Whittall House Grade 11 Cookout

28 June 2021Sajeev S, Whittall ‘22

“Gents, you’re invited to the cookout” said Mr Gage on a sunny May Monday morning. Or maybe it was “Gents, we are having a barbecue”, but whatever the case, the fine gentleman Grade 11s of the bottom floor (and Muazam) began planning for the upcoming barbecue below Mr Gage’s patio, on Sunday, May 31st.

As the 11s prepared themselves for the future challenges of running Whittall, Mr Gage thought it would be a good idea for us to come together and work as a team to put together an outstanding barbecue.

It began with us volunteering for different jobs that would need to be fulfilled in order to have a smooth-functioning barbecue. We were divided into specific jobs: cooks, cleaners, shoppers, and preppers. The cooks would, of course, cook; the cleaners would clean; the shoppers would shop; and the preppers were responsible for the most important task of all: marinating the scrumptious chicken that would very shortly fill the bellies of 15 hungry young men and Mr Gage. The shoppers were taken on a mission with Mr Gage to the grocery store to acquire the list of ingredients given to them by the preppers. Since this was a Grade 11 event, it meant that they were responsible for everything, even the menu. The menu consisted of teriyaki chicken, homemade Indian chicken, corn on the cob, and a large pot of basmati rice. The Saturday before the barbecue a couple of the gents joined in the upper common room to begin their preparations for the following day.

The following evening, Mr Gage rounded us up and the cookout began. It started with one of the of us opening a fridge and out shone a beacon of light blinding us like the sun. Behind the ray of light stood three bags filled to the brim with chicken thighs and the “ultimate Indian marinade” said Fab H, ‘22. The cooks began to grill the-soon-to-be delicious chicken while the others started steaming corn and rice. While the cooks worked efficiently, others started an intense game of bocce ball below the patio. Aiden F, ‘22 said “The games looked way too fun so I let the rice do its thing and schooled a couple of my friends in an exhilarating match of bocce”.

Soon after the hungry bellies were filled and the intense matches were completed, we and Mr Gage formed a circle to discuss the upcoming year. The talk showed perspective and expectations for our final year in paradise. Regardless of anything, the 11s of Whittall will always have each other’s backs and will always stay “one big, happy family” observed Will P, ‘22.

Sajeev S, Whittall ‘22

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