Thank you

Wednesday – Mack and cheese, salad, carrots, and apples

She woke up, and everything hurt. The sound of the alarm clock pierced her ears, and to her surprise, it was still working. She took a deep breath and got out of bed to do it all over again. She made her way through her small apartment and found herself eating dinner, and leaving home late.

As soon as she got to school, she was off straight to the kitchen to get to work. The scent of frozen food and mac-and-cheese overtook her. She made it. With a second left in stillness, she rushed to get to work, she pulled her hair into a hairnet and slipped on a new pair of gloves. She turned around only to find a neon pink sticky note with a few words scribbled across it in rushed handwriting.

Sandra called in sick,

you'll have to get

through today on your

own.

-Lucy

She knew she had to get to work if she was going to make food for six-hundred kids in three hours. She started with the mack and cheese. The stove was ready for the food and she tossed in the raw pasta. As soon as it hit the pan the stove began to crackle and fizz, as she mixed it all in. She always thought it was like a monster getting irritated in the bowl as the pasta was added and the slow mixing putting it back to sleep.

Steam rose to the air as the pot began to bubble, the scene felt so calming yet intense for a school cafeteria. Soon the steam and bubbles died down, and the pasta was ready for the cheese. She drained the water and poured the pasta into a pot. The cheese was ready and resembled a glue-like texture. The warm mixture was poured into the pot and mixed until it was a pot of mac and cheese.

The scent filled her nose. She knew it was bland, but she also knew that the principal would not like to see multiple kids throw up because they couldn't handle spices.

She began a second batch with an hour left and finished just on time. Finally, she made her way to the fridge at the corner of the cafeteria and took out a bag of mini-carrots along with a bag of salad. She put the vegetables into the separate trays, with some tongs for students to serve themselves, and added about twenty apples into the last tray. She closed the cupboard in which she placed the apples, and the sound of the lunchtime bell ringing echoed across the school. It was time to start serving.

It didn’t take long for the lunch line to grow, stretching all the way outside the cafeteria. So, she started serving, plopping a spoonful of mac and cheese into each tray. She knew every single student by observation. Franck always needs more than he needs. Britney doesn’t look happy today, she probably got her biology test results back, Jessica told her to study. Jennifer looks hungrier than usual, she probably forgot breakfast, I’m going to give her a little more. She wanted the best for every student, no matter who they were.

Lunch went smoothly, and she had enough food for everyone. She turned around with a sigh of relief to face the kitchen. Her work was done, now all she had to do was clean the kitchen. She decided not to put away the mack and cheese yet because some of her students came in later. She began to clean, and the only sound she could hear was the noise of the water faucet running, and dishes clinking against each other. Soon the lunch period ended with the sound of the five-minute bell warning students to get to their next class, and she was right. Six students had come in, 5 for lunch, and one to ask for a plastic spoon because her mother forgot to pack one in her lunch.

Her day was over, but she stayed anyway, just in case, she thought about the next day’s lunch, chicken nuggets, more salad, and chocolate milk. She checked to make sure she had enough of everything and then waited a few hours. She took her hairnet off, and then the gloves. It was always the most unwinding feeling to take her gloves off and expose her hands to some fresh air. It was like taking her entire day off her hands. Soon the ring of the bell interrupted the silence in the kitchen, and she went home, only to reset herself to do it all over the next day.

Thursday – Chicken nuggets, salad, chocolate milk, and apples

She got out of bed and got to school, early this time, and took in a deep breath, the same old smell filled her nose until she let it all out, leaving a smile on her face. She put on her gloves and net, ready to take on the day. Then she saw a bright neon orange sticky note on the counter.

Sandra is still sick

You’re on your own

again

-Lucy

She didn’t let this get her down. She immediately made her way to the freezer and took out a bag of frozen chicken nuggets and got to work. She found herself finishing with an hour left and began to get the salad and apples ready. Afterward, she placed the chocolate milk cartons, in a neat line, and was ready to serve.

After waiting for about five minutes the bell rang and the line began to form. She began giving out the chicken nuggets and milk to each student. She found that thanksgiving break plans were the most popular subject amongst students. The line soon ended, and she decided to start cleaning. She didn’t have as many dishes to do. So, she spent most of the rest of the day waiting and planning for the next. Something had gotten her down that day, but she didn’t know what.

She took off her gloves and net. A sigh. Waited for the bell and left. It was time to do this again, one last time, and she wouldn’t see her students for nine days.

Friday – Pizza, and chocolate milk

She woke up and got out the door. She made it to school just on time. She took in a breath and made her way to the counter. She put on her net and gloves and turned around. A bright green sticky note stared back at her.

Sandra decided to

take an early

vacation. I left the

pizza here for you.

-Lucy

Near the note were many stacks of pizza boxes, ready to be served already. All she had to do was line up the chocolate milk cartons and she was done. Fridays were an easy day for her. She had managed to get through a few days on her own. She looked around the kitchen. She loved her job, she got paid enough to live in a nice apartment, and she got to be around kids, and contribute to their days. There was just one thing missing, just two little wor- Ring! The bell rang for lunch. It was time to start serving.

The line was extra long because it was pizza day. She began serving the pizza, plopping a slice onto each plate.

At the very end of the line was a girl named Grace. After she got her slice of pizza, she smiled and said, “Thank you”. The smile was returned.

There it was, the two words she had been looking for all along.