(Through Rose-Coloured Glasses)

Wow, this is cool. Utopia finally comes to earth. “Eat what you can, pay what you want” commerce is our next trendy culture! As soon as I hear the news, I hurry out of door, to search for such a godsend in our area. I spend hours walking up and down of all the streets in my neighbourhood and beyond, stop every pedestrian I can question. They simply stare at me blankly, shake their heads or snicker at my back, Who cares, search of the Holy Grail has to go on. At long last, a good samaritan points and steers me in the right direction. This joint is not a “pay as you wish” as such, but a “pay by weight” restaurant. Close enough. I eagerly push open the door.

A huge sign hangs by the entrance, “Eat all you can, pay by weight, 10 cents per lb”. I figure, how many lbs can I consume, even 10 lbs can cost only a dollar, wow, this is gourmet paradise.

I pile my plate with all sorts of food, from lobster, fish, shrimp to prime rib roast, vegetables of assorted colours, pasta, bread, pate, cold cuts, desserts …………

Euphorically I arrive at the check-out counter. The smiling waitress politely says to me, ”step this way please, sir, right onto that scale, to see how much you have to pay”. Oh my god, ‘pay by weight’ all right, but it’s my weight they are after! And I wish I was here 80 lbs ago.**



** ”These” for you, GY