Yesterday we wanted beef noodle soup for lunch. Of course we drove to the best beef noodle shop in Khon Kaen. It's the best because of good ingredients, the fine taste, the snappy service, but also because it comes with a great story.
This family place got started because the man of the house left his wife and went to live with his mistress. The woman was left with the kids, the (very nice) house, but no money. So she decided to start making beef noodle soup and sold it from her front porch to whoever passed by in the little Soi the house stood in. The soup was so good that before long she needed to convert the garden and front porch of her house to a seating area. That is still the area you get served your soup in today. By now however, the husband has returned to his wife and they and their costumers live happily ever after.
When we arrived at the house yesterday though, something seemed weird. The lay out was different some how. The porch was full of people as usual, but they were very surprised to see us walk in for some reason . I checked my fly. It was closed. And the menu/pricelist on the wall confirmed that this was indeed the right place. But we were soon met by an official looking lady who wondered what we wanted. Well: beef noodle soup of course. Laughter all around. The lady told us that today there was no beef noodle soup because they had just had a merit making ceremony. I looked around. The monks had already left but I could see the elevated mats they sat on and the bowls of food that they were offered.
We must have looked really disappointed, because half a second later we were sheparded to a table and another split second later that table was full of food. Not just any food: the good stuff. Thick massaman curry, seafood cooked inside a coconut, Thai sour and spicy salad...you name it. 'Special menu today.' We ate and ate and ate and then asked for the bill, knowing that there full well that there wouldn't be one, but resigned to at least make a contribution or donation to what ever this merit making ceremony was for. Our friendly host and her grandmother (who had cooked most of the food) wouldn't hear of it. 'Never mind: we have just made some free extra merit'.
So there you go and there you have it. Western thought/philosophy update your textbooks or throw them out: there IS such a thing as a free lunch. Confirmed, noted and filed under realities shattered.
Off topic: there is also such a thing as free picture viewing on facebook. No signing in. Just looking and clicking and saying ooooh and wooow and awwwwww. Here are my new photo albums:
Testing out my new camera: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=37584&l=77d74&id=626245873
Oldies but goodies: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=39911&l=7f278&id=626245873
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