This Past Weekend - E507 School Lunch Lady

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Starting point is 00:00:55 just watch out for fakes and Thank you guys for your support Today's guest is that midday meal maiden She's that belly-filling bad girl between breakfast and dinner. A lunch lady, that's right, out of Cleveland, Ohio. She's been in the game more than 31 years. We're gonna learn about all of it. The lunch, the children, the lifestyle. We want to thank all of the lunch ladies, uh, that reached out and who we spoke with and we are so grateful to have one in studio today, lunch lady, Melissa Ansel. I'll sit and tell you our stories. Shine on me.

Starting point is 00:01:50 And I will find a song I've been singing. I love this. Lunch Lady Melissa, how are you? I'm doing great. Yeah. Yeah. You feel good? Oh yeah.

Starting point is 00:02:09 I flew for the first time today. So did you really? Yes. I've never flown in my life and I said I'd never get on a plane. So thank you. And you changed it all up. I changed it all up in the last couple of days. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:02:22 I've been feeling I'm going to pee a lot, but that's all. Really? Yeah. Cause I'm nervous. Oh, nerves you think? Yeah, just nerves. I didn't know if you meant like because of the altitude or something. Oh, no, no, just because I was nervous because I was doing something. So. Oh yeah? Wow. Really?

Starting point is 00:02:33 So it's been a while. A while. I've never flew. What's the highest you've ever been up then on a building or something, on a slide? Oh yeah, maybe a slide or, you know, roller coaster or something. Gosh. I know, right? And was it nerve wr maybe a slide or, you know, rollercoaster or something. Gosh.

Starting point is 00:02:47 I know right? And was it nerve wracking? Like, you know, it wasn't as bad, I guess, as what I thought. But, uh, yeah, you know, I had to take a pill, just calm myself down. Oh yeah. I've popped a couple of pills just to get through a tough episode of cops before. Well, you know, I mean, this is true. You know?

Starting point is 00:03:11 But thank you for coming in. Thank you so much. This was awesome. Thank you for having me. Yeah, you're very welcome. And yeah, we just, you know, everybody has had lunch ladies in their lives. Oh yeah. You know, I mean, a lot of children really, it goes from like breastfed to bottle fed,

Starting point is 00:03:26 to being fed by a woman like, kind of vaguely covered in plastic, you know? Right. And so it's kind of like, you know, it's almost mom's third breast in a way. It's like, you're that next liaison to sustenance for a child, you know? True, true. How did you get into the game? How did you get into it? in a way it's like you're that next liaison to sustenance for a child.

Starting point is 00:03:45 True, true. How did you get into the game? How did you get into it? Well, you know, I mean, I kind of fell into it, you know, I graduated, got pregnant, needed a job and there I was. And then it worked out really good. Yeah. Okay. So let's just go back. So you graduated from what? I graduated from high school. Okay. You graduated from high school back. So you graduated from what? I graduated from high school.

Starting point is 00:04:05 Okay. You graduated from high school and where are you? What part of the nation are you in? Oh, I'm in from Cleveland, Ohio. Okay. You're from Ohio and you graduate from high school and then you get knocked up by a man. Sure. You know, and, uh, then I didn't really want the man that much.

Starting point is 00:04:23 So then I moved out. Oh, you moved out. So you separated, but how did that, so how do you go from there? How does somebody go from getting knocked up by a guy? I kind of wanted to, uh, you know, feed and children, I guess actually. Well, you know, I fell into the job, but when I started to do it, I was like, I really like it. And I had, and my son, then he started going to school there.

Starting point is 00:04:44 You know, so he got to to school there. You know? So he got to stay when I was off, he was off. So it was so much easier to follow with him, you know? Oh, that's kind of perfect, huh? Oh, it was perfect. Oh yeah. That was awesome. So we would have the summers off if I wanted to,

Starting point is 00:04:59 or whenever on holidays, I didn't have to look for a babysitter. Oh, that's pretty magical, huh? Yeah. And how did you actually, who holidays, I didn't have to look for a babysitter. You know, that's pretty magical. Yeah. And how did you actually, who got you the job there? Um, oh, I just went down to, I went down to the board of education, looked around and got some jobs and then I just slowly like moved up because I've been there so long, you know, Oh, they move you.

