Dear Marketman, did you see dark spots on the squid’s body that sort of enlarged then grew small [I think of it as kinda a ‘close-open’ type of motion]? If so, the lumot is very much alive. I remember being told that years ago on a beach at Bolinao with dear friends. We woke up early enough to encounter a small-time fisherman just about pulling in his banca onto the beach. He caught many fish [including parrot fish, which we bought] and a couple of huge lumot that we likewise bought. When we asked him if the critters were already dead, he pointed out the active dark spots and said, “Ay hindi, buhay pa yan. Ayan o. Yan ang sinyales na buhay pa.”

Oh nooooooo!

Assigned the task of cleaning the lumot, I felt like a vicious murderer as I pulled out the slimy guts and rinsed the bodies in the sea … all the while feeling those unblinking and soon dead eyes staring at me. The lumot were huge; I managed to insert my fist into the body.

But oh the eating [kamayan of course!] that followed! Grilled squid with sawsawan of toyo, kalamansi, siling labuyo, bawang, pamintar: Sarrrrraaaaappp! [Our guilt washed down with drinks and other food plus mangga’t bagoong]