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Interacting with Others
Oct. 22nd, 2007 09:40 amSince I reported the overheard weirdness from Barnes & Noble, I thought I'd post another strange interaction my family and I had. This time it took place in the check-out line at Target. The Saturday before last we did a long over due shopping run, as the cashier was ringing up our various and sundry items Mason noticed that we were buying some new kitchen impliments. "A new measuring cup!" he cried in excitement.
The cashier looked startled and said holding up the glass pitcher, "Wow, he knows what this is? He's smart. I didn't even know what that was."
Shawn continued chatting about why it was we were buying a new measuring cup. (Dishwasher accident -- which is to say *I* dropped it.) Later, in the car, Shawn told me she couldn't believe that the cashier could possibly have been serious about not recognizing the measuring cup. I didn't get the sense that the cashier was kidding, however. The cashier seemed genuinely baffled (and impressed with Mason.) It's entirely possible the young cashier was just being super complimentary to Mason and at the same time self-depricating. I mean, I've said over-the-top things in the name of humor, but the interaction didn't have that vibe. Plus, I thought it might be possible that the cashier had honestly never spent a lot of time cooking, in which case all the stranger impliments of construction would seem strange. (There are, after all, things in my kitchen I didn't know the names for until recently. Potato ricer, anyone?)
Plus, times have changed. I make "from scratch" (such as passes for that these days) a great number of meals we eat, but I understand I'm part of a diminshing minority. And, my family is weird. For instance, this Saturday, I participated in the annual Rounds fleischkuekle fest. We spent the entire day rolling, filling, and deep-fat frying "meat cakes." This is always a family affair, though this year Shawn's brother Greg couldn't join us, her other brother, our nephew and even my folks stopped by to take part of the construction of this traditional food. I was talking to Jonathan (my nephew) about it and be both thought about the ritual as our family's version of "barn raising." Everyone has a part to play and, though the point of the gathering is to get something done, the process is really a form of family bonding.
Do you have traditional family foods? Things you make from scratch that you're proud of? I'd love to hear about them.
The cashier looked startled and said holding up the glass pitcher, "Wow, he knows what this is? He's smart. I didn't even know what that was."
Shawn continued chatting about why it was we were buying a new measuring cup. (Dishwasher accident -- which is to say *I* dropped it.) Later, in the car, Shawn told me she couldn't believe that the cashier could possibly have been serious about not recognizing the measuring cup. I didn't get the sense that the cashier was kidding, however. The cashier seemed genuinely baffled (and impressed with Mason.) It's entirely possible the young cashier was just being super complimentary to Mason and at the same time self-depricating. I mean, I've said over-the-top things in the name of humor, but the interaction didn't have that vibe. Plus, I thought it might be possible that the cashier had honestly never spent a lot of time cooking, in which case all the stranger impliments of construction would seem strange. (There are, after all, things in my kitchen I didn't know the names for until recently. Potato ricer, anyone?)
Plus, times have changed. I make "from scratch" (such as passes for that these days) a great number of meals we eat, but I understand I'm part of a diminshing minority. And, my family is weird. For instance, this Saturday, I participated in the annual Rounds fleischkuekle fest. We spent the entire day rolling, filling, and deep-fat frying "meat cakes." This is always a family affair, though this year Shawn's brother Greg couldn't join us, her other brother, our nephew and even my folks stopped by to take part of the construction of this traditional food. I was talking to Jonathan (my nephew) about it and be both thought about the ritual as our family's version of "barn raising." Everyone has a part to play and, though the point of the gathering is to get something done, the process is really a form of family bonding.
Do you have traditional family foods? Things you make from scratch that you're proud of? I'd love to hear about them.