Peanut Butter Potato Chips & Chocolate Sauce Sardines

“What are you guys doing?” asked Emily as she came into the kitchen. Her brother, Jeremy, and their friend Justin were rummaging through the refrigerator and cupboards, stacking jars and cans on the counter.

“We’re making sandwiches,” Jeremy replied.

“Oh, good. I’m hungry,” said Emily.

“Me, too!” said Jessie, Emily and Jeremy’s cousin, as she popped her head in through the open door.

“Well, I could make you one of my superduper, triple-decker sandwiches,” Jeremy offered.

“Uh, no thanks, Jeremy.” Emily scrunched up her nose. She knew what Jeremy’s “superduper” sandwiches were like. “I’d rather have something I can eat without feeling sick.”

“Okay.” Jeremey shrugged. “It’s your choice,” he said as he began stacking his sandwich. “But I bet my sandwich is a whole lot tastier than yours.”

“Uh,” said Emily, “I’m sure my peanut butter and jelly is much better than that disgusting concoction you’re making.”

Justin laughed as he watched Jeremy pile ingredients onto his sandwich bread: peanut butter, lettuce, cheese, tomato, ketchup.

“Are those gummy candies?” Justin asked as Jeremy opened a package of fruit-flavored, chewy candies.

“Yep, you want some?”

“Sure,” said Justin. “They’d be good on my peanut butter sandwich.”

“But, you know what’s even better? Sardines!” Jeremy opened a small, flat can with tiny fish packed inside. “They’re salty, so they taste great with the sweet candy.” He placed several sardines over the fruity candies then laid another piece of bread on top.

Emily wrinkled her nose. “They’re also stinky and slimy.”

Justin ignored Emily’s comment and added one sardine on his sandwich along with the peanut butter and fruity candy and took a bite.

“Eww!” Jessie and Emily cringed as they watched Justin chew.

“How is it, Justin?” asked Jessie.

Justin swallowed then smiled. “Hey, Jeremy’s right! The salty fish isn’t bad with the sweet candy.” He opened his sandwich and tucked two more sardines inside.

The girls began eating their neat and tidy sandwiches. “I still say a simple and tasty sandwich is a lot better than all that gloppy stuff,” said Emily. She took a dainty bite and licked the jelly off her fingers.

“I agree with Emily,” said Jessie, “except strawberry jam is better than grape jelly.”

“I used to think peanut butter and jelly was the best ever,” said Jeremy, holding his sandwich together. “But one day, I saw my dad put potato chips on his sandwich. I tried it and loved it. That’s when I started experimenting with sandwich making.”

“And is this your masterpiece?” asked Justin.

“So far, yes,” answered Jeremy before he took his last bite.

“Hi, kids!” said Emily and Jeremy’s mom as she walked in.

“Mom, which sandwich do you think is better, a simple PB&J or adding stuff to it?” asked Emily.

“Well,” Mom replied, “I like peanut butter, and I like jam. But your dad showed me how to add some potato chips, and now I like that, too.”

“I think I’ll try that,” said Jessie. She reached for some chips and neatly laid them inside her sandwich then took a bite.

Emily watched Jessie’s face closely. “Well, what do you think? It’s icky, isn’t it?”

“Actually,” said Jessie, “it’s really good! I like it.”

“See?” said Jeremy. “I told you adding stuff is better than plain ol’ PB&J.”

“Of course, that’s just your opinion, Jeremy,” said Mom. “I’ll eat peanut butter and potato chips, but I wouldn’t eat all the stuff you pile on your sandwiches. To me, that’s pretty gross.”

“But I tried it and liked it,” said Justin.

“Yes, but that’s your opinion and not true for everyone; it’s just what you like or don’t like,” Mom explained.

“All this talk about some things being better than others reminds me of Kids’ Club yesterday,” said Jessie. “Miss Christy read from the Bible where it says Jesus is better than any priest. Was that just an opinion, too?”

“No. That’s a true statement. Jesus is better than any human priest because he is God and never sinned. Another example of a true statement is that the sun rises every morning. It doesn’t matter whether a person likes it when the sun rises. It still happens. It’s still true.”

“So, an opinion is just what someone thinks about something?” asked Emily. “Like how Jessie and I think playing with our dolls is better than playing soccer?”

“Right!” said Mom. “But I’m sure the boys’ opinion would be different.”

“Yeah, soccer is much better than playing with dolls,” said Jeremy.

“It sure is! And orange is the best color, too,” added Justin.

“You’re just saying that because it’s your soccer team’s color,” said Jessie. “I think pink and purple are much better.”

“How about brown?” asked Jeremy.

“Brown?!” everyone said, confused.

“Yeah,” Jeremy continued, “I know for a fact that everyone in this room loves brown—when it’s chocolate sauce!”

“Yeah! That would be a true statement,” confirmed Justin.

“Wait a minute,” said Jessie. “Chocolate sauce is good, but it’s better on top of vanilla ice cream.”

“I agree with that statement,” said Mom with a grin as she pulled a carton of ice cream out of the freezer.

The kids gathered at the table as Mom scooped ice cream into bowls and passed the chocolate sauce around.

“Mmm. Chocolate sauce is great,” said Jeremy. “But it would be better with sardines.”

Everyone stopped eating and stared at Jeremy. Then Jeremy laughed and said, “Just kidding!”

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