Imagine you have a group of friends. In fact, you probably actually have a group of friends. Let’s say there are five or six or seven of you who hang out on a regular basis. You go to each other’s houses, share problems with each other, celebrate the good times… And then, for whatever reason – career, love, family – two of them move away. And we’re not talking Brabant – we’re talking somewhere far away, like Sydney or Tokyo. You’re not going to see each other for months, maybe even years. Of course, you still hang out with the other friends in your group, and you still have a great time together. But you often miss your friends who moved away.
That’s how I’m feeling about burgers and sushi right now. I’m still having a great time with vegetables and cheese and pulses and eggs – I just wish burgers and sushi were here with me too. (By which I mean burgers made with beef and sushi made with fish – for the pedants out there.)
With all that being said, there have been moments – many moments, hours in fact – when I’ve not thought about them at all. One such moment was my evening at Betty’s. First of all, it’s worth noting that I biked 7 km – yes, seven kilometres – to get there (there being the Rijnstraat). This from the woman who routinely makes appointments in the Westerpark so she can roll out of the front door five minutes prior to the meeting. I was there with two old colleagues, one of whom had cycled from the same neck of the woods as me. It was minus 2 outside. Stakes were high.