The Spirit Of Verona - Page 16

THE SPIRIT OF VERONA
Author:  E. Verna Turner
Page 16

The next morning at the breakfast table: There are two long tables made of bamboo wherein the first table is reserved for the teen and kids and the second table is reserved for the elders. The two tables are located close to the kitchen made of bamboo within the view of the ocean. They have their kitchen not above the tree but at the rocky shore and three feet away from the sandy shore. At low tide the sandy beach is almost half a mile away from the ocean while at high tide the water is at the rocky area of the beach. The kids and teens gathered at the first table waiting to be served by Amelia and Stephano who is the family cook for over 25 years. Melinda and Joseph joined the group. Joseph asked why Eric screamed last night. He was curious to know. Eric didn't say a word. He was quiet trying to ignore Joseph. Then Melinda tried to ask him again maybe he didn't hear what his brother asked him. Eric ignored her too. Then Mila's turn to question Eric, " was it really a nightmare Eric?" Tell us about what you have seen in your dream?" Please?" she begs him to narrate to them the story of his dream or is it  really a nightmare?"

"No! I wont tell you what I have seen." It was just a bad dream okay?" Eric told them with a stern reaction on his face.

"Ow come on, tell us..." Jolina curiously asked Eric to tell them what that nightmare is all about.

Eric doesn't like being forced to talk. He is not that verbal. He walked away. Amelia advised the kids to stop pressuring him from talking. Jenna and Rosalee told the group to leave him alone. Then the elders arrived. Bianca and Panfilo, Juanita and Elmo with Loren, Grandma and Grandpa   sit down on the second table for their breakfast. Josephine and Arthur were in their hut above the tree. They never join them for breakfast. The elders don't mind the couple being unsociable. Actually they know why they never join at a very early breakfast. They were awake most of the time at night busy doing their work.

" What kind of work they have?" Jameson asked Grandma Olivia.

"It's not for you to know Jameson." "Finished your breakfast!" And I want you kids to gather more firewood for the bonfire tonight.

Now the teens and kids are more than curious about the Keeping family.
After breakfast, Loren, Mila, Jolina, Cade and Tamara, Joselito went to the jungle to gather firewood. While Jenna, Rosalee, Melinda and Joseph helped clean the dishes, pots and pans.

The elders resumed with their daily routine of finding and gathering food from the ocean and from the forest for some veggies. If they can find some other vegetables aside from fern, mushrooms, sweet potato leaves and young leaves from cassava. They have to find new variety of food before the kids freak out of the same kind of servings. They can try seaweeds but they don't know if that's edible or good for them. Unless of course if they will try first. Everything is a "trial basis." Thank God for the many variety of fruits around the island, these fruits help sustain the good food nutrients that their body needs to keep them healthy and wise. Banana tree is a sure winner for keeping them healthy. There are three variety of banana in the island: the cooking banana called saba which is good for banana cue, and mashed banana with butter and milk. Too bad they don't have butter and milk.  The fruit called tundan for dessert, and saksi for both dessert and cooking banana as a garnish for other delicacy.
Banana is the fruit of the wisemen. No wonder monkeys are clever and wise.