The following is a transcript of a speech given before supper at my family’s dinner table. Hoots, hollers, cheers and other assorted audience reactions are recorded in brackets.
Brothers! We stand at an Archimedean point in human history. Behind us lie months of difficult preparation, years of physical conditioning and hours of careful planning. We’ve been through the valleys, over the mountains and through every of conceivable trial. It’s been a road full of potholes – the best food is rarely processed – but the path has been worth the reward. Our weapons are sharp, our minds are ready and fate is poised to decide the next few minutes.
As I look around this room, I see brothers who are eager to perform the required task. I don’t see students, laborers and white collar workers; I see hungry men with one objective and the means to satisfy that objective together.
I see a whole army of my countrymen, here in defiance of hunger! You have come to eat as free men. And free man you are!
[Applause]
Eat and you may die. Run and you will live at least awhile. And starving in your bed many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one chance, to come back here as young men and tell our enemies that they may take our lives but they will never take our hunger?!
[Cheers, scattered applause]
Remember: I don't want to get any messages saying that we are holding our position. We're not holding anything; we are advancing constantly and we're not interested in holding onto anything except our forks and knives.
[Applause]
Give them nothing! But take from them everything!
[Applause]
It has been an honor to live, breath and eat at your side; it will be an honor to die at your side.
Three weeks from now, I will be harvesting my crops and preparing for another meal. Imagine where you will be, and it will be so. Hold the line! Stay with me! If you find yourself alone, riding in the green fields with the sun on your face, do not be troubled. For you are in Elysium, and you're already dead!
[Laughter]
Brothers, what we do in life echoes in eternity.
[Muttered agreement]
Take hold of your silverware, spread out your napkins and prepare to approach the meal table like hungry men. May there be no one who leaves this room ashamed or hungry.
You are men; eat like it!
[Guttural roar accompanied by a flurry of mastication related activities]
All Hail The Entrée!
3 comments:
Wow. I'm not sure if I would enjoy eating at your house or if it would scare me to death. I don't think I could leave that house the same way I went in.
Their eating habits are a bit odd, I can testify to that. I could just see them doing this, too.
I don't think would be able to live through that. Especially with all that food in front of me. I would dive for the food before the speech was over. Especially if there were cheese.
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