PAD THAI AND REAL MUSIC

An allegorical narrative by Brandon Ware

Ingredients
2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate (or 4 tablespoons lime juice)
3 tablespoons fish sauce (or soy sauce)
3 tablespoons palm sugar or sugar
1 tablespoon chili sauce or to taste
6 ounces rice noodles
1 tablespoon peanut oil
6 ounces shrimp, chicken or tofu
2 shallots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped
1 cup bean sprouts
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 lime cut into wedges
Directions
1. Heat the tamarind, fish sauce, sugar and chili sauce until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Soak the noodles in water as directed on package until just pliable.
3. Heat oil in a pan.
4. Add the shrimp, shallots and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the sauce and the noodles and mix and move to the side of the pan.
6. Add the egg, let it set a bit and then mix it into the noodles.
7. Add the peanuts and bean sprouts and cook for a minute.
8. Add the green onions and cilantro and remove from heat.
Brandon Ware
Mr. Cook
Honors ELA
30 September, 2014

The spiciest noodles in the world are like the hardest song to play in the world.
In America, pad thai is the daily takeout for most. For me, it is an extraterrestrial
experience. It is interesting that so many regard the dish as just something the world
gives you. For me, pad thai is something I have greedily taken from the world and I
refuse to give the dish back. The same goes for hearing a song. As only the correct
preparation of pad thai gives your taste buds an orgasm, only the correct technicality of
a song can do the same for the ears. Cooked correctly, the dish serves as a brain
stimulant and a simultaneous relaxer. Likewise, played correctly the worlds most
difficult song will simultaneously excite and confuse. Pad thai is a necessity for
someone who wants some extra excitement and challenge in their life.
Pad thai consumption affects the brain in three stages. The first stage is the
gluttony and self indulgence stage. When one first picks up a pair of chopsticks and
plunges them into the giant mess of noodles, shrimp, beef, and steam in front of them,
the aroma of happiness and super-obsession sets in immediately. That first bite is
reminiscent of the last time the consumer ate the dish and yet a new experience which
one is excited to delve into. That first bite only makes the consumer want to take
another, and another, and another until they have reached the pinnacle of taste. For
me, this usually occurs about halfway through finishing the dish. The self-indulgence
stage is quite evident in a song such as Freewill by Rush. It is exuberating to let the
fingers do the walking when holding the bass, the instrument that, when combined with
brilliant percussion, serves as the backbone of all truly rhythmic music. Muscle memory
allows the right middle and index fingers to strike the string with perfect articulation
while the left hand assures the correct note is sounded every time. Music that works is
truly scientific. When the player reaches the hard part, one can only feel so satisfied
when it is played correctly.
The second stage of consuming pad thai comes in the form of regret. I was
having so much fun enjoying the taste that I forgot that the immense pain one feels
soon afterward is almost surreal. What started as a tasteful sensation becomes a
burning beacon of blinding light. When a tongue is truly inflamed, its owners body will
warn you first. The eyes that not long before were gazing at the dish in amazement are
now spurting with immensely painful, salty tears. The face that was initially of its natural
white skin color is now overtaken by a bright red shade of rage. In terms of music, this
comes in the form of pop music. Any true musician could tell you that all styles fall back
to the same common denominator, but not before being periodically interrupted by a
fad. As popular as they may seem, whether computerized dance music or poorly-
written love songs, these fads will soon bounce down and speak only to those who fight
desperately to keep it alive. Real music naturally stands the test of time. Fake
musicians naturally create a path of self-destruction. Who will be more remembered:
Led Zeppelin or Skrillex?
The final stage of pad thai consumption is the ultimate realization. This will be
the most painful. In this stage, the consumers back end will do the crying for them.
And anyone who loves pad thai can tell a first-timer these are anything but joyful tears.
The treacherous pain felt can only be surpassed by emotional loss. No physical pain,
no matter how severe, is equivalent to this style of inferno. Musicians who truly know
what they are doing and find themselves at war with sexy pop will reach a point that
allows them to understand that the real music will never die. True fans will never rely on
iTunes or single sales. A real album is snapshot in time of a real artist, but only a real
fan can find that situation and see how it affects the music. While this realization that
pop will continue to grow is painful, ultimately one still wants more of what they do like.
Pad thai will never get tasteless or boring.
Eventually one begins to crave the pad thai again. As I write this my mouth is
watering with desire for those lovely noodles that the shrimp and Asian chillies call
home.
When it comes to pop music, although I am offended by it, I have never been
unconvinced that real music will soon be making its return. Ill have scaled the
mountain and won the battle. Before I know it the notes run through me like my own
blood and Im not even looking at what Im playing. Pad thai means so much more than
spicy food. Its a dish. Its an experience. It lives and breathes through me like rain
does the clouds. It reminds me of everything that hurts and everything that works.