Let's talk about forks.
One fateful day in the summer of 2009, a young woman made her way through the aisles of Target on the hunt for a dining set for one. She walked away with a set of silverware, two giant hot pink cups, and two accompanying plates.
That young woman was me.
I was SO STOKED to be a ✨college kid✨ and needed just the right number of dishes to not take up too much room in my dorm but still allow me to not dine out for every meal. Since then, I have moved eight times, and one lone fork from the set has survived every. single. one. of those eight moves. Why? Because it’s the best fork ever.
For one thing, this fork is substantial AF. You set that bad boy on a plate and balance it as you walk toward the couch to watch Teen Mom 2 while you eat, and it’s not going anywhere. None of that slide-off-the-plate bullshit your everyday fork might pull. No, sir. It has a nice sturdy handle on it, and it’s the perfect length. Plus it has short prongs, which is an absolute must for me when it comes to forks.
Every time we run the dishwasher, you bet your bottom dollar that fork is in there. Because it rarely makes it to the drawer. If it’s clean, I am using it.
But Natalie, why don’t you just purchase a whole set of forks like this? Because then it won’t be special. There’s something about sitting down for meal time and hearing your husband say, “Your rusty ass old fork is clean if you want it.” Music to my ears. I don’t want to rob myself of that surprise and delight by filling an entire drawer with them.
Anyway, on Christmas Eve, Sean and I went over to my parents’ house to eat with them. My mom was pulling forks out of the drawer for everyone and said, “Oh, look, Jon, your special fork is clean.”
My dad did this:
I did this:
Sean did this:
Me: You have a special fork?! I have a special fork!
My Dad: You do?! I love this thing. It only has three prongs.
I love discovering random things that I picked up from my parents without even realizing it. Another example that comes to mind: My mom and I recently discovered that in between bites, we both set our burgers on the plate with the top bun facing down.
Anyway, if you don’t currently have a favorite eating utensil, I suggest you designate one ASAP, so you can also partake in the delight that accompanies discovering it’s clean at mealtime.
