The first meal I ever served Nick Hodges was egg-plant. He asked for seconds.
We met on Friday, January 26th, 1990, at the Atsugi Naval Base Officers Club, in Japan. I almost never met him. He came to my church, Tokyo Baptist Church that Sunday, and for dinner at my 6 tatami mat apartment, the following Tuesday.*
I fried eggplant with chunks of tomato and melted cheese for dinner.
The first portion he ate quickly.
“Would you like more.” I asked.
“Yes, please.” he said.
A week after we met, I drew a picture of an engagement ring, one with a low setting so that I could put my hand in my jeans pocket, and not have the stone catch.
On May 26th, three months after we met, he gave me the ring I drew.
On September 22nd, 1990, we got married.
Two weeks later I made fried eggplant with chunks of tomato and melted cheese for dinner.
He ate slowly.
“Would you like more?” I asked.
“No thank you. I don’t like eggplant.”
What would you eat for love?
P.S. I am serving eggplant tonight.
* Tatami mat’s are woven straw mats used as flooring. They come in a standard size 1.9m x 0.95m
