Chapter 23: Interview With a Pancreas

Mouth: Hello, this is Tracy's Mouth, running with assistance from her Brain.


Brain: Thanks for the Shout Out, there, Mouth.


Mouth: We have a special guest here with us today. Please help me welcome... a Pancreas.


Hands: <clap, clap, clap>


Mouth: Hello, Pancreas. Welcome.


Pancreas: What? What? What's going on here? Who are you?


Mouth: Um, it's an interview. We're trying to learn about your function in the body.


Pancreas: Why? Who wants to know?


Mouth: My, you're jumpy.


Pancreas: I'm attacked by sugar every day. Every. Day. 


Mouth: That sounds intense.


Pancreas: Tense? Who's tense? I'm not tense.


Mouth: You sure about that?


Pancreas: Well, don't you worry. I found a way to fight back. That's right. I blast all that sugar away with my secret weapon.


Mouth: Oooo, are you going to tell us the secret?


Pancreas: Sure. I shoot out insulin. Boom! Boom! Boom! Knock that sugar out. And there it goes, off to get locked away in the cells.


Cells: Yea! Sugar! Thank you, Pancreas. Nom, nom, nom.


Pancreas: Hey, yo, Cells, no problem. All yours. I don't need no sugar.


Mouth: So generous. 


Pancreas: I know, right?


Mouth: Hey, I see you brought a friend with you. Who's this?


Pancreas: Oh, this is my buddy. He's a pancreas in a body that doesn't need him anymore.


Other Body: Wait, who said we didn't need him? We want our pancreas back!


Mouth: Uhhh, is there something wrong with your friend? He isn't saying anything.


Pancreas: Oh, yeah, he's dead.


Mouth: WHAT?? You hang out with a dead pancreas?


Pancreas: Sure, why not? His body's got Type 1 Diabetes. They don't need  him anymore.


Other Body: Yes we do! We want our pancreas back!


Pancreas: Sorry, Body. He's not going to be any use to you. He's got no ammo. You gotta find your insulin somewhere else.


Other Cells: Wah! We want our sugar. Find us some insulin!


Mouth: OK, so you're still hanging out with a dead organ, though, huh?


Pancreas: He's good company, you know. Never argues. Always supports me.


Mouth: Um, how exactly does he support you? He's dead.


Pancreas: Like this. When I sit on him, he's holding me up. See? Support.


Mouth: That's kind of gross, you know.


Pancreas: Yeah. I know.


Mouth: OK, well then. It was nice getting to know you, Pancreas, and your dead friend, Diabetic Pancreas. I'll let you get back to your job.


Pancreas: My pleasure. And, yeah, I gotta get back to work. I see a sugar attack ahead. Incoming!!!


Mouth: Well, there you have it, everyone. One of many important jobs here in our very own body. Tune in next week to see how the Battle of the Sugar Invasion is going.