Guilty Delights

 

Guilty Delights

Noel Laflin

9-17-24

 

"So, Daniel, what did you do in San Francisco today?"

 

"Oh, we ran to the Golden Gate Bridge and back," pointing to both he and his elegantly dressed daughter sitting across from us.

 

I looked over his shoulder and out the ship’s dining room window where the famous landmark shimmered in the distant twilight.

 

"Jesus, Daniel, how far is that?"

 

"Approximately twenty kilometers, since we ran all the way across the bridge and back to the ship again."

 

Daniel is from Germany, so of course he measures in kilometers. Turns out father and daughter ran about twelve and a half miles before dinner. I had to go to Google to determine the conversion.

 

No wonder he had the steak, and then politely asked for and inhaled a second one, all sides included.

 

And his beautiful daughter didn't think twice before nearly licking her chicken dinner clean off the plate and then going for a large piece of chocolate cake.

 

I too had the chocolate cake for dessert, but certainly didn't feel like I had earned it.

 

But, I nearly inhaled it anyway, telling myself that guilt is simply an overrated emotion.