Spaghetti and Meatbrawls: A King Family Specialty

          Tonight’s family dinner followed the normal routine—small talk followed by silence followed by heated debate.  Let me briefly explain.  While observers of the King clan may not call us cohesive, the word “intriguing” frequently emerges.   Unlike the typical family, mine does not share much similarity.  A good descriptor for my family?   Contradictory.  We all look different.  We act differently.  But because of this variance, others take interest in my family life.  Although I do not personally see it, my friends describe interactions among my family members as entertaining, like watching the show “Untamed and Uncut” on Animal Planet.  Evidently, some type of enjoyment must come from watching incongruous organisms interact with one other.  By now, I am sure I have illustrated the difficulty my family faces in finding common ground. Anyways, back to the dinner.  This particular night, my younger sister shattered the silence.  She brought up Barbara Walters’ special on the most fascinating people of 2012.  Naturally, everyone in my family had something to say.  The fighting match had started.  Round One:  Younger sister versus elder brother. My younger sister went on to talk about One Direction, the saccharine boy band, and their rise to fame.  “They really deserve the media attention,” proclaimed the obsessive fan.  I countered with the fact they produce one-dimensional, formulaic music.  Think Beach Boys, Backstreet Boys, ‘N Sync, the Jonas Brothers.  Most fascinating?  More like mass-produced.  Round two:  Mother versus father.  The former opened with a passionate speech about the young Gabby Douglas, a gold medalist at the London Olympics.  Her sparkling personality, combined with her stunning athleticism, deserved recognition.  In response, my father mentioned E.L. James, author of the erotic book series Fifty Shades of Grey…too awkward, Dad.  Round three:  Mother versus son.  Trying to keep her momentum, my mother pushed the Cinderella story of Gabby, how she overcame poverty to earn international acclaim.  Put off by this solid logic, I knew my refutation needed creativity.  I stated that none of the invited guests on Barbara Walters’ show deserve the title of “Most Fascinating.”  The selection process reflects appearance on television and news print, rather than impact or uniqueness.  My mother’s face wilted—a knock-out blow.  I had won this round.   Sweating and panting from the oratorical altercation, my family all gleamed red with exhaustion.  Just your typical Wednesday night.   Reflecting on this nightly cycle of debate, however weird, I find a diamond in the rough.  Because of my family, I have become accustomed to disagreement, dissimilarity, and discord.  This learned familiarity proves advantageous in the AP English classroom.  Sitting in my desk, I am sitting at the dinner table.  Whenever discussion escalates to argumentation, or someone provides a strange view on an essay prompt, or even when an awkward silence pervades the room, I feel as though I am in my element.  I feel at home.