Starting point is 00:05:18 So there's different, is there different? Yeah, there's kind of like different positions. Like you'd start out like the really kind of lunch lady, then you like move up to the general prep, then the cook, then the manager, things like that. Okay. Okay, so you're in Cleveland. You have a child.

Starting point is 00:05:36 Now you start lunch ladying at the school where your child is. And so take me through like a typical shift of a lunch lady. Like they get there, do you walk to school? Do you, do you guys carpool? How does it work? Well, I mean, I didn't have a car for a minute. So when I don't have a car, I would walk or sometimes somebody picked me up. But I mean, I have a car now and we're actually in the, we're transitioning there. They tore my school

Starting point is 00:06:02 down. So I'm over at a swing site. So it's a little bit further, not too much further. And I drive there and back. But once I get the other one, really, I can kind of walk down there if I had to. Oh, nice. So it's been perfect since I also have anxiety. I don't drive as much. Driving's hard, huh? I don't like the other people driving. If they could just stay away from me when I'm on the road, I'd be cool. the other people drive. If they could just stay away from me when I'm on the road, I'd be cool.

Starting point is 00:06:31 Well, yeah. I mean, here's my thing. I've met a lot of people, right? Something's wrong with them. So all driving is, is those people are in cars now. Right. Right. So it's not like they've changed suddenly because they're in a vehicle. Something's still wrong with them. I said, just because I'm nervous and don't drive a lot like that, so them guys, phew. And I live in the lower Cleveland, so let me just say, some of the drivers aren't even supposed to be in those cars. Oh yeah?

Starting point is 00:06:54 Yeah, because they stole them. Oh. Yeah, I guess so. Well, about 15 years ago, I did wake up one morning and my car got stolen out of my driveway, and I was like, dude, where's my car?

Starting point is 00:07:06 And it really wasn't there. But they never found it. Oh yeah. So they must've, yeah, they probably took parts off it and had a good time with it. But I was violated. What kind of car was it? It was old Cutlass. Oh yeah.

Starting point is 00:07:20 Yeah. They wanted to batten the, you know, how those doors slam good and stuff. Yeah. And look, let's say there's definitely brothers love a Cutlass. Ah, somebody was loving it. Yeah. Yes, people's love a Cutlass. My dad had a Delta 88 and he had a, um, and he also had a Cutlass. Bring that up. Bring up a Cutlass. Let's see the one that got stolen here from lunch lady, Melissa. Do you know what year model it was, Melissa?

Starting point is 00:07:46 Oh goodness, I don't really remember that much. But just ballpark it like 1940, 1990? No, like 1990. It kinda looked like that white one over there. Yeah. Yeah, kinda like, but the doors just shot good and everything, but I didn't protect it. Should have put the club or something on the wheel. You know, I got the club on it right now. Am I a beater in the driveway right now? Heck yeah. Yeah. My mom puts it

Starting point is 00:08:15 on all the time. Oh, I'm, I'm, yeah, I put it on. I don't care. Cause now that they took it away from me, I'm like, Oh, is it If they can get past all those, they can have it. You've earned it. Yeah, you earned it. Take it. Go ahead. Okay. So take me through a typical shift at work. You show up at what time do you get over there? I get there at seven 30. Okay. And you know, I, we turn on all the warmers oven, all that stuff, you know, start putting everything out, make hot breakfast. Yeah, to breakfast. Yeah, we do a hot breakfast and we also do a breakfast cart so they could choose.

Starting point is 00:08:52 So like, you know, if I have a pancake with a sausage in it, they could choose a hot, you know, their juice and milk, or they can go over to the cart and I have like muffins, blueberry muffins, lemon bread, cereal. Maybe apple. Oh, all the time, fruits and stuff. Yeah. Yeah. This new guy stepping it up with the fruit now. Oh yeah, they're really-

Starting point is 00:09:13 Oh yeah, we got a new man in charge of food service. And yeah, some of the kids didn't even know what a kiwi and stuff was, but they do now. Oh wow. Yeah, it was interesting. The other day I would cut them all up and I'm like, oh I ain't gotta worry about it, you know? And then I come over and look and the kid's like, Miss Melissa, I ate the whole kiwi. And I'm like, what, why'd you eat that fuzz?

