Thursday, March 1, 2007

A Mind Question Answered? Or Maybe I’m Not Looking in the Right Place

I seem to always have mind questions. Random questions about life that pop up in my mind. Sometimes they just float right out and I never think of them again, other times they keep popping up until I either search out the answer, or I just cross them off as “what will be will be.”

Today I had a mind question answered through simple observation.

I treated myself to lunch at one of my favorite Mexican restaurants today. I had on a shirt I really like, pale blue with birdhouses. The first bite of salsa, a giant scoop I might add, slid right off the chip and straight onto my shirt. A huge red blob surrounded by pale blue. It upset me and while I tried not to let it ruin my lunch it did take some of the enjoyment away. As I was sitting there trying to treat the stain with some water, it came to me that I never see men walking around with big salsa stains on their shirts. Do they all carry those little stain pens? How annoying that men should get to be salsa stain free, and get to stand up in the bathroom while voiding their tea or tequila.

As I sat and stewed over this mind question, I started noticing the area I had been seated in. At first I was the only customer, after all it was 2:30 p.m., but then other lone diners started trickling in and they were all being seated in my area. As luck would have it a man was seated across the aisle from me, a perfect chance to see how a man avoids salsa stains. It didn’t take long for me to observe the answer. The salsa and chips were delivered and the man promptly picked up the salsa cup, held it right under his chin and started eating. He wasn’t actually shoveling the chips and salsa in, but he was close. Not exactly polite manners, but no stains appeared on his white t-shirt. As I looked around at the only other male diner in the restaurant I noticed he was eating the chips, but he wasn’t going any where near the salsa.

Since I cannot fathom ever picking up a salsa cup and placing it under my chin, I guess I will probably continue to have salsa stains at times. I have been considering a solution that a friend told me about with regards to dining out stains and one of her friends. It seems my friend’s friend that would carry a scarf (nylon/silk?) in her purse and would drape it around her neck and shoulders in such a way to cover her chest area when dining. All food spills would land on the scarf and not on her clothes. After the meal the scarf was folded up and put back into the purse for cleaning, or the next time, depending on whether or not there was a spill. I guess if you chose a neutral colored scarf it would seem to part of your attire. I love that idea, but I hate scarves, and I loathe laundry.

BTW: When I was discussing the men and no spills tonight with another friend, she said her husband spills salsa all the time. She said I needed to start looking at men’s bellies for stains instead of their chest areas. I guess I have more observations to make.

1 comment:

pappy hawk said...

While traveling in vermont two years ago,my wife and I stopped at a rib joint.As soon as we were seated,they set a bucket on the floor beside each of our chairs,then a big bib around our neck.I laughed and ask the waitress who told her that I needed a bib? she pointed out that everybody wears a bib.

I wish that was more commonplace,because somehow I manage have lunch on me somewhere.

Howard

P.S. I am the same age as your husband.Me and my wife have been maried 29 years.