My Favorite Color is Brown

True story; my favorite color is the color brown. Like anyone else, I have the right to determine and choose what my favorite color is, and I determined this many years ago.  I have always loved the color brown; with very specific reasoning(s) as to why I like it so much.  It’s such as basic question that everyone asks someone they don’t really know. 

I remember being on one of those flash-date things about 20 years ago because one of my friends wanted to go and participate but she didn't want to go alone. I personally thought the entire thing was both useless and foolish as I thought there's no way a person can "get to know you" in the span of a three-minute interrogation styled interview whether or not you're both asking questions or if only one of you is answering. It just isn't possible. There I was sitting before a man who most would call handsome by whatever that mysterious socially (awkwardly subjective) normal is - he was about my age, about average height and weight, but he had an air of confidence which I suppose made him more attractive. He looked intelligent. That makes a huge difference in my opinion.  He asked me what my favorite color was, and I answered him both quickly and honestly. I do that, I answer questions both quickly and severely honestly. He wasn't really expecting me to say brown. He certainly wasn't prepared for my next confession, which was to explain that the exact shade of my personal favorite color would be "Hershey's milk chocolate brown, the candy, not the wrapper." (I may have even stated there is a difference in the two.) 

Staring at me with a look of utter shock and confusion I noticed the man's eye lids begin to cover his pupils as if to protect them from anything I may be addressing spontaneously in the next few seconds. He then repeated my answer (both wasting time and reiterating what I had just said. Perhaps he didn't quite believe what he had heard.) as if he was asking me to reconsider my own personal preference. "Brown?" He asked. "Hershey's milk chocolate brown", I answered.  There was supposed to be a continuum of questions being bantered and answered, the man was dumbstruck and really had nothing to add or another question to ask. I really couldn't tell you why. I know why I wasn't asking him any questions; it was because I didn't want to be there and I couldn't care less to know what he may say. I was trying my best not to get up and walk away from the entire event - - the love of my good friend kept me planted uncomfortably in my chair as man after man got up and sat down after each buzzer. 

Brown. Hershey's milk chocolate brown, not the color of the candy bar's wrapper, but the actual color of the candy is in fact my favorite color. Why is that so hard to understand for some? I really couldn't tell you, but over the years I have done a bit of self-reflection and research. Here is what I found on the internet about it and to be honest, I actually agree with this assessment. Here you go: (from Empower Yourself)  

You are honest, down-to-earth and wholesome, salt of the earth people with both feet planted firmly on the ground. 

You are steady and reliable and quietly confident. 
 

You are friendly and approachable, genuine and sincere. 
 

With a personality color brown, you have a keen sense of duty and responsibility - you take your obligations very seriously. 

You are a home body - family and family life is extremely important to you. 

You like physical comfort, simplicity and quality. 
 

You are a loyal and trustworthy friend, supportive and dependable. 
 

You are sensitive to the needs of others and sensitive to criticism by others 

There you go! Describes me to a T. It's so much better than saying something like "Oh, you like pretty things that sparkle" No, give me dirt. Give me a rock. Give me a horse and a pasture, and let me go. Give me a brook, a hill, a tree, a book. The only thing I would disagree with on this assessment is the approachable part. I am quite approachable, but I don't do small talk and I don't do the whole "Hey Baby, I'd love to get to know you better" stuff.  I don't have time for it, and it's not going to happen unless I pursue it anyway -- sorry, that's just me. At least I'm honest, trustworthy, and down to Earth, right? (and yes, I do like Hershey's milk chocolate, but dark chocolate candy is my favorite. He didn't ask that.)