The Missing Serviette

Recently, I went to Tesco, a massive supermarket akin to Walmart, to do some shopping. I found myself wandering aimlessly, trying to locate the paper napkins (strangely, there had been none in the flat). Eventually, after a ten minute, futile search, I broke down and approached a store clerk who directed me to the remote "party goods" section of the store. The only available napkins were of the fancy, party variety. Upon further investigation, I discovered that apparently the English do not use napkins at all!

Why is that; what does this mean? Are the English so different from us in their eating habits? I don't think so! Think fish & chips - greasy; bangers & mash - mushy.

Back in the US, napkin use is pervasive (dare I say wasteful - look, I'm trashing America already!). Cloth, paper, whatever; every meal comes with one or more napkins - standard.

Perhaps it is the power of suggestion or wishful thinking that explains this behavioral phenomenon: If one doesn't have a napkin, then one doesn't need a napkin. Or, to put it another way, making a mess is unlikely if one is prepared by not requiring the tools to deal with such an unlikely event.