I can't help it: I'm a sucker for a fortune cookie.
I love the folded, golden, sweetness of the post-Chinese food treat. I like making everyone choose their cookie from the plate of many. Hell, I even like that sometimes they are surprisingly stale or spiked with a hint of lemon. Let's face it: With fortune cookies, you never know what you're gonna get. And it might be one of the only types of unpredictability I actually embrace.
A quick sidenote about my love of fortune cookies...
On the very first day I moved to Charleston in August of 1996, I met one of the most amazing people on the planet. His name was Jonathan and he was a total weirdo. But I loved him instantly and to this day I would gladly lay my life in his hands because not only would he do anything for me, he willingly has many times. And if you're wondering why I said his name was Jonathan, it's because he changed it to Sebastian years ago and I still can't adjust. He will always be Jonnie to me and that's that.
Anyway...
Jonnie and I went to eat Chinese one day at Great Wall. (If you lived here in the late 90's, you will remember that Great Wall was first a shady Chinese joint then it became an incredibly weird, keg-filled, glowstick-waving, raver club.) As I sat across from Jonnie, and some other dude who clearly did not become a lasting part of my college career, Jonnie told me that it was "tradition" to smack your fortune cookie against your forehead to crack it before you opened the plastic. He said, "Dude, if you want your fortune to come true, you totally have to crush it on your forehead."
To this day I'm not really sure why, but I grabbed my cookie and smashed it right into my forehead. Jonnie and Person X just stared at me, as did the the staff and fellow buffet goers. It really is amazing how loud an exploding fortune cookie wrapper and shattering sugar can be.
I never really lived that one down, but every single time I've seen a fortune cookie since that day, I've tried to convince everyone at the table to do the same. Not once have I experienced success. Not even with my kids.
So tonight at P.F. Changs I once again tried to get the boys and their best friend to smash their cookies into their foreheads. They still didn't go for it. But everyone was willing to carefully select their cookie from the plate and patiently share their fortunes.
It's funny. I've always viewed fortunes as unpredictable, but tonight they seemed pretty spot-on.
Teague: "Everyone feels lucky for having you as a friend."
Crews: "Your love of life can carry you through any circumstance."
Owen: "Excitement and intrigue follow you closely wherever you go!"
