This evening at the international house, we had a very nice dinner with a theme called “The American Special”. All the food served was supposed to be representative of the American cuisine. There was rice (Thank God), and a large but tender beef (didn’t someone tell me that beef is no longer so popular in America just because of the fear of mad cow?), chicken cooked in nice juice (yea, they called it juice), and bread/butter. There was also wine (1995), and lemonade. And a dessert of fine fruit cake (which I didn’t partake of. My brother, Chris Ihidero has warned me of the dire consequences of too much sugar on the sexual organs of the male. Please don’t ask me to elaborate. Ask him.) There was also smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, dark bread and lox bits. And salad. And salad dressings.

Smoked Salmon

Earlier in the morning, there was bread, couscous, more pizza, coffee, decaf, cream, whiteners, sugar, strawberry (what a delight), and grapes (no, not that one related to the orange but three times bigger than it. These ones are small, juicy balls of nice tasting berry). There were other food items I couldn’t name because I was too hungry to ask. I got my share of couscous (because that was one of the only ones I could recognize, and went about my business).

Some unanswered questions on my mind:
1. Why are the carrots I ate on the plane shaped like iyeye? They tasted like carrots all right, so I believed the guy who served me and said they were good for my eyes. But why do they look like berries instead of their phallic dignity, or at least the coin size they assume when diced?
2. Is the chicken I ate on the plane a cloned kind? Or why would it taste so tender and smooth?
3. Is zucchini, (Thanks Jeff), pumpkin seeds, and egusi (melon seeds) related in any way? I’d be surprised if they are not. And if my eyes don’t deceive me, those little seeds on the plane bread looked just as melon seeds would look if they were only that small.
4. Does (airplane) pizza taste like chappati if I only eat the doughy parts?
5. Is it not because I have taken too much coffee today that I’m at the computer at this moment when I should be sleeping and preparing for another busy day tomorrow? Today, I mean. Isn’t it past 12am already!

The most interesting part of tomorrow/today’s event is at 3.30pm: a visit to Rhode Island State House and Providence Place to meet with the Lieutenant Governor of the state. Sounds promising. Should I wear a cap? Maybe not.