The Great Burrito of life

"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music."

We had decided on a boozy boys' weekend away and chosen a theme: each of us dress like a certain 90s picture of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. You know the one—black turtleneck, gold chain, and a belt bag. It was a sight to behold: six grown men, all in identical outfits, ready to embrace absurdity in all its forms.

The day was filled with laughter, the kind only possible when ideas are invigorated by a steady stream of drinks. By the time dinner rolls around, we are ready to conquer the world—or at least a Mexican restaurant. La Fiesta Loca, known for its spicy food and even spicier margaritas. A waitress greets us who looks like she'd stepped straight out of a punk rock music video. Her hair dyed a vibrant shade of blue, and her multiple piercings sparkled under the dim lights. We instantly love and fear this stunning enigma.

"Welcome, Boooooyyyys," she crows though a bemused yet warm smirk. We didn’t bother with the menu, instead hand the reins over to her, in an appropriately submissive way. “Just fuck me up” was the request, and boy did she ever deliver. While the food is being sequestered, Jeff, the only one who had NOT been drinking, bee lined to the bar. Ironically, he is promptly singled out in the crowd by a sarcastic barman. Bounced for being “too drunk,” a situation that wasn’t nearly as funny to him as it was to us.

A parade of delicious dishes and frozen margaritas soon find their way to the table. Our laughter grows louder, our turtlenecks tighter, belt bags baggier and faces stickier from Margaritas. We indulge recklessly, toasting the decadent joy of it all. The food so spicy our eyes water, the drinks so strong our heads are spinning

In our drunken wisdom, the leftover burritos on the table become an object of fascination. Inspired, I decided to smuggle one out, wrapped in tin foil and tucked into my belt bag. A brilliant idea that would enable me to relive this wonderous occasion once again later in the evening. I stuffed the tasty morsel into my belt bag and promptly forget about it.

Hours later, wandering aimlessly, we notice in the distance the neon lights and thumping bass of what appear to be a dance party in the street. Approaching the chaos, we join a line where it appears they are carrying out security checks. As we draw closer to front of the que, i am suddenly hit with a unique emotion of joyous laughter mixed in with an almost feigned nervousness. My mind conjures up images of me revealing the tinfoiled burrito, the security guards mistaking it for something far more nefarious, and me having to explain that I was not, in fact, a drug smuggler but a chubby, hungry burrito enthusiast.

At the same moment i am making this realization, so too are my entourage who are failing to stifle their sniggers. I approach the stand, unzip my belt bag and am unable to hold back the shit eating grin from my face. The guard, a burly man with a not-unpleasant demeanor, locks his eyes on the tin foil-wrapped burrito. We are all silent for a purely comedic moment which is only broken by the man raising an eyebrow.

"It's a burrito," I reply through an ever widening grin and tears of joy start to run down my face. The guard's stern expression softens as he bursts into laughter in unison with the crowd around us.

Inside the dance party, I feel the aftereffect of exhilaration and relief. I wave a glow stick in one hand, the burrito in the other, and dance like i am in my own world. In the moment, I have a profound realization: life is wasted when worrying about how you’re perceived by others. Embrace absurdity, laugh at yourself, and savor the burrito moments. It's these stories, the ones filled with laughter and camaraderie, that truly make life worth living.

In the midst of the dance party, a wave of exhilaration and relief washes over me. I grasp a glow stick in one hand and a burrito in the other, moving as if I am the sole inhabitant of my own universe. In this liberating moment, a profound truth crystallizes: life is squandered when we are consumed by concerns about others' perceptions. Instead, we must embrace the absurd, laugh, and cherish these whimsical, joyful moments. It is these experiences, rich with laughter and shared connection, that truly imbue life with meaning and vitality.