Thursday, January 21, 2016

A Battle of Wills: A Brief Platelet



It happens to the best of us.  A routine trip to get a simple bite to eat turns into a battle of wills. On the one side, we have our want and need to be healthy and fit, to give your red blood vessels the nutrients they need to carry to keep your body functioning in tip-top order.  

But on the other, we have our desire to fill out our fat cells with delicious deep-fried goodness and salted butter, gorging on flavors that linger on your tongue.  

You feel your insides pull you in either direction, one side trying to gain control over you, your resolve splitting and taking such drastic form, you can actually visualize and personify these emotions.

I know I did one fateful afternoon on an average trip to the fast food chain Chik-Fil-A.  My two wills were so vivid it was as if I could actually hear them conversing.

Let’s imagine how that would go in this brief playlet, or play-telet as it were.


A Battle of Wills: A Brief Platelet


CAST:

Will Fit- Prim, slim, and always looking for what’s best for your heart, he is a contained gentleman who hopes for the best.
Will Fat- A doltish oaf you are embarrassed of but who knows what you want and knows how to give it to you.

The setting is the parking lot of a fast-food joint.  Will Fit and Will Fat are standing outside of the establishment about to walk in, but Will Fit has a few helpful words of advice.

WILL FIT
Well now, Fat, I know we have a rumblin’ in our tumblin’ but this is a good opportunity to make some good food choices that are tasty AND nutritious. 

WILL FAT
(grumbles)

WILL FIT
Now no need to fret!  We will be able to enjoy a meal here that feels like an indulgence but is actually an In-Diet-gence.

WILL FAT
….What the hell does that even mean?

WILL FIT
Oh, you’ll see.

The two enter the restaurant and walk up to the counter.  WILL SLIM gestures towards the menu near the ceiling pointing to the wraps and salads.

WILL FIT
Now here was have several options to choose from.  We could have a nice chicken salad or a nice grilled chicken wrap.  With some apple slices and water!

WILL FAT
(Slaps Will Fit upside the head) I want nuggets.

WILL FIT
(Rubbing head) Well, we can have nuggets on the salad.  Nice grilled chicken nuggets on a bed of crispy greens?

WILL FAT
(Glares at Will Slim) No. I want fried chicken nuggets.

WILL FIT
(Sighs) Fine.  Fried nuggets…on a salad.

WILL FAT
(Pushes Will Fit’s shoulder) No!  No salad.  Fried chicken nuggets.  On a bed of fries.

WILL FIT
(Looking back horrified and rubbing his shoulder) Now wait just a good second here- who said anything about fries?

WILL FAT
I did.  Just now.

WILL FIT
Well, can we at least get grilled chicken nuggets and fries?

WILL FAT
(Determined and daring to be challenged) Fried.  Chicken.  Nuggets.

WILL FIT
(Sighs, defeated) Fine.  Fried chicken nuggets and fries.  But we’ll get the small.

WILL FAT
(Looking back at the menu) Nah.  Regular size.


WILL FIT
What?  Regular size? Why?

WILL FAT
(Still looking at the menu) Because I want the regular size.  More fries.  More nuggets.

WILL FIT
But we don’t NEED more!  We’ve hardly worked out at all this past week.

WILL FAT
I thought you said these nuggets were better because they were all natural or whatever.  That means they’re good for you.  That means we should have more.  Maybe we should get the large size!

WILL FIT
(Considers the idiocy of this logic but simply says) Interesting idea…but if we must, then the regular size will do.  A regular sized box of fried chicken nuggets and fries. 

WILL FAT
And a lemonade.

WILL FIT
A LIGHT lemonade.

WILL FAT
Nah, a regular lemonade.

            At this, Will Fit slowly rounds on Will Fat and grasps him by his shoulders, forcing their eyes to lock with intensity.  Will Fit unleashes some of his clenched fury while attempting to keep the anger from his voice, but failing.

WILL FIT
Listen to me you fatty corpuscle of refrigerated rehydrated animal protein and chemical waste!  You have pushed me for your fried chicken flesh and salted fat flakes known as “fries” but we are getting-the LIGHT-LEMONADE!

            Will Fat gulps in suspended terror, conceding the point and Will Fit slowly releases him back onto his feet.  Will Fit returns to his composed state, smoothing his wrinkled sleeves and affixing his controlled smile back on his face, nodding as he speaks the order calmly to the girl behind the counter.  As he finishes, he steps back next to Will Fat, who has been quiet for some time.  Perhaps, Will Fit ponders, he has finally learned the harsh lesson of making good choices and that one must have balance in all things, especially in one’s diet.  Yes, Will Fit thinks, perhaps his rotund friend has finally started to get it.  And perhaps now, he will relent on some of his gluttonous requests.
            Will Fit smiles fondly to himself as he regards his companion, and awaits to hear what revelation he has come up with all this time while staring at the menu.  He doesn’t need to wait long before Will Fat finally speaks up.

WILL FAT
…Wanna get a milkshake after this?



The End

No comments:

Post a Comment