Choose Ice
Articles
Smelt Fight part 3
My roommate Rob and I asked Dan if we could go talk to Samantha to apologize. At first he said no, but he knew us well enough that he realized we were really sorry.
Samantha had her back turned to us and was wiping her eyes. I started to apologize, needing to make sure that she knew I was sincere. I said that we realized how disrespectful and hurtful our behavior was, and that she didn’t deserve our actions.
Eventually she looked at us, and she accepted our apology, though she said she was still mad.
The next day, Dan and Samantha called Rob and I over. She asked us what she would like for meals. We gave her some ideas, and suggested that she ask more of us.
This began a change. Samantha admitted that she was trying too hard to be like Jim, and she just needed to be herself.
The food got better. And our connection to Samantha deepened. We were genuinely sad to see her go when Jim came back, though, admittedly, our mouths and stomachs celebrated.
Smelt Fight part 2
Dan Fogarty was the student cafeteria manager. As we are still hooting and hollering over our epic food fight, he came slamming out of the kitchen. I won’t say the words that tore from his mouth, but when I say they were curses, I mean it. There was such anger and hate in his eyes as he yelled at us, told us how disrespected and hurt Samantha was by our actions.
“And what’s worse,” he yelled, “she’s in their crying.”
Dan slammed back through the kitchen double doors, and with a clammer came back through, throwing two brooms on the floor. Crashing back in, he pounded back out with the mop bucket and mop, the water sloshing out with his anger.
“Now clean up!”
We did. All that joyous, raucous energy turned sour, but we had to use it as we swept and mopped the mess we made. The accomplishment I’d felt as a ringleader of the smelt fight was destroyed, replaced with genuine shame and humiliation.
By the time we were done, the cafeteria was spotless. But our spirits were not.
Next: How to make things a little better.
Smelt Fight part 1
When I was a student at UConn, most of the small dorms had cafeterias in them. In Goodyear, we were known to have the best cook on campus, who we simply called Jim.
When the first Iraq war started, his reserve unit was called up, and he was sent to cook for the troops. We are scared for him, of course, but also a little nervous for our stomachs. He was that good a cook.
When Jim shipped out, our new cook, Samantha, came on board. She smartly stuck to the basics at first, and though she didn’t have Jim’s ability, the food was fine.
Then one day we came downstairs to large bowls full of brown …. somethings. Samantha told us they were smelt. I didn’t know at the time, but smelt is generally a bait fish, and not typically cooked for a meal.
Continue readingIt was a good day
If you love dogs watch this!
Bad Shoes
I can’t seem to find shoes that fit right. I still go to the store and try them on, and they feel fine, but then I start wearing them and they just don’t feel great.
I realize I need a few things to get it right. It needs to be the 1970s. I need to go to a department store, and a stranger has to use one of these jammies to measure my feet:
Then my mother has to press the tip of the shoe. Listen, I get that she was making sure there was some space for me to grow into them, but this process always worked. So, with these three simple and very realistic steps, I’ll be back in good shoes in no time.
UConn Hoops
We went to the first game of the season last night. I feel so fortunate to have UConn sports in my life. It connects me to my wife, family and so many friends. The communal feeling of being a fan is so valuable to me. I treasure moments, like being in an airport wearing some gear and a stranger says, “Go Huskies!”
I love seeing the unknown
I was fascinated to see this hydrant before it was installed.
I have never thought about what was under the ground. Never pondered how it worked, the way it connected to water, the depth of what was hidden.
I didn’t realize I was curious about all of this before all the answers were right in front of me. It just reminded me that almost everything is fascinating, even if only in small ways.
Old Friend
This was an hour ago. I was alerted by Anna barking. He stood their calmly, not placid, eyeing Anna with concern but not fright.
He stood still as I took pictures, took the time just to look at him. The intelligence in his eyes reminded me of wisdom, an idea supported by the white shading his brown coat.
My Story 1: “The Missing Antler” He lost the antler but won the fight.
My Feelings: Blessed. Fortunate. Aligned. Humbled.
My Story 2: “Grey Mein” Age withers but does not defeat.
My Fantasy: Spirit of an old god. Patron of flight and fight. Master of camouflage.
My Feelings 2: Fear that if I step out of line this kind of thing won’t happen to me anymore.
My Belief: Be an animal.
I called him “Old Friend” maybe 6 times. The last was when he finally ran. I said it and he stopped and looked back at me. I said “Goodbye, Old Friend.”
