Dog On It

Last night we had this big school presentation and parents' day and afterward all the teachers and parents and some students went to dinner. My principal was worried about me getting home late, so he told me to call Beth and tell her to join us.

We sat through the presentation and they introduced us both, ("John and John's wife"), and then we loaded up in the school bus and went to the some restaurant in what seemed like the middle of nowhere. Beth was getting worried that she'd have to eat cold fish again, but when we walked in, we saw barbecue pits and smelled something delicious, and I could tell Beth was relieved.

We sat and my principal immediately ordered soju and they passed it around and we all had a celebratory shot. (The kids had "shots" of cider.)

Then my co-teacher pointed to the meat and said, "John, guess what this is."

I said, "Beef?"

"No."

"Pork?"

"No."

I swallowed hard. "Dog?"

He grinned and nodded. I looked over at Beth, and I could see the color drain from her face. Well, I'm here, I thought. Might as well try it.

As it cooked, my co-teacher said, "Have you had this before?" I said "No" and he told me it's softer than pork. I smiled and nodded and some other teachers passed Beth a bowl of very good chicken. When the meat browned, I watched the cutest little girl grab a piece with chop sticks and eat it, and I thought, How bad could it be?

My co-teacher showed me how to eat it, by putting a piece in lettuce with some other sauce and rice, and wrapping the whole thing up and eating it sort of like a mini burrito. I did just that, and I have to admit, it was pretty tasty.

Then my co-teacher looked at Beth and said, "I don't think you like this?"

Beth closed her eyes and shook her head and just then, somehow, my co-teacher sensed something and said, "Wait. This isn't dog. It's duck. Quack quack."

And I fell over laughing.