Fruits of Our Labors

A girl my senior year of high-school that we called Katie Beaner taught me (well, through my observation of her) how to eat two fruits with the utmost peculiarity: bananas and grapefruit.

I learned that the banana is typically opened from the bottom by guerillas because it is EASIER, which it very much is. I have never once bruised the top of my banana by pulling on the stem to hard since learning this "new" technique. I also learned from her (and further cemented in my mind by the movie the Dreamers) that the banana can divide into three beautiful sections by applying the slightest of pressure to its circular cross-section. Too fun. Further depth into my banana memories: I once informed my co-worker Nancy Waller that bananas were going extinct. She begged to differ but decided to research my declaration and found that it, in fact, was true! Such a sad thing. Nancy, in turn, informed me that the first banana to loose its life was the Big Mike.

I haven't learned much about the grapefruit, but it was that which spawned this writing. I couldn't resist but to look up Katie on the wonderful Facebook and after realizing I wouldn't be able to leave a wall post I had to resort to (gasp!) sending her a message:

My dear Katie,

This morning I ate a grapefruit for the first time in a long time... and thought quickly of you. I have this sharp image in my mind of you during Lit class one day carefully peeling a grapefruit, then removing the skin from each wedge to reveal the tasty tart pulp ready to be devoured, free from its leathery jail. I had never considered eating a grapefruit in that style and must admit I have never varied once since seeing you do it.

Just wanted to let you know I was thinking of you - I hope all is well, Katie Assef!

- BrennaMae