Sailing with Charlie: Dad's Choice
Mum and Dad, with offspring Joe, 13 years, Fred, 15, and cousin Fran, 12, were on the first day of a week’s sailing tuition. Charlie had decided to anchor in the pretty cove of Benures Bay on Norman Island’s north coast.
As usual, there were four choices of menu for the evening meal: chicken, fish, steak and burgers. Charlie was just approaching the bay and everyone was sitting in the cockpit so he threw out the question, “What does everyone feel like for dinner? These are the choices…”
As usual, no-one wanted to commit. After a moment, with just a faint frown, Mum said, “I really don’t mind, it all sounds good to me.”
Dad said, “I don’t mind.”
Joe said, “I’m easy.”
Fred said, “I don’t care. Don’t make no difference to me.”
Fran said, with upturned palms and a faint shrug, “Hey, I’m with you guys.”
Then someone had a brilliant idea, “Dad, you’re the eldest. You choose”
Everyone turned to Dad, who looked worriedly at everyone in turn. Then, after a long pause, he said, “All right then, CHICKEN!” in a triumphant voice, as though he’d just issued an ultimatum that would end the Iraq war.
There was a hush, another long pause. Then Joe said, “Dad, CHICKEN! How boring.”
Fred agreed, “That wouldn’t a been my choice.”
Mum, being non-confrontational, said, “We are on vacation, dear.”
Fran, wishing to remain neutral, repeated, “Hey, I’m with you guys.”
Dad, with a shrug and a helpless gesture, said, “Well, I really don’t mind.”
It was obvious that something had to be done so Charlie suggested motoring around to the Bight and eating at the Willy T. Everyone enjoyed a great fish dinner…except Joe. He ordered chicken and chips…and nobody said a word. At the end of the week, Charlie emptied six pieces of chicken into the trash.
Some weeks later, Charlie told me this story and then said, “The starving people of the world could live happily on what Americans throw away… and that’s food for thought!
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