Three Word Thursday

Quilly is back (yeah!) and her words are still quite challenging. Resurrecting old words is tough, but fun. Join us!

The words: scaevity, gnathonize, roblet

Kitchen Calamity

"What on earth were you thinking?" roared the Chef.

Selma lifted her hands in the universal helpless gesture. A large bandage on her right hand testified to her scaevity. "I just don't know how it happened," she began. "I was unloading the dishwasher and the knife began to fall and I didn't want it to cut through your new kitchen floor . . ." she trailed off, wide-eyed, as if for the first time fully comprehending the stupidity of saving a floor from a very sharp knife.

Chef Charles shook his head at her. "Selma, that's your problem in the kitchen. You just don't think. To be a successful chef you'll have to learn to think three or four steps ahead all the time. The knife shouldn't have been in the dishwasher in the first place. Last week you used it on raw meat and then went straight to vegetables. We had to throw all of them out. Two weeks ago you nearly severed your pinky finger while trying out new handgrips. If I remember correctly you were singing and dancing to an iPod while you were doing it!"

His demeanor softened as he noticed her eyes filling with tears. "You are incredibly creative at combining flavors and textures - one of the best I've ever met. I learn from you in that area," he said gently. She sniffed and replied, "don't gnathonize me. I know that my being here has been more trouble than it's worth to you."

Charles protested, "no, Selma, I truly do learn from you. But the greatest chefs can balance safety and productivity as well as hold the linear time-line in their head while they also execute the creations their minds have devised -- which is why they're really few and far between. I think you can do that. And once you get a following, you won't have to do as much of prep and clean-up, so you'll have far more time to enjoy the creative process. Those celebrity shows roblet people all the time, making them think that stardom is just around the corner without hard work."

"So, you're going to keep me on?" she asked. "Yes, but I'll have to find something else for you to do today with that wound. Even with a glove over it you'll still be awkward since it's your right hand. First, let's get the mess cleaned up from the floor and counter. Please get the mop." Selma went over to the closet and started to pull out a bucket. Out tumbled a body, with a very sharp knife sticking out of its back. Selma looked at Charles and said, "I did NOT do that!"