They say confession is good for the soul.
They are correct.
One way or another, our short comings always find us out. In my case, usually around my waist.
My name is Steve -- and I am a junk food junkie. No sugar for me. I cut right to the salt and the grease.
When I started visiting Mexico, I was impressed with all of the unusual flavors for potato chips: chili and lime, habañero, jalapeño.
But it did not take me long to discover that all of the bags contained essentially the same taste: chili and lime. Even the pizza-flavored chips tasted like -- chili and lime.
What was once exciting became boring. But that was fine with me. I was in a weight loss frame of mind -- and cutting junk food out of the picture made the inches melt away.
This week I drove down to Manzanillo to pick up my mail. That drive and some recent life episodes put me in a rather pensive frame of mind.
And I could feel the temptation building when I stopped at the Oxxo to buy a Coke Light. The racks of chili-lime-infused chips called to me.
But it is easy to avoid temptation when the temptress is singing a song with no allure.
All went well until I spotted a familiar package. The Cheetos cheetah. There they were. The very epitome of junk food -- Cheetos puffed corn balls. Every kid in America was weaned to them.
Without one bit of guilt, I grabbed a bag. Grabbed my Coke Light. Paid. And was on my way. Bag ripping open as the pesos soared mano a mano.
I was not out the door before I realized the wages of sin are counted in artificial flavors of -- chili and lime.
Right. I neglected to look at the bag very closely. See the icon at the top? These are not your every day Cheetos corn puff balls. They are chili-lime Cheetos corn puff balls.
If I have learned one thing in Mexico, it is this. Whatever life deals you, enjoy it.
So, I ate my corn balls and drank my Coke Light as if I was dining on squab at Antoine's.
And I bought another bag the next day.
But that was enough.
Because abstinence does not make the heart grow fonder.
