Going Bananas

Have you ever had an ideal that you hold onto with a childlike tenacity?  Something or someone you idolize?  An opinion that you value so much you refuse to doubt its veracity even when presented with strong evidence to the contrary?

I have.

I'm not sure if most people would describe it as "childlike tenacity" though.  More like: "stubborn inability to admit she's wrong."  But I don't usually have this attitude about, like, normal things.  I'm never like that if it involves another person or if it involves work.  That's just my personal code of honor.  Actually, if I notice an error that could potentially affect the aforementioned, I'm the first one to bring that mistake to someone's attention even if I end up looking retarded...which is more common than I'd like to admit.

But I'm unique in that I don't like to admit that I'm wrong...over stupid things.  Things that affect no one!! 

I went to the Market today.  I only needed a few things...tomatoes, yellow bell pepper, sugar snap peas.  And then I saw them.  The greenest bananas I'd ever seen.  Not a bruise on them.  I got giddy with excitement.

I rushed home, put the away the veggies, snapped off one of the unblemished crescents, and sat down to savor.  I began to strip away the peel.  The skin was thick, and resistant...almost like fascia.  The fruit itself was pure, firm, luscious.  I bit down, my mouth watering with anticipated ecstasy.

It tasted like chalk.  It clung nastily to my teeth.  I choked in horrified surprise.

I took another bite.  Just as horrible as the first.

At three bites positive for "disgusting," the scientist in me should have been satisfied.  Should have accepted that the data was not supporting the previously idolized hypothesis that green bananas were better than yellow bananas.

Fourth bite.  Fifth bite.  P-value is off the charts here, people.

But I finished it.  Choked down every bitter bite, and do you know why?

Because, DAMMIT!!!  I  LIKE  GREEN  BANANAS!!!!!