My apology for not coming forth sooner in praise of your poetry, MMM. I was not here. Some people see poetry in the world around them more than others. Personally I enjoyed the post.
My preference for eating utensils are in this order:
fingers
chopsticks
spoons
forks
knives
Knives and spoons are more for cooking than eating when I am not where my table manners are being judged.
I was rasied by a proper British nanny and then spent the rest of my life with my father chastising my european style of use of KFS instead of the American customs.
Sometime in my early teens I learned to use chopsticks (took about 10 minutes I think), and they have been my preference ever since though they were not always acceptable around my parents and work colleagues.
The only time I found them unmanageable was when I had surgery on my wrist. It did result in food flying across the table, but I couldn't sign my name at the time either because my thumb was non-functional.
I once got into a distasteful conflict with a waiter in one of Dallas's largest Japanese restaurants because he thought I should drink my soup from the bowl (usually my preference) but I requested a spoon. The altercation ensued because as a waiter he should never have denied me such a request.
More recently I found myself slightly insulted at a local Chinese restaurant however. It seems they give chopsticks to you if you look Asian, but not if they think you are white or Mexican. I felt like they were deciding that because I am white I don't know how to use them, but after reading this thread maybe I had it backward. Anyway problem solved - I carry my own in my purse!
Actually I have four sets of table ware (2 silver, 2 brass) and I have a collection of chopsticks that is always growing. Somewhere over 20 pair not counting the disposable ones that collect around the house from the local Chinese delivery.
MMM, my good chopsticks are works of art, used to appreciate artistic cuisine.
