One thing about me is that i’m always going to be myself 100 percent and because of that there are some situations where you suddenly realise just how different you are from your other people. Now , this might be a bit abstract but I think food has a funny way of exposing people's personalities because while some people are perfectly comfortable sticking to what they know and enjoy, others are always looking for something new or slightly more sophisticated. I am definitely the first kind of person. Give me something I already know I like and I am perfectly happy. I don't need a complicated name, expensive presentation or some fancy description to convince me that I am enjoying myself.
I was reminded of this recently when I went to a restaurant with some friends. We were looking through the menu, talking about what everyone wanted to eat, and I already knew exactly what I was going for, i wanted my normal jollof spaghetti or should i say pasta. Nothing complicated, Just give me my jollof pasta and let me enjoy my meal in peace.
Unfortunately for me, my friends had other plans. Apparently, ordering the normal jollof pasta was not sophisticated enough for the occasion. They started looking through the menu and suddenly we were talking about Alfredo pasta, creamy pasta and all sorts of things that sounded like they belonged in a restaurant where the waiter whispers the price instead of saying it out loud. They were excited about trying something different and, after enough persuasion, I decided to abandon my original plan and try the creamy pasta with them.
Safe to say that i wish i had stayed with my jollof pasta. The moment I tasted the creamy pasta, I knew there was a problem., i tried to convince myself that maybe I just needed another bite. Sometimes you taste something unfamiliar and your first reaction is not necessarily the final verdict, so I tried again and it was the same problem. I was sitting there chewing, looking at the plate and wondering why I had allowed myself to be convinced into this situation in the first place.
My friends noticed my face almost immediately and they started laughing. Apparently, my expression had already betrayed me before I even said anything. They started calling me “local,” asking why I was struggling with the creamy pasta and making jokes about how I was clearly not ready for the sophisticated life. I just looked at them, shook my head and started laughing too because, honestly, what else could I do?
Before knew it i’d already changed my meal to my normal jollof pasta, i really don't like pretending. If I don't like something, I don't like it. I don't suddenly like it because somebody tells me it is fancy. I don't like it because it is expensive. For me there is something very exhausting about constantly trying to perform a version of yourself that you think other people will find impressive.
If you like creamy pasta, enjoy your creamy pasta. If you prefer jollof pasta, then enjoy your jollof pasta. If you like expensive restaurants, good for you. If you are happier eating something simple from the local spot down the road, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that either. The important thing, at least for me, is being honest about what I actually like.
That evening, my friends could continue calling me local all they wanted. I had no problem with it. In fact, I found it funny because maybe they were right in their own way.
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From @avataraang1