I Ate Like Ezra
When Ezra has a full mouth and he can’t chew either because he stuffed his mouth with too much food or we gave him half a plum, he spits the food out into a cupped hand then pushes the food in and out of his mouth chewing until the pieces of food diminish, so he can chew the food and swallow.
I have watched this process many times, and I still stare both because it is cute (because Ezra is doing it) and because I wonder at what point during our evolution that we decided it socially unacceptable while eating with a full mouth to removed the food and move the food in and out of mouth until the amount is dimisnished. I thought this again today while at work, and I was eating a sandwich.
There was a big bite of a sandwich remaining to eat. Instead of doing the smart thing and eat it in two small bites, I shoved it all in my mouth much like Ezra would. The sandwich’s thick crust made the sandwich difficult to chew as did the fact it filled my mouth. I then thought of Ezra. And then I realized what Ezra would do in a situation, so I pushed the slightly chewed sandwich from mouth to hand and moved the food in and out of mouth while chewing until the food was able to fit in mouth, and I could finish eating.