hey?’
‘Studies have consistently shown that MSG is poison to the human brain—it has a cumulative effect and can cause brain lesions. Plus it’s quite a common allergy. You can’t just include it in food and not tell people.’ She’d taken a deep breath and was calm again, but clearly determined to educate the woman. ‘Do you understand how serious this is?’
The woman behind the counter was unimpressed.
‘Lady, do you want the noodles or not?’
‘Oh, hell no. I wouldn’t eat here in a million years. But I am going to come back here in a week’s time. If that stock or these menus are the same, I’ll be making a call to the authorities.’
Behind us, I noticed movement, and when I glanced behind me, several people had left the back of the line and exited the shop. Those who hadn’t yet left were watching Lilah with interest; some were talking quietly between themselves. The woman behind the counter noticed too and gave an exasperated gesture towards the door.
‘I think you should leave now, or I will call the police.’
Lilah raised her eyebrow at the woman. Before she could open her mouth again, I pulled again on her arm.
‘Lilah, let’s go, please? ’
Lilah turned to me, sighed, and then stepped away from the counter. Outside, she growled in frustration.
‘You can’t mess with food additives. I checked the menu online before we went there. I knew she was wrong.’
‘So we don’t eat there. Why is this such a big deal?’ I hadn’t really seen Lilah angry, but she was almost vibrating with furious energy.
‘Callum, it is illegal to misrepresent a product, and that’s exactly what that shop is doing. Do you not understand why that’s so frustrating to me? Today she sneaks MSG in—what’s next, a chunk of radioactive steak?’
I held my hands up, aware that she was still livid, and that this was an argument I had no chance of winning. ‘Maybe we can go have a pizza instead? Or we can go home and I’ll make you…’
I hesitated. Given her limited diet and my exceptionally poor culinary skills, I really didn’t stand a chance of cooking for her. She raised her eyebrow at me.
‘…a soy smoothie?’ I suggested. A reluctant smile crossed her face. She slipped her arm through my elbow and we continued down the Corso.
‘It is really important to me that I don’t eat MSG, okay? I’m sorry I blew up. I just hate people underestimating this stuff.’
‘Okay, Lilah. I get it.’
I still didn’t really understand the issue, but it was enough for me that Lilah felt it was important she avoid whatever the hell MSG was.
‘There’s another noodle shop further down the Corso,’ she said, ‘I can eat there. Is that okay?’
‘Absolutely.’ I was just relieved that she was starting to calm down. Angry Lilah was a force to be reckoned with. We made it all the way to the other restaurant and had ordered our meals before she exhaled and glanced at me.
‘Were you embarrassed?’
‘At you nearly tearing the head off the server and scaring away half of their patrons?’ I laughed wryly. ‘Why would that be embarrassing?’
She winced a little.
‘I’m not really a fiery redhead.’
‘I can see that,’ I raised my eyebrows at her.
‘I’m really not.’ Lilah insisted. ‘But some things are worth fighting for, and I honestly believe that truth in labelling is one of them. I avoid MSG on principle but some people are actually anaphylactic to it. There’s a reason those laws are in place: it protects people’s lives.’
‘Will you really go back and check on them?’
‘I absolutely will. I have an obligation to now.’
‘What if it’s not your problem?’
‘How is it not my problem? I know about it now.’
‘It is not your responsibility to solve every problem in the world that you happen to know about.’ The very idea amused me.
‘That attitude is part of what’s wrong with the world today,’ she frowned. ‘A simple thing like that, where people’s
‘Studies have consistently shown that MSG is poison to the human brain—it has a cumulative effect and can cause brain lesions. Plus it’s quite a common allergy. You can’t just include it in food and not tell people.’ She’d taken a deep breath and was calm again, but clearly determined to educate the woman. ‘Do you understand how serious this is?’
The woman behind the counter was unimpressed.
‘Lady, do you want the noodles or not?’
‘Oh, hell no. I wouldn’t eat here in a million years. But I am going to come back here in a week’s time. If that stock or these menus are the same, I’ll be making a call to the authorities.’
Behind us, I noticed movement, and when I glanced behind me, several people had left the back of the line and exited the shop. Those who hadn’t yet left were watching Lilah with interest; some were talking quietly between themselves. The woman behind the counter noticed too and gave an exasperated gesture towards the door.
‘I think you should leave now, or I will call the police.’
Lilah raised her eyebrow at the woman. Before she could open her mouth again, I pulled again on her arm.
‘Lilah, let’s go, please? ’
Lilah turned to me, sighed, and then stepped away from the counter. Outside, she growled in frustration.
‘You can’t mess with food additives. I checked the menu online before we went there. I knew she was wrong.’
‘So we don’t eat there. Why is this such a big deal?’ I hadn’t really seen Lilah angry, but she was almost vibrating with furious energy.
‘Callum, it is illegal to misrepresent a product, and that’s exactly what that shop is doing. Do you not understand why that’s so frustrating to me? Today she sneaks MSG in—what’s next, a chunk of radioactive steak?’
I held my hands up, aware that she was still livid, and that this was an argument I had no chance of winning. ‘Maybe we can go have a pizza instead? Or we can go home and I’ll make you…’
I hesitated. Given her limited diet and my exceptionally poor culinary skills, I really didn’t stand a chance of cooking for her. She raised her eyebrow at me.
‘…a soy smoothie?’ I suggested. A reluctant smile crossed her face. She slipped her arm through my elbow and we continued down the Corso.
‘It is really important to me that I don’t eat MSG, okay? I’m sorry I blew up. I just hate people underestimating this stuff.’
‘Okay, Lilah. I get it.’
I still didn’t really understand the issue, but it was enough for me that Lilah felt it was important she avoid whatever the hell MSG was.
‘There’s another noodle shop further down the Corso,’ she said, ‘I can eat there. Is that okay?’
‘Absolutely.’ I was just relieved that she was starting to calm down. Angry Lilah was a force to be reckoned with. We made it all the way to the other restaurant and had ordered our meals before she exhaled and glanced at me.
‘Were you embarrassed?’
‘At you nearly tearing the head off the server and scaring away half of their patrons?’ I laughed wryly. ‘Why would that be embarrassing?’
She winced a little.
‘I’m not really a fiery redhead.’
‘I can see that,’ I raised my eyebrows at her.
‘I’m really not.’ Lilah insisted. ‘But some things are worth fighting for, and I honestly believe that truth in labelling is one of them. I avoid MSG on principle but some people are actually anaphylactic to it. There’s a reason those laws are in place: it protects people’s lives.’
‘Will you really go back and check on them?’
‘I absolutely will. I have an obligation to now.’
‘What if it’s not your problem?’
‘How is it not my problem? I know about it now.’
‘It is not your responsibility to solve every problem in the world that you happen to know about.’ The very idea amused me.
‘That attitude is part of what’s wrong with the world today,’ she frowned. ‘A simple thing like that, where people’s
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