Justin and Justina, a fictional pair of similarly-named New York City friends, make up The New Leaf Journal’s resident dialogue duo. Most of their dialogues involve their conversations via messages or while out and about in New York City. You can see their full archive (this is their 55th dialogue). In this dialogue, Justina shares an article about potentially unsafe levels of cadmium and lead in popular brands of dark chocolate. Justin, who consistently maintains that hot and cold are states of mind, is sure to have a novel take on the matter.
Dialogue
Introduction
Justin and Justina are apart, but connected by technology. Justina, with some concern, sends Justin an article about dangerous dark chocolate.
The Dialogue
Justina: OMG did you see this article!? NYT — Do I Need to Avoid Dark Chocolate Now?
Justin: I did. What about it?
Justina: All the dark chocolate I’m eating has cadmium and lead? Am I going to die!?
Justin: No.
Justina: How do you know?
Justin: How much chocolate have you eaten?
Justina: I don’t know. Not much?
Justin: Why are you asking me?
Justina: Huh?
Justin: Where did you find the article?
Justina: …
Justin: I’m more concerned about your social media usage than your chocolate consumption.
Justina: Excuse you! I got this on Google News! Or was it Apple News?
Justin: Mildly better but still subpar.
Justina: Whatever. So I’m fine?
Justin: Yeah. My first thought is we should be eating more of the stuff.
Justina: Come again?
Justin: Do we need calcium?
Justina: Yeah.
Justin: Iron?
Justina: Mhmm.
Justin: Zinc?
Justina: Right.
Justin: Mercury?
Justina: Wait what? They took that out of thermometers.
Justin: So began the coddling…
Justina: I’m pretty sure mercury is dangerous.
Justin: Lead?
Justina: Lead is definitely dangerous.
Justin: It’s on the periodic table.
Justina: So is uranium.
Justin: People spend all this money on makeup, meanwhile I get my healthy glow from the periodic table.
Justina: You’re on uranium!?
Justin: And cadmium. What’s with that? Not even that high on the periodic table.
Justina: It’s not for human consumption!
Justin: I don’t know. You people are against good old fashioned character-building. I think society took a real dip when they got all worked about the mercury thermometers.
Justina: Unbelievable. Well you go eat all the dark chocolate then.
Justin: Thanks but no thanks. Watching my figure. They say it’s my second best quality after my healthy glow.
Justina: No one said that!
Justin: These chocolate manufacturers should really do something about the lead and cadmium though. No good.
Justina: What was the point of this discussion!?
Justin: Part of my ongoing efforts to teach you pattern recognition.