Spoon, jouzu!

The other day I was having the Japanese institution of curry rice at a cosy little eatery near my office. It only seats 6 people, and so whether you like it or not, you’re forced to get intimate with the other patrons.

Just make sure you don’t have B.O. before you go.

Anyway, I have this terrible mobile phone addiction, and not having to use chopsticks is most liberating when you switch them for eating curry left-handed with a spoon. That way, it frees up your right hand to tinker about with your email while eating. Rather cunnning, I’m sure you’ll agree.

In retaurant’s in Japan, there’s this wierd tradition of a complete stranger having the right to say to any foreign person at any given time: “Ooh, you use chopsticks sooo well.” Completely uncalled for, but it has to be taken with a pinch of soy sauce.

Well, to my utter astonishment, the woman sitting next to me turned round and declared: “Ooh, you use a spoon sooo well.”

Gobsmacked, I retorted: “You’re not so bad yerself, chuck.”