Do you ever have a meal with someone and they look across the table at you like you're a complete freak? Well I have...
First off, I sometimes eat some kind of weird food. This generally gets some kind of, "are you serious?" kind of expression. Example, whole grain toast with cottage cheese on top. I personally love the stuff. I let the bread cool a little bit so it is warm, not hot, and then drop some cold cottage cheese on top. It's a wonderful mix of warm and cool, crunchy and smooth. Not to mention the relative health benefits of eating that for breakfast instead of something more traditional. Its low fat, it's got protein, good carbs, calcium, fiber... Another example, Japanese pickles...not the sweet kind though... Mom... they are little crunchy bites of salty goodness... But if you get the wrong brand they end up too mushy or too sweet so you have to be careful about buying them.
Second, when eating with people I'm not really familiar with I tend to eat really slowly and I often don't finish my food (sometimes I only eat about half of what was on the plate). This probably isn't really as bad as most people take it, but it is out of character for the American culture. This usually garners some kind of skeptical or worried look from the people across the table. I assume they are worried I didn't like the food or that I don't feel well. It's not really out of nervousness...I guess I just have more to think about than the food since I tend to talk more during those meals.
Third, when I'm eating with someone that has usually only seen me under the circumstances listed in #2 and they see me finish up the whole plate. This usually gets some kind of comment like, "wow...you were pretty hungry..." since they have never seen me eat that much. Of course, this comment makes me hugely self-conscious and feel like a pig...but it is a natural reaction for them. Example, I went to a late-night snack with a guy and didn't finish my chicken strips. Next week we went to lunch before seeing a movie and I slowly ate my salad, ultimately not finishing it. I think we may have had a sandwich together once after that but I don't remember. But we went to Denny's one weekend before seeing a movie and I was starved. I had been out late the night before getting my drink on and kickin' up a little sawdust on my halo. More than likely I hadn't had much dinner the night before because I traditionally don't - dinner usually slips my mind when it is full of thoughts of handsome cowboys...*swoon* In any case, it was probably noon or 1p by this time...I didn't realize how hungry I was until the food arrived and I wolfed it down. He sat silent for most of the meal and gave me a few, "who the crap are you?" kind of looks. I was hungry dammit!!
So future dining company...No, I am not a complete freak...and if you think so while we're at the table, here's my explanatory proof that I'm not. I shall refer you to this page in the event that you disagree.
Posted by Princess Cat at May 18, 2005 12:36 PM @ 12:36 PM in SSDD // Permalink