By Mark Elliott
Special to Squirrel Pie
KFC is out to get me
Or at least, that’s what I would think if I were a paranoid man. Ads from KFC flood my social media. “Hurry, deal ends February 28th,” they tell me. “Buy one item, get one free. So much chicken!”
It’s a sad fact but over the last year, the folks at the KFC near my home have come to recognize me. After one extremely long Tuesday, I rolled in 20 minutes before they closed to order dinner. I was greeted by a smile at the pick-up window by a young man who said, “It’s 9:40… I was afraid you were going to miss your Tuesday special.”
I stopped going as much after that. For a little while, anyway.
North Americans love to live their lives to excess, and nothing really captures that more than the fast-food industry. Why settle for a burger, when you can get a burger, fries and drinks for only a couple dollars more? Why settle for “regular” when you can “super-size it” for a few more coins? Why get what you need when you can have more than what’s good for you?
You see, I’m old enough to remember when drinks came in three sizes at your local burger or ice cream place. There was small, medium, and large. Then someone came up with a brainstorm… why not add a size? Call it extra large… let it come in a fancy cup, even. And then came sizes such as “jumbo” and “giant” and “colossal.” Fun fact: a small drink at McDonald’s in 1955 was just over 207 mL. That’s nearly half the size of the drink that comes in a Happy Meal now (355 mL).
Don’t even get me started on the size of the fries.
Lent is quite the opposite of this way of living. Instead of finding ways to cram more stuff into your life (or your stomach), Lent finds a way to make room for less. Less soda in your cup, less bacon on your burger, less stuff to take your mind off of what’s really important.
Here’s a simple task. The next time you pick up a meal, order it one size smaller than you normally do. Say “no” when asked if you’d like to upsize your meal. Pass on the offer to get two, not one, but TWO apple pies with your meal. (Because it’s only $2 for two pies… why would you just get one for $1.39?) Spend a day living with a bit less. If you’re brave, try it for a week. You just might notice that more isn’t always better.
It’s just more.
