I walked into the bleak, cold, and noisy cafeteria; complete with a stage and old stained and rough-textured carpet, which currently smelled of bleach. With my brown bag in hand, I followed the current line leader of Mrs. Shimp’s first grade class. Most students found this time to be the most fun part of the day; food and recess, what could be better? I, however, was the pickiest 7 year-old to ever exist. While my friends sported colorful designs on their re-usable lunch boxes, I refused to use nothing other than my brown paper bag with my mom’s quasi-cursive handwriting of my name and a smiley face. Meanwhile, lunch ladies splattered gooey green beans, puke looking mashed potatoes, and greasy fried chicken onto sterilized trays to those other friends of mine who had no problem at all eating cafeteria food; my worst nightmare. As I sat down at my assigned table with my other classmates, the disgusting smell of their food evaporated into the high, almost endless, ceilings. I put my bag upright to avoid looking at their disaster of a tray, and then focused on what my Mommy was so gracious to pack me. Yum! Little picky me got home-made peanut butter crackers instead of a sandwich. As I opened the aluminum foil, I smelled the nutty and sweet taste of my Jiff smooth peanut butter. Taking a bite, I heard a big crunch as the ritz crackers shattered into a million little crumbs that would soon disappear inside of my mouth. Next to my so-called “sandwich replacement” lay a bright pink rectangular pouch of juicy-juice, exactly what I needed to quench my thirst after the dry crackers. On this juice box was a character from “Arthur”, which as a first grader, was entirely too immature for me. I sipped the liquid fruit punch down and it tasted so sweet and refreshing. Peeking into my slightly-destroyed brown bag, I reached for my next tasty treat. I found a bright, vivid, and colorful pouch with rough edges surrounding it. TROPICAL FRUIT FLAVORED GUSHERS! My favorite sugary snack, high in artificial flavors, that would soon splash and burst and make my hands extremely sticky. Oh well, it was worth it.. I ate the green colored succulent watermelon first, then the citrusy orange, sweet pink strawberry, and then finally, my favorite, the blueberry. It oozed and after each bite I had to wipe my hands on my dirty napkin. When there was only one gusher left, I had to ignore the stickiness of the pouch and eat the last one in sadness. Knealing on my scabby knees I found my last snack, another unhealthy delight that made my mouth water. I opened the bag, the bright orange nickelodeon-esque color illuminated within the darkness as if it were gold in a mine. The smell reminded me of my traditional late-night after dinner snack, because these Sunshine treats were my absolute favorite. Perfectly square and symmetrical, Cheez-It’s were my final snack to devour, and I was so excited! The baked snack softened in my mouth,I chewed it, and then afterwards swallowed in pure bliss. As I wiped off the crumbs from the beaten up table, I thought of how thankful I was that I didn’t have to use $1.25 to eat an icky array of food groups from the lunch ladies, all I needed was my colorful and unhealthy lunch, made perfectly by my amazing mom. I skipped in a girly and childish manner across to the center of the cafeteria, crumpling my trash into one complete ball of junk and tossed it gently into the trash can that was splattered with nauseating meals, knowing ill always remember how abnormal my eating habits are.
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