Meat (in Love)
Seeing love everywhere
When I was a kid, I could see faces in the wallpaper. This was not, and is not, unique to me. In fact, I think that I have actually read my first sentence of this story in someone else's story. Does that make it plagiarism if it is my truth?
That's a thought for another day. Back to seeing faces.
I don't mean that I lived in a house that literally had faces coming through the wallpaper either. Just images. That would be some spooky upbringing.
It is named, this thing where you see faces in inanimate objects. It's called face pareidolia. I continue to see faces to this day although it is not, and never was, limited to wallpaper.
As an entry to a challenge designed to discuss the emotional sincerity of a photo you treasure, my choice is scant on sentiment. It hasn't captured a powerful moment although it's all about the context maybe... It has captured something and whilst the essence of what is seen in the photo is perhaps not that deep, what it says about me is significant.
I know, I know. You want to see the photo. Here it is. I feel like I should put an advisory for vegans.
Surprised? Good.
It's pretty special, you must admit.
I mean, look at it! It's like two very pink, bald and marbled people about to embrace. Their eyes are closed in on something approximating ecstasy or amusement - one of the two - and whilst they're both in the moment, I think it's fair to say that the meat piece on the right is looking a lot more into it. In fact, that stringy bit of fat in its "mouth" makes it look like it's positively drooling with the prospect of getting its meaty lips onto its com-pan-ion.
Do you see it too?
Perhaps I was wrong. Perhaps there is sentiment, deep sentiment, a significant emotional moment being shown in that picture. Those meat pieces are in the throes of, er, something and, here I come along, heating them up, setting them alight and disturbing them, but more than that, devouring them shortly after (or one of them at least). If that's not a dramatic ending to a thwarted love story, then I don't know what is!
This photo says a lot about me. It tells you I like gammon, not often as it is a little salty for me but I do enjoy it when I have it. More than that, it illustrates that I do "suffer" from face pareidolia. Not a condition as such but very much part of me. It tells you also that I know how to preserve the perfect moment.
Most of all, it is a little snapshot, literally, into how I see the world. I see faces everywhere and I create stories for them. I've just imposed one on those gammon slices above, suggesting that they meet a hellish end which if they were two living things would be terrible and horrific and reduce an involved reader to tears.
It's not just meat slices that inspire me. When my kids were smaller and I didn't have an early start for football games, on Sunday mornings I would make us all pancakes. I very much enjoyed this process. There's something satisfying about making something from scratch which is simple but which, in the providing, gives people pleasure. Taste good too.
As I would be standing there waiting for them to fluff up in the pan, I'd marvel at the patterns that formed on the surface. Sometimes, too, they'd settle into strange shapes and I would look at them and fantasise about them being planets. I suppose, they're circular, pitted, unique - they sort of look like individual worlds in that pan.
If I was particularly taken by the look or shape of one, I would take a photo of it and post it to Instagram (social media has a lot to answer for) at Pancakesasplanets. This, in itself, is self-indulgent madness but I didn't stop there.
I also wrote a little piece, like an excerpt from a planetary tourist guide, to tell you a little bit about my pancake planet, usually a short description of its features.
Here's an example:
The ridge on the right hand side that curves is called The Ridge of Rock. It is made of, erm, rock. It acts as a protective shield against the villainous gummy projectile from neighbouring planet, Haribo. This planet, Solidas, has inhabitants who live directly below the Ridge in caves of soft floury powder.
I'm not sure to this day why I did this. I still have a hankering to continue it. As you can see, it was very popular from the number of followers I gained.
No time on Sunday mornings now for pancakes nor sharing them.
What the photos and the story and the sharing prove to demonstrate, other than my madness and my leanings towards whimsy and surrealism, is that I really do see stories everywhere and that they can appear from the most unlikely sources.
So let's go back to the gammon. That sounds like a concept album for a progressive rock group.
Focus.
The reason that that photo has emotion for me? It's because it reflects who I am. Wonderfully weird me. I love who I am. I'm happy that this is the person I am and that I am contained in the skin I am in, to present foolish fancies like this to you in the hope of winning a prize. More than the winning, though, it's the being able to do it, to have that capability. I'm not gifted but I'm not rubbish neither and the enjoyment that I've received from having sat here in my kitchen and spouted this nonsense, whilst having a cup of tea and some cornflakes has, I am not ashamed to say, filled me with an inordinate amount of joy.
With that in mind, the gammon's mutual attraction and the photo thereof is not in itself a meaningful one. To the outsider, it might appear humorous and it ends there. In the context of me, though, that photo? It declares to the world that I am playful, that I notice things, that I am thoughtful, that I am mad, that I like gammon. The emotion lies in me knowing these things about myself and wanting to share them with you.
Simply put, I love me.
On a more serious note, though, I sincerely hope that this has served as an advisory to you, most importantly, that you should more closely examine your food as you never know - it may be examining you in return.
About the Creator
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Comments (23)
Honourable Mention on the Leaderboard ✅🙃!
