“Mavis, what are you going to order?” June sat drumming her fingers on the table.
“Oh, June,” Mavis shook her head at the menu. “I don’t know what to do. You know how I’m struggling with my weight.” She folded the menu in resignation and tossed it on the table. “I guess I’ll just not eat anything. No, wait. I know what I’ll . . . Oh, June, what’s the use? You know how I have tried every New Year’s to lose weight and every year I always fail.” The tears started to fall.
“Mavis, honey.” June reached across the table and patted her on the arm. “Just choose something.”
“But I don’t have any choices,” she cried softly. “Everything is fattening or tastes like cardboard or is expensive. I don’t have any choices.”
“Hmmm.” June retrieved her arm and folded her hands in front of her. “Do you remember what Alexis said last week . . . about doing the housework?”
“Yes.” Sniffle, sniffle.
“She told us that she had to do the house cleaning in the evening because she didn’t have any other choice. She said that Harold goes to work early and comes home late and the kids are at school all day and frequently in after school activities. And it just fell to her to get the house work done when she got home.”
“Yes?”
June looked directly across the table at her friend. “And what did you tell her?”
“Ummm. I said that . . . she could choose to share the housework on weekends with the others in the family (sniffle) because they live there, too.”
“Did she have a choice?”
“Yes . . . but she couldn’t . . . see it.” Mavis sat up a little straighter, drying her eyes.
“You’ve read all the magazine articles,” June bored in. “What do you need to do to lose weight? What are the choices?”
“Well . . .,” Mavis searched her memory. “I can eat more salads. I can substitute fruit for other foods. I can use a smaller plate. I can avoid snack foods. I can . . .”
“Whoa, whoa.” June held up her hand. “Pick just one, girl. You’re trying to choose too many options at once and they’re overwhelming you.” June shook her head. “Pick just one and do it this week. Then next week, make another choice and add it to the first one. Go slow.”
“Do you think I can?”
“Did Alexis get her family to help with the housework?”
“Uh . . . yes. Yes, she did.” Mavis pondered a moment. “Okay, hand me that menu.”