As a child growing up on the little Island of Guahan, I asked allot of questions about things I didn't understand or things I wanted to know about. Being inquisitive has its advantages. I sure learned allot from simply asking questions.

If a question was asked one should surely get an answer, so I thought. While a sophomore attending Father Duenas Memorial High School, I asked my Theology teacher, Brother Tom so many questions during this one class that his frustration was apparent. All I wanted was a reason for my question. The subject of discussion was religious faith. I think his reply changed my course of thinking forever. Brother Tom's answer was this "There does not have to be a reason for everything, sometimes you just have to believe."

It has taken me many years to ponder his answer. I am now satisfied if a reasonable explanation is given. My children put me through this test every day. I ask my twelve (12) year old daughter (on a weekly basis) "Why are you still on the telephone?" and she replies "uuhh…because." I guess that's an acceptable answer to me these days but I still have the authority to tell her she has only five (5) more minutes left to chit chat with her class mates!

That brings us to today's tale topic. It's all about "REASON." As a child I always wondered what the reason was for the shuttering or twinkling of our eyes when we ate something sour. I'm sure you know where this is heading now!

A couple of days ago I passed by a house with an "eba" tree. For those of you who do not know what an "eba" is it is a fruit that is white in color and has a seed about the size of a corn kernel. My buddy from Hawaii said they call it a "wild white cherry" but the only difference is it is extremely sour. The eba tree looks similar to a sour pickle tree.

I asked the owner of the tree to pick a bag full which he was happy to offer. My four year old daughter, Kathleen put one in her mouth for the first time and sure enough her eyes started to twinkle and a laugh accompanied her beautiful smile. Wouldn't you know she told me the eba was so sour and could she have another one! Ha!

What is it with sour stuff and the local islanders? We are so addicted to pickled fruit and vegetables. Some of the local favorites are pickled papaya (when the papaya is just starting to yellow), pickled mango, pickled daigo (radish), pickled rakkio (small onion) & pickled eba. All of the mentioned with the exception of the eba can be bought at the local mom and pop stores.

Other sour stuff that make our eyes twinkle at taste are the sweet and sour seed (now in 10 or more flavors), the sour pickle (which Benny, the webmaster & I can't figure out what the Chamorro name is), the "piot" which used to grow wild all over the sides of the roads. At the local partied we pickle the cucumber and some pickle the cabbage.

Now what in the world makes our eyes twinkle when we eat these pickled sour treats? I learned to live with the answer "Who cares?! It tastes good! Life is so much simpler with reasons like this!

And oh…. How many times have you heard this from your Mom? ….. "You see, I told you not to eat too much pickled papaya and diago, it's your fault you have a bad stomach ache, bunechu!"

talayero@chamorro.com

p.s. For all you off islanders, the mango season is unusually early this year, start asking your relatives to send you pickled mango by the third week of February. Just say the Talayero and Benny, the webmaster told you so!