MY HANGRY FRIEND

Have you ever planned a trip with a good friend?
How about a group of friends?
What about a hangry friend?

Yep. That’s right. I am able to check off all these questions but I have to admit it is the hangry friend detail that is most important when you plan to travel. For those of you who do not know what the term “Hangry” means, let me break it down for you...it is when an individual’s hunger has taken over their entire body that they are unable to think or realize the negative mood alter (anger) that has taken over them.

This is my friend.

Arriving in Europe, excited to seek out new adventures with one of my best friends, I realized very quickly that I had a case of the hangry friend. It would usually happen around the eleven o’clock mark, when the sun was about to hit the mid-day heat wave. You know…the moment when you had waited in line for an hour… about to see a famous museum or painting… a once in a lifetime opportunity!!! Now unfortunately, for my poor girlfriend it was not her fault that she had a case of the hangry's. In my heart I knew that it happens to the best of us. In fact, we believe it is a condition that is only fixable by chocolate; in our case, M&M’s.

I became very prepared while travelling through Europe ensuring that I had an emergency supply of snacks in my bag as a precaution if that line at the museum was taking too long. And in return I knew that my girlfriend would continue to be the beautiful soul that I know she is 99.9% of the time. There was one day, however, that we forgot our emergency supply and as my girlfriend began to transition into her hangry alterego, she quickly turned to our group claiming that she was missing a Snickers chocolate bar from her purse. As she asked me in desperation thinking that I had eaten it, I claimed that I did not even know she had purchased the item. She then quickly turned to our Aussie friend, stating that it must have been her who was indeed the culprit who had eaten her delicious treat.   As our friend clarified that she was not the thief, my hangry friend became delusional with hunger. Over the course of three days, I knew that my girlfriend of eight years secretly thought to herself that I was the thief that would not fess up to stealing her yummy snack. The laughter continued in our small group of friends and as we joked about the mystery of the Snickers bar, she interrogated me like we were on an episode of CSI.

As our bus arrived in Amsterdam and we settled into our hostel room, my girlfriend continued to state that she had factual evidence that I was the culprit!!! As I continued to settle in, I asked her if she just imagined the delightful treat in her mind and in fact, had not purchased the chocolate bar. When our Aussie friend agreed with me, my girlfriend just shrugged her shoulders in defense and her body language sent the statement that she knew what the truth was. That night we went out on the town and after a night of drinking, we all woke up in our rooms… hungover. The whole group rolled out of bed regretting that last beer of the night with a sad moan. Ugh.

As we slowly managed to grasp the energy to get ready for breakfast, my girlfriend was the last one to get up. And as she rolled out of her sleeping bag all three of us noticed something inside her bag; a Snickers chocolate bar. Sure enough, my girlfriend had been sleeping night after night on a nice warm squished chocolate bar. The moment of shock caused us all to drop to the floor in laughter and as I still managed to blurt out the old saying of “I told you so!”… it was then she turned to me, staring into my soul with her large baby blue eyes, that she claimed that I must of planted it there!!! 

My girlfriend was so relieved that she could at last enjoy her chocolate bar. And as she opened the wrapper to the squished bar and took a bite out it, she smiled. This was the end to the case of my hangry friend, the hanger that lasted three days but felt like a lifetime. 

(The missing evidence)

HANGRY FRIEND SURVIVAL KIT: 

To ensure that you or a loved one does not experience a case of the hangry friend while abroad, ensure to pack the following items:

1. Backpack (Day Bag).
2. Chocolate. 
3. More Chocolate. In fact, its important to have a hearty variety of choices. 
4. Water. 
5. Photo Documentation (Camera). In case your hangry friend decides to turn on you and you need substantial evidence for the cause of your death. 

Good luck and may the odds be in your favor.