Friday, February 20 - What 5¢ Will Get You

We have a cafeteria in our school - so to speak. It's really the gym with a kitchen. Fifteen minutes before lunches begin, tables are rolled out and set up for the students to use. The kitchen doors are open and voila - a cafeteria is born!

Outside the kitchen door is a little cart that contains napkins and disposable eating utensils. The students are supposed to pick up what they need as they exit the kitchen after paying for their lunch. The cafeteria workers have noticed however, that there seems to be more utensil use than the number of lunches sold.

So I guess they put someone in charge to monitor the utensil cart and guess what they found? Yes, there were some students that were not buying lunch that were taking utensils. But the bigger problem - at least in their eyes - was the number of teachers who were helping themselves to utensils without purchasing lunch. (Bad, bad teachers!)

The cafeteria manager then went to speak to the principal and informed him that they are going to have to start charging 5¢ for each utensil.

The principal then tells the secretary to send an e-mail to the staff to remind them to bring their own utensils for lunch because of the cafeteria situation and the impending 5¢ charge.

The staff, no, some of the staff, no, some of the more vocal staff come up to the office to complain. That isn't fair! Who do they think they are? Five cents for a spoon, what are they nuts? This is ridiculous. And so on and so forth.

The secretary (and clerk) try to quell the dissention and remind them that the cafeteria is a "business" separate from the school and that they have overhead costs.... and so on and so forth. (Have you ever been in a situation when you say something and someone looks at you like you have two heads? )

But you know it's much easier for some to complain about something they consider unfair without ever really considering how they can avoid it.

Here's a few thoughts -

1. Buy yourself a box of plastic utensils and keep them in your desk drawer or classroom closet.

2. Wash the utensil after you use it and save it for the next time.

3. Buy your lunch in the cafeteria and the utensil will be free.

4. Get your mother to pack your lunch - I bet she never forgot to include a spoon!

5. If all else fails - make sure you have a supply of nickels!