AN UNDERSTANDING
Today a student told me that he has two tests for whether a relationship with a girl can go forward:
(1) Is she OK with cats? She doesn't have to love them, but she can't hate them. A lot of girls, he said, make a point of saying that they HATE cats. These girls do not understand that after they have uttered those words that the rest of the date is just a polite formality with no chance of a future.
(2) Does she eat candy? She doesn't have to "stuff her face with sweets nonstop," but she has to enjoy candy. People who can't enjoy candy are lacking some fundamental appreciation of life's sweetness, which will surely show in other aspects of the relationship. I found this rather touching, as this kid is drop-dead handsome, the kind of guy you'd expect to have a real tall, skinny, knockout of a girlfriend, the kind who's constantly counting calories. But as gorgeous and svelte as she might be, it's a no-go if she doesn't eat a fair amount of candy.
I don't know how he came by this hard-won wisdom or why he felt the need to share it with me, but I found myself agreeing with him. I even offered, "I couldn't stand to be with someone who drank soda first thing in the morning. I really require a fellow coffee enthusiast."
"Oh yeah," he said, "I totally get that."
And I think he totally did.
posted by kc @ 12:10 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
I love that kid! I agree with him on both counts, and I love that he shared that with you for no particular reason.
I like the idea that compatibility on small things might be more important than on big things. I also like how instead of just taking sweets to be his own preference, he makes them allegorical of deep personality traits.
So in that vein, I’d counter:
Everybody likes sweet; it is instinctive. But sweet stuff is so often bland and shallow. So I’m far more interested in what bitter things someone likes. Bitterness is a cultured taste. Bitterness can be overwhelming, so to work, it needs to be in a balance. This adds depth and richness. So:
Coffee? By all means.
How about chocolate that hasn’t been drowned in sugar?
Orange Peel?
And I hear people complain about black walnuts being too bitter, but they are one of my favorite nuts and I don’t find them bitter in the slightest.
I really like that kid, too. He always gets to class early and wants to chat about stuff going on in the news. He just seems extremely curious and vibrant and expansive and treats everyone he meets as someone he can learn something from. I've no doubt he'll find the perfect girl who doesn't hate cats and adores candy.
Yes, compatibility on small things! So underrated.
DW, what about Scotch?
You know, it could be that he likes curvy girls and munching candy won’t be a problem. He sounds like just the kind of person you would want as a journalism student.
Ahh, Scotch. Well, it is also a cultured taste. I like it, but I’d say my education is rather rudimentary. Studies in that field can get rather expensive. So I’ve settled for the less expensive exploration of bourbon. I’d suggest Maker’s Mark.
Awesome.
Post a Comment
<< Home