Vegetables are *good* for you.

[odditycollector]

Via bravecows: The OTP broccoli test.

One half of a couple is standing in the fresh vegetable aisle of a large supermarket. The other half is away over the other side of the shop. The two can see each other, but cannot communicate verbally. Can the other half convey to the one in the vegetable aisle that he wants broccoli? That's the broccoli test.

But when I tried to see if my (one) OTP would pass the test, I ran into a problem: What if one half of the couple is a telepath? The non-verbal rule doesn't seem to be as much a hindrance as one would suppose.

If Charles can use telepathy, it would go something like: Erik, can you pick up some broccoli for dinner? No, I think we might need a bit more than that. Which *technically* is Passing The Broccoli Test, but I feel is missing something of the spirit of the challenge.

If he can't, however, they'd be too busy fighting power-nullifying aliens to worry overly much about healthy dinner choices, especially once the grocery market is demolished by giant purple elephant creatures. Or else Erik is wearing his helmet, indicative of acute relationship difficulties that cannot be solved by judicious application of broccoli in any case.

Comments

[greenygal.livejournal.com]

I was thinking about this too, actually. I can plausibly come up with scenarios in which Charles has no telepathy and yet communal grocery shopping is still an option--not a lot of them, admittedly, but a few--but at that point I'm not sure what the answer is (and the fact that neither of them will be used to non-telepathic non-verbal communication by then does not help). I was tentatively working on the theory that they would pass the test but then spend the next hour arguing over the proper way to cook broccoli, but then I thought about the opening stages of X2, which contains a fairly major Broccoli Failure on Charles' part. So I'm not sure.

[odditycollector.livejournal.com]

I can plausibly come up with scenarios in which Charles has no telepathy and yet communal grocery shopping is still an option--not a lot of them, admittedly, but a few
I tried. They were all full of angst. Though, admittedly, Charles and Erik could probably fill *any* shopping expedition with angst if they tried. *eyes them*

but then spend the next hour arguing over the proper way to cook broccoli, *snort*

And yeah, I had a pretty similar thought process. I've decided that they would go in assuming they would pass, but fail, sadly.

[penknife.livejournal.com]

My thought was that they would pass the broccoli test but then proceed to have an argument about broccoli in the produce aisle rather than actually managing to purchase the broccoli and leave the store.

I see your point about X2, but, hmm ... I'm not sure that constitutes a Broccoli Failure so much as it does a refusal on both their parts to even try to communicate effectively. I mean, when both people are standing with their backs to each other in the produce aisle glaring at random vegetables, I'm not sure how much that says about whether they could pass the broccoli test if they actually tried.

[greenygal.livejournal.com]

My thought was that they would pass the broccoli test but then proceed to have an argument about broccoli in the produce aisle rather than actually managing to purchase the broccoli and leave the store.

Heh. I think this depends on the day; on good days they do at least manage to get out of the store, even if they're arguing recipes later (and probably dietary theory and culinary history as well). On bad days the manager has to ask them to leave. On really bad days there is no store left when they're done.

I see your point about X2, but, hmm ... I'm not sure that constitutes a Broccoli Failure so much as it does a refusal on both their parts to even try to communicate effectively.

Hmm. You may be right, by the time Charles shows up it may be just too late for broccoli. Clearly I need to watch the movie again. *g*

I'm still really not sure about this one, though; I know they have a long association (particularly movieverse) and a deep understanding of each other, but their misunderstandings are nearly as fundamental (sure, a lot of the time it's disagreement, not misunderstanding, but when your issues are so deep-rooted that you can't always think straight when you look at the other person it can amount to the same thing). And telepathy aside, it's such a vocal pairing. I really don't know that they do know how to communicate without telepathy or conversation, because really how often do they try? (Although Charles has the advantage there, even without telepathy, because--aside from being a better psychologist than Erik--he knows better from experience how Erik's outsides and his insides match up.)

So. I don't know. Maybe.

[apagon.livejournal.com]

oh my god, you are hilarious... yeah, can you imagine couple's counseling? I suppose the helmet is one way of refusing to listen to each other... thanks for sharing, I will never be able to shop for broccoli in the supermarket in the same way...

[odditycollector.livejournal.com]

The broccoli game is such a fun meme! Basically anything you feed into it turns out hilarious.

[culacuuby.livejournal.com]

I have the odd feeling that Erik would pick up the broccoli anyway without prompting, and then later in rejoining there would be mild surprise (but not really) from Charles, whose mild surprise in turn surprises Erik. Domestic awkwardness is bootiful.