It was a memorable afternoon. There were some excitement in the air. “G. went on youtube and came across videos of people eating hot Korean noodles. He insisted on buying these. He said they are not the hottest, the third hottest actually. They want to try it right now,” my sister told me.

That they did, my two nephews, anxious to try the hot hot noodles. “I know these Korean noodle,” I told my sister, “I bought two bags, five in each. They were so hot, I would eat two chopsticks full, take a break, come back and eat two more. It took me all day to finish one packet because they are soo soo hot.”

“It is nothing like these,” my nephew G assured me.

Both brothers took their bowls full of noodles and started eating. I started on mine too. The heat did not hit right away. When it did, it was so hot, I could hardly finish mine and mine was one fifth of what my nephews were eating. It was sheer punishment. I finished mine in a hurry and went for the milk bottle.

Jelli, the dog, wanted some. “Should I give her some?” G asked.

“She does not appear to mind hot noodle,” I responded. My niece J was always giving her noodles that were spicy. G. held out a strand for her. Jelli was smarter than I. She tasted it. One touch with her tongue and she refused to eat it.

I looked at her face and knew what happened. The heat had gotten to her and with just one lick. She was wearing a strange look on her face. I filled a bowl with milk and for the next half hour gave it to her. She still tried to rub her tongue on her bed.

“Oh, poor Jelli. I thought she could take it,” my sister exclaimed. “I did not know she would find these so hot.” We had thought her tongue so thick, she could take it.

“That would do it for her,” I commented, “She will not want noodle again.” She did not, not after that.

My nephew continued eating theirs, nose dribbling, eyes tearing, laughing, goaning with the heat and still finished them all. I have to give them credit for that. I pride myself on being tough but I could not do it. I realized they have it in them, – the desire, the drive to meet a challenge and met it.

“Water would not help. I read that only milk helps cool the heat,” I told them, passing the bottle of milk around. It took a lot of milk to slowly ease the punished tongues. It did not do much for the lips, puffed up with the heat. I had never experienced anything like it and to think that is how Korean eat their noodles.

It was one of the most enjoyable afternoon I had with them, wondrous, close, family time.