Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Overreacting?

I was standing in line in the cafeteria at work. It is some special occasion where they have made a lot of food. I am in line with two other people (one male, one female). I see the cafeteria workers lift the aluminum covers off the food. Almost every dish was made with beef or pork, two things I do not eat. I started getting angry about it, since I had waited so long for food only for it be be something I couldn't enjoy. I start talking to the person next to me very loudly, saying how on special occasions the out to make something ever one can eat. There was nothing for vegetarians. My turn comes and the person behind the counter asks for my order. I ask him to tell me what each dish is even though I know they are all made with beef. I ask if there is anything with chicken. He tells me there are pre-made chicken sandwiches, but nothing hot. So I have to order that. Then he asks if I want a vegetable. I see collard greens, but I can also see chunks of pork swimming in the juice. Frustrated, I just ask for banana pudding (even though I don't like it), since that is the only side dish not cooked with pork.

I am expressing my frustration to my friend. People are starting to look at me, but I really don't care. I get up to the front to pay for the food, saying loudly that I should only get charged the price of a mean that includes a side and not extra for the dessert since there were no sides I could eat. A male friend comes up to me and tells me to calm down, which makes me more upset. I am standing a little bit away from him when the woman representing the company overseeing the catering comes over. She is complaining loudly about the "chicken head" that is making such a fuss over the food, saying "She needs to keep her mouth shut!" and other threats. The woman goes to the other side of the room without realizing I am the woman she is talking about. I walk closer to my friend and ask him, "Am I overreacting". I think on big occasions like this they out to have something for everybody and not just what is easiest for them to make. I see he has the woman's card. She works for Deloitte Touche Tomahatsu, a company I worked for before (though they don't do catering in reality). I know if she causes trouble, I can contact my connections there to back me up. The woman comes over again, this time acting more professional. I introduce myself as the chicken head she was complaining about before. I say I will hear her explanation about the food even though I know everything she will say to me is just her being polite and not how she really feels. I can tell from the look on her face she is embarrassed to know I overheard her ranting.

Scene switches: I am driving in my car going down a hill on my way to work. I am still upset about the cafeteria incident and am writing the complaint letter in my head. I know my complaint letter will upset the head of food services and will be brought to the attention of my boss' boss, GH. I imagine GH will tell my boss, JT, to get me under control. I decide that if JT is told to fire me, I am okay with that.

1 comment:

strovska said...

"chicken head"! that's hilarious. also funny that deloitte etc. would be doing catering. still, what a frustrating dream.