Enter If You Dare.

I finally made my virgin voyage to Berkeley Bowl, a fierce competitor of the company I work for. To be honest, I wasn't nearly as impressed as I thought I'd be. Yes, the produce selection was vast, but much of it was from Mexico, Peru, Chile, etc., etc., and I just don't need my asparagus to come from a different hemisphere. Especially when we have such an incredible local produce selection! The organic section was also disappointing and small (and overpriced). But that's not to say I didn't buy a bag-full of the other stuff at a cheap price! I'm not a fool.

The whole point of going to Berkeley Bowl is to get that weird item that no one else carries. Case-in-point: the durian.

I had never actually seen a durian before, but I've heard about them. They have an intense, stinky reputation. When it caught my eye, I headed straight for it and proceeded to just stare. Then I touched it.

Mid-fondle, a woman came up to me and said hastily, "Don't do it!" To which I assured her, "No, I've heard about them." She went on to tell me how much her husband loves durians, but that they make her want to vomit. Then she walked away, poof. How can a fruit create such intensely opposite feelings?