I'm No Longer Surprised...

I used to be really surprised when people don't know really obvious things, such as seen in the sign at right (photo sent by my mom).  But no more.  I've run into it way too often to be surprised any more.

Not so many years ago, I had a young fellow working for me.  He was married and had two kids (he now has four).  In a conversation with him one day, I discovered that he had no idea where peanuts came from.  He guessed they grew on trees or bushes.  When I told him they actually grew underground, he didn't believe me – until he googled it and discovered the truth.

I then began a quest to find all the obvious things he didn't know.  He surprised me over and over.  For example, he assumed that milk was made in a factory, like soda.  He had no idea that it originated in a cow.  His wife breast-fed his kids, so I know he's been exposed to the concept.  Once I told him this, and he googled to confirm it, he stopped drinking milk.

Then I found out that he had no idea where honey came from.  Once again, he assumed it was made in a factory, like molasses or sugar (there's a whole 'nother story there!).  When I told him it was made by bees, and harvested from their hives, he was absolutely incredulous.  He loved honey – had it on his toast or biscuits every morning.  No way was it regurgitated by bugs!  He googled it...and hasn't eaten honey since. 

I never asked him about bananas, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't know they're from plants.