This happened to me at a work party. I was talking to an HR lady and some of the food from her mouth flew out and landed on my glasses.
Like a big chunk of food, right in my field of view.
We both pretended it didn’t happen. We wanted for the conversation to end and I left to clean my glasses.
That feels like they’re trolling or making fun of themselves a bit. I know a few people in Kentucky with EVs and they also have “friends of coal” plates.