My wife made pickled lotus root for the first time in a long time. It was nice and crunchy. Before I came to Japan, however, I had a completely different image of lotus. I thought it was a drug. I first heard about it while reading the “Odyssey” by Homer (“Homerus in Japanese). He tells the story of Odysseus and some sailors who are trying to get back to Greece. They land on an island of lotus-eaters. Everyone on the island is peaceful because they eat a sweet plant called lotus. When the Greek sailors eat it, they forget everything and lose interest in going back to Greece. I’m sure Homer was talking about a different plant. The lotus root I eat isn’t sweet, and it doesn’t make me forget.    (130 words)

Jaremaga now comes out online on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. To become a paid subscriber and read it 5 days a week, go to “Support Jaremaga” below for more information.

You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com