Thursday, March 22, 2007

Better than McDonald's even?

It's my fourth day on the job, and I am tired. It's a three-hour position, but during my training period they've got me working full-time to learn various jobs I may have to fill in from time to time. I know it's wimpy, but I fully admit I'm out of shape...so six hours of standing, lifting, bending, twisting, washing, etc. has got me beat. Heck, just the six hours of standing would have me pretty footsore.

Today I had to learn the workings of the nearby elementary school. I've noticed there's a neat little symbiosis going amongst the schools. The facilities vary greatly from school to school - from nice, modern kitchens with multiple serving lines and elaborate dishwashing systems to a couple fridges, one serving warmer and a residential sized oven. So, for examples, the middle school washes its own dishes and the dishes of another school which are brought over each day by truck, and the intermediate school (where I work) serves its own children and also brings food to the elementary school down the street. So I tagged along, learning the procedure for loading up the food truck, driving the food truck (about the size of a small 'daily rent' U-haul), setting up and serving lunch there, and driving back.

The little guys, apparently, have one choice for lunch, namely: lunch. No multiple entree choices, no water or juice or milk, etc. Just milk, which is conveniently placed for them to pick up before they reach the lunchlady. So by the time they come to us, there are no choices to be made and no beverages to select, thus, it goes FAST. I quickly became a Champion Bun Stuffer as I ripped open package after package of hot dog buns, cramming boiled hot dogs into them just quickly enough to get them on trays as they were passed out.

Yep, today's fare was boiled hot dogs in room temperature buns, heated mass-production baked beans, diced peaches cups and pudding cups. Mmmmmm, mmmmm. And yet, the moment that brought the biggest smile to my face today came when a little boy of about nine came through as one of the last kids, as the crazy rush subsided.

When he saw the hot dogs, and the extra big gloopy scoop of baked beans, and was overjoyed. He placed both hands on the counter, and grinned at us. "When I'm forty years old, I'm STILL gonna be coming here to eat, 'cause everything is sooo good!"

No comments: