Pretzel Nuggett: A Short Story

I knew that something was wrong the moment I bit into the pretzel nugget. As the crunchy exterior gave way to the savory filling within, my mouth was flooded with an unfamiliar taste. Heart sinking, I recognized exactly what it was, though I had never tasted it before. Perfectly consistent with the scent of my parents’ daily breakfast, my palate identified it as peanut butter. Panic set in as I rushed around seeking a trash can to expel the anaphylactic time bomb sitting in my mouth. Moments later, I began hearing calls for my name, as couples started to line up to take the innumerable prom photos that were destined to populate the walls of the social media world. My immune system was launching an attack, and our twenty-two passenger party …show more content…
I prefer dedicating more individual time to my small, tightly knit band of friends. With this unfortunate development, all my quiet and pensive mental preparations for the evening had vanished. Fortunately my closest friend, and a fellow “date filler,” was by my side for the duration. So as the faux date I accompanied essentially abandoned me at the venue entrance to celebrate alongside her own companions, my faithful friend supported me in my quest to not succumb to my nausea. Once again we sought to laugh our way through another high school …show more content…
In many ways, the unpredictable and not always favorable circumstances paralleled considerable segments of my life thus far. The ever-present risk of cross contact or accidental exposure to my numerous food allergens is a daily facet of my identity. Yet, I choose not to lament abstaining during pizza parties and ice cream socials. Rather, this has fueled my advocacy and education efforts for my school and community through the Food Allergy Research and Education organization. My most genuine and valued friendships have been largely forged through my love of music, and involvement in a multitude of bands and ensembles. As a fellow trumpet player, my true companion that night has, quite literally, stood by my side through every imaginable situation, from our first jazz solo jitters to our state marching championship elation. The perseverance that allowed me to survive the physical and mental strain from that prom night mirrored my resolve in academic pursuits: from mastering acid-base titration, to performing self-driven neurological research, to conquering mountains of American History reading.
So as that unforgettable addition to the annals of my high school career concluded, I was thankful. Advancing to the next chapter of my life, I would now be inspired by a strengthened sense of identity and an ever-growing ability to surmount further