Student Publishing Program ::

Marc Patrick

An Eating Disorder

I walk in through the double doors, surrounded by strangers,
Swimming through the crowd avoiding many dangers,
Such as tripping on freshmen, or getting bowled over by seniors,
Or at the very worst falling right on top of teachers.
I arrive at the table where my friends scramble for seats,
If I don’t fight for my life I won’t have time to eat.
Trying to squeeze an extra chair into little to no space,
Then receiving wicked glares from a usually friendly face.
When I’m starved and parched, there is only one thing I detest,
This is being held up by a teacher, now I am officially distressed.
I try patiently to wait, for the bars to slide away,
But time passes and I assure you, patience is not my forte.
I now face a predicament; there is a decision to make,
Head over to commons two, or die while I wait,
But my thought process is too slow; the tormentor opens the gate,
For once I am lucky, For once I have good fate.
Now I enter a realm, which is similar to hell,
With kids screaming and shouting, for chocolate milk and Propel®,
I always avoid getting fries, or nachos and cheese,
I prefer something healthy, something like Chinese.
I dodge past trays, towards the line for my grub,
I attempt to find a way to cut, and then go behind Jacob.
I turn around, and enjoy looking over my shoulder,
At the faces of freshman, denied by someone older.
The next steps I take hurry me away from the insanity,
Hurry me towards my seat, where I can wolf down something tasty.
But first I must pay the lunch lady for what I just picked out,
All I have is a twenty, and I’m scared she’ll freak out.
And at last, my journey is about to pay off,
When the lunch lady can’t count, and I end up well-off,
She returns to me a ten, two fives, and two dollars,
Wow, I just got a free lunch, and made a few dollars!
So now I can sit, and finally enjoy my meal,
Maybe tell my friends about my hilarious lunch deal,
But of course I have over-looked the problem that arises every day,
Someone stole my seat, someone is therefore, once again, my prey.

[TABLE OF CONTENTS, LHS CLASS OF 2009 EDITION]