Andrew was famished.
He had a weakness for fast-food. Especially the breakfast menu, and this weakness was made worse today. His stomach growled loudly. It felt like he was three times as hungry and he figured with his bigger body and bigger appetite that he could and should eat a solid three times more than normal. He was thrilled as he grabbed the bag full of three bagel sandwiches and an extra egg sandwich out of the hands of the woman in the drive through. It cost him, but he had enough spare change from the day before.
As he drove out of the drive through the thick smell of ham and cheese hit his nose. He could persevere. He would persevere until he got to the mall. He had that much self-control.
No he didn’t.
In a fit of hunger Andrew pulled to the side of the road, tore into his bag, pulled out the warm, rapped bagel breakfast sandwich, carefully pulled back the paper covering and bit into it with one huge bite.
It tasted so good. He loved this too much, he could have eaten all of the breakfast sandwiches right then and there, but he decided against it. After inhaling the first bagel sandwich he felt considerably better, and knew he could make it to the mall parking lot before eating another. Besides, it was only 2 or 3 miles away.
Andrew pulled back onto the road. He pulled forward, and stopped at the traffic light. His stomach had silenced its noisy protest and appeared to be appeased for the moment. He patted it lightly. Andrew wasn’t used to this sensation, the severity of his hunger seemed so strange to him. He hadn’t even been that hungry when he left his house, but as he drove it hit him hard.
Well, enough of that, he thought, and he was off. After a few moments he turned onto the mall boulevard. The parking lot was pretty empty, an odd sight for him, as he was used to a great number of cars. But this morning, there were few. He checked the time, wondering if they were even open yet! It was 8:37, he suspected the mall opened at 9. He wasn’t sure, but he could check.
“But first things first” thinking out loud. Andrew grabbed the bag and pulled out another bagel sandwich. This was too good, he thought. The warm sandwich filled his need almost perfectly, only by the end of #2, he still felt a hunger for more. Usually one could have satisfied his craving, but today two felt like the appetizer. Andrew decided to wait a bit and see if two would really quell his hunger. After all, he didn’t want to gain any more weight.
Andrew looked down at his stomach. It stuck out much more sitting down. He lifted his shirt to reveal a little hairy round belly. He didn’t feel fat, but he definitely wasn’t the thin guy he was yesterday. He lifted his shirt higher and patted his stomach. It seemed ready for more. But even Andrew was hesitant to eat too much today. He was different now, eating like this could finally have consequences. His midsection was now wider and hairy. He liked it, actually. He didn’t know how he felt about all his chest hair, but the hair on his belly didn’t bother him at all, he was rather fond of it, actually.
Originally his intent was to save the egg sandwich for later, but then he reminded himself that it would be better still warm, and that he could manage it. Within moments nothing remained but crumbs. Then came the third bagel. Now he was feeling fine, his stomach happy, full of lots of food. Midway through the third bagel Andrew began to feel full. No matter, he was half way there anyway. And then it was no more.
He was full alright, he was stuffed. He loved this. He had never been able to eat so much in his life, he didn’t even think his dad could eat this much. Andrew looked back at the clock, 8:48… ‘time flies’ he thought to himself.
Why not check out what time the mall opens, anyway? They might open at 8:00 or 8:30. After all, there were scores of people who worked at home, or for that matter, didn’t work, so why wouldn’t it open around 8?
Andrew shifted his weight a bit, what an odd feeling for someone used to only 140 pounds. He opened the car door and lifted himself out. He could really feel his breakfast now, and looking down he could see a little bulge in front of his shirt. Andrew couldn’t help but pat his full stomach ‘wow’ he thought to himself, remembering the rather flat stomach he had woken up to ‘I really did eat a lot’ Andrew slammed the car door on accident, locked it and began walking. Andrew hoped the little belly would go away.
As he approached the glass doors he became aware, much to his surprise that the Mall opened at 8:30 AM not at 9 like he was expecting… Andrew went in, through the two large doors.
It was so empty! Not like he was used to. He saw some people wandering around between stores, and as he walked forwards into the mall he saw that the people in the shops were few and far between.
There in front of him was the department store he needed to go to. It was the cheapest place he knew of where he could find decent clothes. As he walked into the brightly lit store he felt his stomach growl a little. He wasn’t hungry… maybe he ate too much? Andrew walked briskly through the perfume section and up the escalator to the men’s section. In front of him were the jeans… He thought for a second ‘I wonder what size I am now?'...