By: Mark Antony Rossi

Tico told me the world would be a better if more people ate a big lunch. He theorized the sleepiness that befell a full belly made the average person too tired to hate or hurt other human beings. And maybe he was right but this lunchtime lunacy is another form of violence tempting him to tear into taco supremes like tic tacs. You can be in anger denial and launch an assault into antipasto and land repeated blows on baked ziti.

The key actions in the so-called peaceful pastime are actually militaristic and meant to subjugate (maybe a salami) or dominate (perhaps a dinner salad) and achieve a victory (of some sort). Still how does the world change if we merely act on our natures instead of altering them. Perhaps we can do both?

I know it’s hard to be philosophical about french fries or academic about ice cream but it’s not a stretch to believe beer and burgers are superior to bombs and bullets. Image a universe where arguments are defused by pizza and naked violence is replaced by naked burritos. It could be said that diplomacy often fails because it counts more on clever cadence than classy catering.

Liquor and lunchmeat are no cure for a furious heart fighting for just cause; yet the chance of a brighter tomorrow is possible if we pause the passion to permit a measure of peace. And this measure may be a mouth stuffed with food too busy to make things worse. A pasta might prevent war by starting a conversation or by giving jerks constipation. Either way the rush to judgement is eroding humanity and the only way to reverse the trend is to sip soup and surrender stupidity long enough to see the person across the table is not a lunchtime Lucifer but a mirror into the better angels released through fellowship. Put down the pistol and eat up. Amigo.