Starting point is 00:09:33 And I was like, oh I didn't know you guys didn't know that. So yeah, it's crazy. Yeah, I think, yeah the first time you get that kiwi, you don't know how much to have or how much not to have, you know? Well, I know I wouldn't eat that outside, though. I don't know that. I think it depends on what you're into. Well, yeah, that's true.

Starting point is 00:09:55 I mean, it's a fuzzy feeling. Well, some people like a little bit of, you know, yeah, they like a different environment. I get it. Yeah. OK, so you get in there, you got the warmers on. Do you have a team? Do you guys have a team meeting or something? Well, no, I'm like, I'm the manager or whatever.

Starting point is 00:10:12 Me and Shayla Kruseman, that's my lady that cooks and such. We come in together and we do most of the work. And that's breakfast work? Breakfast, everything. So breakfast comes, some of the kids come. How much percent of the children come to get breakfast? Oh, like 460. I'd say we have 600, we feed a day.

Starting point is 00:10:31 So we could do about 460 breakfast. So a lot of them eat. Yeah. A lot of them eat, yeah. Yeah, we would get to school for breakfast if we got there in enough time. Sometimes our bus, if it were like six minutes late. No, we have to stay open.

Starting point is 00:10:44 If their buses are late, yeah, all that stuff. So No, we have to stay open for if their buses are late. Yeah, all that stuff. So yeah, we don't close up. We pretty much, kids come in sometimes at like one in the afternoon. Ms. Moseley, can I get breakfast? I mean, they're eating in two minutes, but sure, here's your breakfast and your lunch.

Starting point is 00:10:58 Ah! Yeah, they don't even care. I know, they don't care. They don't know. As long as they eat. Yeah. That's how they are. OK, so you guys got the breakfast done, you shut it down. How do you start to transition to lunch? Is there an opportunity if people want to smoke between lunch and break? Like what is that? Like you guys get a little break or anything? Do a video game on your phone or something?

Starting point is 00:11:20 Well, I mean, we're really busy. So it all depends on what we're making that day. Cause if it's something like hard, like for breakfast, we have to do all that. If it's just like a pancake, we just heat it up or something. That's real easy. Right. You know what I mean? So you got more time, but if it's something that I'm making sausage, egg, cheese, I have to put it all on one, wrap it.

Starting point is 00:11:42 Oh, no, we're swinging right in, you know, as the kids are coming through, we're still, hey, you know, still working. So breakfast, lunch, whatever. That's what I said. And like, when I do the turnover, it's people are like, wow, I'm like, if you move the color, we're turning over. Breakfast is over. So really is there a hard line where it's just like breakfast is done?

Starting point is 00:12:03 Well, I say that, but I'm lying. Cause because whenever they come in I also fill in breakfasts even if they came in later. So I always just tease. But still you kind of draw a line in the same way. Well there should be a line yeah to at least a limit because I'm about to serve lunch pretty soon. I'll tell them you know come on now. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:12:19 But like I said we're here to feed them so. And is there like a little bit of a game plan before lunch? How do you know what lunch y'all are going to serve? Does it come down like a like a little bit of a game plan before lunch? How do you know what lunch y'all gonna serve? Does it come down like from like a. I have a menu. Superior like on a when does it and it comes like this is what we're serving today? I have a menu and then I order from the menu for the week. Okay. So like. And so it's like. What do you mean? Like you have a menu. Well they say on the menu okay say it's a chicken bowl. So I know I'm going to order that. So for five days, I order and I'll order everything for that and everything for the salads we're going to make

Starting point is 00:12:50 for that same day. Oh, so all the items that go into those things. Yes. Because we have a couple different things you choose from. Oh. So, and just make sure you have enough lunches. Because man, when you run out, boy, those kids are ready to get you and don't run out on pizza day. Oh man. I was messing around once and I, you know, I was talking to the kids too much and I started burning something like that very well, but yeah, if you run out on pizza day, I remember, well, we went through a couple different types of pizza.

