I was in a store the other day, and overheard this conversation between the greengrocer, who was unboxing bananas and placing them on the banana table, and a shopper.
“These bananas,” said the shopper “Are really heavy.”
“Oh, yes,” said the greengrocer. “They are. Bananas are really heavy. Heavier than most everything else. Why, if you compare them to apples and oranges…”
I was struck, upon the instant, with the sure knowledge that the greengrocer was in fact a very clever philosopher masquerading as a store employee in order to spread the message far and wide. If you compare bananas to apples and oranges, indeed…
We’ve all been smugly utilizing metaphors about (not being able to) compare apples and oranges, when all along we’d been missing the point. It’s bananas we’re supposed to be comparing.
Well, I’ve got my banana, and I’m going out to start comparing now. The universe should align itself properly in about the same length of time it takes a baby banana to mature into banana bread.
You’re welcome.
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