Still Waters - Vol. 4, Issue 2

Page 10

The Chef, the Architect, and the College Student THERE ARE THREE OF THEM.

by M.D. Olaoye

purpose...better off this way.” He can

A chef, an architect, and a college

hear them, but he isn’t listening because

student. They take their normal seats in

he knows this argument will get them

the room: the chef in the middle, the

nowhere.

architect on his right, and the college student on his left. They sit and stare

He holds up one hand to each of them,

ahead, none of them saying a word.

palm out, and immediately the dispute

Minutes pass and still no one speaks. The

ceases.

room is empty except for the three of them, and the white walls are bare

“What if we just don’t do it at all?” the

except for the big clock at the highest

architect asks, and with that both the

point of the room.

chef and the college student stand up, flabbergasted. “Just hear me out. What if

The chef is the first to break the silence:

we just don’t do anything? Don’t you

“I vote for the little girl.” He says nothing

know how the public will react once they

after that. He is met with the confused

discover what we're doing? These things

eyes of the student.

need to be planned out!” The chef and the student both sit down and consider

“No, it can’t be her because she’s just

this new factor. Again the room is silent.

that: a little girl,” the student counters.

The three of them think for a long time.

They bicker back and forth, the chef standing firmly by his decision while the

The chef is the first to break the silence:

student tries to convince him otherwise.

“I say we don’t do anything. The public

Meanwhile, the architect sits in the

can’t criticize something that doesn’t

middle and says nothing, continuing to

exist.” And at that the student speaks,

stare into the emptiness in front of him.

“No, I choose the girl.” And again, the

In each ear, he can hear bits and pieces

quarrel starts. The architect sits in silence,

of each case. On the left:

but this time he listens carefully to each

“young...innocent...much to explore”

side. He raises his hand once more and

and on the right: “useless...no

says, “No, I change my mind. Let’s carry

Fiction 7


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