The Art of Eating Shrimp

I met a few friends for lunch the other day. It's always nice to get out of the office and recharge a bit. We were laughing and enjoying our meals, when suddenly my buddy pointed over to the table across from us.

It was quite a sight.

A couple was sitting together eating; the woman was discussing her day but she might as well have been sitting alone. You could barely make out her companion Hal (I overheard the name) because his nose was glued to his plate as he stuffed his face.

Poor Hal was plowing through his food like he'd been sentenced to the chair*. I almost wanted to walk over and tell him to pump the brakes. He may not have realized or cared but his actions were making a statement.

If you’ve ever seen the movie Ocean's Eleven, there’s a scene where Brad Pitt's character is kicking back in a casino, enjoying a plate of shrimp. He’s eating in a calm and confident manner. It’s like he’s eating for pleasure rather than out of hunger. You can tell he doesn't "need the shrimp".

That laid back demeanor contributes to a much more powerful presence than Hal’s scarfing down his meal a mile a minute. Add that to the fact that Hal licked his plate clean a good 15 minutes prior to his date. I can't imagine that him staring at the lady (and her leftovers) afterwards was comfortable for either party.

Why not slow down and savor the moment?

Anyone with Sprezzatura should take a page from Ocean's Eleven and "The Art of Eating Shrimp".


(* Denotes credit to Mr. Andrews for the line.)