Good job I got it out

The day before I left for New York, which was a Saturday, I took the boys to their activities in the morning and then had lunch with them in the Japanese Restaurant in Festival Walk. I was hungry, they were hungry, so I ordered lots of food. A chicken with rice set meal, 3 orders of salmon sushi (all eaten by J), a sirloin steak dish for O, an order of grilled fish, and something else which I cannot remember.

So yes, it was a lot of food for one adult and two kids. I was really hungry, you see. So I ate pretty quickly when the food arrived. The fish, it's called 秋刀魚, kinda tasted like sardine but not as strong, texture like mackeral. Anyway, it comes with bones and head and everything. As I pinched one big bit of meat with my chopsticks, I could see a bone sticking out. But I didn't pay much attention to it. I am used to eating practically all of the bones off grilled sardines. I just ignored it and stuffed it into my mouth, chewed out of duty, and swallowed.

I immediately realised that the bone was stuck in my throat. I drank some water, tried to wash it down. Didn't work. I swallowed some plain rice, but it's still lodged in my throat. It kinda moved around a bit as I swallowed, but it's not going down. I panicked mildly. It wasn't that painful, but there was enough discomfort to cause concern. I ate and ate and drank lots of water and tea until I couldn't eat anymore. Still the bone was there in my throat. And I couldn't understand why.

On our way home, I was thinking, no way am I going on a 14 hour flight with this thing in me. I don't think I could hack it. Should I go to the hospital? Should I drink some vinegar? If I manage so swallow it, will it pierce through my guts and make me die a misearble death? Now where did I put that life insurance policy? And random thoughts like that.

Once we got home I headed for the bathroom, and tried to shine a torch down my throat. I know, stupid idea. Couldn't see a damn thing. Then I stuck my hand inside, and to my surprise, I could feel the bone right there. It was pierced into my flesh. And I suspected all the food I swallowed simply pushed it further into my flesh.

After half a dozen attempts, I finally managed to take it out. It was quite big, actually, about two inches long, and at the tip of the sharp end of the bone there was still a bit of my pink flesh attached to it. I showed it to Lisa and the boys, all suitably impressed.