Learning to find the good within

I know I am not alone in being shocked by durian the first time I smelled its stench. I am, however, amongst the smaller number of Westerners glad to have been forced to try a bite.

It was a hot night in Singapore. Which could describe almost any night in Singapore. My friends and I were not dealing well with the heat but thought a trip to Chinatown for something delicious like dumplings or noodles would make us happier. What we ate for dinner that night, I have forgotten. What I do remember is the smell of the big, prickly durians we walked past afterwards.

One of my durian-loving friends didn’t think about it – she made her way to the durians and bought one. She expected us to sit with her and eat but we weren’t sure we wanted to get closer to where all the lustful durian-zombies were feasting but our friend was looking happier than we had ever seen her.

I’m not sure how she convinced me to try some of the fruit but as soon as I tasted it, I couldn’t imagine anyone not wanting to eat it. The taste intoxicating, the texture like a divine, silky cream. I was a convert. My friend made me go and buy my own durian – I think she was scared I was going to eat hers before she could finish it.

I realised why Singaporeans love and hate durian. The signs in my hotel room prohibiting durians made sense, but so too did the durian-zombies (and I was now one of them). I realised that for those Singaporeans, looking past the surface, they were able to find the good inside. The hidden treat. I wondered for a moment whether that is why Singaporeans were able to deal with the stifling heat – they had found the good far outweighed the bad. The thought lasted only a second, until I lost myself to the taste of my next bite.

Besides starvation, I’m still not sure why the first person to eat durian though it would be a good idea, but I try now to remember to always try a bite of something even if it smells or looks terrible – because it may just become my next craze.