I read this prompt while riding the elevator down to my car this morning. The first colour that popped into my head was orange so I’m going to go with that. After thinking it over during the day, I think orange might just be a good fit.
It’s a secondary colour, the result of mixing red and yellow. I’m not so exciting to be a red, nor am I so the calm optimist that yellow might elucidate. I’m an orange, mostly pessimistic and usually fun to be around, but I’m not starting any parties.
A dark orange becomes almost brown. I’m brown-skinned. Well, lightly brown-skinned. I’m pretty fair for a brown guy. Light orange is almost peach, a soothing colour and a tasty fruit. It’s neutral, like my politics or my outward opinion on most topics.
Then there’s orange juice. I used to like it with lots of pulp but now I drink it pulp-free. The bits used to be a treat to go with my beverage. I like things to be simpler nowadays, without the unnecessary accents. Pulp-free orange juice is easier to drink, mixes well in a smoothie, and is readily available. I get along with most people I meet, but I can be a real asshole, like orange juice that’s gone off.
Basketballs are orange but I’m not much of an athlete.
There are carrots, sweet potatoes, and pumpkins that are orange. Mangos, apricots, and melons, too. We can’t forget about cheddar cheese. Cheez whiz adds personality. So many delicious flavours are orange. I like to keep myself busy, always trying new things, thinking new thoughts, and just, generally, keeping it real. I could be an orange food.
I think orange is too often overlooked. It’s a colour we don’t often see when looking around. Somehow, it just blends in or doesn’t make its presence known. It’s not loud or obnoxious. Orange is a colour that buoys the others, holding them steady as they shine. Every so often, though, it’ll be there, right in front of you, making itself known.
Leave a Reply