Adam Blake - 47. Chapter 47

I couldn’t help to smile. I felt sorry for Arlene when I interview I thought she was a very nice person, a little formal, but she was one of the leaders of the school. “I hope she’s able to adjust to the changes that’ll be coming.

“We should have the medals next week.”

“I need a cup of coffee. Have you checked about the snacks for the boys in the cafeteria?”

“Yes, they said they may need additional help.”

“Who prepares the meals for the Staff Room?”

“We need to ask Jane.”

“Let’s do that. I may have just found the extra help.”

“Walking past Arlene’s office, James waves Jane to come with us. “Hi Jane, did you check with the cafeteria about snacks for the boys?”

“Yes, they said they didn’t have enough help.”

“Want to head up another project James?”

“You know I haven’t done any secretarial work, it has been all special work.”

“You aren’t complaining are you?”

I laughed at James as he gave that look of despair when inside he was having a ball. Yes, he was my secretary but he already knew who I was, he read my book.

“Jane, the boy’s last meal is served at what time?”

“It’s served at 5 but it is just sandwiches and soup.”

“So the big meal of the day for them is lunch.”

“Yes, they are comfortable with that since the boys, generally have their largest meal at noon and a light meal in the evening.”

“Yes, I think that is how we got the term dinner for lunch and supper for dinner. Ok from now on, we’ll refer to lunch as dinner and I’d like to review the menus for the week. Could you possibly get me this week’s menu? We may need to beef up lunch, er the dinner menu.”

I saw James smile, he knew what I was getting at, the lunches I saw being served would not be sufficient to be considered dinner as defined by European standards. And supper would be ok with sandwiches and soup provided the soup was balanced.

“James, while Jane gets the menus from the cafeteria, could you see where the architecture prints for this building are. The footprint doesn’t agree with the size of the basement. I wonder if there is more to the basement than what we see.”

“Do you think that the basement may be under the whole building and not this center section?”

“Yes, the architect’s drawings should show that. Now about the coin machines for the cafeteria. I want at least three machines, one for drinks and two for snacks. Maybe with a little prodding, I can get the cafeteria crew to at least keep the machines stocked. Can you get me catalogs or flyers of machines so I can select the ones to purchase?”

“You know there are companies who would install the machines and stock them at no cost.”

“Yes, but they stock them with foods that I don’t want the kids to have, such as colas and candy. Also, remember they take currency to operate. No, I rather purchase the machines, then I’ll create the coins to use.”

Jane came back with the menus. As I started to look them over, I was not happy with them. For me a nice salad with fresh fruit was fine, but the boys need protein and a selection of cooked vegetables.

“James, call accounts payable, ask them to send down the last three invoices for the kitchen. I’m going to get a cup of coffee.”

As I was walking to the cafeteria for coffee Jane stopped me. “Doc, did you know that Arlene is going to resign?”

“No, I didn’t. I guess what happened at the last director’s meeting was too much for her. I’m sorry for her to have made that decision. It was not my intent for her to feel she had no choice but to resign.”

“Are you going to ask her to reconsider?”

“No, she has made her choice and I’ll respect that. I’m sure the staff will miss her. Too bad she didn’t read my book.”

“Are you going to replace her?”

“No, I don’t think that a director’s position is necessary when the open position of President is filled. It was my understanding the Director position was created in place of the unfilled President position.”

“Are you going to the cafeteria?”

“Yes, for coffee, want to join me?”

“Have you reviewed the menu I gave to James?”

“Yes”

“Is that why you are going to the cafeteria?”

“Jane, did you read my book?”

She had a smile on her face and she had an idea of what I was about to do.

Jane and I got our coffee and walked into the kitchens. When the chef saw Jane and not me, he yelled at her to get out, she wasn’t allowed in the kitchen. Then he saw me and walked away. You know how sometimes you get the feeling that something isn’t right, that’s the feeling I just had. ”

“Jane, what do you see?”

“I see the back end of the Chef, we chuckled, but that isn’t what you want me to see.”

I waited, “Compare this kitchen to your kitchen at home.”

“Well, for one, the floor is filthy, the equipment isn’t organized and for a kitchen this size the lighting and air conditioning are bad.”

“Your correct, anything else?”

She looked around and then smiled, “The staff is wearing street clothes that they probably wore when they came to work. And they aren’t wearing gloves, wait I don’t see any handwashing stations. I know what you are thinking, this is not a very sanitary kitchen to prepare food for the school.”

“Exactly, and who is responsible for this?”

“The chef”

“Chef, I need to discuss something with you, will you accompany me to my office please. Jane, stay here and see if you can get the staff to clean this place up, if they say no, let it go and then come to my office.”

In my office, “Chef, please sit down. I have some concerns about how you are running the kitchen.” I could see the sneer begin to develop on his face. “The kitchen is dirty and there are no handwashing stations. Why is that?”

“The area is dirty because the janitors don’t clean the floor. There isn't a need for handwashing stations, the staff washes their hands in the sinks.”

“How long have you worked here?”

“I started here when the school opened as a cook, then when the president died, I was made chef.”

“Was there a chef before the president died?”

“No, we were all cooks and specialized in one food group.”

“Ok, if you want to keep your job, you and your cooks will clean the kitchen and have handwashing stations installed. I also want all of the kitchen staff in appropriate uniforms. Gloves are to be used when handling meat.”

“I don’t see the need for all of that. This is my kitchen and I’ll run it, I’m the Chef.”

“Chef, as of right now, you are on leave pending a full investigation of the kitchen and supply agreements. I’m going to bring in the food inspectors to go through your kitchen with a fine-tooth comb. If I were you, unless you do as I ask, you should start looking for another job.”

“James, call security and have them escort our Chef off the site.” If eyes could kill I’d be dead by now. “I’m going back to the cafeteria and start the cleaning. Order pizza’s for lunch and asks them to load them up with cheese and meat.”

“For everyone?”

“Yes, boys and staff. The cafeteria is down until it gets cleaned."