The Banquet Hall

"It's a banquet," Sameer whispered, staring in awe at tables laden with food.

The boy besides him laughed, "True. It's a banquet, and that is why this hall is called the Banquet Hall. But it is only on the 1st September and the 11th of June. After today the meals are just ordinary."

"It's better than home," Sameer said to himself.

"Chicken and cheese pizza, fried chicken, shrimp fried rice, baked beans, boiled potatoes and chocolate cake are definitely better than rice, lentils and that beastly cabbage."

"I am Lanny Townsend," said the boy who had commented on the meals.

"And I am Greg Townsend," said another.

"Are you two brothers?" asked Farzan.

"No, cousins," they answered.

"Pass the chicken pizza," interrupted Sameer.

"You have had a lot of pizza," remarked Dania.

Sameer stared at her. "I have had just three slices," he told her rather coldly.

"I am not surprised at that. Farzan eats six when he goes to Pizza Hut. But on this table there are other things as well."

"What's the problem with you if I just eat pizza?" Sameer asked her dropping another slice on his plate. He suddenly had an unpleasant thought. "Is this stuff HALAL?" he asked in general.

"What do you mean by 'is it Halal'? Obviously not!" said Dania.

"Do you call yourself a Muslim?" Sameer asked her as the 7th graders looked on in interest.

"I was born one," she replied.

"Do you believe in Islam?" he asked her.

"No, I am socialist," she replied firmly.

"Then it's okay with you," he told her.

Sameer looked around and said, "Well, if this stuff isn't Halal, I can't really do anything about it. I will eat it, I guess."

"What a self-centered boy," thought Farzan with a sniff.

"He thinks the world's made for him," Ray said to himself.

"So and ill mannered. I wish I could be rude myself to him, but my upbringing doesn't allow that," thought Margery as she gazed at Sameer.

"Wish he'd learn some table manners," thought Dania in disgust as she watched him eat a pizza.

"How in the world did he get here?" wondered Farnaz.

"Pass the pizza," grinned Sameer.

"There's just one slice left, I am afraid," said a boy called Derek apologetically.

"No problem," smiled Sameer. "You don't need any."

Everyone laughed at the appalled look on Derek's face as Sameer stuffed the remaining slice in his mouth.

"Want to look around," said Lanny after lunch.

"Sure," said Sameer delighted.