I want ice cream.....

Have you ever wondered what it was that caused people (usually children but not always) to blurt out facts or questions about food? On many a different occasion one of my kids has shouted out "I want ice cream" without any concern of their surroundings or situation. It's as if the though just formed in the front of the brain and dropped right into the mouth. So as usual it got me to thinking, what we should call this phenomenon that afflicts our society. Nutritional Turrets.

How many times have you heard a child whisper, "You promised ice cream if we kept our mouth shut." Maybe it's just me. Or had a kid look at you and declare, "If we don't eat soon I am going to die". I have not seen any starving near death kids. Especially in the suburbs. From kids who have eaten a full meal less than 4 hours earlier. It's just the turrets rearing it's head.

This curious affliction is not limited to the youngest amongst us. One of my favorite co-workers today blurted out, "Where's our food?" during a discussion about a liquor license. Much like the poor soul who curses inadvertently at the worst times, adults seem to lose track of current conversations when they get hungry. Or say the most interesting things. At a dinner table with four couples one evening the waiter delivered a bratwurst covered with sauerkraut to the table and one of the wives said, "I could never get something that big in my mouth." The husband of said wife then turned several shades of red and grew silent the rest of the night.

I also have fallen prey to nutritional turrets. During a very elegant New Years Eve celebration several years ago a lovely blond waitress brought out a tray of appetizers. Nutritional Turrets struck as I said, "That looks good enough to eat with my hands tied behind my back." Unfortunately the waitress had already set the tray on the table and was staring right into my eyes when I completed my compliment. Judging by her reaction she did not think I was commenting on the food and she had never heard of nutritional turrets before. I was not invited back to that celebration.

Till Next.....