EOC Week 7: The Pitch

Phileas Fogg has found himself in Jamaica on Christmas Eve, and he is feeling very home sick. He can hear the children laughing and music being played off in the distance. Instead of staying in his room and feeling bad for himself he decided to follow the music and investigate what is going on. Once he reached downtown Kingston he asked a local what everyone was celebrating. “It’s the Grand Market, also known as the Christmas market!” was the local’s reply. He went on further to explain that during the Christmas market locals sell toys for children, crafts, gifts, and food. There is also street dancing and music. The party lasts through Christmas night. Phileas Fogg decided to join the party and not feel bad for himself any longer. He walked the streets exploring the different vendors and joined the locals in drinking and dancing. One local named Barrington saw Philleas Fogg roaming about and knew right away he was a tourist. Barrington, who was a little tipsy himself, thought that he would show Philleas what it really meant to be from Jamaica. He called Philleas over to his vendor booth where is was selling Scotch Bonnets, Jamaica’s hottest peppers, and dared him to eat one whole pepper. If Philleas could finish the whole pepper then Barrington would invite him back to his house to celebrate Christmas with his family. Philleas was thrilled by the idea of not spending Christmas alone and took Barrington up on his offer. Philleas snatched the pepper from Barrington and shoved the whole pepper in his mouth without hesitation. At first he thought, “this isn’t that bad,” and then it hit him. His whole face turned beat red and all he could think about was a drink. He grabbed a Red Strip from Barrington’s hand and chugged the whole beer down. After a few moments the pepper’s hotness wore off and he could speak again! “I didn’t think that you would’ve been able to handle that pepper, but my word is my honor and I officially invite you to Christmas dinner with my family at my house,” Barrington declared. Philleas wasn’t feeling 100% normal but he wasn’t going to let Barrington notice. Once he was at Christmas dinner, Barrington’s wife served jerk crackers with just a dot of the Scotch Bonnet peppers in the center with cans of Red Strip to wash them down. Philleas was so grateful for the company on Christmas that he decided to package those same crackers with the instructions to chase with a Red Strip for the full Jamaican experience.