Pop Culture Clash

On my desk, I have a “The Office” daily calendar that has a new quote from the show everyday. It’s part of my morning routine to tear off the page to reveal the current day’ quotes and laugh to myself. Today, this little calendar brought me some more unexpected joy. Let me back up a bit… Nip/Tuck had been complaining all week about her sinuses. This morning she spent 10 minutes telling me about all of “gunk” that is up there. Yea, really riveting conversation, I know. So, color me tickled when I tear my calendar page off to reveal this insightful quote from Dwight Shrute: “You can cure sinus infections by making tea from green leaf stems, and pouring it directly into your nose.” The coincidence was too amazing not to share – I thought it’d give Nip/Tuck a good laugh. But I was too naïve to realize that a woman who constantly refers to “Cane-on West”, could not possible have heard of a little TV show called “The Office”. I go over to show it to her expecting to elicit a giggle or at least her usual fake laugh. Instead I get a very puzzled, serious face. “Oh…I had never thought of that! What a great idea! I’m going to try it tonight!” As I stand there still trying to process that she actually thinks this is a REAL solution from some Dr. Dwight, she yells over the Neighbor to come look at this. Neighbor, who is not THAT old, reads it and has the same amazed face as Nip/Tuck. “Oh wow! That’s so cool – I love trying new things to beat my sinuses!” At this point, I am just too shocked. And I’m pretty sure too much times has lapsed for me to reveal that this is NOT a real remedy from a doctor, but rather a quote from a character on TV (one who is ridiculous at that). I don’t have the heart to break it to them. Or maybe it’s the secret glee I get in imagining the two of them pouring hot green tea up their noses tonight. Nice visual, I know.