I think I already know something about something even though I actually know nothing about something.
But that doesn't matter. My mind's made up. Please don't confuse me with the facts.
That happened here in this very house on one snowy, late winter Saturday.
I was the first one up. The Elixir was flowing (third cup) as well as my creative juices. And breakfast would bear the full brunt of both.
I made a big pot of oatmeal. Thick, chunky oatmeal. Not the "drink-through-a-straw", "pours-out-into-a-bowl" oatmeal. Nope. This is oatmeal that comes out like a rock slide with the possibility of bowl breakage.
Don't use the good china to catch this stuff.
There it sat in the bowl, with all the pop and sizzle of government office decorating. Bland. Very bland. It needs . . . something.
Rummaging through the cupboards I found an almost full jar of shiny, green sprinkles.
Huh.
Putting on a thick layer at least made 'em colorful. Lumpy and colorful.
I gently poured the milk into each bowl. Whoa.
The milk followed the valleys and wadis between the lumps, making little islands of sparkling green in a milk-white sea. Cool.
What else we got?
Looking in the pantry, I found one of those little lunch-box containers of raisins.
For better or for worse, that's when the Elixir kicked in.
I took a pinch of raisins, making one or two little piles in each bowl. Then I randomly dropped a few raisins hither and thither for effect.
Grabbing a spoon, I proudly walked into the bedroom to treat the Wife to breakfast in bed.
I'm sure she would have enjoyed it more if I had waited until she was awake, but the oatmeal was getting cold.
I remember the conversation well.
"Huh?"
"Here you go. Breakfast in bed."
"Wha - what's this?"
"Deer path in Spring"
She wouldn't eat it. And I can't print her response.
No, I'm kidding. She doesn't talk like that.
Well, not when she's actually awake.
Anyway.
Perception can be a lot like prejudice. It happens to us all. Even the disciples.
"Can any good thing come outta Nazareth?"
If we get past it, hey, who knows what we'll find?.
A new friend. A new thought.
Or a pretty interesting breakfast.