Rice ah la mode

Food in a Korean dormitory is an adventure - not that most cafeterias are that much different - but when it's catered for college kids, Korean college kids, it's a world away from the food served in the basement cafeteria of the Supreme Court building in Washington D.C. It was served in plastic compartmentalized trays like my picnic plates at home. Seaweed with raw onions and razor thin slices of lemon looked inky black, celery ends were suspiciously hot red, meat had more bread than protein but delicious sweet and sour sauce, watery soup boasted chunky tofu and thin strips of fish and green onions, and the rice was sticky with lumps like I cook at home. I put rice in the soup with a grand spoon and stirred the black, red, and sweet stuff into lumps of rice with a crooked fork and I enjoyed every bite.
I had just settled into a chair at an empty table when I was greeted by two bubbly Korean students. Everyone was always friendly so I smiled and nodded yes around a mouthful of seaweed when they asked if I was alone. I always travel alone, I said. They exchanged knowing smiles. Then they saw my name - Naomi. Ah a bible name they exclaimed. Oops, now I understood why they were happy to have me alone - the better to proselytize It works better with two on one. The name Naomi, I explained, appears in the bible but I was named after my aunt, my mother's sister. They were puzzled. The name is in the bible, they reiterated. I knew that. It's there in my sister Ruth's book but there I am her mother in law and follow her around for Christ's sake.
It was very difficult to make them understand that I had no use for the bible and wouldn't accept Christ either. One woman was studying psychology and the other was studying chemistry. The chemist had a little better command of English and reverted to Korean to explain my words to the psychologist. It was a fun interlude as dinner conversations go but I would have been happier if they could have grasped my meaning. I tapped my forefinger to my skull when I told them to think for themselves. I left my card with them. I expect some women will think for themselves.
Naomi Sherer