Yuck Face 2.0
We’ve had quite a lot of success lately at our local farmers markets and events. Lots of repeat business and a bunch of referrals from happy customers. Folks really seemed to be responding to our salt and chocolate concept.
And then it happened. Like a ton of bricks. Like a stinging slap in the face. Like lemon juice and salt rubbed vigorously into a paper-cut on your index finger. The return of the dreaded Yuck Face!
You may be familiar with this rude reflexive expression that often graces small children’s faces when forced to eat brussel sprouts (for me it was cooked zucchini). The crinkled-up face a gesture of disgust that your parents train you to repress so that you might become a well-adjusted, polite, upstanding citizen in society.
Sure, you may find yourself faced with a rather unappetizing piece of chicken that your boyfriend’s mother cooked for you on your birthday; but you’re not going to whip out the Yuck Face and hurt her feelings. You’re going to remember your manners and be polite; chew ans swallow and move on. If you’re at a fancy restaurant and the dish you ordered reminds you more of a fast food version of itself, you’re not going to spit it out and scrunch-up your face for all to see. That’s not how polite society conducts itself.
That at least is the assumption I’ve been operating under my entire adult life. Unfortunately, it would seem humans in the beginning and end of their lives are immune to these societal constraints.
This past Friday we received not one, but TWO full-on unmistakable Yuck Faces, one of which was accompanied with a verbal explanation. The first was a little kid who sampled one of our truffles. I warned him that it was not milk chocolate and thus might be a bit too bitter for him. And of course, he didn’t like it. Big surprise. This didn’t bug me that much since kids aren’t really our core market base.
It was the second Yuck Face that really irked me. A seemingly sweet old lady asked for a sample, which I of course provided with a smile. Not but a half-second later (hardly enough time to properly taste anything, let alone a complex and dynamic artisan truffle) this sweet old lady’s face became a nasty contorted version of itself: Yuck Face 2.0. And for the real kicker, she exclaimed, “Ooo, I don’t like that at all! Salt and chocolate is not a good idea”. To which I stammered a shocked apology as I tried to gather myself (shocked because of the rudeness, not because I’m so full of myself to think everyone is going to like my creations).
So stunningly rude! Aren’t old ladies supposed to be the paragon’s of sweetness and polite dispositions?
JetBlue's oh so awesome Steven Slater . . . my hero!
Indeed, all I could think about was my favorite flight attendant and how I wished there was an inflatable evacuation device that I could deploy to get out of dodge.
But of course, being a polite, well-adjusted, considerate adult, I merely swallowed the jagged little pill granny had just shoved down my throat and moved on.
The rest of the evening was very successful, and it was actually one of our busiest markets. Still, I had a hard time shrugging-off those Yuck Faces. I mean, what is with these people?! Where are your manners? Just because you’re young or old does not give you leave to bypass societal mores and proverbially punch people in their guts with rudeness. Mind your manners; keep it to yourself.
And for those of you who say honesty should always be greeted with respect, I say honesty need not be delivered in such a belligerent manner.
Okay Okay, I know, I’m going on and on about the same thing. So I’ll wrap it up with this simple and to the point quip by Mr. Tennessee Williams: I can’t stand a naked light bulb, any more than I can stand a rude remark or a vulgar action.
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