Starting point is 00:13:23 I remember, I remember there was this round, can you bring up the different school pizzas that were served? There was a round pizza that had a great crust on it. I remember it was really great. And people would like see each other and be like, Hey, that crust is great. And people will be like, yeah. And then, then we got to this other square pizza. And I was like, this ain't even barely pizza, dude. And that one, people didn't really like it as much. And the cheese, I think, tasted different to me. But yeah, let's look at a couple of these.

Starting point is 00:13:59 That's one right there. I've definitely had that one, the one you have the cursor on down right there. Well, we have like the one you got the cursor on, that's like our breakfast pizza. Oh, that's right. We serve that now for breakfast. The breakfast pizza was pretty good.

Starting point is 00:14:12 They love some breakfast pizza, oh yeah. Breakfast pizza was good. We used to have a box pizza years and years ago, and I'm talking like 30 years ago, the kids used to really like, but now we're serving a stuffed crust pizza. So the kids are pretty interested, yeah. Like I said, pizza day,'re serving a stuffed crust pizza. So the kids are pretty interested. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:14:27 Like I said, pizza day, I hear a lot of compliments. I look good on pizza day. Really? Yeah. There'd be a lot of flirting and stuff on pizza day. Oh, pizza day. Everybody wants a piece of pizza. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:14:37 Yeah. Everybody wants a piece of that thing, baby. So pizza is the big thing, right? That's the thing everybody loves the most. That's what they love. Well, yeah, there's a couple different things, but following the menu. Yeah, so following the menu, you guys,

Starting point is 00:14:52 you have your week of menu. It's already set up in advance. So before the previous weekend, you got the whole week lined up the next week. Right, because I order right a week ahead. Okay. So I kind of have it lined up, but things can happen, so it's subject to change.

Starting point is 00:15:04 Really? Oh yeah, especially in 2020, you know, when all that shortage, I mean, whatever they gave me was what they were because, you know, they, it was constant. Nope. We don't have that no more. Nope. There's were shorts of this. Nope. We don't have, I'm like, Oh my gosh, what do we feed these kids? I'm about to go to the grocery store. I need a food stamp card. Yeah, you gotta do something. You know, I was like, man, these kids need to eat. Yeah. Yeah, it gets crazy sometimes, but... You're getting the lunches out to them. You got a plan. Does the government tell you what the children have to eat? Or you can make it whatever? No, the government kind of tells you what the kids need to have, like,

Starting point is 00:15:44 how many servings of legumes, you know what I mean? There have to be certain things. Legumes or whatever? Yeah, like, you know, you have to have beans on there a certain amount of times, you know? Yeah. So yeah, they kind of tell you, but we flip it around on different things, you know what I mean?

Starting point is 00:16:01 If I'm assured of that, they're getting that. Right. So it is what it is. As long as they eat, I'm happy. Yeah, that's my attitude too. I can't believe children have a choice where you're at in some of their meals. Oh, well, this is started this year. Um, like I said, this guy, we make a chicken salad, chef's salad, and they love the PB and J still.

Starting point is 00:16:20 You may give them a, you know, just a cold lunch and then whatever we're making for hot. So they pick between whichever one they want And are there days where there's a real specialty item? What's one of the spec like is there a time of year where something like maybe some Like a Bison meat or something or something unique, you know something rare will come across that you guys give to the kids. Or like, um, I guess, like, is there a time of year when y'all get the kids get something

Starting point is 00:16:50 really rare kind of? No. Um, the, the thing is like, there's, the kids are so like picky and there's so many that can't have this, that they don't really go into anything odd with that. You know what I mean? Right. So no, She kind of I mean? Right. So, no. She's gotta stick to the guns. Kinda, yes, just right to it, yeah.

Starting point is 00:17:09 There's like not a lot of pork on the menu, cause kids don't, there's so much, how do you say that? Religions and different things that they don't eat this, they don't eat that, so you have to watch. Okay. And you know, we're a bilingual school too, we have like so many different backgrounds. Oh damn.

Starting point is 00:17:28 So yeah, some kids don't even speak English. So. Really? Yeah. All my ladies that work with me are Spanish. Oh yeah? Yeah. It's cool though.

