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Thursday, October 15, 2009

the mark of a chicken

So Meego emerged from his bedroom this morning with a green "5" on his face.

Actually, it's a backwards "5". A mirror-image "5". From that, I know that he chose the Chicken-Patty-with-Mashed-Potatoes option for lunch at school yesterday.

... and that he slept with his face on his hand.

See, his school typically offers 5 choices for lunch. The students place their orders first thing in the morning. Once their choices are made, they're LOCKED IN. NO switching. Just to make sure, they must write the number of their choice on the back of their hand - with permanent marker. God forbid someone should order a chicken patty in the morning, then grab cheese pizza at lunchtime.

This is understandable. It cuts down greatly on wasted food for one thing. The lunch ladies get 50 orders for chicken patties? They only make 50 chicken patties... and so on.

This designation method of permanent-marker-on-the-hand, however, is not too popular with parents. I'm sure Meego is not the first to wake up with a permanent markered mirror-image number on his face. And he typically only eats the school fare once or twice a week. I shudder to think of what the other kids' faces, who eat there every day, look like by Friday!

When I was his age, aside from having to walk to school uphill in the snow both ways, we had two choices for lunch: Cafeteria Tray or Not Cafeteria Tray.

No tough early morning decisions. No trading of entree's in the lunchroom. No permanent marker numbers on hand and face. You went to lunch. You got a tray. You ate what was on it. Lunch ended.

*sigh* Life was so simple back then.

Permanent marker removal from face tips? Anyone??
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5 comments:

agg79 said...

I'm picturing Meego as a walking Sesame Street prop (today's lunch is brought to you by the number 5)!

I hear that nail polish remover might help but I really thought the best thing to remove dirt/grime/marks was mom spit.

Beej said...

We used to get to choose between chocolate milk or regular milk. That was it.

I've never heard of this method. BARBARIC.

brandy101 said...

that market method is a bit odd.

They should be handed a laminated coupon for the lunch number they ordered; then they hand the coupon in at the lunch line.

This way, the number of entree items are locked in, but if kids want to trade coupons with their friends or what have you , then they can.

Judy said...

Nonononono - no nail polish remover on the face! Ew no! Talk about skin issues!

Cold cream - good, old fashioned, used by your mutha cold cream. Then try the nail polish remover.

Goes by the name of Anna said...

Have never experienced this manner of food selection (we don't really have cafeterias down here, or not on the same scale that you guys do at any rate), I have no constructive advice, but I can say that this whole anecdote made me giggle quite a lot.

I suppose that just letting it wear off wasn't really an option?