Inquiring Minds Want to Know

My breakfast treat today; a small scoop of fat-free, sugar-free Blue Bunny ice cream on my steel cuts oats. Question: does fat free and sugar free still qualify as ice cream?

We watched a favorite old movie last evening, "Spanglish". There is a scene with Cloris Leachman comforting a bawling Tea Leone that makes me scratch my head. Tea is sniffling and sobbing and Cloris hands her a glass of water. Why is it in films and TV shows that someone hands a crying or bereft person a glass of water? Will that make things better? Worse scenario, and this always makes me cringe, when someone is choking they give them a drink. Hello. They need to cough not drink. They are choking because something has gone down the "windpipe" not the esophagus to the stomach. They don't need to put in liquids. That might kill them. Save the water for when they are having a good cry. There.

Another gripe of mine. In movies, TV and sometimes life, loved ones are always concerned that the grieving person who has lost a loved one, eat. "You must eat." Why? Eventually you must eat, but it won't matter if you miss the next meal. Watch for yourself. Water and food are first aid. I should talk. I learned at my mother's knee that you feed people who come to visit. I always ask my kids if they want something to eat. I guess nothing says loving like something from the frig.

My final question: What is a "sports barber"? Jon noticed yesterday one of our local clip joints has a sign calling themselves "sports barbers". Is hair cutting a sport not? Do they only cut athletes hair? Is there an athletic haircut? Are the barbers or patrons good sports? I asked Andy that question. He had a simpler answer; "They probably have a TV tuned to ESPN,

mom". If a guy is getting a haircut while watching the Vikings lose on ESPN at the barber, do you think the barber offers him a drink of water so he can compose himself? I don't think they have a liquor license. Wait. Wait. That might be a good idea for a new business. The errant husband / boyfriend could stop off for a quick one and have his haircut at the same time. He could tell his love he was just getting a haircut. I suppose they wouldn't get quick enough repeat business to make much money.