The Japanese believe that when you try to a new food, you add seven days to your life. Yesterday, I added another seven to mine by trying Vegemite. One of my students is from Australia and did his speech on the history, uses, and nutritional value of Vegemite. He had a big tub of it as a visual aid, and at the end he had samples of the stuff on pieces of bread. Now I'm not sure if the Japanese will grant me the full seven days since one bite was all I could stomach. It literally looked like a black stool sample spread on bread and had a salty taste similar to soy sauce. Ever since his speech, the Men at Work song, Down Under, has been going through my head. You know the line, "He just smiled and gave me a Vegemite sandwich." And Joel was smiling as he watched us Americans try this, probably b/c he knew our reactions. I'm just happy that after nearly 30 years this line finally makes sense, and I can say I've tried one.
If we are patient, eventually we get the answers we are seeking. I remember hearing Mom use the word cauterize when I was probably seven or eight, and thinking to myself that someday I was going to know what that word meant. I don't know when exactly I figured it out or looked it up, but I know was curious so I made a mental note. Mom probably made me look it up.....she was always doing that. She'd never tell us how to spell a word; we always had to look it up. I'm glad she did. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but my curious nature added seven days to my life.
I've always been curious about vegemite, ever since I've heard the song. I knew it was an acquired taste, but I've never had the opportunity to sample it. From what you've said, maybe I'm fortunate this time.
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