What do you do when you fancy what you’re eating to the max, and feel like you’re in seventh heaven? Do you close your eyes with an ethereal smile? Do you roll up your eyes in disbelief of what you’re savoring in your palate? Do you grunt and exclaim “Wow” in between munches? Or do you look down at your food and pray over it in utter gratitude?

I swing my legs under the table as I chew with gusto. I was unaware of this quirk until my husband pointed it out to me. Some years ago, while I was contentedly eating at the table, my husband relaxed on the couch watching his favorite TV talk show. He finished his dinner ahead to catch a feature on 60 Minutes. That was fine with me because I appreciated some quiet time with my food, intending to catch up with the day’s chats after his program.

When I looked up from my plate, I was surprised to see him amusedly watching me and grinning from ear to ear. Not saying a word but just looking at me with a teasing twinkle in his eyes, I knew he found something funny about me. “What, what,” I exclaimed. He just kept simpering. When he brought down his gaze to underneath the dining table, I looked down as well. And lo, I saw a pair of legs languidly swinging to a silent beat. Then I realized, my swinging legs plainly expressed my enjoyment of my food. My mouth chewed, and my legs swung, a ritual of pure delight, or so my audience thought.

Now, what happens when I immensely relish food while dining with sophisticated company. Once, I caught myself lightly tapping my toes to a slow rhythm under the table. I probably could do the usual, swing my legs, as long as I don’t kick the legs in front or beside me. The problem is, I may not notice that I’m swinging, especially when the food is sublimely delish… unless, of course, someone kicks me back.

Linda P. Jacob