Pre-High School Descriptive Essay Writing Sample

Student: Abby
Assignment Description: Descriptive Essay that includes specifics learned in history class about the daily lives of cowboys on a cattle drives.

Date: July 7th, 2015 (End of 8th Grade)

              "What's on the menu tonight, Cookie?" James, the wrangler asked, stepping up to the chuck wagon with his tin plate.

              "Ya'll better be hungry tonight! I've got my specialty on the menu!" Cookie grinned, dipping his ladle into a pot.

              There was a collaborative groan from all the drivers.

              "Ya'll need to shut yer mouths! My specialty is plenty healthy and de-licious!" Cookie pulled out a large glob of a thick stew.

              James cringed seeing it put on his plate. Cookie's specialty was a stew made of cow parts. And lard. Lots and lots of lard. "Gee...Thanks...Cookie..." James coughed awkwardly before grabbing a biscuit and moving to his place beside the fire.

              "If ya'll finish that off, come get some more! This stuff lasts for days! It will keep, and keep, and keep, so it will be your's to eat, and eat, and eat." He grinned, showing off his few holes from missing teeth.

              "How did he become the cook?" Will, a cattle driver, sat down beside James and staring at the goo on his plate.

              "He was the only one available." James replied, dipping a spoon into the stew and staring at it.

              "Cookie, this food is ridiculous. We need foods that aren't entirely coated in lard." Dicky, the head driver stepped up to the chuck wagon and crossed his arms. "Perhaps some items from the other food groups."

              "Eh? Other food groups!" Cookie dropped his ladle into his pot, pointing a finger at Dicky. "Listen here, I've got your food groups right here! Beans, bacon, whiskey, and lard!" He counted them out on his fingers. "All the things growing boys need to be strong! Ain't that right, James?" Cookie leaned over and put an arm around him, causing James to spill the food on his plate.

              "Oh no, looks like I've got nothing to eat tonight, such a shame!" James shrugged Cookie off and started to stand.

              "Don't be silly! I told ya'll, come back and get more if ya finished it off!" Cookie grabbed his pot, spooning another healthy glob onto James's plate.

              James stared at the goo jiggling on his plate. "Oh...Joy..."

              Will snickered, pushing at his own stew with his spoon.

              James kicked him in the leg, causing another plate of food to go down. "Oh, Cookiieeee! Will needs more! And lots of it!"

              "I can tell ya'll like my cooking, but there needs to be enough to go around!" Cookie's ladle dropped a massive glob onto Will's plate. "But, here ya go! Gotta keep up that strength, ya hear?"

              "Thank you...Cookie..." Will grumbled, staring at the stew starting to slowly run over the sides.

              "Don't mention it!" Cookie lumbered back to his chuck wagon. "Tomorrow night, I've got a new dish planned! Ya'll gonna love it!"

              There was another collaborative groan from the drivers.