“Eat From My Plate”

One day when I was very young, my parents, siblings, a visiting relative and me were sitting at the table eating lunch. The food was delicious because it was my favorite food —Some fried and some stew Red snapper, dumplings, , lentil peas, fried plantain and salad. When my plate was handed to me I was happy because I got the tail part of the red snapper. I cut a piece off and it tasted good. Although I wanted to eat it all, I decided to leave it for last so I started to eat the other things on my plate. Just before I was down to the last of the dumplings, lentil peas, fried plantain and salad, the visiting relative stuck her fork on my fried snapper, scooped it out of my plate, into hers then said, “Why aren’t you eating your fish. You children love to waste food. I will eat it.”

That woman sat down and ate my fish. I did not say anything to her. Shock was an understatement. Later that day I whispered to my father, “She got food… Why was she looking in my plate… I was leaving my fish for last… She is so greedy!”

“I know.” He started to laugh…