sorts of food back in America. It’s just a little different ordering here.” She looked up and down the bar, finding mostly people eating alone, wearing their business attire. At least she and Yuriko matched in that way.
Yuriko flagged down the waitress and ordered. Kathleen didn’t know if she should be grateful or a little peeved that the waitress didn’t bother looking in her direction. Once the waitress left, Yuriko turned to her, resting her chin on one hand. “So, what is the craziest thing you’ve ever eaten?”
“Well, I’ve had squid.”
“Let me guess, fried and breaded calamari?”
“It’s hard to find it any other way in the Midwest! But I’ve also had beef and kidney pie and haggis and—”
“Is your family from the UK or something?”
“
And
Christmas pudding!”
“Christmas pudding?” Yuriko sounded curious.
Kathleen sat up a little straighter. “You’ve never had traditional Christmas pudding, have you? Well, imagine an over-spiced fruitcake that you soak in brandy, and then leave around for
weeks
, while periodically soaking it in more brandy. Then you light it on fire at the dinner table.”
Yuriko chuckled. “I can’t decide if that sounds wonderful or terrible.”
“It’s terrible, because it’s hopelessly hard and dry and full of fruit. And it’s wonderful because it only tastes like brandy.”
Their food arrived. Kathleen felt her heart quicken at the sight of fresh white rice with a wonderful yellow-brown curry bursting with steaming vegetables. It was topped with a greasy sunny-side up egg. Even without tasting it, she knew why Yuriko had scoffed at her instant curry packets.
“So tell me, why have you tried all these fine English foods?”
Kathleen shrugged, watching as Yuriko used her spoon to break the egg and pick up some rice with her curry. Kathleen just mixed it all together. “An ex of mine had relatives in Scotland. I think he took some sadistic pleasure in trying to make me eat very traditional food. That kidney pie was pretty good though. Couldn’t even tell it was kidneys.” She inhaled about half her plate. “So, you see, I am not
that
pathetic. What is the craziest thing you’ve tried?”
“Well, I’ve probably tried some crazy Japanese food, though it might not seem crazy to me. For instance, whenever I talk about how my mother ate
natto
every morning, foreigners get freaked out.”
“
Natto?
”
“Fermented soy beans.”
“That doesn’t sound too bad.”
Yuriko grinned wickedly. “You’ve never had it, obviously.”
It wasn’t until afterward, when she and Yuriko parted for their respective apartments did Kathleen realize what a good time she’d had. She hadn’t hung out with anyone like that since moving to Japan and it kind of felt like she finally had a real friend. Even though Yuriko was only hanging out with her to help her with work, it was still a nice feeling.
Kathleen opened the door to find Ai watching her TV. “
Okaeri
!” Ai piped out.
She looked up. Kathleen had no idea why Ai watched the TV. It wasn’t like a computer could get bored, right? Maybe it was just an effect of her programming to make her seem more normal and lively. Kind of like how Ai would blink, though she didn’t need to. It just made her seem a little less like a robot. Kathleen wondered if other PLCs would find random habits to occupy their downtime. Would a PLC pick up knitting, if their customer was fond of long silences?
Kathleen held up her bag. “Here. Wear these.”
Ai immediate stood up, eyes lighting on the package. “A present? You’re so sentimental, Kathleen.”
“It’s not a present. It’s a necessity.”
Ai took the bag. “Do you want any dinner?”
Kathleen removed her shoes at the entryway. “No, I ate with Yuriko.”
Ai hummed, looking through the bag. “Let me guess. She helped you pick these out?”
Kathleen nodded, walking into the kitchen to get a glass of water. It was dark out, but the humidity was
Yuriko flagged down the waitress and ordered. Kathleen didn’t know if she should be grateful or a little peeved that the waitress didn’t bother looking in her direction. Once the waitress left, Yuriko turned to her, resting her chin on one hand. “So, what is the craziest thing you’ve ever eaten?”
“Well, I’ve had squid.”
“Let me guess, fried and breaded calamari?”
“It’s hard to find it any other way in the Midwest! But I’ve also had beef and kidney pie and haggis and—”
“Is your family from the UK or something?”
“
And
Christmas pudding!”
“Christmas pudding?” Yuriko sounded curious.
Kathleen sat up a little straighter. “You’ve never had traditional Christmas pudding, have you? Well, imagine an over-spiced fruitcake that you soak in brandy, and then leave around for
weeks
, while periodically soaking it in more brandy. Then you light it on fire at the dinner table.”
Yuriko chuckled. “I can’t decide if that sounds wonderful or terrible.”
“It’s terrible, because it’s hopelessly hard and dry and full of fruit. And it’s wonderful because it only tastes like brandy.”
Their food arrived. Kathleen felt her heart quicken at the sight of fresh white rice with a wonderful yellow-brown curry bursting with steaming vegetables. It was topped with a greasy sunny-side up egg. Even without tasting it, she knew why Yuriko had scoffed at her instant curry packets.
“So tell me, why have you tried all these fine English foods?”
Kathleen shrugged, watching as Yuriko used her spoon to break the egg and pick up some rice with her curry. Kathleen just mixed it all together. “An ex of mine had relatives in Scotland. I think he took some sadistic pleasure in trying to make me eat very traditional food. That kidney pie was pretty good though. Couldn’t even tell it was kidneys.” She inhaled about half her plate. “So, you see, I am not
that
pathetic. What is the craziest thing you’ve tried?”
“Well, I’ve probably tried some crazy Japanese food, though it might not seem crazy to me. For instance, whenever I talk about how my mother ate
natto
every morning, foreigners get freaked out.”
“
Natto?
”
“Fermented soy beans.”
“That doesn’t sound too bad.”
Yuriko grinned wickedly. “You’ve never had it, obviously.”
It wasn’t until afterward, when she and Yuriko parted for their respective apartments did Kathleen realize what a good time she’d had. She hadn’t hung out with anyone like that since moving to Japan and it kind of felt like she finally had a real friend. Even though Yuriko was only hanging out with her to help her with work, it was still a nice feeling.
Kathleen opened the door to find Ai watching her TV. “
Okaeri
!” Ai piped out.
She looked up. Kathleen had no idea why Ai watched the TV. It wasn’t like a computer could get bored, right? Maybe it was just an effect of her programming to make her seem more normal and lively. Kind of like how Ai would blink, though she didn’t need to. It just made her seem a little less like a robot. Kathleen wondered if other PLCs would find random habits to occupy their downtime. Would a PLC pick up knitting, if their customer was fond of long silences?
Kathleen held up her bag. “Here. Wear these.”
Ai immediate stood up, eyes lighting on the package. “A present? You’re so sentimental, Kathleen.”
“It’s not a present. It’s a necessity.”
Ai took the bag. “Do you want any dinner?”
Kathleen removed her shoes at the entryway. “No, I ate with Yuriko.”
Ai hummed, looking through the bag. “Let me guess. She helped you pick these out?”
Kathleen nodded, walking into the kitchen to get a glass of water. It was dark out, but the humidity was
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