Any given Tuesday
This is a unique update from the Hualien team designed to give you a glimpse into our daily life. This is a sampling of a random evening conversation on any given Tuesday night.
Setting: 10x10 room with lime curtains and salmon cabinets. The table is pulled out from the wall with a hot plate on it. The sink is out on the porch and along one wall is an electric fry pan, microwave, toaster oven etc. sitting on a makeshift counter. There are four people busily cooking inside. Katrina comes into the room just as the garbage truck passes by playing Fur Elise.
Gracia: (looking up from frying the chicken) says, “Hey, welcome home! So, how was your day today?”
Katrina: (setting her small back pack down in the bathroom): Well, this was the school that prepares all, so it was a pretty good day.
Ben: Good.
Gracia (to Jo): So, do you want these spaghetti noodles broken or unbroken.
Jo: Oh, I don’t care.
Gracia picks up the spaghetti noodles and prepares to break them…to a chorus of “Don’t do that!”
Jo: Do you always do that?
Ben: Actually I always break them at home.
Katrina: so do I
Jo: So do I
Gracia: So do I.
Christina: So do I. I think the only time you don’t is when you are eating Italian style with a fork and spoon.
Ben: Ok, so it is unanimous…we break the noodles.
Gracia breaks the noodles and stirs them in the water.
Gracia: Dinner will be ready as soon as the noodles are done.
Christina: Good I’m starved; they served tofu for lunch at my school today.
Jo: Yeah, I’m not sure what they served at mine…but it was pretty spicy.
Katrina: Actually I’m not that hungry, at my school they served some really good chicken over rice. I’m not sure exactly what it was, but it tasted wonderful. Then they kept giving me fruit…more than I could eat. The teachers kept offering me different Chinese snacks for me to try all morning and afternoon. Three of the teachers found out they’re my mother’s age and are fighting over who gets to be my Taiwanese mother.
Ben: Sweet.
Gracia (to Jo): What are you doing?
Jo (with a puzzled look): Throwing spaghetti against the wall.
Gracia: Why?
Jo: If it sticks there, it’s done.
Gracia: Since when?
Ben: Yeah, ….Right.
Jo: I guess we’ve always done it that way, never thought about when. How do you know when it’s done?
Gracia: Eat a piece.
Christina: So is it done then? Do you want me to set the table now?
Ben: You do that.
Now is the time for the daily news report because on any given Tuesday with Ben, we could get the latest IBLP news, Taiwan news, King Car news, US news and world report, or the ESPN.com report… Whatever Ben happens to just be interested in. Of course, it always starts just before dinner is done and as the table is being set for supper. Completely unencumbered by the facts Ben continues to expound theories while pacing around the room. Finally everything is set and everyone sits down.
Ben pauses in his conversation: Are you all waiting for something?
Everyone nods, “Uh huh”
Ben: Oh, lets pray.
Everyone sings: “Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost.”
The End,
