Saturday evening, I brought home an estimated $600 worth of Japanese melons. How, might you ask, did I come across these melons? And why, exactly, would I purchase them?
The good news is, I am not off my rocker. I did not actually spend $600 on six melons. I only spent PHP 6000 (about $140) for two tickets to the Consular Corps of Manila winter ball. Greg wore the same tux as he wore to the Marine Corps Ball last month, and my dress was only $60, so we're at a max expenditure for the evening of $200. A bit pricey, for sure, but that included an open bar, a delicious dinner at the Shangri-La Makati, and two raffle tickets.
The Consular Corps Ball is famous for its raffle prizes. This year's three grand prizes were two different four day cruises and a pair of round trip business class tickets to San Francisco. Personally, I would also have been happy with either of the Boracay vacation packages - or two nights in
El Nido, one of the top resorts here. In addition to donated prizes, the Consul of each Embassy traditionally donates a raffle prize from his (yes, they were all men this year) country.** For example, the Austrian Consul donated a Swaroski crystal vase. Can you tell where this is going?
You guessed it! Each year, true to form, the Japanese Consul donates some sort of uber expensive fruit. This year, he donated two boxes of Shizuoka melons, flown in fresh that day from Japan, in the compartment of the plane and not the cargo hold, because the cold would ruin the sweetness. The heydays of the Japanese bubble economy have not completely disappeared, it seems.
Two years ago, my coworker won Fuji apples. Last year, Patch's classmate's dad won melons. For the last month, I've been talking about these melons. After all, I figured, even if we didn't win a grand vacation, there's always the melons. All the while quietly reminding myself that I never even won a cakewalk at my grandparents' church summer fair -- only Beth ever did.
Imagine my surprise when the first number called out was: 2 -- 8 -- 4! My number (or maybe Greg's, but I was holding both tickets, so I'm saying it was mine). The melons were mine! Six sweet melons, so sweet I could smell them sitting on the table about four feet below my nose. I even busted out a little Japanese chit chat when accepting my prize (to my amazement, no Telugu slipped out). The Japanese Consul seemed pleased with this and told me he was glad the melons were going to someone who would truly appreciate them.
When the evening ended, a fellow guest offered me a gift certificate to TGIFridays in exchange for a melon. Greg, disliking melons of all varieties, wanted to take him up on it, but I refused. Get your hands off my melons!
I spent Sunday periodically hunting around for information on these famously expensive melons. I found a great
YouTube clip - an 8 minute Japanese TV special on Shizuoka melons - that explains it all. The melons had to be finished by today (a mere three days after receiving them), so I brought three into the office, warning my coworkers it would be 80 PHP / bite. Everyone agreed they were sweet and juicy and perhaps the best melon ever tasted, but, still, it's a melon. And one slice is about what a local employee spends on a week's worth of lunch!
Knowing I couldn't finish two melons this evening, I divided the last one in thirds between our three helpers. Greg, in his sarcastic tone, told them (as they were walking out the door) that he'd deduct it from their pay check this month. The poor ladies stopped short and starred at him - until he reassured them he was joking. Guess his sarcasm doesn't quite translate!
, I was excited.
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