Drawing on a wellspring of inner willpower and the facial relaxation techniques she learned at a yoga retreat, Melissa Spicer watched quietly as childhood friend Lauren Pine consumed an entire order of french fries – all by herself.
Beyond a slight raise of the eyebrows when the fries first arrived at the table, Spicer registered no outward indication of her shock. “She immediately had a few, and I took a deep breath, like, okay, maybe she’s PMS-ing but that’s probably going to be it.” Spicer described how her mind raced as she cast about for excuses and explanations while still maintaining her composure. “I was like, ‘okay, maybe her sodium levels are low from sweating through a hot yoga class and she plans to just eat a couple, then throw the rest out.”
Pine continued to reach for fries until the plate was entirely empty, offering no explanation for her bizarre behavior. “She was talking about some book she’s reading and how she’s thinking of taking a trip to Argentina? I think? I don’t know…my face felt so hot.”
At one point Pine offered Spicer access to the plate of fries, where Spicer was forced to ignore the friendly nonverbal offer. “I think I might have looked panicked, but I just coughed and took a sip of my water. I don’t think she noticed.”
Spicer has since been nonchalant about her bravery and maintained that her foremost concern was the welfare of her friend, whispering, “I guess it’s possible that she has a tapeworm or something. At least that’s what I’ll keep hoping.”
