When I was in high school I worked at The Weathervane in Sanford, ME bar tending and in the fish market. (In Maine you can tend bar at 16 years old but can't drink it until you're 21.
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I remember a small group of tourists from Japan came to the fish market one evening and asked for live lobsters to be packed up for them. They spoke a little English, and there was one that seemed be the man in charge of the group.
I prepared the box, ice, etc., and started pulling up chix lobsters for them. The group started wagging their heads "no" with each lobster I pulled up from the tank - although all were pretty lively. I was puzzled why the ones I was selecting weren't working for these guys. I kept up this routine for a bit but finally said, "Sorry, that's all I have here... What's wrong?"
Finally, the guy in charge says, "Where's the red ones?"
I explained they turn red when you cook 'em and he translated to the group, who smiled, nodded, and let me pack the dozen or so live GREEN lobsters for them to take home.
