ANST - Re: Cloved Fruit -- what infamous tradition?

knotwork at juno.com knotwork at juno.com
Mon Jan 26 16:46:19 PST 1998


"Cloved Fruit" is a kissing game.  Someone takes a fruit (usually a
lemon, but almost any fruit can be pressed into service) and sticks a few
dozen cloves into it.  It is then presented to another person (usually of
the opposite sex, but let's just say "the object of affection") who
removes a clove from the lemon and receives a kiss.

Played politely, the manner of taking the clove indicates the manner of
the kiss.  If it is removed by hand, the intended "kissee" wishes to be
kissed on the hand.  The receiver may choose to remove the clove with the
lips or teeth, indicating willingness to accept a kiss on the lips.  The
clove is intended to freshen the breath for the upcoming kiss.  The
recipient then takes the fruit, seeks another "object of affection,"
presents the fruit, and the game continues.

Some folks, however, play by different rules, and this is where it gets,
well, sticky.  By these rules, the recipient removes a clove with the
lips or teeth, and it is returned to the giver during the kiss.  Imagine
the horror of  having someone you are not that crazy about "searching"
for a clove you have already discarded!  I believe it is those surprise
"lip locks" and "fishing expeditions" that have given this once-harmless
pastime a bad name.  Not only that, but one participant with a cold or
the flu can infect an entire room full of people in no time flat!  

An old buddy of mine, Tuskald, used to accept the fruit politely, then
take a big bite out of it, throw it on the ground, and stomp it. 
Shocking? Yes, but a fitting end for the offending citrus.  An old SCA
saying is, "If life hands you a lemon, clove it."  Unless the game is
played politely, change that to, "If some idiot hands you a cloved lemon,
make lemonade."

Joanna


On Mon, 26 Jan 1998 17:37:33 +0000 Cait Macanliss <catmac at flash.net>
writes:
>At 12:07 PM 1/26/98 EST, Melody wrote:
>>Ok, I admit it, as a relative newbie to the SCA, I'm confused and 
>curious.
>>What is/was this horrible, offensive, rude, and all-around 
>unaceptable
>>tradition involving cloved fruit?
>
>Yay! someone else who doesn't know what they're talking about....
>Someone please tell?
>
>
>
>Aoife
>Sci-Fi quote of the month:
>"No boom today.  Boom tomorrow.  There's always a boom tomorrow." - 
>Lt. Cmdr.
>Susan Ivanova of Earth Station "Babylon 5"
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