some behind the scene moments Mrs. Rowe and hope you’ll make more appearances in the future. Love you and Mr. Rowe.
~Cyn:D
Wonderful blog Mrs. Rowe!
Bet they got Mike with that water later…
I always enjoy your take on the situation and how it unfolded. Thanks again for an enjoyable story,
KZ
We loved the DNA episode. Let me assure those that read this, the Brooks’ family (aka the J.M.Clayton’s Co. Crab Family)adores and appreciates the hard working Rowe family. While Mike may get his charming looks from his dad,I believe Peggy’s is the artistically creative DNA Mike truly benefits from … Peggy you blog like a pro!!!
Thanks for sharing another fun experience, Mrs. Rowe. You and Mr. Rowe were both very charming, no doubt about it. I hope we see you both again next season.
Mrs. Rowe, how wonderful to see you on screen again.
Pardon me for contradicting you, but I’m sure there is nothing scrawny about you. You look lovely as usual and Mr. Rowe as well. How the two of you managed that in August on the Eastern Shore, is a mystery.
Here’s hoping the two of you will be featured more often.
The picnic table crab feast in full sun, with 90+ degrees temperatures would have got me. It does look delicious though. Seeing how much Mr. Rowe enjoyed the crab makes me want to visit Baltimore and try the crab myself.
I hope we will be seeing more of you and Mr. Rowe in future episodes.
I hope you and John are on more Dirty Job episodes. It was a very enjoyable episode.
Down-to-earth anything is the best stuff out there, IMO, Mrs. Rowe.
Some favorite quotes of yours above:
“At the last minute, I had put on my mother’s seed pearl necklace and some dangling earrings. We would be on camera, after all, and our friends watch the show.”
“Last, and most important: television really does add ten pounds — but only to your waist, hips and thighs…”
And your eye-witness, first-hand testimonial about the show being authentic and unrehearsed seems unnecessary for those to whom that is obvious – but there are still doubters out there…and I will direct them to you in the future.
Auntie I just love your blogs. They are so honest and from the heart.