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Winner Melbourne Food & Wine Young Writer Competition
Noor Kennedy Aged 12 Year 8 Melbourne Girls Grammar
‘The Best Meal I Ever Had - Fat Memories’

Traces of chocolate sprinkles and ice-cream are smeared around her mouth. She lets her tongue scrape them up, then stops …

She reaches for the photo album, and places it on the table. Then she runs to the kitchen, to search for a snack. As usual, the only option is celery with cream cheese (“99% fat free, darling…”). Sighing, she takes her snack and lumbers back to the table. She munches on a celery stick and turns to the first photograph, of her mother making lunch for her as a child.

“It’s not fair, Mummy. All my friends at school get to have Tiny Teddies and Roll-ups for playlunch! Why can’t I?” Six-year-old Tanya has a big frown on her face.
Her mother is annoyed. “I’ve told you a million times, Tanya. I am not letting you eat that rubbish and I never will. You’re a bit too plump for your age, my darling, and the less sugar you eat, the better.”
Tears form in Tanya’s eyes. “You never let me eat nice food, Mummy! I hate having to eat those weird biscuits with yucky spinach paste. Why can’t you give me what I want for lunch?”
The mother shakes her head at her daughter. “I know what’s best for you.”

She’s shocked. She had forgotten how long her mother’s obsession with her daughter’s weight had been going on for. The celery stick hangs limp in her hand, as she turns to the next photograph, and wanders back down Memory Lane.

It is dinnertime in a family home. Empty pizza boxes have been dumped on the centre of the table, and their contents have been devoured by two people, who now sit back in their chairs, content. The third member of their group, however, is using her fork to mash up the steamed broccoli and carrots sitting on her plate.
“Tanya!” the woman says reprovingly. The girl, who is maybe ten years old, looks up.
“I don’t like broccoli, Mum! Why can’t I have pizza instead?”
“Because you’re getting too fat!” her mother snaps at her.
Tanya’s father always stays out of these little disputes over food, but his wife’s sharp tone makes him stutter in protest. She glares at him.
“I refuse to have a fat daughter, Colin! Tanya’s been getting too lumpy lately…”
As her mother continues, Tanya stands up, pushes her plate away, and runs.

She glares at her celery sticks, and pushes them away in sympathy for her ten-year-old self. She can remember all of this taking place, years ago.
But she’s not done with the past yet.
She turns the page.
Next photograph.

The girl, Tanya, is sixteen now. She is at her father’s 50th birthday party. Her parents have gone out on a limb for it – the room is decorated with country and western style, the guests are dressed in cowboy hats and boots, and mouth-watering hamburgers, appetizing mini-pizzas, and delicious French fries are being served to each person there.
Except for her.
“Excuse me?” Tanya calls out to the nearest waiter, hired for the night. “I haven’t been served any food, has there been a mistake…?”
Before the waiter could reply, Tanya’s mother, who is sitting next to her daughter, cuts in. “Yes, that’s right,” she said. “I specifically asked the catering staff not to serve my daughter. She’s getting too chubby, you see, and as her mother I say it’s best for her not to eat any of this junk food.”
The young waiter gave Tanya’s mother an odd look. “She looks fine to me,” he mumbled, before rushing off to serve the next table.

Even though the party had been weeks ago, the young waiter’s words still echo through her head.
She looks fine to me.
She has never been fat. If anything, she is underweight. But her mother’s obsession with her weight has taken over both their lives.

In the background, the tinkly music of a nearby ice-cream truck plays. At that moment, something inside her rebels against the fear that her mother has taught her to feel around food. She gives up.
Tanya runs out to the ice-cream truck, and peers at the sign. Double choc. Rainbow swirly. Peppermint. She has been denied all of this, and more, her entire life. That is about to change.

Traces of chocolate sprinkles and ice-cream are smeared around her mouth. She lets her tongue scrape them up, then stops …

What the Judges said:
Noor has taken this difficult subject and presents a really good story. Again, it is one of the very few in the 3rd person and seems particularly insightful.
This is a heartfelt, poignant and very well written account. It's also quite chilling and I trust it's not autobiographical.
Very good - could have fleshed out (sorry for the pun) more about the foods but nicely structured
It is great to attempt complex topics like this however and Noor should be commended for having a go.