Ben's Lunches

I am kind of obsessed with my pal Ben's lunches. In the near year we have been eating lunch together I slowly came to appreciate what seems like an epic and COMPLETE lunch, with main course, snack, side, and two kinds of beverages. I knew that we somehow had crossed the line from work buddy to all out conspirators when I asked if we were at the point that I could start photographing his lunch and he responded, "Oh, I think so."

I think they are a thing of beauty. They remind me of the kind of lunches I'd see in commercials as a kid, when advertising things like lunch meat or cereal. Remember how the cereal ads, they'd say, "Part of this nutritious breakfast?" The complete breakfast would be two kinds of beverage, a piece of fruit, toast, and the bowl of cereal. I'd always look at that and think, "Who could eat all that---or even have all that in their kitchen?" I think it's safe to say, Ben would. Notice he is an apple-a-day kind of guy. So far, I have yet to see any doctors in his vicinity, so maybe he is on to something. I love that he eats yogurt almost every day too. We share a passion for the chocolate chip cookies they serve up here at the work cafeteria. Ben and I are convinced they have hired a secret grandma who bakes these things to perfection. Yesterday's (pictured directly above) were particularly good and we said, "Grandma put a little extra somethin' in there today." Man, it was good.