Who put the peach in the coconut?
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
If you were a fruit, what would you be?
While running around NYC, Kimi, Susan, Forrest and Al ran into these two guys at a pizza shop. I must have made some kind of pointed comment to them, because one of the guys turned to me and said, “You must be a New Yorker” in a way that didn’t mean, “Ah, due to your enlightened sense of style and impeccable dress, I perceive that you must be from New York.” He was saying, “You’re harsh, straight-forward, and little bit caustic with an air of ‘I-don’t-care’ about you.” It was such a double-edge comment. On the one-hand, woo-hoo! I fit in here! I don’t look like a tourist! On the other hand, boooo, I’m mean.
Huh.
He continued on to say that I must also be in Finance (an iBanker or something).
Double-huh.
So what is it about New Yorkers versus other people? The same guy brought up a good analogy. He had gone to school in the mid-West “where people,” he said,” are like peaches.” (This is where I interjected, “Fuzzy and shaped like butts?” I was, of course, ignored.) “People are like peaches because they are soft on the outside, but hard as stone on the inside…MEANING that they are all very nice but very difficult to get to know beyond the surface. New Yorkers, on the other hand, are hard on the outside, but actually kind and soft on the inside.”
He had yet to find a good fruit example for New Yorkers. I offered up the coconut as a fine specimen, but that idea was shot down since coconuts are hard on the outside but soft for a little and then HOLLOW IN THE MIDDLE! Ok, so that analogy didn’t quite work.
I guess I’m just coping with being a coconut. Do I really want to be a New Yorker? I feel like it’s just enabling my latent (well, maybe not-so-latent) aggro side. There have been many sources that warn against becoming to hard here. Since I’ve moved here, I’ve learned not to take crap from anyone. If you want something, you’ better ask for you it or you’ll never even get close to getting it. I commute on the subway with a cruel efficiency that calls for a little pushing, shoving, and a little glaring and even some eye rolling. Tourists annoy me. Homeless people asking for money on the train don’t even warrant a glance anymore. People are seen more as obstacles to navigate around rather than children of God. And don’t even try a pick-up line on me while I’m walking down the street!
I’m not sure I’m happy with this new development. I suppose this just means it’s time for more introspection. Wish me luck and here I go…!
LOL.
Kat, this is some of your best comic writing. I really enjoyed it!
And I’ll be praying for you to stay soft and pink.
Posted by laura on 06/30 at 05:28 AM...and I’d just like to add, that the Peach analogy to Midwesterners REALLY is accurate in our experience. Everyone is friendly here, but we only make it to a certain point of acquaintanceship before we are rebutted. It’s hard.
My mom says that Tennessee is even worse. Even more “clannish” and closed to outsiders.
Posted by laura on 06/30 at 05:30 AMI think a persimmon would be an interesting person… at first they seem really bitter, but after awhile of sitting in the sun, they get to be really, really sweet. And delicious. Did I mention I love persimmon? (^_^)
Maybe fruit is the wrong way to go to describe New Yoakers. Have you seen that classic Far Side cartoon with the two polar bears biting into an igloo? “Oh hey I just love these things—crunchy on the outside and a chewy center.”
Strange enough, Kat, I feel the same commuting emotions as you, but here in Japan. Not from others (they just ignore you and everyone), but from myself. I might be the only one “glares”, etc., and I don’t like the rotten feeling I have, but it’s kind of an instant reaction.
I’ll pray for you when I need it. Blessings in Jesus, Kat.
Posted by Ramone on 06/30 at 07:06 AMI’ll be there this weekend
Posted by Jimbo on 06/30 at 07:08 AMHey Kat, I used this topic (and story) of yours at Woody Hut tonight (it’s the conversation cafe where I work at every Wednesday night). It was kind of cool.
The first responder identified with an avocado—soft on the outside but a strong, solid core (I didn’t point out the lumps, haha). A second guy said he was like a durian—stinky on the outside but sweet on the inside.
After much thought, I identified with the almighty Mikan… easy to peel (I like to share) and can often be passed around and shared. At the same time, it’s easy to dig into a mikan before it’s ready, and other times it’s easy to forget you have them, or to eat too many. That’s like me because often my timing is off, and I peel & share stuff too early or too late.
I emailed one friend later who thought he was hard on the outside and empty inside, and I told him this:
“You’re not empty inside. You’re more like a persimmon (kaki). At first you might think that you are hard and not good inside, but after some time you’ll discover that you’re not as hard as you thought, and you are really good inside.”
And as I thought of it, Kat, that describes you, too. I think you’ve gotten used to thinking of yourself as kind of hard all the way through, but inside you’re like honey, and you just need time, like a persimmon, and you’ll know it.
Blessings.
Posted by Ramone on 07/27 at 07:52 AM