Gardens For Guardians

Chapter 5: Let's Eat

            Twenty-five desks. Situated orderly in the area of a quarter-circle, all face toward the corner. Each is simple yet gorgeously handcrafted by carpenters who came before. Two sturdy legs reach partway down the floor then split off into halves to account for balance on all four sides. The legs support three different components. Up top is a drawer with a single knob and lock to the left; above the drawer is a writing box, tilted slightly downward with long, shallow trenches at the top to keep pens from rolling off, as well as a metal clip at both sides to hold documents down. Between the legs and below the drawers hangs a shelf with one open face. The desks and all their components, taking the metal clips as exception, are made entirely of wood and look the part. None are free from wear and tear damages. An inspection of any individual desk would discover one or two wobbling legs, a stiff drawer that has some special manner of opening or closing, and chipped wood all over. The object of their attention is in much the same state of disrepair. It is a grand rostrum, three-times wider than each desk but boasting many of the same features, damages included. In place of legs and a basket is a multitude of semi-useless drawers, with one or two broken locks amongst the display. These are the tools in which the laws of the island are passed.

          A multi-tiered chandelier dangles stunningly from the tall ceiling. The floor is carpeted in gold and red. The twenty-five desks are grouped five across and five back, distributed evenly around the curve of the room to allow for the rostrum to serve at the center. Rather than being flat, the ground beneath the desks has elevated steps. The row leaders meet the rostrum at eye-level, but behind that is a step upward for the second row of desks, and a step up behind that for the third row, and so on. The aisles between the groups of desks are carpeted in red; gold makes up for the rest of the floor.

          Ornate doors at the back of the room, on the highest level, spring open and a succession of men and women dressed in black pants and white collared shirts step through, carrying crisp, white sheets, plates, glasses, and silverware. Those bearing the sheets go first, whipping them into the air and draping them in a soft flow to cover the writing boxes of each desk. Plates, glasses, and the silverware follow behind until all are equipped fully. To conclude, they place stacks of napkins within the hanging shelves and exit the room in a single-file procession. The last man out holds the door open and stands at attention. One at a time the owners of the desks, in flashy and flamboyant attire, trickle in and take their seat. A pattern emerges as more of them enter, with the youngest sitting at the highest level in the back and the most aged going down the levels, closer to the center rostrum. Not until the twenty-fifth member of the chamber enters and situates in their assigned area is the server holding the door relieved of duty.

          An elderly man rises from the seat in the center of the row of five at the lowest level. Time passes by while he mounts back onto his feet and slowly saunters forward beneath the elegant chandelier. With elbows on desks and hands twirling about with utensils, the chamber watches in silence. The geriatric man, sporting a visually insulting light pink pants topped with a purple pinstripe suit embellished by a comically large collar, eventually approaches the rostrum, and takes a new seat facing the audience. He clears his throat and leans forward, "ahem, ahem – By adherence to the laws and standards of our nation, those who..." he lifts a fist to his mouth and coughs repeatedly, then continues "those who came before us, and in accordance to the guidelines outlined by The Top of the World and the protections granted by their wisdom, I open this chamber for a total of two hours of debate followed by holding votes on said topics of debate." No reaction from the chamber. "Oh, and enjoy your dinner," to which the chamber erupts in applause by clinking together their forks and knives.

          The servers make another entrance into the chamber, this time carrying silver platters. They move in unison, dividing amongst the aisles and marching forward until every councilmember is paired up with a food deliverer. Once ready, they turn sideways and carefully place the platter of food onto the desk. The assortment of breads, meat, and fruit is unique to the tastes of the recipient. The servers leave the chamber for the second time of the night so the public servants can begin their work. They will return in a few hours to clean up.