The Carleton Test

Since Will and I missed our date last week on his birthday when Katie had pink eye, we enjoyed brunch together this morning before he had to go to work.  Katie was already in school, so it was just the two of us.  We ate at one of our favorite brunch places, Room 39 in Kansas City, Missouri.  Will had the Huevos Rancheros Burrito and I had the French Toast.  We both had coffee.  They roast it themselves.  It's sublime.

I keep telling myself some day I want to go there for just coffee and dessert, because they have an almond cake with whipped cream and fresh fruit I'd like to try, but dessert on top of French Toast is even too much for my sweet tooth.

After brunch, we crossed the street to Prospero's Books.  The shop has tons of unique finds.  Today I picked up this childrens' book for Katie.  It was published in 1942, just four years after my mom was born.

I'll have to show it to my mom and see if she remembers reading it as a child.  Wouldn't that be wild?

I haven't read it yet.  I like the title.  Fat people have become so demonized in our culture today, it's charming to see the words "nice" and "fat" used to describe the same character.  I'll let you know after Katie and I read it if it passes the fat-friendly test.

Hey, that's an idea.

You know how Alison Bechdel made up "The Bechdel Test" for movies?  Basically, a movie passes the Bechdel test if it has two named female characters who talk to each other about more than just a man.  Sadly, so many films do not pass the test.

I should invent the Carleton Test.  If a book passes The Carleton Test, that means it has at least one fat character who is not humiliated, teased, ridiculed, or harassed by any characters, him-or-herself included, in the book.

I have stopped reading too many books because they don't pass The Carleton Test.  I'll let you know if Raggedy Ann and Andy and the Nice Fat Policeman passes or not.

To be continued.