For anyone who's worked in an office, navigating the work potluck is a learned skill.
One must not be a complete slob despite the excitement around knowing that the situation become WAY better than working, and in the form of a bunch of free, homemade food.
There's also the social requirement to equally distribute your praise of every dish, so as to avoid the ridiculous experience of casserole-induced office drama.
Some, let us say, are more mindful than others.
Enter the aptly named LetMeEatCake2, who recounted a banana-driven work debacle on Reddit.
The story begins with an important detail that paints a picture of the office vibe.
"This was about a year ago when the staff in my office was 95% southern ladies over 65 years old."
"They were mostly retired, working part time as office staff. And they LOVED potlucks, they lived for them, to the point where we had one pretty much every month."
This sounds like the greatest place one could ever be employed at. But, as we'll see, things can still go awry in a world as magical as the one described.
LetMeEatCake2 remembers the first moment they laid eyes on the now infamous dish.
"When I was putting my food in the break room fridge I saw someone had brought in a banana pudding."
"It was beautiful, covered in whipped cream in a pretty crystal dish, and you know it was made with grandma love."
Shortly after the discovery, our protagonist moves on to consumption.
"So I start eating it, it's delicious of course, and I tell that to the lady who made it."
"And then I say "I've never had banana pudding with actual bananas in it! You'd think the tingling would affect the taste, but it doesn't!"
When the office perked to attention, totally confused by the review, the narrator was glad to elaborate.
"I say 'You know! That tingling, pop rocks feeling you get when you eat a banana?'"
"Blank stares from everyone. Now I'm starting to feel nervous. I ask if anyone else there feels that. They have not."
This must have been a blinding discovery for our hero. Imagine going your entire life assuming that bananas produced a fizzy texture and then suddenly being told that you've been powering through a unique, problematic bodily response.
The old ladies didn't lead with sympathy.
"Then the sweetest, oldest lady of the bunch leans over and pats me on the back and says 'bless your heart, I think you're just allergic to bananas.'"
"For those who don't know, saying 'bless your heart' is southern lady speak for 'well you're an idiot, aren't you?'"
The retirees weren't above subtle pranks either.
"Sometimes I would come in and they would leave a banana on my desk as a reminder."
LetMeEatCake2, with the monkey now finally off their back, then faced the onslaught of internet responses, that wild west of insults, critiques, diagnoses, and irrelevant tangents.
There were, though, a refreshing amount of genuinely helpful comments. Apparently allergies are no joke in the Reddit community.
"As others have said, that's probably "oral allergy syndrome." Also, you may want to avoid bananas, because you never know which exposure may trigger a more severe response like your throat closing up." dataminer-x
"That is an oral allergy syndrome or pollen associated food allergy. Your immune system is probably confusing the banana for a pollen that you are allergic to." Applejuiceinthehall
"Have OAS as well, primarily with bananas, watermelon, carrots and cucumbers. Really can take away the enjoyment of some things." zapo3
"Might want to check and see if you're allergic to latex."
"Around half of all people with latex allergy have allergic reactions when eating particular foods, including avocado, banana, chestnut, kiwifruit, passionfruit, plum, strawberry and tomato." SimiRaven
Of course, some comments were no help whatsoever.
"The fact that you've never had it with bananas makes me think your family knows you're allergic and just... never told you." Sumnersetting
"Everyone recounting the story with "That day was bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S." iknowthisischeesy
"You got the bless your heart, it's over with." Tarchianolix
For a few, LetMeEatCake2's post was monumental new information.
"Wait a second...Am i allergic to bananas??" Ze-
"TIL I'm allergic to bananas as well, I hate that tingling on my throat but I sure love bananas" Grousakes
"Hang on... Are there any fruits that fizz and tingle? Many years ago I ate at an Indian restaurant in the UK. I had some type of white fruit that I'd never had before."
"It was fizzy and tingly in mouth and bloody delicious. I've tried to find that fruit for years but I have no idea what it is. Are you telling me that I've been searching for a fruit that I have an allergy to? And not a fizzy fruit?"lustified
Finally, there were many Reddit users offering commiseration.
"I get it with bananas and coconut. Realized it after multiple banana smoothies. Sucks bc I like bananas." MaybeNotYourDad
"My girlfriend did the same thing with strawberries. She said 'I love strawberries, but I don't like the itchy feeling in my mouth afterwards.' Had to tell her the sad truth." ILoveHaloReach
"For 20 years I thought walnuts were just naturally spicy so don't feel like too much of an idiot." jellary
Here's hoping that if you too get the banana-induced tingle, you'll now be able to avoid an embarrassing public discovery among 65-year-olds at work.