dinner at the lims

I was the guest of honor at a dinner hosted by Victoria and Ramon Lim. They are both neurologists teaching at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. Ramon graduated from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, and has been in the US for fifty years. He is also a calligrapher, and our pre-dinner chitchat delved on his works. Leo, a retired chemistry teacher, drove 30 miles from Cedar Rapids to join us. Sandy Huang, a Vietnamese-American pediatric rheumatologist, who has a strong resemblance to actress Michelle Yeoh, came together with her boyfriend, David, as well as her mom. Dick, a cardiovascular surgeon who looked like actor Donald Sutherland, arrived with his Filipina wife. Writer Rowena Torrevillas, who teaches at the UI non-fiction program, and her husband, were also present.

Leo brought what must have been a delicious lamb casserole. "It's halal," he announced. "There is a meatshop ran by Muslims in Cedar Rapids." He was so nice and sensitive I couldn't tell him I was trying to be a good vegetarian. So I just thanked him profusely.

Our dinner conversation jumped from one subject to another. "Have you been following the campaign, Teng?" Victoria asked me. "Yes. As a matter of fact, I believe a Democrat has to win this election."

Then we talked about Mindanao's problems -how it all started, are there Ilagas and Barracudas still, what is the status of the peace talks. "He is royalty," Ramon declared, pointing a finger at me. I had to explain our long family history, tracing it as far as the 1300s.

"We are dining with a prince," Dick added. I grinned. I was embarrassed.

I don't know how it happened but our conversation shifted to colitis, stool and colostomy. I know doctors discussed this sort of stuff all the time. They can even have lunch next to a cadaver. So I tried my best not to squirm. I just drank wine.

For dessert, we had Rowena's heavenly apple and pear pie. It was simply marvelous. I didn't care if we talked about e. coli or lobotomy at that point. I was having multiple orgasms just by eating the pie.

"In the 1950s, they sold tapeworm eggs in capsules as diet pills." Sandy revealed.

"Really?" I took another slice of the pie. I was not in for dieting.