When I go to other people's houses for dinner, I've noticed that every family eats differently. At our house, we all take some of each thing—a little potato, a little green bean, a little chicken. We kind of eat them together, so our plates shrink down evenly. If you plan it right, you end with one bite of each. Then the true eating artist forks the last mashed potatoes onto the last ham in one victory bite. Efficient. Beautiful. Perfect.

I'll never forget the night I went to my friend Lewis's house. No parents. No Nomi. Just me. And, of course, Rock, tucked away in my pocket for moral support. First, everyone got potatoes. So I waited for the peas and the ham. Nope. They all ate their potatoes. Every one. I just stared at mine, waiting. Then Lewis's dad handed out peas. Everyone ate those. I still had potatoes waiting. So now I had peas and potatoes, but no ham. The peas lined up, green and round, nested close to the potatoes like commas waiting for the sentence to finish. I held my fork in jail. Finally the ham came. By then, they were already halfway done. I was just starting my secret bite order when they were finishing up.

They didn't say anything. Or stare at me. They just waited politely and had family conversation while I caught up. I chewed fast. It didn't matter. I was the last kid left at the table. Rock wasn't invited. But he was in my pocket. I take my advisor with me to strange places if I can. Rock stretched his neck up and out of the inside of my shirt, peering at my plate like he wanted to know which bite was worth the wait. He does think about peas a lot. Frozen ones are his favorite—if you thaw them first. Which was a big surprise to everyone, since they didn't know I had a turtle in my pocket.

That's the thing about families. Everyone eats differently. But if you pay attention, you always leave the table with a story. That night I decided I liked the way our family eats together. Even if it takes longer, we always finish side by side. And the kingdom remembers. The Dinner Table Kingdom. Spoons optional. Stories guaranteed.

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