Put a Lid on It

a sampler of my orphaned lids

Our corner of the planet has been under a “Heat Dome,” with high humidity and temps in the 90s. At this rate, we should all be roasted and ready to eat in 20 minutes! This image of a giant lid on top of us makes me very uncomfortable, on the one hand. Sweaty! Stifling! On the other, I think, “Well, at least our cover fits securely!” Because I am the owner of a vast and colorful array of Tupperware halves without their significant others (you know, the small square lids with no corresponding bottoms, the rectangular red lid that comes thisclose to matching the rectangular container, but not quite.) 

 

Until fairly recently, I was unaware of the Iron Dome concept, but of course it is well known to my Israeli son-in-law. There are ten countries currently using Iron Domes, mobile air defense systems that can intercept short-range rockets and artillery which threaten populated areas. I don’t understand the technology, and assume it’s only workable in a smallish country, but I could be wrong. Could we even HAVE an Iron Dome in the vast USA? If it didn’t quite stretch (a la my Tupperware), where would we be unprotected? Would Biloxi, Baltimore, or Billings be left exposed? Would we require several iron domes to be sure we were all safe? And just how big would an all-Europe or all-Asia Iron Dome need to be? I’m a literalist, and am picturing the whole world resembling the covered leftovers from a huge international potluck.

 

As for other domes, there are the various domed stadiums that dot the landscape—the Superdome (New Orleans), Ford Field in Detroit, the mellifluous Alamodome in San Antonio. These are designed to be weatherproofed, pumped full of AC in summer, and heated toastily in winter. Lately, though, the trend is to go back to open air arenas, because of course we miss being pelted with ice pellets during January football games, and sizzling in the inferno of August heat during baseball matches. We’ve been entirely too comfortable!! We need to suffer for our sports and music!!

 

Over the years, I have learned a few things about covers. It is possible to be TOO covered up, swaddled and coddled. Spoiled children tend to have a pretty rude awakening later on. A little exposure to the elements of reality is a good, healthy thing. And political cover-ups definitely have their perils, when the truth is (temporarily) hidden from view, and the falsehoods fester, until the inevitable explosion. 

 

So maybe it’s good that I’m forced to be intentional when matching up my Tupperware and lids. Perhaps I need to think about what I’m concealing. Sometimes those salad greens will turn limp and slimy, or that tomato paste moldy, without any air. Sometimes we all need to stand, honest and uncovered, and show the world just who we are. 

 

For now, though, I’ll keep searching for the matching round blue lid for that plastic bowl. 

 

It’s probably in the dryer with the odd socks. 

these socks are truly matchless