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Monday, September 12, 2005 

The Unfortunate Tale of Arbusto and the Eel

On Saturday night, a group of people went out for dinner at a Korean restaurant to (belatedly) celebrate my twenty-fifth birthday. Arbusto had never experienced Korean food and was interested in trying something new. Like the rest of us, he was perusing the menu and feeling more than a bit lost. I missed this part, but apparently IrishTenor told him, "Try the eel. It's good."

Now. Arbusto is such a straightforward, trusting person that it would simply not have occurred to him that IrishTenor might not have actually eaten eel, and it definitely did not occur to him to call bullshit. I was conversing with the other half of the table, so I didn't hear the exchange and was not on hand to call bullshit. So Arbusto ordered the eel.

Once the eel had arrived in its teriyaki glory, it was somehow discovered that IrishTenor had in fact never consumed eel. He had merely been speaking with great authority, which translated into apparent plausibility. Predictably, Arbusto did not care for eel. Since he did not eat his eel, the rest of us all had the opportunity to taste it. I can say that it isn't terrible, but it is very very fishy and was not my favorite; I do not like fishy things. I would not recommend eel unless you have a special affinity for fishy-tasting things.

Arbusto was a good sport and said at least he had tried something new. I vowed to have a little talk with IrishTenor concerning the topics of my friends, eels, and the truth...however, I actually thought it was pretty funny and probably will content myself with laughing and with buying Arbusto dinner next time to make up for the experience of eel.

I hope then you make him pay you for the dinner you're buying me.

That would be illogical given my underlying reasoning for wanting to make it up to you.

I'm not going to treat you to dinner because you listened to him and made a choice. I'm paying because I exploited that choice for my own entertainment.

You know, Arbusto, you could have just tried it. Chicken.

He did try it, he just didn't care for it.

Thank you, Kristine. Nina, you're a jerk.

I ate several pieces of it. It was cut into about 10 slices and I tried it several ways: plain, smothered in more suace, smothered in rice, just swallowing without chewing. Nothing going. Then I gave it over to my garbage disposal roommate.

Props to Arbusto for trying something new. My aunt and her band instructor once consumed an entire tray of oysters (still in the shell), ordered by accident at a French restaurant. Neither one would admit to the other that they did not know French, so when the food arrived they ate it as though nothing was wrong. It wasn't until the meal was over that they realized the other person was none the wiser.

On another note: There is an audiology convention in Minneapolis sometime in April. I am planning on going to it! We should get together with Nicole and do stuff that week/weekend. :D

Liz - email me. I am so up for that if you and Nicole are. I'll have classes during the week (spring break is mid-March here), but I should be able to hang out some. It would be fun!

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About me

  • SouthernCanadian
  • Minneapolis, MN
  • Here is the epic life of a silly, goofy girl who loves research and other nerdy pursuits. I'm in grad school learning about standardized tests, which makes me the natural enemy of classroom teachers everywhere. May God have mercy on my soul.
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