Use caution when discussing which way you like your Pineapples!

 

Ohh, to go back to my younger days, when life was simpler, and I was just a bit more naive.  Back to a time where I was blissfully unaware of how much could be assumed about Judy & my lifestyle based on which way our pineapples stood.  Are you thoroughly lost?  Yeah, well so was I, but hang in there, this is going to take some setting up.

Judy & I did not just “jump into” the RV lifestyle.  We did our research. Night after night reading blogs, watching videos, visiting RV showrooms, and talking to experts.  In January 2020, just before Covid, we even attended an RV expo in Boston at the Convention Center.  We’re talking about years of research.  Then about 6 months ago, I was reading one of my favorite blogs, RV BLOGGER (Home – RVBlogger), and as I had been at the site numerous times before, I was scanning the list of blog archive articles when I stumbled upon this gem of an article:

I’ll save you the google search.  Basically, displaying an upside-down pineapple on your RV, specifically around the entry door, indicates that the couple inside the RV are swingers, and they may be looking for other swingers to “join” in the festivities.  I immediately called this blog article to Judy’s attention, and we spent the next 20 minutes reading through it.  We were enlightened and did some further research where we found out that we need to be more cognizant of RV parks that cater to different types of patrons. We now know there are “clothing optional”, “swinger” and even “adults only” RV parks interspersed across the country.  Don’t get me wrong, I love the idea that these parks exist, I just want to know before I book us into one.  Duly noted!

I was given a pair of upside pineapple glassware as a retirement gift, which are pictured above. The glassware was purchased on purpose as a useful & humorous gift.  It goes like this.  After reading the article, I decided I needed to enlighten other camping / RV enthusiasts.  I was working in a new sales branch in Fall River, MA, where one such enthusiast was located, and in the middle of the sales floor, I blurted out, “Hey Pat, do you know what the upside-down pineapple means when displayed on a camper?”  This line of questioning garnered a lot of attention and for the next 10 minutes, 6 or so people were involved in an animated upside-down pineapple discussion.  It was all very funny.  

Time passes, and my commute to Fall River for extended day training sessions were coming to a close.  I was instructed to not bring a bologna & cheese sandwich on my last day visit, and instead I was treated to lunch.  It was at this point I received a gift bag in which there were two upside-down pineapple drink glasses.  A very funny and thoughtful gift, as a thank you & retirement send off.  Judy immediately placed the glasses in the RV, they would be accompanying us on our April “shakedown trip” to Cap May, NJ. 

Weeks later it was said camping trip and we set up at a lovely RV campsite in Cape May Courthouse, NJ. We are there two weeks into the camping season, the weather is getting warmer, but we are still visiting this area in the “pre-season”.  The RV campground is virtually empty with only a couple of seasonal occupants there opening their campsites.  It’s quiet and many of the venues, restaurants, and even shopping areas are closed, to be opening in another couple of weeks.

After setting up and doing some sightseeing for a couple of days, there appears, just a campsite away, a new camper, with, what appears to be another husband and wife couple.  It’s a sunny pleasant day and I’m a friendly guy, so I offer up a greeting to our new neighbors.  And what do you know, Bill (as I come to find out his name) is also a friendly guy, so what do you think happens next when two friendly guys with new campers meet at a campsite early in the camping season?  You guessed it, what occurred after that was a 40 minute get to know you conversation that included formal introduction, geographical origins, news of our newest RV and camping acquisitions, as well as occupational information.  And what do you know, spouse Kim (as we come to learn her name) is a retired NJ school teacher.   What are the odds of that?  The conversations flowed fast a furious for a while, and soon we were getting tours of each other’s campers.  What we witnessed on that day was a budding “bromance” between two newly outfitted camping couples. 

The rumors are true, you meet really nice people that sometimes surprisingly look like you in the mirror.  Add the fact that the date was April 20^th, (i.e. 4-20) and you can almost see the sparklers appearing, as we truly met a very generous & charismatic couple, and I even lent Bill a ½” socket driver so he could attach the new sway bar hitch to his vehicle.  For the next couple of days, we sought them out, bumped into them regularly, and had cocktails together. Come to find out that Kim and Bill visit Cape May pretty regularly and arrangements are made to have a last dinner together before we each head out to our next stop.  We had a lovely dinner at a nice restaurant, and after dinner we invited Bill and Kim back to our Couples Coach to have a nightcap.  It’s about 9:30 and we’re sitting around having a last drink, listening to music, and just talking at a frenetic pace. 

I’m not sure exactly what we were talking about, but I suspect there was some conversation about outfitting RV’s with the essential equipment, when all of a sudden Judy decides that this is the appropriate time to introduce Bill & Kim to our collection of upside-down pineapple glasses.  Judy heads directly for the cabinet across the room.  She hasn’t made it to the cabinet yet, but I’m thinking, right then and there, WHOA, that’s probably not a great idea.  Judy wanted to show our guests our recent gift of those unique upside-down pineapple glasses, whilst missing just a couple of important social constructs that screamed to me that it probably wasn’t a great idea to introduce the topic of upside-down pineapples to a couple that we had known for barely 96 hours. No, no, mistake! An uncomfortable situation looming.

Although there was clearly a 4-20 connection between Bill and me, we all of a sudden found ourselves in that uncomfortable place of addressing the sexual preferences of the over 50 crowd.  This wasn’t supposed to be a “Tinder for RV’ers” encounter.  And there’s Judy holding an upside-down glass exclaiming, “Look what Steven got for a gift, aren’t these funny (upside-down pineapple) glasses?”

I try to say, as soon as Judy is finished, “We don’t mean anything by this, she (Judy) is just showing you how cute they are.”  Kim replies in a very hesitant tone, “Ahh is there something you’re trying to tell us?” Evidently, Kim understands the association between upside-down pineapples and swingers.  Bill is blissfully unaware of exactly what has just transpired.  No, no I assure both Kim and Bill that we were not sending any additional messages that truly Judy was showing off the unique glassware without any additional subliminal messages.  You could see the visible relief in Kim’s face, as Judy starts backpedaling once she realizes the can of worms she has just opened.  Once we had assured them that we were not swapping partners for the evening, we all had a good laugh, and they were really great sports about the faux pas.  An evening that will not soon be forgotten, and I’m sure Kim & Bill have told this story as well and now it has been preserved for eternity as we tell… the Rest of the Story.