Popiah and an 8 year old

Our final evening in Malaysia coincided with Mothers Day. Kenneth's relatives gathered together at Aunty Lily and Uncle Aik's apartment for a popiah party to celebrate Mothers Day together as well as to farewell us. Popiah is difficult to describe but if you can imagine picking out a variety of salads, egg, sauces and Chinese sausage and laying them out and then rolling them all into a skin akin to the skin you roll with Peking Duck then you'll get .... popiah! It makes a healthy and very delicious meal that creates social chatter as everyone has a go making the popiah together.

I had the amusement of sitting next to Kenneth's 8 year old nephew, Jonathan. Like every good Malaysian, Jonathan appreciates his food and hopes to be a chef one day. Here's an insight into our conversation at the table on my final night in Malaysia:

8 year old: Eh, Aunty Stephanie... Aunty Stephanie... Aunty Stephanie...!

Me: Yes, Jonathan?

8 year old: Do you want another (popiah) skin?

Me: Um... maybe later. I am still working on this one (pointing to my 2nd popiah).

8 year old: Oh ok then ... maybe later. Just tell me when you are ready for another skin.

Me: Ok.

8 year old: How many can you eat?

Me: Um.... well I am getting pretty full. Probably 3 or 4. You?

8 year old: Whaaaaaaat?!! Only 3 or 4?! I tell you ... last time ah... I ate TWELVE popiah in one go! In ONE go!

Me: (Practically choking on my popiah and raising a dubious eyebrow towards him) No way! Are you sure?

8 year old: Sure I am sure wan .... how not to be sure? I tell you I ate TWELVE popiah!

Me: You mean you ate them consecutively?

8 year old: Hah?

Me: Did you eat them one after another... like all at the same time?

8 year old: Yah! Yah! All in ONE go!

Me: How big were they? Do you mean you just ate twelve skins? Not twelve popiah?

8 year old: Noooo.... I told youuuuu.... TWELVE popiah like this size (gesturing towards the chubby popiah on his plate).

Me: Wow! Good appetite!

8 year old: Yah! I have a big stomach ...

8 year old's mum (from a distance): Jonathan! How many have you had?

8 year old: Only 3 tonight ...

8 year old's mum: No ... you've had four. I know you've had four.

8 year old: Hah? Only 3 wan I thought .... four ah?

8 year old's mum: Jonathan! Enough!! I said enough! Go and wash your hands...

8 year old: Oh ok ... (goes off to wash his hands obediently)