Fortune Cookies For Breakfast

// August 12th, 2010 // curiosity, painting

The project I set myself today was to make use of the fortunes from the fortune cookies that came with last night’s Chinese dinner. I used them in the painting above. My son and I cracked the cookies open this morning and munched on them while I read out our fortunes.

It sort of went like this:

*crack*

Your blessings will multiply this coming month. Good luck!


Me: Well Finn, that’s good. Who doesn’t like blessings? I do! Like them, I mean.

Finn: munch munch. (Stares, unblinking.)

Me: What’s next?

*crack*

Patience is your alley at the moment. Don’t worry!


Whoops! Alley? What kind of fortune cookie creepiness is this? (Yes, it really says ‘alley’–click on the image to read )

Ally maybe? Is that  a mistranslation? It must be a mistranslation.

ha-ha-ha that’s funny. Ally good–alley bad.

And thank goodness too, alleys freak me out. You never know who might be lurking in one. Not me, that’s for sure. Isn’t that right Finn?

Finn: chomp chomp.

Me (thinking): I’m not sure I want a fortune cookie telling me “Don’t Worry!” Seems suspicious to me, does it know something I don’t know?

*Crack*

Finn: chomp chomp.

Me: chomp chomp. read read.

Remember three months from this date. Good things are in store for you.


Me (thinking): I can barely remember what kind of  Chinese food we even ate, good luck remembering todays date in three months time.

Finn: “Are there any more?”

*crack*

A bold and dashing adventure is soon in your future.


Me: Wow. Dashing? Bold is good–adventure and what-not–but dashing just sounds strenuous and unnecessary to me.

Finn: chomp chomp.

*****

A half hour later Finn is running (dashing?) in circles around the living room and through the kitchen whooping it up.

I’m left pondering the merits of feeding a four year-old fortune cookies before breakfast. I can feel my blessings multiply as he runs.

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6 Responses to “Fortune Cookies For Breakfast”

  1. I love this piece and the story that inspired it!

  2. Kat says:

    I love your storytelling and the incorporation of the fortunes into art. And alleys aren’t scary! There are all sorts of wonderful things lurking there, like peeling paint, or interesting doors and windows. Favorite subjects of mine. :)

  3. Dave Rowley says:

    Hi Megan, Hi Kat,

    I’m glad you liked this, it was pretty fun to document.

    @Kat I get what you’re saying about alleys–there’s plenty of beauty to be found in them. I’m just wary of shadowy places with plenty of hiding spots for muggers :)

  4. Evelyn says:

    I am attracted to this piece, love the colour (my favs) and texture.

  5. Linda says:

    I love this story, I am there with you and Finn. I haven’t had fortune cookies for ages… they could be excellent blogging inspiration for me!

  6. Dave Rowley says:

    @ Evelyn, Thanks, glad you like this–I was pleased with the colours too.

    @Linda, Fortune cookies are great for writing prompts, have fun playing with them.

    Cheers

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