Topic: Food.

Context: Created as a short free writing exercise with some colleagues, fellow educators. Very little editing. Grammar not important.

The free write:

They decided to write about food. And Betty started singing, “Food! Wonderful food! Wonderful food!” I thought, “Food’s ok.” But she kept singing. And that’s when I distinctly heard someone crying. We looked and saw Djelilatou in tears. When we asked, she said: “I don’t like food as you do, Betty.” Tears fell from her face. It was wrong to assume that everyone would feel the same way about food as Betty does. Raul tried to mediate.

“Listen, guys,” he said. “We don’t need any fighting!”

“There better not be any,” said Marcos as he entered the room, pizza box in hand. “’Cause if there is, I’m in the mood to rumble.”

It was an obvious reference to Rumble in the Bronx. Clever though it was, I felt uneasy. Wondered if I should intervene.

“Food is great!” Betty shouted. She was in denial.

More crying, like a puppy drowning. Truly helpless I felt.

“Maybe,” Raul said . . . “Just maybe there are those of us that like food, and those of us who simply like it less. That’s all, guys. We don’t need to fight.”

“No fighting!” shouted Elizabeth.

Marcos appeared to agree because he said: “I am more of a lover than a fighter anyway.” And sat down.