ritual superstition

after cooking and consuming dinner, when rinsing the french press, i remembered the black-eye peas and today, january one.

the consumption of black-eye peas is required on the first of january. if not, the coming year will be sheer hell -- or something like that.

i had prepared for new year's day days ago and got a special high-quality, organic can, with the peas inside pre-soaked and everything, but forgot to prepare the peas.

i checked my watch. it was 9pm, i had three hours before midnight when everything would surely turn into a pumpkin, since i had forgotten the black-eye peas. i finished rinsing the remainder of the caffe press, rinsed out a fresh pan, opened the can of peas, emptied the can into the pan and onto the cooking pyre they went.

it is a bit surprising, black-eyed peas serve as quite a satisfying after-dinner apertife. the peas were delicious. this newly created ancient dining ritual with a twist was a triumphant relief.

now i know, as i'm being washed away by a tsunami or smashed by the city bus or whatever happens, or doesn't happen, to me this year -- i'll at least be sure it wasn't because of the misbegotten black-eye peas.