Todd: So, Marion, what are you going to do for dinner tonight?
Marion: I think Ill go home, see whats in my fridge and in my cupboard and cook something up. Im not sure what yet.
Todd: Ah, youre gonna cook?
Marion: Yeah, of course.
Todd: Actually, I almost never cook. I cook maybe once or twice a year.
Marion: Really? (Yeah) Well, what do you do then? What do you eat?
Todd: Oh, I always eat out. I buy my dinner every night. I think its just better.
Marion: Oh, my God! Every night?
Todd: Every night.
Marion: How is it better, Todd? I dont understand.
Todd: Well, I mean, I know its a waste of money, but it, I look at it, it just saves me a lot of time (Right, OK) so I dont have to go buy the food, store the food, and prepare the food, and cook the food, then clean up afterwards.
Marion: Yeah, I dont like that part so much.
Todd: Right. When you just eat out, you know, its quick and easy. It saves you time.
Marion: Yeah, hmm, I think though, I can see what youre saying about the time factor but for me sometimes cooking is a way of almost relieving stress, you know, or if Im thinking about the day thats gone by and maybe something has stressed me out, Ill just go to the kitchen, and as long as Im on my own, cause I like to cook on my own, I dont have to talk to anybody, and I can think about things that are going on and while Im shopping the onions, you know, or opening tins or whatever Im doing, its just a time for me where I dont have to think about anything else, really apart from the food Im preparing and then if something floats into my mind, I can kind of deal with it at the same time. I find it quite relaxing.
Todd: Actually, I can see that. Actually, I run every night (Oh, yeah) you know, I love jogging and I usually jog for about an hour, and so when I come home, Im sweaty, I need to take a shower, and I just dont have time t them to use more time to cook cause I get home late from work so I just buy my food on the way home from my run to save time.
Marion: That surprises me actually because I know you, you run so youre really into your fitness but do you not consider the health factor about buying food all the time because its always processed food, you know.
Todd: Yeah, thats true. Well, I try to go to the deli in the supermarket (Oh, OK) and you know, they always have nice people behind the counter, often some sweet old lady or something and shes made some nice salad, or some dish, and I always figure, she can make it better than me.
Marion: Right, probably.
Todd: And when I buy it Im providing a job for somebody else, right, so theres a lot of good benefits by doing this system. Plus its very social, right, because I live alone so I talk to the person at the counter, and I get variety every night.
Marion: Yeah, thats true though but if you went to the kitchen, and the place where you stay and you cook that would be very social as well, dont you think?
Todd: Yeah, but I live alone. Who would I talk to?
Marion: The other people in your communal kitchen. Dont you have a big communal kitchen?
Todd: No, no, no. I live alone. (Ah) I used to, I used to share a kitchen, but now I live alone.
Marion: OK, so then, I can understand the social aspect. I really enjoy going out for dinner actually with my friends. I really enjoy that part, but if its just me, I kind of feel, I think in Japan its easy to go into a restaurant on your own, but in Ireland I would feel very strange and awkward if I went to a restaurant on my own. Id feel like people are looking at me and saying, Oh, shes got no friends.
Todd: Ah, man, I do it all the time. (Yeah) and I have no friends.
Marion: Thats not true.