Slice of Life Story Challenge - Book Bonding Over the Hibachi

It's the March Slice of Life Challenge at Two Writing Teachers!

     "Do you like to read?" I asked the Japanese boy sitting beside us at Teppan Edo in Epcot's World Showcase.  We spoke to his parents who told us they were from Tokyo and were vacationing in Orlando and would spend some days in NYC at the end of the week.  If you read my Slice of Life from last Friday, you know my husband, Ed, and I are vacationing at Disney and Universal without kids this week.

     He looked at me, tilted his head, and looked at his mom, since he didn't speak English, but his parents did. They explained to us that he was 12 and would start taking English this year in school.  I gestured a book to him, and she translated for me: "She's asking you if you like to read."

     His eyes lit up, and he nodded enthusiastically.  "Harry Potter?" I asked.  That needed no translation. Again, he responded excitedly and vigorously nodded.  His parents laughed.  They told me he loved to read.

     Across the table was a family from Alabama with twin 7th graders, a boy and a girl.  They heard us talking about Harry Potter, and we launched into a discussion about books they were reading. They both loved Harry Potter, too, and then the Twilight series came up.  Their dad and my husband sheepishly confessed that they had read the whole series, loved the movies, and we all laughed about whether we were Team Jacob or Team Edward.  

     We enjoyed the hibachi chef and his tricks with food - a volcanic onion tower, slicing and dicing, and spearing a lemon he had tossed up in the air.  With his great humor, the delicious food, and more talking among the families, we had a terrific time.  I must say, though, my favorite part was that we had a bonding moment across states and countries over books!