Goofy little story, here.
When our family was boarding the plane to Durango, I was seated next to a young guy who was holding a yogurt cup in his hand. All of a sudden he realized he'd forgotten to get a spoon. He asked the flight attendant for one, but she didn't have any spoons to hand out (it was a tiny plane, with no meal service). She told him there was probably enough time before the doors closed to run back into the terminal to get a spoon, though.
And just like in those old movies, where the villain has been torturing a poor damsel until the moment that our bow-tie-wearing hero steps in saying, "I'll pay the rent!", I got to rescue this poor man in distress. "I have a spoon!" I said.
He didn't say, "My hero!", although he did gush a little. And he was cute, not that I'd tell my husband so.
We had a good conversation about conservation -- about how I carry a spoon and chopsticks with me everywhere, tucked into the pencil holders of my bag, so that I don't have to throw away garbage. As we flew out of Phoenix, gazing out of the windows at home after home, neighborhood after neighborhood, with so many people down there I could hardly even count them, it seemed all the more ridiculous to me to pretend I'm saving the world by being one person who carries my own spoon with me.
Against the spoon: the futility of it all.
For the spoon: a pleasant conversation with a nice guy.
I'll keep the spoon.
When our family was boarding the plane to Durango, I was seated next to a young guy who was holding a yogurt cup in his hand. All of a sudden he realized he'd forgotten to get a spoon. He asked the flight attendant for one, but she didn't have any spoons to hand out (it was a tiny plane, with no meal service). She told him there was probably enough time before the doors closed to run back into the terminal to get a spoon, though.
And just like in those old movies, where the villain has been torturing a poor damsel until the moment that our bow-tie-wearing hero steps in saying, "I'll pay the rent!", I got to rescue this poor man in distress. "I have a spoon!" I said.
He didn't say, "My hero!", although he did gush a little. And he was cute, not that I'd tell my husband so.
We had a good conversation about conservation -- about how I carry a spoon and chopsticks with me everywhere, tucked into the pencil holders of my bag, so that I don't have to throw away garbage. As we flew out of Phoenix, gazing out of the windows at home after home, neighborhood after neighborhood, with so many people down there I could hardly even count them, it seemed all the more ridiculous to me to pretend I'm saving the world by being one person who carries my own spoon with me.
Against the spoon: the futility of it all.
For the spoon: a pleasant conversation with a nice guy.
I'll keep the spoon.
Hi! I too always carry a spoon and chopsticks. They always seem to come in handy and I know full well that I only do it for myself - not to save the world. Take care - enjoy your blog.
ReplyDeleteNice to know I'm not the only one! Especially because I'm working my way up to also carrying cloth napkins as well . . . yet another oddness.
DeleteFunny you should say that about the napkin. I just pinned a ribbon to a placemat and stuffed it into my purse. I suggested to a vendor at our farmers market that they make neck bibs & napkins along with their placemats & dishtowels. Paper napkins just don't protect enough and do make a mess. Fun stuff. lorraine.
DeleteHaving raised 4 Boy Scouts I can appreciate your story -- Their motto, and mine, is Be Prepared. I've told my children dozens of times "It's better to have it (whatever it is) and not need it, than need it and not have it." Good Job!
ReplyDeleteMy mom (who was a Girl Scout leader to the day she died) would have been proud of you and your boys. The trick is figuring out how to carry everything I might need without carrying . . . well . . . everything. -MM
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