I LO-O-OVE YOUR OUTFIT! ... and what about MY FACE?

This is an interesting thought.  This stuff happens a lot with us humans.  Some of you may remember what I wrote about the time when I had a fine beard.  I took it off after a short time because I did not like the fact that my beard got first billing ahead of me.  The other night, The Voice from the Kitchen and I attended a rather serious social event.  So, naturally, we got ourselves rather dolled up and plunged into the big, bad, broad world of special social behavior.  She was dressed in a stunning suit of royal purple, a picture of which you are seeing adjacent to this writing.  The skirt has a decoration around the lower part that is faux gold, but stunning nonetheless.  Believe me, after about 30 minutes of getting Ooohs and Aaahs of varying decibels of volume and varying lengths of Oooooooooohs and Aaaaaaaahs, she turned to me and said, in a safe for privacy language, "I think I like the compliments, but what about my face?"  (Remember I wrote about that too?) Now, I tell you the truth, I commiserated with her because I had been there a time or two.  After a short time of that I decided she needed a lift, so I gallantly chirped, "You've got a beautiful face."  To which she replied, "You're only saying that to make me feel good."  You're all elected to remind me never to commiserate with her again.  I've been telling her that for 35 years and she still acts like she doesn't believe me.  Notice the word, "acts"?  I will also tell you another secret, she really is humble.  Seriously.

Voice from the Kitchen, front & center

Actually, she had a chance to get her comeuppance and she took full advantage of the opportunity.  Toward the end of the evening she performed a hula in a group made up of volunteers practiced for the occasion.  I have decided to let you see the wonderful face that I have had to endure for the last 35 years...like it or not!  Now, you have to admit that it isn't a very bad face after all.
This is one of the consequences of what Eve did to us in the Garden of Eden.  When the human race started out, when we talked to one another, the only compliments we could either give or retain were about US, not about our fancy clothes, our nifty hairdo or a dozen other things.  The only thing to talk about was us and of course, some of the low-hanging fruit from a certain tree.  Once the fruit thing got resolved, then we got into a variety of modes, styles and fashions, starting with basic fig leaves all the way up to daintily woven weeping willow fronds, I guess.  After that I suppose, the women started to plug flowers into the array and the first exploitative action on the planet was the ex-foliation of the flora that hadn't even been given a scientific name yet.  Do you know why?  Easy.  Latin had not been invented and died yet.
OK.  Enough foolishness for a while.  I leave you with the final thought, a piece of advice:  When you talk to people, remember that they are people, not royal purple decorations.