From http://www.englishdesk.blogspot.com/
It's the end of August and the end of August brings many changes. Jim and Sue are hosting a corn roast and barbecue for their son, Andy and his friends. Jim is standing at the barbecue flipping burgers and sausages. Sue is chatting with Andy's girlfriend, Lynn, as she prepares a salad and Andy is sitting with his buddies talking about their plans as they shuck corn. Shucking corn means removing the leaves which cover a cob, or ear, of corn. Jim had stopped at a roadside stand earlier to pick up the corn on his way home from work. There was no one at the stand, but there were some bins of fresh corn, some bags and a sign which read 'Help yourself - $4 a dozen'. Jim picked up one of the ears of corn, pulled back a few of the outer leaves and saw rows of pale yellow corn like shiny little pearls. It looked fresh and sweet just the way he liked it. So Jim helped himself to some bags and started counting as he filled them. There was a locked metal box where Jim put the $20 bill to pay for the 5 dozen cobs which he had chosen. It's not unusual to see small fruit and vegetable or flower tables at the side of the road in the country. And they usually operate on the honor system. That means that the farmer expects people who take things from the table to be trustworthy and to honor the request for payment. The honorable thing to do is to be honest and pay for what you take even if no one is watching. Andy had put some large pots of water on the stove to boil and when the corn has been shucked he will drop it into the pots to cook it. Then they will drain it and serve it piping hot with lots of butter and salt. There are small forks to poke into the ends of the cobs because they will be too hot to hold. Andy's family has a corn roast every year at the end of August. It's a tradition for many people at this time of year. But this year is a little different because Andy and most of his friends are going away in September. Min will be attending Lakehead University in Thunder Bay. She'll be studying Marine Biology. Gabe is flying to Jasper Park Lodge in Alberta where he will be working at the popular resort. Carlos will be moving to Halifax to study art and Jay will be starting an apprenticeship as an electrician in London. Meredith will be flying to Spain where she will be spending the year as an exchange student and Sam will be studying journalism at Sheridan College in Oakville. Andy will be going to a film school in Toronto and Lynn will be going into a nursing program there. So this year's corn roast is a little different because it's also a farewell party. They are getting together for the last time before they go their separate ways in September.
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