March 6, 2011

Eggs and Charity

Several times in my religious life I have observed a version of the following funny phenomenon around the preparation of breakfast.

On a weekend morning, after Sunday Mass perhaps, a friar decides to make himself some eggs. Often it's an omelet, but sometimes the eggs might be fried or scrambled. It doesn't matter. While he is cooking away, another friar appears and says something to the effect of, 'That looks good!' The first friar, being a kind soul, of course, asks him if he would like to have some too. When the second friar eagerly consents, the first simply finishes cooking the eggs and gives them to him. Why would he let his sit and get cold while he prepares another batch for someone else? He is better off just giving the second friar what he was preparing for himself, and then starting over.

The funny part is that this can go on indefinitely, with further friars appearing one by one. In fact, I once watched in great amusement as a confrere was not able to sit down to his Sunday breakfast until he had used up an entire loaf of bread in the production of french toast for friars who kept appearing one after another.

3 comments:

Suzanne said...

Just start out by announcing that you are cooking Sunday breakfast for the house and asks who wants in. Problem solved and everyone eats at once. Let me know if you are in need of a large skillet.

And yes I think you love them enough to make gravy.

Anonymous said...

If that happens to me when I'm cooking something, I just share half of the finished product with the other person. If I'm still hungry, I make more. In the case of French toast, I mix up more of the concoction and offer it to the hungry ones to make their own with. But then, I'm not a priest. Do you think my culinary responses are too unsacrificial?

Brynne

Brother Charles said...

On the contrary, Brynne, you sound like a gentle and kind soul.