so tonight i'm talking with a guy who works security at our building. 28, smart, charming, well-educated, straight (dammit), new to this country and a pleasure to pass a few random minutes with on my way to and fro (partially because of that smile, but mainly because he soaks up my welcome-to-america advice like a wide-eyed sponge).
but this night, he's dragging--seems he's crashing from a recent sugar-rush, and feeling it. and thus, my opening.
what did you eat tonight, isaac?
"i stopped at burger king on the way to work, had a whopper, french fries and a coke, and they had this oreo brownie ice cream thing that looked so good, i had to try it. it may have been a mistake."
you like american food, huh?
"oh my god, yes--it's incredible, and so easy. we don't have anything like this at home."
oh, yeah? what do they eat back in uganda?
"oh, you know--grains and vegetables, mostly, some plantain, some nuts. we don't eat much meat or sugar because of the cost of such things."
have you noticed it's just the opposite here?
"oh, yes! hamburgers, soda and candy are so cheap here, but if i want to buy an avocado or a bunch of greens that would cost nothing at home--forget it, it's too expensive."
have you also noticed that you think about food a lot more here than you did there?
"now that you mention it, yes. i mean, there, we ate when it was time to eat. but here? i'm always snacking or thinking about it."
how much weight have you gained since you came here, and how's your mood and energy?
he's now gazing at me with that wide-eyed look of dawning understanding i so crave.
"it's driving me crazy, mike--i'm puffy like i've never been before (although he coulda fooled me). i've always run for miles whenever i felt like it just for the joy of the feeling, but i almost never do that now. i thought it was maybe because of trying to adjust to this night shift that i'm so tired all the time. but you're telling me it's the...food?"
and thus primed, i let him in on the dirty little secrets of this land of plenty, scared his ass back onto the diet on which he'd thrived his whole young life, and congratulated myself on saving at least one from the western disease.
and then i went upstairs and ate a bag of m&m's.
1 comment:
There is an endless supply of food for most people. Food is relatively cheap in this country. But that does not mean you have to eat it.
A capitalist economy does not give us what we need or what is best for us, it gives us what we want. And we want as much fat and sugar as possible.
So, yes, guttermorality, I agree with you on this one. It takes a certain amount of knowledge as well as a strong willed desire to eat healthy. Long term it feels better, but there is a short term cost.
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