Commentary by H.G. Listiak

Friday 08/01/2003

Welcome to my world where the issue of fat seems to come up daily, as more and more of those who carry extra girth claim discrimination, despite the fact many of them brandish the belly with a sense of politically correct pride. Fat is a no-no when it comes to catering oversized, full figure, plus sized people, at Freedom Paradise a 112-room resort on a secluded beach 70 miles south of Cancun Mexico. It's the new key, very largo, the Gulf of Gordo, catering only to fat folks, so they won't be intimidated by the less than full figured hard bodies, protected from the well tanned sinew of your beach bum or bunny. The logo on their 5XL tee shirt is "Live large, live free" It's sold in the lobby, the size of a table cloth, and comes with enormous matching mango colored sweat pants, vended next to the ice cream freezer. The figures on the bathroom door resemble the Michelin man. The marketing concept comes because 64% of Americans are overweight, with the owners purchasing two hotels and spending two million dollars on size friendly renovation, that includes sit down showers with no confining bath tubs. The poolside bars that also serve sheets of cake, use tree stumps for benches, with some of the bar stools hung from the ceiling with enough room for two. Dining is a monument to creams and sauces. It's all you can eat in doublewide chairs with no arms to pinch love handles, and guests don't get a mint on their pillow, they get six. They have a shrink to train new employees to treat the blimpish boarders with respect showing them the Beauty and the Beast to stress that no one should be judged on their appearance. So what do I do?? At 175lbs, half the weight of most of their customers, I called for a half price deal. Their reply "Sorry Sir, but we don't think you would be comfortable here". I was crushed but quickly recovered watching my D.V.D. of Beauty and the Beast with a stack of chips, moon pie and a Pepsi. I'm ok now, as I see it I'm H.G. Listiak.