Elizabeth Zott, a chemist, was, as all stars are, discovered. It happened thanks to a lucky
incident, though. The whole story began with food sharing.
The story was simple: Amanda Pine was eating Madeline Zott’s lunches. This was because
Madeline’s lunch wasn’t just plain and simple. While all the other children ate sandwiches,
Madeline in her lunchbox often found a slice of lasagne, a kiwi, cherry tomatoes and two
chocolate chip cookies. That was why everyone wanted Madeline’s lunch and so did
Madeline. But even though Madeline thought her food was delicious, she usually ate only
small bits of it so she could offer the rest to Amanda, because she was her best friend.
One day Elizabeth noticed that Madeline’s clothes were beginning to hang on her and so
she started to wonder what was going on. As a scientist, she always wanted a logical
explanation, and the moment she met Amanda Pine, whose little lips were covered with
tomato sauce, she knew she’d found it.
“Mr Pine,” Elizabeth said, walking into the local television studio on a Wednesday afternoon,
“My name is Elizabeth Zott. I’m Madeline’s mother – our children go to school together – and
I’m here to tell you that your daughter’s eating my daughter’s lunch.”
“L-lunch?” Walter Pine said, as he looked at the woman who stood before him in her white
lab coat.
“Yes. It’s been going on for months,” she said angrily.
Walter was trying to understand. As a producer of afternoon television, he knew drama. But
this? She was angry. And beautiful. Was she auditioning for something?
“I’m sorry,” he finally said. “But all the nurse roles have been cast.”
“What? Amanda Pine!” she repeated.
He blinked. “My daughter? What about her? Are you a doctor?”
“Of course not. I’m a chemist. I’ve come here during my lunch hour because you don’t return
my calls. Make your daughter a better lunch,” Elizabeth said, looking at the walls. They were
filled with posters advertising soap operas and game shows.
“My work,” Walter said. “Maybe you’ve seen one?”
She turned back to him. “Mr Pine, I don’t have the time to make your daughter lunch. We
know food determines our future. And yet… Does anyone have the time to teach people to
make food that matters? I wish I did, but I don’t. Do you?”
As she turned to leave, Walter said quickly, “Wait, please just stop, please. What – what was
that thing you just said? About teaching people how to make food that
matters?”
Supper at Six started four weeks later. And while Elizabeth wasn’t keen on the idea – she
was a chemist – she took the job for the usual reasons: it paid more than her previous job
and she had a child to support.
Within six months, Elizabeth was a rising star. Within a year, her cooking show was an
institution. And within two years, it had proven its power not only to unite parents with their
children, but citizens with their country. When Elizabeth Zott finished cooking, the whole
country sat down to eat.
Na podstawie: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
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