Editor's Note: The following takes place in a parallel universe, though the New Orleans in the parallel universe looks pretty similar to the New Orleans we all know.
Tom walks down Bourbon Street, munching on broccoli. The crunch almost keeps rhythm with the loud music all around. After all, this is Skinny Tuesday, the day before people will gorge themselves (except Sundays) for the next 40 days.
Taking in the sights, he goes back and forth between eating the broccoli and drinking from the bottle of pomegranate juice in his other hand. Tom does cheat a little by adding some blueberry juice, but given the dark red color, unless anyone else could smell or taste it, they wouldn't know it wasn't pure pomegranate juice.
He thinks about all the foods he gets to eat starting tomorrow. Grilled cheese sandwiches made with donuts, hot fudge sundaes, fried chicken skin in a bowl with whipped cream on top. Oh and French fries dipped in gravy, mayonnaise, ketchup, chili, nacho cheese. His favorite trick is to dip a fry into each condiment and eat the five fries all at once.
He has been getting ready for this time of the year. Hasn't had meat in 3 weeks. Whole grain pastas and bread dominate his diet. Tom made extra batches of his lentil and beans stew, which he freezes so he can have something to eat on Sundays. Gets plenty of vegetables, dipping them in dressing on the side made with extra virgin olive oil. He has been eating fruit for dessert. Tom is going to be so ready.
Tom is a little nervous about tomorrow. After all, he isn't used to eating the way you do after Skinny Tuesday. His body will not be used to the new diet. He isn't sure how he'll handle the taste. Once you have become used to the vitamin goodness of raw broccoli, can pork rinds possibly give him that same satisfaction?
Tom lets the music embrace all around him. He loves this moment when people are having a really great time before they make the sacrifice of eating junk food. Besides, Tom thinks to himself, it's only for a few weeks out of the year. And if Tom is honest with himself, he could stand to gain 10-15 pounds.
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