Friday, January 2, 2009

Youts



Vinny: "So the two youts went in ..."
The Judge: "Ahhh -- what was that word?"

Vinny: "What word your honor?"

The Judge: "Two what?"

Vinny: "Youts? ... Oh I'm sorry ... ... two YOOOUUUTTTHHHS."


From "My Cousin Vinny" (1992)


And I say:
Youts today!
What DO they eat?

I was checking out at the local supermarket yesterday, and the cashier (I'm guessing 18-ish in age) held up just about every piece of produce I was purchasing, having no idea what any were.

Just to add to the experience, he was clearly put out that I was buying the "hard" things -- that is, the ones that have to be identified, not just scanned like a bag of potato chips.


OK, I can expect perhaps the rutabaga or the turnip (perhaps, the veggies of an older generation, such as myself?) ... but the parsley? the cabbage? I have, at other times in this same supermarket, been asked to identify the following items for these yout'ful cashiers: zucchini, broccoli, leeks, dill weed, fennel, jicama, green onions, eggplant, bell peppers, yams and cauliflower.

Aside from my curiosity about their lack of training for their jobs -- I have to wonder: what are they eating at HOME that they view these items as though they've arrived from the Planet Ork?!

In my work, which is marketing research, I'm often called upon to listen to "youts" who are frequent buyers of fast food. Some of these kids (though, trust me, the phenomenon extends way beyond kids) eat at fast food restaurants at least twice a day. Sometimes three times.

I don't have kids, myself. Just 3 grown nephews, who definitely know their food groups -- and a niece who is a rising star as a chef, and knows more about food than I do!

But You Parents! What's going on here? What are you feeding your children, that they've apparently never seen a stalk of broccoli or a sweet potato that doesn't come out of a can and already have marshmallows melted on it? They seem to "get" lettuce and tomato -- I'm fearing likely the only vegetables they recognize, because they are included on a Whopper ...


Great Big Sigh.

8 comments:

Gluten free Kay said...

I cook for college students for a living. In the past I've had to provide meals for vegetarians who don't really eat any vegetables. They consider tortilla chips with fake cheese sauce a suitable alternative to a meat-containing meal.

This year, however, the health nuts are actually eating healthy food. They know about protein, they know about carbs, they know about vitamins.

The non-health nuts, however, can live on cereal, bagels and mac & cheese. They consider cooking skills totally optional, and they're opting out. They won't eat any meat that looks like it came from an animal - no skin, no bones, "fused" is okay.

On the upside, this is the first year that I get to spend more of the food budget on vegetables than on styrofoam cups and containers.

Baby steps!

Suzanne said...

Kay! Incredible observations and insights -- and what a perspective you have to take it all in.

Though I will say I'm almost frightened to ask: what mean you by "fused?"

:-/ ?

Clara said...

Vinny: How many fingers am I holding up?
The Judge: Let the record know that the counselor is holding up 2 fingers.
Vinny: Hey, your honor please, huh?
The Judge: Oh, sorry.
Vinny: Now. Mrs. Riley, and only Mrs. Riley.
Vinny: How many fingers am I holding up now?


hahahaha! My Hubby and I LOVE this movie. We quote it all the time! :D

Suzanne said...

Clara -- all I have to do is just HEAR the name of the movie and I start to laugh hysterically! So many years of joy, as it's a purty durned old movie!

Rachel said...

Just found your blog and am enjoying your humorous take on the GF life. Yes, youts at the supermarket checkout are always interesting. I've had them ask me what radishes were, kiwi fruit, and strangely, a head of cabbage once. But I always come back with a snappy (hopefully) comment about how delicious whatever the vegetable is prepared a certain way and hope they don't just think I'm weird but it actually sinks in some day.

Ginger said...

Two Youtz... I loved that expression so much while living in Las Vegas that I made my email address 2utes@cox.net
Since it was also Ute country, the address was a tribute to that fine tribe as well as the most hilarious movie I'd seen til then.

Suzanne said...

Ginger -- I remember when you used to use the 2utes email address! I always figured it related to the Ute Indian tribe you mention -- which also came first to my mind, since I grew up in Utah. I never realized we also had "two youtz" in common -- lol!

Ginger said...

Suz -- Yup, Greg & I would laugh ourselves silly every time we watched that segment of the movie. It's his favorite movie anyway.
http://youtu.be/YpNgONH2ncI

I just had to use it somewhere & it worked with the region too. =)