Alice's Sandwich

Alice is studying in a middle school. She has blonde hair and a big mouth to chew and eat her big sandwich. Alice packs her own lunch. Every day she makes sandwich with different toppings and dressings.

On Monday day Alice opened her lunch box to eat her food. Luke saw Alice’s sandwich and said “Yuck! What is it?? It looks like green slime and gooey. Is it a snail inside the bread?” Alice said “No! It is a Ciabatta sandwich with olive, ginger pickle and green beans dressing. I made it different. I have one more, do anybody need it?? She asked her friends who were sitting in the next desk.

Luke teased her saying “only monsters will eat sandwich like this”. And he went away to eat his lunch with his friends.

On Tuesday Alice brought a long French bread sandwich. Dexter asked her “Alice, what is special for your lunch?? It looks like you are eating a half ladder??”

Alice rejected “No, I am eating toasted baguette bread with banana and paneer dressing in it?”

Dexter surprisingly asked “What Banana and Paneer? What a bad combo it is! I hate to eat. My mom will make Paneer pulavo or Paneer butter masala with chapathi but never Banana with paneer sandwich”.

Alice said “It’s not a bad combo. It is a creative recipe. I created it by myself. I made an extra, do anybody need??”

Dexter mocked her and said “Only Pandas will eat this sandwich”. He went and sat with his friends to have his lunch.

On Wednesday Alice brought a Pita bread sandwich.  Katie asked her “What are you having for  lunch??” Alice was sad because she very well knew that Katie is also going to tease her like others. But without losing her mind she replied “I brought a Pita bread sandwich with cucumber, mashed potato and chat masala dressing in it?”

Katie started “Disgusting! I eat cucumber in salad and mashed potatoes in aloo gravy but never together”.

Alice turned and asked the group of friends “I made an extra, do anybody need??”

On Thursday Alice brought Vienna Roll bread sandwich. Leslie called Alice and asked “Hey Alice, what did you bring today? Again any weird flavors? Alice answered “Hmmm..yes.. Vienna Roll with chocolate syrup, custard pudding and a pinch of salt”. Leslie said “You are a weirdo for sure”. But Alice without a word turned towards others and asked “I have an extra, do anyone need?”

The group of friends didn’t reply Alice.

On Friday Alice brought Focaccia bread with egg, cheese and dried rosemary. Princy asked her “What disgusting, weird sandwich did you bring for the day, Alice?” Alice responded “It’s mustard, honey and mayonnaise in Focaccia bread”. Princy said “Go enjoy your differrrrreeeentt sandwich”. Again Alice asked her classmates whether anyone needs her sandwich as she had an extra.

Silence…

On the next Monday Alice’s class teacher announced that they are taking the children out for a picnic trip to a park.

All the kids were so excited hearing the news.

The next day, they all took a seat in the school bus. Alice was given the last seat. Alice saw her friends playing with each other and girls were sharing secrets and giggling. Alice watched out of the window. She admired the nature quietly as she had no one to speak.

The kids reached the park. They played see-saw, swing, merry-go-round, ship captain, frozen tag and tag off the ground. It was lunch time all the kids got their lunch boxes from their backpacks.

The kids shouted and asked Alice “Hey Alice, what’s inside your picnic lunch box”.

Alice didn’t answer. Luke jokingly said “It’s probably cola, spinach and mustard sandwich”. Other kids started laughing at Alice.

Alice said “Nooooooooooooooo”

After hearing the laughter, the class teacher said “Shhhhhhh…we have come out for picnic, we should behave well. So kids please maintain silence”.

There was silence among the kids.

The kids found a clean place in the park and settled down to eat their lunch. Alice took a big bite of her sandwich. Dexter shouted “Is it earthworm sandwich??” Alice with patience, calmly replied “It is White pullman bread sandwich with tomato, lettuce, beans, pesto, avocado, chive, jam”.

Dexter said…”My Goodness! It’s a really big sandwich with lot of unwanted things in it”.

Alice didn’t mind and she started munching her big sandwich. Meanwhile Dexter was searching something in his backpack. He searched, searched and searched. He looked worried. Katie asked him “what’s the matter??”

Dexter worriedly  said “I forgot to bring my lunch box. Now I have nothing to eat”.

Katie simply said “Okay” and went and joined the other kids to eat her lunch. Dexter felt very hungry even more when the yummy smell from his friends’ lunch box tickled his nose.

Alice listened to the conversation of Dexter and Katie. Alice got up from her place and went near Dexter and asked “If you don’t mind can I share my sandwich with you because I’ve an extra”. Dexter without a thought said “Yes, please”.

Alice gave the big sandwich to him and he took his first bite. Then second, third, fourth and continued eating. All his friends stared at him and questioned “How is it? Is it bad?? yuck??”.

Finally the words came out of Dexter, “Alice’s sandwich is yummy and tasty. I liked it very much”. Everybody wanted to have a taste of Alice’s sandwich.

Luke took a bite and said “Yummy”. Katie said “hmmmm delicious”. Leslie, “Flavorful”.

They included Alice in their group and together they all ate their picnic food.

Moral: We should take time to appreciate people who are different and creative. Don’t humiliate.