Starting point is 00:17:36 I start, you know, acting like I'm high blowing, you know? I'm like, oh, I got this. So I learned a couple of little words and then I know what they want. Yeah. I'm like, oh, I got it. Don't worry a couple of little words and then I know what they want. I'm like, Oh, I got it. Don't worry. She wants a latchet. It excites me. Oh yeah.

Starting point is 00:17:53 It does feel good whenever somebody's speaking Spanish and you, and you, and you get it. Yeah, you get it. Yeah. Oh yeah. That's a great feeling. It's really cool. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:18:02 So I'm trying to teach them some English. Yeah. You know, cause I'm like, you just brought me that and I didn't ask for that. I asked for ketchup. Would you bring me a spoon for it? Yeah. A lot of people are just don't know the difference between, um, yeah. Condiments, silverware people. A lot of people get scared. They had an emu the other day that died and had a bird, had a, ate a woman's car keys somewhere. Yeah. So people will eat anything. I feel, um, can you bring that up? You see it.

Starting point is 00:18:32 Let me know if you can find that. Um, is there a lot of lesbianism like in the, in the cafeteria culture? I feel like we had a lot of, uh, that was that crazy. We had a lot of, uh, that was a good one. Was that crazy? We had a lot of, uh, female in, not inbreeding or whatever, but like in breading, I guess, basically, because it's like, let's just say there's a little bit of everything. Okay. Okay. We're going to say there's a little bit of everything.

Starting point is 00:18:55 We had a lot of, uh, women love or whatever they called it back in the day in, um, in the cafeteria. You would see that a lot of people, some of them, their husbands had been mean to them and then they would fall in love after that. So it's like male induced lesbian. Right, right. I get it. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:19:16 He did me wrong. I'm never being with a man again. But I'll be with this gal, you know, and make her, I'll be with this gal and you know? Right, that looks like what? And make her, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'll be with this gal and make her wear his old clothes. That's right, that's right. That's weird. That's weird, yeah. You're like, hey, yeah. We all got a couple of, you know, weird things, you know?

Starting point is 00:19:32 Um, a beloved ostrich at the Topeka Zoo and Conservation Center in Kansas has died after swallowing a staff member's keys. God. What? That's crazy. Oh, and you know they were probably looking for the keys for a while too. I feel so bad. And they're like, where are the keys? And. What? That's crazy. Oh, and you know, they were probably looking for the keys for a while too.

Starting point is 00:19:46 I feel so bad. And they're like, where are the keys? And the ostrich is just like. I'd be like, you poor ostrich, oh, he ate my keys, he's dead. The ostrich is just over there like. Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha They're like, where's, I know right. Where's those keys in? I don't know. Oh, there was just an ostrich standing behind me. Nobody else was following me.

Starting point is 00:20:08 And the ostrich is just, the ostrich is just leaning on a, on like a, on a, on a cage door. He's like. Different times. Right. We got that right. The zoo announced in a social media post Friday that the five-year-old ostrich in Karen had reached beyond her exhibits fence

Starting point is 00:20:29 and grabbed and swallowed the employees' keys. Staff consulted with experts around the US to undergo surgical and nonsurgical efforts to minimize the impact of the keys. Unfortunately, these efforts were unsuccessful. You couldn't pass the key then. Yeah, I guess you couldn't. And I guess if, if you like to

Starting point is 00:20:45 hum like an ostrich, it was just, you can't get enough power in there to really get them to blast out. God, that's pretty sad. I'm sorry. Hey, serve it up. You got there right. Cause I sure serve. Hey, look, if the kids will eat it, serve it up. If you'd right. Cause I sure serve. Hey, look, if the kids will eat it, serve it up. That's right. If you'd have told me when I was a child that a cut of ostrich had come through, I think there's some kids would have gone in and tried it, but, but I guess overall children don't like trying a lot of new stuff. No, they're so picky.

Starting point is 00:21:19 I mean, back in the day, I think they ate more now. It's like, you know, can I, where's my hand? I'm like, I didn't have that today, you know? Yeah, kids are picky. And mostly I remember they, we would always sometimes get a McNugget, which was pretty good. They liked the nuggets.

