What is Food? – Part I

July 30, 2020 AD

So, we decided to celebrate the “re-opening” of society, don our masks and patronize our favorite restaurant a few blocks away. When I told one of my friends our plans, she was horrified that we were having a nice dinner out while Rome is burning. She feels we are Patricians who deserve to be shunned or worse.

That is not how we view it. Yes, we spent a few bucks on dinner out. But I happen to know where that money went:

1. The hostess who seated us got a paycheck for the first time in weeks;

2. The bartender, too;

3. A vintner sold a moderately priced bottle of wine;

4. The waitress got not only a paycheck but a tip;

5. The cook who made our delicious dinner had a job;

6. My wife had chicken so somewhere a chicken farmer and all his help all got paid;

7. I had beef so somewhere a cattle rancher and his crew got paid;

8. Those who grew the vegetables for the side dishes got a share;

9. If only my doctor would approve, I would have had dessert, employing a pastry chef;

10. Tomorrow the service that launders the table linens will have an order for clean ones;

11. The gas and electric company sold some utilities to cook our food and light our table;

12. At every stage government took a slice in the form of payroll tax, income tax, sales tax;

13. Yes, even some evil capitalist landlord got some rent;

14. The next day some lenders and credit card agencies received payments;

15. Everyone who got paid had money the next day for clothing, groceries, college tuition, gas, and, of course, taxes; finally

16. Only after all those above got paid, the poor schmuck who, some months or years ago, one day woke up and uttered those fateful words “I think I will open a restaurant” got a little profit. This allowed him to pay for his fixtures, his SBA loan, his wife and mistress and perhaps replenish his bank account so that he can do it again someday at another location, allowing the cycle to start all over.

It is amazing how far money travels. But we could not do it alone. The restaurant was busy. Seated around us was a coterie of like-minded folk, supporting a local merchant in just the same way. Together we were helping the World turn. We were “funding” society. It felt good.

While there it occurred to me that a nice pairing with a pandemic is a famine. Often this includes a lovely pestilence. This time it is not locusts. For a view of life after we defund society, Part II follows.

Enjoy!