Deep Thinker

So I went to the Ladies' Luncheon at the Dol's house and met all of her commie-pinko liberal friends. I had no idea left-wing hippies came in so many shades of fabulous or were so likely to speak with British accents. They're classy, too, as wine was served and not one of them threw up on my shoes.

The Dol is a Secret Martha. You know the type, all practical and macaroni-n-cheese on your average day, and then whipping out the ornaments as place cards and vegetarian feast on special occasions. Now, I love the Dol's macaroni-n-cheese as much as, if not more than, the next person but her fancy aspargus-spinach-feta-walnut pasta was divine. I had a second helping that I really did not need--except I needed it--and then found out that she also made fudge and cheesecake.

Guess who's going on Santa's naughty list. No, not me, silly: the Dol. Friends don't lead friends into so much temptation in one day.

I was thrilled to partake in intelligent political discussion with new people. I got to whip out all my old stand-bys and have them sound fresh and only moderately nutty. Oh, how I love to expound on the virtues of birthcontrol for the teenage masses and have wise women nod knowingly in reply. Not a blush in the room.

Also, I got to see the Dol in political action for the first time ever. I always knew she was a taskmaster but she has never been more impressive to me than when she explained in patient detail the registration process for independents who wish to vote in the Democratic party primary.

But the real reason for this post is the asparagus. Now some of you will be grossed out and some of you might even play coy but I'm going there anyway. You see, the Dol served that Rolls-Royce of vegetables and, as I mentioned last post, wine, so it wasn't too long before I found my way to the little girls' room. When what to my wondering nose should appear but the bouquet d'something.

Now I understand about asparagus, people. I really do. But what I don't understand is how the chemical components are metabolized and distilled into the urine so quickly. You'd think it would take an hour or so, but no. Take a bite of asparagus, chew, swallow, and pee and you will smell it instantly.

Now occasionally, if I drink more than my fair share of coffee my pee will smell like a freshly roasted bean. That little bit of alchemy takes time, though, and quantity. And regardless of how much chocolate I eat, and believe me when I say I've tested the outer limits of this claim, my pee never smells like Godiva. So what is it with asparagus?

Just so you know, after two-and-a-half hours of intelligent discussion, asparagus pee is what was on my mind for the entire hour-long drive home. I chuckle a little because if Bookgirl had been with me, she would have surely thought I was thinking something deep and asked me what it was. I can just picture her perfect eyebrows lifting and the corners of her rosebud mouth twitching as she is startled for the umpteenth time by the huge chasm between her perception and my reality.

Comments

[The Dol]

Oh my goodness! I'm still high from all the fun I had with the Ladies Who Lunch. We bashed Dubya and discussed the intricacies of Libertarianism (thanks, Pol!). Plus, we drank wine, which makes me happy.

I'm reading Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult right now (thanks, bookgirl!) and just last night I read a passage where two kids do an experiment to see how many bites of asparagus it takes to make your pee smell--less than two!

[Liz]

The Dol - that pasta sounds delicious. And Ladies Who Lunch? Seriously, I'm pretty jealous.

Poppins - I'm a stinky pee fan, I can't lie. I never knew that asparagus did that until 2 summers ago when I worked on a farm and picked (and ate) asparagus every afternoon. I was all insistent that the chemicals they were spraying were making my pee stink. I was kind of disappointed to find out otherwise

[Gypsy Gal]

Poppins - As always loved reading your post, particularly this perceptive pee-post :-) I too tend to reflect on these more deeper topics when my brain is not trying to juggle a milieu of tasks. So, your reflection led to my inquistive research mind to go to work. Here is what I found: http://student.bmj.com/back_issues/0800/education/277.html. Enjoy! - Gypsy Gal ;-)

[Polly Poppins]

Gypsy Gal, I knew that everyone produced the stinky pee, but I didn't know that such a big percentage of the population can't smell the stink in their own pee. I guess we've got a bunch of super-sniffers here.

[Bookgirl]

Pol, you're absolutely right. When you get lost in thoughts like that, I love to ask what you're thinking about. I always expect it to be something meaningful and deep and thoughtful. And even though we've been friends for all these years, and I should expect it by now, I'm still shocked and tickled every time by your answers.