Natto

22Jan08

I usually go out for lunch. A cute co-worker keeps me company. I think she likes to practice her english on me. She is really smart, and she can speak Chinese as well as English. I just like looking at her. But today was one of those days when everybody was busy for lunch so I decided to get one of the bento boxes that they sell in the building. Then I trucked by butt back to my work station to eat. Sad i know, but doesnt bother me, i sometimes like to eat alone. We dont have cubicles here, you get a desk and a seat, and to my left is a female co-worker, but shes sick today (i think i passed her some flu virus that I was immune to) to my right is a male co-worker. He is also eating at his desk today. And he goes “…do you eat Natto?” . At the mention of the word I felt my throat gag… then politely, “uhm.. no I cant eat that”. He goes.. “oh.. well so sorry, I have Natto for lunch. So sorry for smell..” Now, if youve never seen natto, just to give you a clue, its some sort of fermented bean product. I have no idea how they discovered that its good to eat. Id rather eat my own shoe before i take a bite into that stuff. The smell reminds me of rotting meat/garbage with a hint of ketchup and cheese. But you know, I think the reason why Japanese can eat this stuff is because they got pretty good waste disposal systems in place. I dont think most people here have ever smelled rotting meat or garbage. So the smell must invoke different wholesome images in their heads. So anyway, while im eating my lunch, wafts of natto smell would creep along my area. Then after eating, the guy apologizes a second time. I go..”no no, its not that bad really…but in my head Im like, Jesus H Christ man. just throw it out…brush your teeth now!!”

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Tags: Japan, Lunch, Natto