A couple decided to try out a fancy new Chinese restaurant in town. Wanting to try something adventurous, they bypassed the usual fried rice and sweet-and-sour pork, and ordered a chef’s special listed on the menu as “Chicken Surprise.”
A few minutes later, the waiter arrived at their table carrying a heavy, lidded cast-iron pot. He set it down with a polite bow and walked away.
Just as the wife picked up the serving spoon and reached for the pot, the lid suddenly lifted a fraction of an inch entirely on its own. For a split second, she spotted two tiny, blinking eyes peeking out from the darkness inside before the lid slammed shut with a sharp clang.
Gasping, she dropped her spoon. “Did you see that?!” she whispered frantically to her husband.
“See what, dear?” he asked, completely engrossed in his phone.
“The pot! Something is alive in there! Check it yourself!”
Skeptical but curious, the husband reached out and cautiously extended his hand toward the handle. Right on cue, the lid rattled, lifted slightly, and two small, dark eyes stared directly into his before the pot sealed itself shut once more.
Horrified and completely lose his appetite, the husband furiously banged on the table and called the waiter over. “Excuse me!” he demanded, pointing a trembling finger at the dish. “There is something alive and staring at us from inside this pot! This is completely unacceptable. We demand an explanation!”
The waiter remained completely calm, adjusted his apron, and asked politely, “Sir, what exactly did you order again?”
The husband snapped back, “We ordered the Chicken Surprise!”
“Ah, my deepest apologies, sir,” the waiter replied with a slight bow. “The kitchen made a mistake. I accidentally brought you the Peeking Duck.”
