One of the things I like best about Augusten Burroughs' "Possible Side Effects," and all his books really, is that when faced with a choice he often does the opposite of what I would do. So then I get to see what that would be like. A good example is the chapter in which Burroughs describes his introduction to Nicorette gum.
He wants to quit his three-pack-a-day smoking habit. Already the opposite of me, because I have never smoked a cigarette. Causes cancer, smells bad, costs a lot of money... I just don't get it. So he buys nicotine patches and gum and throws away all the instruction materials without reading them. Obviously, I would have read all the materials. After all, there could be, you know, possible side effects. He applies two patches and puts two sticks of gum in his mouth.
He starts to chew the gum and senses a chemical taste. He keeps chewing and it starts to burn like pepper. He keeps chewing and starts to feel something in his stomach that he describes as a buildup of acid or a hole forming. He keeps chewing. He gets the hiccups and exclaims, "I LOVED the gum!"
That reaction made me laugh out loud because it was a surprise. I'd have viewed it as a calamity, possibly calling for medical attention. It would have probably shocked me into quitting smoking cold turkey. I admire the creativity of someone who looks at the world in different and unexpected ways. On the other hand, Burroughs becomes addicted to Nicorette gum.
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What my husband is planning for dinner tonight:
Chicken breast Tuscany with baby peas
"Gerard Rice" which is a rice risotto with mushrooms, peppers and onions
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