[I actually stopped the scene before I got to the part that anchors it in time, so it really could fit anywhere, perhaps I'll move it to an earlier time he's cooking.]
I chopped the vegetation slowly, afraid that I'd get cut. I've never actually cut myself cooking. Never come close. Not so much a a nick. But for some reason whenever I chop I worry that I'll end up hurt. Not just a little hurt. I don't imagine getting some blood in the onions and being stuck sucking on my finger or thumb until I reach the nearest bandaid, no I imagine chopping a finger and being rushed off to the emergency room.
And once the thought is in my head, it's hard to get it out. I try, of course. I try.
Fun fact: it is impossible to shake a thought from your head. No matter how vigorously you shake your head, the thought never actually falls out.
And yet, I like cooking. Other than chopping it's great. I feel like I'm in my element, everything fits together, nothing goes wrong. I have never fallen while in the process of preparing food. Getting set up, yes. Cleaning up afterward, yes. Moving the food that I've prepared, yes. While actually cooking, no.
I can somehow navigate the kitchen flawlessly and quickly while I'm cooking. Of course don't rush around with sharp objects or boiling water. I'm graceful when I cook, not stupid. And I'm always afraid of chopping myself.
It seems like whenever I have to chop something I think of getting one of those thingys where you put it over the thing to be chopped and repeatedly hit the top driving down blades that then reset to a different angle so that they next time they'll cut it elsewhere. I'm not sure what they're called, those choppy things, but the ability to chop without risk of chopping yourself would make cooking perfect for me.
Unfortunately I never, ever, think of that while I'm actually in a store where a choppy thing can be purchased.
And once the thought is in my head, it's hard to get it out. I try, of course. I try.
Fun fact: it is impossible to shake a thought from your head. No matter how vigorously you shake your head, the thought never actually falls out.
And yet, I like cooking. Other than chopping it's great. I feel like I'm in my element, everything fits together, nothing goes wrong. I have never fallen while in the process of preparing food. Getting set up, yes. Cleaning up afterward, yes. Moving the food that I've prepared, yes. While actually cooking, no.
I can somehow navigate the kitchen flawlessly and quickly while I'm cooking. Of course don't rush around with sharp objects or boiling water. I'm graceful when I cook, not stupid. And I'm always afraid of chopping myself.
It seems like whenever I have to chop something I think of getting one of those thingys where you put it over the thing to be chopped and repeatedly hit the top driving down blades that then reset to a different angle so that they next time they'll cut it elsewhere. I'm not sure what they're called, those choppy things, but the ability to chop without risk of chopping yourself would make cooking perfect for me.
Unfortunately I never, ever, think of that while I'm actually in a store where a choppy thing can be purchased.
-
[For whatever it's worth, they're called food choppers. Sometimes names make sense.]
Drive-by comment: Just happened across this story, and this part made me fall in love with Ben a little bit. There's something heartbreaking about it in a beautiful way, this one skill, this one activity during which clumsyness is not a factor. And this really spoke to me in the context of your story/character:
ReplyDelete"Fun fact: it is impossible to shake a thought from your head. No matter how vigorously you shake your head, the thought never actually falls out."
Thank you for speaking up. It really does mean a lot to me to hear what people think.
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