The Sandwich Game

“Oh no,” Robin said, stopping in her tracks as she entered the dining hall. “It’s sandwich day.”

“Sandwich day?” Wendy asked. “Already?”

The girls looked around the dining hall, spotting dozens of campers carrying plates with huge sandwiches and chips. On the tops of every sandwich was either a potato chip, a napkin, fry, or even another piece of lettuce. Campers sat down at their tables, shooting shifty eyes as others passed. Others held onto their cups tightly as they filled their drinks up. A few kids waited at tables, eyeing sandwiches in hopes to catch them alone and uncovered.

Wendy backed up and poked her head out the door and passed the message along to the other campers behind her. Some groaned while a few others cackled with mischievous delight. Closing the door, Wendy joined Robin in the line. “I’ve already spotted a few sandwich smashers,” she said.

“Awesome,” Robin sighed. “I’ll watch my sandwich, if you watch mine.”

Wendy and Robin joined the lunch line, grabbing their plates and following the kids into the kitchen. Freshly baked bread danced under Wendy’s noses as the chefs pulled out a fresh pan. An arrangement of meats and veggies were laid out on the middle island, and campers grabbed plates and napkins, forming the perfect sandwich. In front of Robin, one of the newer campers, Max, carefully crafted his sandwich. He turned around and smiled. “I’m going to make the perfect sandwich,” he told the girls.

“Just be careful,” Robin said. “Make sure you cover it with something.”

“Why?” Max asked. “That’ll ruin my perfect sandwich!” He pushed his plate down the bar, adding on a few extra slices of cheese.

Wendy shook her head, and crafted her own sandwich. She grabbed a blue cup from the stack, and poured a few chips onto her plate. Wendy set her napkin on top of her sourdough bread, and looked around, making sure no rule-breaking sandwich smashers waited in the hiding spots of the dining hall. “The coast is clear,” Wendy said, waving Robin over. Robin followed Wendy, with a strategically placed pickle on the top of her sandwich.

The girls weaved in and out of the crowd, making their way to the first empty table they could find. They found a few empty seats down from Max. Robin set down her plate first, and grabbed Wendy’s cup. “I’ll get our drinks,” she said. “Do you want vanilla soda?”

“Just an apple juice,” Wendy said, keeping her eye on Max. “Thank you!”

Robin nodded and ran off to the drink station, carrying the two cups with her. Wendy ate a few of her chips, listening to the chatter all around her. Down the way, a loud BANG echoed through the dining hall. “OOOOooOOOO,” the campers shouted, some giggling, some looking at the smashed sandwich in pity. Another bang, and laughter rang out. More and more bangs followed, each one adding another fallen sandwich to the casualties of sandwich day.

Robin returned with the drinks, setting them down on the table. She sighed in relief. “I just saw two more get smashed over there,” she said pointing at another table close to the big windows.

“Let’s eat our own before anyone gets any ideas,” Wendy said.

The girls dug into their lunch, not wasting a minute. With each break they covered their sandwiches again, hoping no one would come along and smash them under their fists. As Wendy started to take another bite, a loud BANG shook their entire table. Max stared at his plate in horror as one of the older kids from the red cabin removed his fist from the plate, sauce dripping off from his hand. Without another word, the camper left, leaving the scene with a huge grin on his face.

“My masterpiece,” Max whispered.

Wendy sighed. She scooted down the table, and handed the other half of her sandwich to Max. “We tried to warn you,” Wendy explained.

Robin nodded. “Don’t worry,” she said. “You’ll get the hang of it next sandwich day.”

“Maybe even get revenge,” Wendy said.

While they ate, Robin and Wendy explained the rules to Max and pointed out the worst rule breakers and offenders of the sandwich game. Max took note, keeping his eyes on the boy from the red cabin. When they finished their sandwiches, Robin and Wendy stood up, took their trays to the dish return, and escaped the sandwich day massacre.