I lifted my shoulders, not wanting tosaymore.
“Now you need to tell us,” sheinsisted.
“We can handle it,” Max keptgoing.
“No, seriously, you don’t want me to tell you,” I tried toexplain.
“Come on, Rubes,” Aaron chimed in, making me glanceathim.
“I’ll just close my ears,” Mindy offered. “I don’t wanttoknow.”
I watched them and asked, slowly, “Areyousure?”
Four nods around the table confirmed they were sure. Even Mindy raised her hands to the side of her head, middle fingers already going to her ears to plugthemin.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you, okay?” I reminded them. They all looked so confident… it almost made me laugh. “I’ve never tried it, but my dad has a bunch oftimes—”
“What is it?” Maxasked.
“It’s called balut. I’ve watched him eat it and I didn’t gag, and I’m pretty proud of myselfforit—”
“Whatisit?”
“Jesus, Max, give her a second,” Aaron chimed in, his big hands resting on thetable.
I squeezed my fingers between my thighs and just got it over with. “It’s a duck embryo in itsshell.”
Four sets of eyeballs blinked. But it was Des that slowly asked, “Excuseme?”
“It’sa—”
“No, no, I heard you.” He cut me off, still taking his time with his words. He blinked, lowered his voice, and squinted hiseyes. “How?”
“Howwhat?”
“How do you…?” hestammered.
I knew what he was trying to ask and I cringed, regretting bringing this up. “The baby duck is boiled…alive.”
Four different people made dry-heaving and gaggingsounds.
“And they eat that?”I’m pretty positive that wasBrittany.
Inodded.
“I’m sweating thinking about it,” Brittany definitely whispered, visibly letting out ashudder.
“I know, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything,” Iapologized.
Des’s face was definitely a little green. “You’veeatenit?”
“She said she hasn’t,” Aaron said. “Your dad did,right?”
I nodded. “Nothing grosses him out food wise. I try to be as brave as he is, but Ican’t.”
“Has one of your brothers or sisters tried it?” my friendasked.
That had me laughing out loud. “No way. That’s the only thing they aren’t willing to take risks with.” And trying new food was one of the only things I wasn’t too afraidtotry.
