Summary

“Eating Sugar” by Catherine Merriman begins with Alex, his wife Eileen, and his daughter Suzanne, who are returning from a trip to a waterfall on a Thai island. When they reach the forest market where a car dropped them, they realise that everybody has left. Gradually, Alex and Eileen begin to be anxious about getting lost in that unknown place. But while Eileen voices her concerns out loud, Alex prefers to maintain the appearance of calm.

Their daughter Suzanne, who is a teacher in Thailand, is relaxed and certain that a taxi will eventually come by. As they wait in the forest, Alex reflects on his impressions of Thailand. He believes the country is strange and paradoxical, and he is frustrated by its contrasting culture. At one point, a group ...