The Idea of an Essay, Volume 3

2016 Composition Contest Winnners 33 The Debate Cody Rodriguez Cody is Junior Industrial Design Major at Cedarville University. He lives in Middleville, Michigan where he enjoys basketball, friends and time with his family. The Debate is story about learning the valuable lesson of adequate preparation and humility. “Well…he won’t think of that,” I said in confidence. “How do you know?” my brother questioned, sitting directly across the dinner table from myself. “You should prepare for it just in case.” “No, trust me,” I laughed under my breath as I shook my head, “He won’t think of something that smart.” I continued to construct the greatest debate I had ever created, ignoring the foolish thoughts of my older brother. I might lose in a debate to him, but there is no way I lose to my partner, Jack Harris. Good move, Jack. I gathered my notes and papers and continued, discussing my main points of debate. Pacing around the dining room, running one hand along the wooden top of the table and using the other to hold my endless supply of stories and research on teen driving, I pondered what my partner would prepare - knowing that I could handle anything, of course. As I reviewed, the amount of ease and simplicity presented to me a week before when the project was assigned, repeatedly surfaced in my thoughts. “You all will be participating in live debates in front of the class in the next few weeks,” Mr. Boswell announced one Thursday morning. After a mixture of deflated moans, celebratory squeals and excited murmurs from the class, he proceeded to explain how we were to debate one on one with a peer on an assigned topic, with the ultimate “winner” being decided by our class and teacher. As he walked toward my table, I prepared for the routine partnering by turning to my best friend who sat across from me. But as I turned,