Christmas Dinner 2004

With the soup and starter over we turned to the main course- salad, beans, potatos, and duck. Peter went first saying: "This time I'm not going last! God, they'll think I'm a pig for running for it."

I laughed and shrugged. "Nah, I'll go with you."

We scooped up our food and waited for the others to d the same, quietl chatting about the food and how everyone had been nice enough to bring something. "Why didn't you tell me to bring something too? Were you scared I couldn't cook? I'm actually pretty good!"

"It wasn't that. It was more along the lines of that you'd have to come by train from Leiden, and you'd have to bring it with you. The train would smell and people would be looking, I couldn't do that to you. Hey, I know! I did it this morning when I came from Jelena's with the salad her mother had made. God, people were looking and asking me about it all over!" He laughed, nodding in understanding.

Everyone had returned from the table and we had all begun eating, when Sarina, across from me began complaining about money! "God, this chicken was fucking expemsive!"

"Chicken, Sar? It's duck!"

"No, it's chicken!"

I looked down at my plate checking to make sure, but sure enough, staring right back at me was a duck leg.

"No babe, it's duck."

"It's chicken. We asked for chicken and the lady said, "Will je een kippe bout zien?" Right Ife?"

Ife nodded with a smile. "Yeah, she did."

"See?" Sarina defended herself.

"Said it or not, this is duck, not chicken."

"It's chicken!"

"Duck!"

"Chicken!"

"Just say it's chicken." Jelena said. "Let her be happy."

"Ja," agreed Kris, "Misschien stopped ze wel."

"It is duck though," Fransy added for good measure, not knowing herself, but wanting to put in her two words too. This then started up some sort of hype, because before you knew it, everyone began agreeing that it was duck.

"It's duck," Paul finally said humorfully, "but for Sarina it's chicken."

Everyone laughed.

"Thanks Paul," Sarina said. "Thanks."

End