When I was in third grade, we went on a field trip to the local Peter Paul / Cadbury Chocolate plant. (This was before PP was snapped up by Hershey’s.) I distinctly remember being led past the conveyor belt upon which Almond Joy bars were being manufactured. At the point after the almonds were dispensed onto the coconut patties, but before the chocolate bath that would cover them, worked four ladies, two on either side of the belt.

Their job? Almond straighteners.

Yep. They were to look over the rows of almond-studded coconut patties, and if any almonds were not oriented lengthwise, parallel with their coconut raft, they were to re-orient the almond such that it was. And you thought your job sucked.

The reason this comes to mind is because I just bought my first Almond Joy in like a year out of the vending machine here at work. (I like Almond Joy just fine, dunno why I don’t buy them more, just don’t.) And wouldn’t you know it, when I get the two chocolate-covered coconut delights out of the wrapper, the first thing I notice is that one of the almonds is oriented 90 degrees from the other three.

Quality control these days. Sheesh.