Let Them Eat Porridge!

Yesterday was the holiday meeting of the Writers Guild. I've written about the Guild numerous times over the years. Three of us to go back to the days of the Second West Acting Company. One professional writer, one writing teacher and writer, and playwright and one wannbe everything these two people are. They been most gracious to me over the years to include me in this ritual lunch of getting together under the name of writing. The most professional member of the group, Jerry has been a great educator to me over the years. One of the most significant things he taught me was how to purchase someone else's dinner that you think might be better than the one you ordered. It still amazes me all the subtle tricks that a writers gotta know. Anyway, Jerry recently over the last year so he's ordered mainly breakfast at our lunch meetings. Usually bacon, pancakes and eggs, breakfast stuff. Not a big deal I guess it's just odd to order that for lunch. However, the village in advertises using get anything you want all day meal wise and that includes breakfast. Today I was relatively shocked when Jerry ordered oatmeal for lunch, granted he also ordered three or four slices of bacon but still oatmeal, at a restaurant? Our waitress didn't bat an eyelash, Like she had Taken this order at lunch a thousand times before. I didn't blog about this yesterday I don't know why I guess I didn't think about the event till this morning while I was lying in bed getting ready to face the world when I began ruminating about what good buddy ordered for lunch.

I'm having more and more issues with my teeth as I age. At first it frightened me. Teeth falling out, fillings falling out, gum bleeding, pain in my mouth. It was kind of spooky I was wondering if I was going to have to become one of those people dentures like my parents. Then I started ordering things like mashed potatoes and gravy, grits, soup and other soft pieces of food. That is when I had one of those ah ha moments when I realize a profound piece of wisdom: Old people eat soft things not necessarily because they like the soft things but they can't tolerate significant chewing. That try point steak I got from the food bank a couple weeks ago which I cooked And then could barely tolerate eating the meat because it was so tough. The chewing embedded copious amounts of meat between my teethAgainst them causing pain. Old people cannot eat good stuff our stuff that has to be masticated.As I pondered this piece of enlightenment I realized why old Scrooge Was eating oatmeal just before he went to bed on the night of his dream. His teeth hurt or he didn't have teeth! He was ingesting sustenance the only way he knew how cold mush.

I don't know why Jerry ordered oatmeal, toast and four slices of bacon for lunch/breakfast the other day but I can't fault him when I ponder the courage it takes to order old people food in public. And I guess Jerry is not the only one doing it. So much so that our waitress didn't even blink an eye. The chewed gum, took the order and asked what I wanted…