Why did Garvey make an example out of an hot dog?

Eating a hot dog is usually a solitary effort but sharing a hot dog means so much more. Garvey's act of sharing transforms simple food into a celebration. Each time Cole takes a bite, Garvey makes a toast, "Here's to the sun and the rain."This way Garvey is able to share the hotdog with everybody and make it part of everyone's experience,