Starting point is 00:21:34 Yeah. They still like them, huh? Oh, they love the chicken. Oh yeah. Chicken hodge. And what else would we get that was really good. The pizza I enjoyed, I really did like the pizza till they switched it to that square pizza with no real

Starting point is 00:21:46 Crust on it and it just made me just so angry at everybody What else that straw in the milk bag they used to have they still had that it was like a bag of milk No, they don't they don't do the bags no more. No Actually, we don't even do straws no more. Really? Yeah, he took away the straws and stuff for, I guess we're going to, you know, save it. How do you get the milk out of it into your body? Well, I mean, you know what? I thought there'd be more problems, but they take that carton and just open it up and drink it.

Starting point is 00:22:15 Oh. And so I haven't had too much of a problem, but when it first started, I kind of did think, wow, there's going to be a lot of you. To my amazement, no. They just figured like, oh. They just figured it out. Yeah. For 31 years, they've been like, just figured it out for 31 years. They've been popping in straw in there, you know, they clogs my sink.

Starting point is 00:22:30 You know, we, we washed the tables, put it down the sink and all those straws go in there. We pop it out and all these straws. It says yellow straws. Okay. So this, uh, so you guys got the food out to the children. The children start to come in through the line, right? Now do you guys, we had BDLD would come in first.

Starting point is 00:22:53 I don't know if they still have it. Behavior disabled, learning disabled, would come in first or last for lunch. Do you guys still do that? Everybody's just mixed in. Everybody's mixed. Okay. Comes in.

Starting point is 00:23:03 So, so you get the children start coming in and what are you, where are you at? Are you stationed at a certain point? Like what kind of offense are y'all running? Well, I mean, we could, I should be down there like Mark and stuff, but I'm the fastest one with serving and stuff. So most of the time I'm the server. You're on the line. Yeah. I like to be on the line because I know how fast I could go. Even if I drop stuff, you know, I just keep on going. Oh, you know, just keep on going. Just like your lunch lady, Annie. Yeah. You know about her. Yeah. I watched you. And then I was laughing because I had carpal tunnel surgery last year and I was doing the same thing. And we laugh. We watch that because I kept throwing stuff. I'm like, keep going. My hand, my finger, be getting all stuck.

Starting point is 00:23:45 And the kids are like, what are you doing? I'm like this. She would do this in her sleep. In her sleep she would be doing this. I bet. You know what actually happened to her? Well, we had a couple of good lunch ladies. We had this one lady we had named Sarge actually.

Starting point is 00:24:02 And she was, I think, she loved ladies, I'll say that. And she had all these pictures of her dogs on her all the time and she'd always be like, oh, well, I got so many dogs. And she would just have all these little buttons and pictures of all these dogs. And then she'd have a bucket, she'd keep all this, some of the extra stuff for her dogs

Starting point is 00:24:26 and you know, she's like, I'm gonna feed my puppies today. Okay. You're like, all right. All right, you can have it, it's fine. She'd have so many, sometimes she'd have like missing animals. As long as you feed me, you can have it. You can feed whatever you want, lady.

Starting point is 00:24:41 As long as you feed the fourth grade, you can feed whatever you want. But she would sometimes have like a wanted post, like a missing, she would sometimes have like a missing poster on her for a dog that had gotten lost or whatever. And she's like, have y'all seen Betty or whatever? She would ask us.

Starting point is 00:24:55 And then who else did we have? We had, oh, we had Patty, this lady one time, and she would open up the biggest cans of peas, man. I mean, cans, you couldn't even knew that they had a can that big. Oh, I didn't see, when I first started opening those big cans too, I was like, whoa, look at all those peas. Yeah. Wow.

Starting point is 00:25:13 And one of the, yeah. I was amazed. Yeah. And one of the janitors would always come through and be like, nice cans, Patty. And he was just a pervert, but still. We all like to joke around every once in a while. It is what it is.

Starting point is 00:25:28 It is what it is. And she was pretty good. We had another, oh yeah, we had this other lady, Ms. Moncrieff. She'd always be like, make sure to get your spedagetti. That's what she called it. Your spedagetti. Get your spedagetti. That's what she called it. Your spedagetti. Get your spedagetti. So she would yell at us.