They are like totally kissing. I agree with you about the one on the right. I like that you were reflective, almost going back on your words of not finding sentiment. I would be that involved reader that would be reduced to tears. 😭 The bit about the pancake planet is so darn wholesome 😍 I quite like your weirdness. I am weird too. On our bathroom wall, on the tiles; I could see a baby, an alien baby… bald with its eyes closed, but I could only see the side of its face. Before typing this comment, I took a picture of it and asked my husband if he sees the same thing. I didn’t stop until he could see it, zooming in and out and darkening the image. Using my pen to point out where the eye lash was 😂 being weird is the best. Congratulations on your honorable mentions for Most discussed stories on the leaderboard. 🎊🎉🎊
This was a fun read. Haha,I see faces everywhere too. Clouds, trees, even my toast sometimes looks like it's judging me. It's definitely a unique way to see the world.
this. is. my. life. lol. loved this unique take on the challenge and it is something I've written about before! just the other day there I saw faces that weren't there! anyway well done on a great pic, a relatable piece and leaderboard placement!
Wooohooooo congratulations on your Leaderboard placement! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
What an entertaining read! I definitely share your face pareidolia😳🙃… I have photos of mishappen cherry tomatoes & other food which I can’t recall details of now. Wallpaper is certainly a happy hunting ground 🤣. No way can you be called weird 😵💫… because I’d have to join the club!😃
This is great!! I love the route you went with this! I think a brain inclined to look for distinguishable patterns makes for a good poet, which is clearly supported by the examples of both you and Paul who has mentioned having this "condition" in a piece of his! If I was active on Instagram I would definitely follow your pancake account!
This is such a fun piece! I'm happy to read something so positive, and your Pankcakes as Planets instagram is fantastically unique. 😄 I used to see faces in my floral bedroom curtains as a child, and I was so sure they were there, I thought they were part of the design for years. One day in my teens, I suddenly noticed it really was just flowers. Disappointing!
I absolutely love this story! While I don't always see faces in objects, I do give inanimate objects feelings, something called anthropomorphism. As with you, it is not unique to me. I really enjoyed this delightful story, Rachel.
Ha! This is fab. What a challenge entry. I didn't think I could get excited looking at two slabs of meat but there you go! Great one!
This was so wonderful to read. First off, that's such a unique photo, then the story you gave to it was soo creative and weirdly heartbreaking lol. I get what you mean and love the sentiment that that photo represents a lot of other facets of who you are. This was wonderful, funny, and reflective. I loved it!
Okay that last sentence was lowkey threatening hahahahahaha. My dad and aunt were pareidolic, but I'm not sure if they still are. Also, I loved your sarcasm in this sentence, "As you can see, it was very popular from the number of followers I gained." 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I chuckled as you did the slow reveal I like the way your imagination created this
This reminds me of the old washing machine we had when I was 6 or 7, so old that the white paint on it was peeling, creating very interesting shapes. They were my imaginary islands inhabited by equally imaginary creatures having the most outlandish adventures. It feels great to be weird!
And here I am thinking, well if you've gotta go there's no better time for it all to come to an end. At least those meaty lovers had one last...hrm...embrace before the end. I love your sense of whimsy and your bravery to share it with the world.
I'm seeing two "cats" curled together, but their faces are those of a barn owl. Also, I have no idea what gammon is so I'm gonna go look it up. Loved you entry. It was well written and playful. Well done.
Well-wrought! A sign that I grew up living in arcades: your gammon reminded me of Pac-Man and Mrs. Pac-Man kissing in her cabinet game. I could even hear the music that plays during the interlude scene...
This is a brilliant and insightful exploration of self-expression through the lens of face pareidolia. Your writing is witty, insightful, and deeply personal. I was completely captivated by your unique interpretations of everyday objects, from the 'pancake planets' to the 'gammon romance.' You've beautifully demonstrated how seemingly mundane observations can become profound reflections of your personality and imagination. Thank you for sharing this wonderfully unique and inspiring piece!👍✔✨
I see faces everywhere and have for as long as I can remember. Faces on the ceiling, on the linoleum, in my shoes, on cars. This is a wonderful story, Rachel! Like a dollop of joy stirred into my morning coffee. I feel like you have unveiled a secret and intimate portrait of yourself for all of us and had a jolly good time doing it. Good luck on the challenge! This is a worthy even if whimsical effort!
🤣 yeah I am a face seer too! Great idea! I have a link that you may have seen but will dig it out as it makes my skin itch!
I see faces everywhere! I love this!
Oh, this is a hilarious yet oddly profound look into how you see the world! The whole gammon romance is a quirky touch, but you really show how much you appreciate the beauty in oddities. And your pancake planets? Pure genius! This made me smile and wonder if I should start examining my breakfast more closely!✨
I have seen faces in, well, lots of things. Not as many as you, though! I realise I used to make up stories about them, but I haven't done so in a long time. I must remedy that. I was thoroughly entertained by this piece, and I am glad I'm the first to comment. It's a great, fun, read!