We get an allotted number of "points," which can be used on various food products. We get 3 points for breakfast, and 7 points for dinner. I wish I could tell you about what three points can get you in the morning, but the portions are always different based on how vindictive the server is feeling. So you could get a whole plateful of bacon one day, and 2 circles of 1-inch radii the next.
When it comes to waging war on an institution much larger than myself, I tend to go by the "three-strike" policy.
The three strikes for the "ref," dear reader, have been spent!
First. It was very early in the semester, before most of the students arrived. I was waiting in line (or the queue) for a beautiful baguette, and I'd been waiting long enough that all of my friends had already paid for their meal. I finally got up to the server, and was debating which one I should get, when the server tells me in broken English, "These aren't for you." WHAT? I really would have liked a sign or something telling me this before I got my hopes up. I really like food, especially good food.
Second. Yesterday, I was again perusing the wares in the ref. I saw a packaged muffin that tickled my fancy. So, since people do indeed eat muffins for breakfast at times, I walked up to the register, only to be told that I could only buy it at dinner and lunch time. (Also, to clarify: the ref is open for lunch... but we have to pay extra for that. Yeah. I am going to lose so much weight this semester, it's definitely not going to be healthy!) If I paid for my "points," shouldn't I be able to use them on whatever I want? Especially if it is out for me to take?? And if this is not the case, and I am restricted to very specific foods, then shouldn't I be informed of this? Again, before I got excited about eating such a delicious chocolate plastic-covered muffin??
Third. Soooo this was the fourth night/morning in a ROW where we all had to evacuate the dorm due to a fire alarm. Apparently, there's a fault in the system. So I left my building in my pajamas, and realized it was also breakfast time! So my friends and I wandered over to breakfast. They had already gotten clothed at that ungodly hour, but I had hustled out of the building in patterned shorts and an inside-out t-shirt. I wear pajamas to breakfast all the time at home.
I had realized that, when it comes to dress, the English tend to be much more formal. However, I accepted this and was ready to experience any public humiliation of wearing pajamas to breakfast. As long as I was eating and not standing in the morning cold, I'd be happy. HOWEVER, as I was standing in the queue for toast, a server asked me "excuse me, are you wearing jammies?" To which I delightfully responded "Yes!" in the hopes of being able to complain about faulty fire alarm systems to a complete stranger. But before I could explain myself, she interrupted me and said "you are not allowed to wear jammies in the refectory."
...
Yeah.
Again, I understand the cultural difference, and that it is probably weird and unusual. But don't I have the right to wear whatever I want? I know that we're not in America anymore, but I'd be willing to bet that, somewhere between the Magna Carta and current Parliamentary action, there's "freedom of expression" of some sort. And if my form of expression is wearing my shirt inside out and having donuts and cassette tapes on my shorts, why am I being discriminated against?! Went too far with that one. But you get my point.
I also realize that you may be thinking "Oh, Sara, I think you're stretching it. I'm sure there's a dress code you don't know about." To this I respond: maybe there is... If I don't know about it, then... I wouldn't know about it! But I did look in the student handbook, and there is actually no dress code mentioned at all. And if there was one, I would again be willing to bet that "no pajamas are permitted in the refectory" is in the code.
Basically, as long as I'm not wearing something hazardous or unhygienic for a kitchen-esque environment (like not wearing enough clothes. Or like wearing something like this:)...
I should be able to wear whatever! If I want to have poodles on my shorts, so be it. And again, if this is not the case, I would love to be informed before having to be told I'm not dressed appropriately while I'm physically in the ref.
Soooo there you have it. I am about to wage a small-scale Aaron Kushner-esque war on the ref here at St. Mary's.
How?
... I'm probably going to take 3 packets of jam instead of 2. BOOM.
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