Starting point is 00:25:51 That's funny. She'd be like, get your spedagetti. And instead of saying cake, she would say like, this is crazy, but she would kind of say like, ca, like caq. So she'd be like, and get you a cut of coconut caq over there. See, I think we all have to be a little nut, you know, to be over there so long around everybody. You know, most think I am a little off, but it's okay because I've accepted that.

Starting point is 00:26:13 You know, a long time ago. Get you a Spatagetti, get you a coconut cack. Yeah, she was bananas, dude. But she was sweet and then we had Annie and Annie, Miss Annie lived across the street from us and she, um, was always like the carrot cop. She'd come over and like be like, eat your carrots, you know? And then she got, um, murdered actually. Yeah. By her son. But, um, was a great neighbor before that and great kitchen. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:26:48 Great lady. And she had been resuscitated a few times. They kept her on staff. She was, there wasn't a lot left of her, you know, by the, by the last, you know, couple months, some people look on crawling out after a while. As long as this part of them works, it's like, you know what my lady says laughs. Cause like I said, last year we forgot the surgery.

Starting point is 00:27:12 I was, I was like constantly and I'm like, and Oh, don't worry. I mean, by the time they have cleaned up cause I threw chicken balls across the room. Everybody was like, Hey, you know what? My hands are messed laughing. That's hilarious. And I'm like, hey, you know what? My hands are messed up. It's okay. Because as you go faster, you don't realize. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:27:32 Sometimes you're just like, boom, boom, boom. Things are just starting to move. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's almost like you're one of those blackjack dealers. Yeah, I do. I feel like it. I'm like, what do you want? What do you want, kid?

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Starting point is 00:30:10 or dial pound law, pound five two nine from your cell. This is a paid advertisement. Okay, so you got the kids coming through the line. How does that, what's the energy there as they start to come through? Are you usually, is that exciting moment for the lunch ladies ladies or is that kind of like, uh, you know now we gotta work It depends who you are. I'm gonna say it like that like, you know a lot of I Say it. I think the younger gender new generation stuff. They're a little bit more slow and late

Starting point is 00:30:40 You know, it is kind of like but I get them pumped. We're like, we're like, let's go. You're like hot diggity dog. And, and, and we got little ones that come through the line and I go, what do you say? And she's like, if you touch it, you take it. I'm like, you got it girl. So, so no, we kind of boost them and get them laughing. I like to wear like, I play around with them, like put different wigs on. Oh yeah.

Starting point is 00:31:02 You know, I like to switch it up and I don't wear a lot of makeup most time. So I put makeup on and all of them be like, Whoa, you know, just, just make it different. I mean, we like to try to do something different just so the kids are like, wow, you know, it's a lot of fun to play with them, especially the little ones, cause they're fun. They are like what age are still kids really enjoyable at? I'm gonna say the little ones up to, I don't know, about 10 before they start getting a little mouthy and then they wanna do their own thing. Then there are some of them are like too cool for me.

Starting point is 00:31:34 They've been in school for like ever and now they're too cool for me. They hugged me every day when they were little. Yeah. And now they're like, I'm almost, almost, almost. You know what I'm like, okay. But I live in the neighborhood so I see them all. Oh, so you see a lot of them. I see a lot of them, yeah. gonna miss, I'm gonna miss, you know what I'm like, okay. But I live in the neighborhood, so I see them all. I see a lot of them, yeah.

Starting point is 00:31:47 And do a lot of the children when they come through, so they're pretty excited, and then you only have one person on y'all's line, or how many people's on y'all's line? Well, I do it either by myself, or somebody will help me sometimes if it's something really a big meal. And because most of the kids,

Starting point is 00:32:02 some of the items they pick off the line themselves, they don't have to actually be handed. Yeah, the fruit, the vegetable stuff we do on the other side and they can pick all that up theirself. I do like the main hot food. Okay. For them, you know, and we can be asking what they want. And so those are items like what?

Starting point is 00:32:17 Spaghetti. What else? We have pasta and meatballs. We have a chicken bowl where they have the mashed potatoes, the chicken, corn. Okay. Like a chicken pot pie. Yeah, we started, we have a, like a Polish girl now it's like a, a, a turkey sausage kind of thing.

