The group gathered for the obligatory group photo. Getting them to line up, however, was a different matter as they spread out over the prow of the boat, refusing to join together in a bunched group. It was difficult to get them to come together but not as difficult as the disagreements over lunch. The Greeks had argued with the Russians and the Americans with the Bangladeshi. Uzbekistan had sided with the Russians. Burma wouldn’t talk to anyone. They still smarted from having their knuckles rapped over human rights. Finland tried to talk fairness, strutting that they have the least corruption in the world and can therefore adjudicate. Just the title ‘United Nations’ was starting to be a joke when a unified position could not be reached over something as simple as the lunch menu.
In response to Priceless Joy’s prompt and thank you to Dorothy for providing the photograph.
About Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist
I began my working career as a reluctant potato peeler whilst waiting to commence my training as a student nurse. On completion I worked mainly in intensive care/coronary care; finishing my hospital career as clinical nurse educator in intensive care. A life changing period as a resort owner/manager on the island of Tanna in Vanuatu was followed by recovery time as a farmer at Bucca Wauka. Having discovered I was no farmer and vowing never again to own an animal bigger than myself I took on the Barrington General Store. Here we also ran a five star restaurant. Working the shop of a day 7am - 6pm followed by the restaurant until late was surprisingly more stressful than Tanna. On the sale we decided to retire and renovate our house with the help of a builder friend. Now believing we knew everything about building we set to constructing our own house. Just finished a coal mine decided to set up in our backyard. Definitely time to retire we moved to Queensland. I had been writing a manuscript for some time. In the desire to complete this I enrolled in a post grad certificate in creative Industries which I completed 2013. I followed this by doing a Master of Arts by research graduating in 2017. Now I live to write and write to live.
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 
You summed up the global situation beautifully. Great take.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks a lot. Doesn’t say a lot about our global situation does it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The discord and dissonance, 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
How about some pasta? Where are the Italians in the story? haha!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lol. If I could have identified their flag they would have been there.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂 great take o the current situation of this world, though. Maybe they should all go without lunch or dinner for a few days see if they reach an agreement on any important issue
LikeLiked by 1 person
They say the way to a man’s heart is via his stomach so perhaps that would work.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s amazing how you captured the constant tension between the nations of the world which makes them be always suspicious and disagreeable to each other.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks. Yes it is a sad state of affairs.
LikeLike
More truth than fiction here.
LikeLike
Sadly you are right James.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hahahaha! The United Nations Lunch was a miserable mess. Pretty much the truth nowadays. Great story, Irene!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Joy. Sad that it has a ring of truth to it.
LikeLike
Yes, I agree. It is sad.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And the smart ones, the two neutral countries, sat it out on a bench and munched on Paninis.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hahaha.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, so true. It has become a “Me’ world and nobody seems to care about anybody else.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sadly that does seem to be the case.
LikeLike
Great take Irene, loved your response.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is a tragic joke. When did we become so fixated on our quarrels instead of solving problems from a position of common ground? Well-written!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Charli. It seems there is no easy solution.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Let them eat cheerios!
Great little story about the toddlers running the world 😦
Ellespeth
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like that vision. Toddlers running our world. I knew we were in trouble.
LikeLike