Koren food and coffee combo

Last night was not a good eating night. Because I go to my economics class right after work, I usually have dinner at about 5:30. For my dining pleasure, I take my meals at the food court at the Westfield Center, in other words, the mall food court. Sure, this food court is a cut above the rest. There is no Hot Dog on a Stick. There is no Sbarro's Italian Eatery. There is no Panda Express. Though there are teenagers, they are outnumbered by the less obnoxious older tourists, students, and working people.

I like having my pre-class dinner because I have a variety of options (almost all of them not disgusting and not too unhealthy) and, because the dining section is so large, I can usually find a spot, tucked away from the rest of the crowd, where I can eat in peace and doing some reading.

I went to the Korean food place and ordered the barbeque chicken plate, which comes with rice, clear noodles, brocolli, and kim chi. I carried my tray over to a table for eight, which was away from the other diners, and empty. I pulled out my New Yorker and started in.

As I was eating and reading happily alone, a teenaged girl pulled up the chair two seats away and across the table from mine. She was eating ice cream with fresh peaches. Then, she called over to her friend who sat down across from me and they started chatting. What time do you get off work? Is that your dinner? You don't like peaches? What are your Halloween plans? Can you get me in for free? What time do you get off work? You've asked me that already. On and on, until they finally left about 15 minutes later.

I finished my meal, which was too much food for one meal but I was really hungry so I ate it all and then regretted it. Though it was tasty and filled my stomach, it wasn't amazing, but I wasn't expecting amazing from the mall. The grilled chicken was a little too tough and a little too cold. I didn't get as much brocolli as I wanted, though I did get three little cups of kim chi. It was a meal that did its most basic job.

I then went to get a small coffee from Peet's. Usually, I don't drink coffee in the evening; I have no need to. But, after the last economics class where I was struggling to stay awake and could see my hand drooping as I was making a failed attempt at taking notes, I had a need. I wanted to not be an embarassment and fall asleep in class. So, I drank my coffee.

When I got home from class, I knew something was wrong. I still felt full and could still taste the chicken and kim chi in my mouth even though I ate hours ago and followed it with coffee and gum. I think the combination of barbeque chicken, broccoli, kim chi, and coffee, along with the sheer amount of food I scarfed down, wasn't sitting well in my stomach, so I threw up. It was not pleasant. That'll be the last time I have that combination of food.