The Evening Meal

This has nothing to do with sports, but I've been thinking about this for the last couple of days based on conversations I've had with my displaced brother who now lives in California with his wonderful family.

Depending on where you grew up and when you grew up (and other cultural variations) the term "dinner" means something different to different people. For some it is the noon meal. For others it is the  evening meal. When making plans, that one word could make the difference between easily getting together with folks at the right time or missing them entirely because you planned on going to the wrong meal.

I've decided to make the following proposal: Since "dinner" is the word that causes the miscommunication, it should be removed from American culture entirely. The noon meal should, from now on, always be called "lunch" and the evening meal should always be called "supper."

Though this idea would be unpopular among people who always call the evening meal "dinner" it would instantly stop all confusion as to our dining times. Remember those who currently call "lunch" dinner would also have to change their ways as well. It's part of the necessary cultural compromise.

Think about it. When people hear the word "lunch" EVERYBODY knows that would be the noon-time meal. We all KNOW that's  what "lunch" means. There's no mistaking the term. So let's all use it.

Likwewise, if people hear the word "supper" they would never mix that term up with the noon meal either. If you hear the word "supper" even if you rarely use it yourself, you KNOW people are always talking about the evening meal when they use it.

It might not be a popular decision among the varying regions in America, but it would bring us all closer as a country. It would be a momentous first step in being a truly "United" States of America.

Breakfast. Lunch. Supper. So simple. No more confusion.

Teach it at school if you have to, but let's do this for the good of future generations. There is no room for diversity in our meal-time terms, not if we all want to live together in peace. And isn't peace more important than cultural preference? Especially when cultural preference, in this case, has nothing to do with race or skin color.