The tortise and the hare

My mother is a slow eater.  Growing up, there were many meals when the dishes would be cleared, but Mom was still eating by herself (sorry about that, Mom).
By contrast, my father is an incredibly fast eater.  I sometimes wonder what would happen if Mom's food came out with appetizers and Dad's came with entrees.

It appears their grandsons are taking after them in this regard.  See, E will devour pretty much anything.  The only food he doesn't really like (and so gets thrown on the floor) has been broccoli, edamame, and SOMETIMES green beans.  And he's fast.  He will be done with his plate when I (another fast eater) am only halfway through mine.  This, in turn, brings on the pterodactyl noise, and Mommy's frantically going through the fridge for MORE FOOD!  MORE FOOD!

A, on the other hand, will take his time.  If I'm being honest, he dawdles.  I'm not sure if he's eating too much throughout the day and so isn't really hungry at dinnertime (though he will ALWAYS ask for a snack when he comes home from school, despite having just had one half an hour earlier AT school), or what his deal is, but tonight, he started telling stories, playing with this and that, looking out the window, etc etc etc.  I think about setting a timer for him, and if he's not done by the time the timer goes off, he loses what isn't eaten, but then think of Grammi, who really just takes her time and enjoys her food.  I also have no desire to rush him so that he doesn't realize he's had enough and so keep shoveling food into his gullet.