I'm one of those people who often forgets to eat. It's true. I'll be distracted by whatever it is I'm doing, then I'll head to work and halfway there I'll realize that I haven't eaten. This is one of the major hurdles standing between me and a nutritious diet.

A couple of days ago, I found myself running errands when I realized that I was stark raving hungry. It was probably about 6 or 7pm, and I had yet to eat breakfast. I don't like to eat fast food when I'm on vacation since I have enough time to eat right, but I needed to make an exception, so I pulled into Taco Bell.

Since the money I was carrying consisted of several crumpled ones distributed about my four pockets, I decided to get out of my car and eat inside the restaurant. I didn't look around when I went in, as I was focused on digging out my money. I made my order, paid, and filled my drink cup. Then I looked around and almost vomited.

I was standing in the filthiest restaurant I'd even seen.

Not one table was clean. All of them were littered with spilled food and crumbs. All of the garbage cans were full to overflowing, and all of them were surrounded with piles of garbage on the floor. In addition to the pieces of food and wrappers everywhere, everything was actually dirty with actual dirt. Four or five grimy-looking people sat around in the restaurant cramming their faces with disgusting food.

I thought seriously about walking out. Just calling it a loss. Then my food came and I located one cleanish table and sat down.

The food, if you could call it that, tasted horrible. It was kind of cold, and really artificial tasting, like something squeezed out of a tube. I imagined a gang of pimply teenagers in back, assembling tacos by shooting the ingredients out of caulking guns. I think I took about three bites before I wrapped the whole mess up and threw it away.

At least I tried to throw it away. But since the garbage was full to the top and spilling all over the floor, I just crammed my leftovers into the pile and, literally gagging, left the restaurant.

I've told this story several times and people always have the same reply: "What do you expect?" As if it is somehow my fault.

I may never eat again.