Starting point is 00:32:33 And you put the sweet potato fries and some slaw and some barbecue sauce on this sucker. It's good. I like it that day. Yeah. So I'm saying, I mean, I've been eating the food all these years, but I think they're getting better. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:32:47 They're getting a lot better. Cause when I first started, we, we just heated up microwave dinners. I'll tell you. Really? Oh yeah. We heated them up in the thing. You couldn't, um, cook food that was open.

Starting point is 00:32:58 So it looked like you cook like five fries, like the fries are all stuck in the bottom. And I mean, the quality, like I said, and then you make a hamburger with the bun already on it and heat it up in a plastic. What is it? You know? So now we're doing like, we'll do the burger and we cook it and really cook it. And the fries go in the oven and they get crispy, you know?

Starting point is 00:33:21 So yeah, I, like I said, I've seen a big change. Really? And how long has that change period been over? You think? Well, it's been about, I'm going to say about eight years of them slowly changing it, but this year has been the top because like the kids get a cantaloupe, watermelon, whatever that I cut it up. And we get them like going to Hawaii or something.

Starting point is 00:33:44 Oh man, the big kids, I have to slow them down. I'm like, man, that's too many portions. Cause I mean, they'll take the whole thing, you know? But yeah, they probably didn't get all that good food. And now we get tangerines instead of oranges, which is really cool. Cause you get those little cuties, you can peel those in a second. So I don't even have to cut up those oranges. I know.

Starting point is 00:34:04 Those cuties, it's almost like having a. So I don't even have to cut up those. Or just no. I know. Those cuties, it's almost like having a little date almost. Oh man, they are. But I have to stop, the kids like them so much that they're in their pockets. They gotta remember, my how many cuties you got? No. No.

Starting point is 00:34:16 No. Yeah, they don't care. Okay, so you got the line, y'all got it going pretty good. What types of ages are coming through your line or have come through your line over the years? Because how many how many years have you been in the game? 31 years Wow, you're like Glover Toshera

Starting point is 00:34:35 He's a famous UFC fighter you were like, yeah, he's beloved and been in it for a while That's him right there. But he is a very sweet man who has stood the test of time in his industry. Okay, so what kind of kids are coming through the line there? And what's some of the interaction like with them? Well, like the preschool and it's like, come here baby. They come first? Yes.

Starting point is 00:35:00 Okay, so the littlest kids come first. The littlest kids come first. Oh wow. Yeah, we get the little ones and then we move on up. And at the last period is sixth, seventh, eighth. Those are the big ones. Yeah. So we start out with these babies, you know, and you know, they're all cute little babies.

Starting point is 00:35:15 Then we go to these big, huge kids, which I don't know what they're feeding them anymore because, you know, they're- They're getting big? Yeah. Yeah. I got some big boys. Miss Melissa hooked me up and I'm like, okay, you know. Yeah. But yeah. Good. I got some big boys. Miss Melissa hooked me up and I'm like, okay. You know, but yeah,

Starting point is 00:35:30 we start out, but the little ones there, they come anywhere from four years old and I think to about 14. Unless they, unless they, you know, failed a bunch of times and then they might be a little older. I mean, you know, we had a guy. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah start to see that mustache. How many times he been here? Yeah. Yeah. He finally comes through one of you just hand him a, um, uh, a, uh, what's it thing you fill out to work when you want to work somewhere? Yeah. You just hand him a work application. Oh yeah. Right. Right. You might as well. You could be, you know, 18 in a minute.

Starting point is 00:35:59 That happens a lot. Um, so what, yeah, what are some of the kid kiddos that have come through some of the little buck-a-roodies that have come through there? Like any unique, like anybody bringing anything with, like any stories they bring with them or what's going on with the kiddos? Well, I mean, I, there are so many kids, I see them everywhere now. Like the lady that's at the pharmacy, she's a pharmacist. She was one of my kids. I go to restaurants. We go on a canoe ride and I started laughing. I wasn't nowhere near Cleveland and they're like, Ms. Melissa.

Starting point is 00:36:29 And we, everywhere I go, I run into some, I mean, that's a lot of years and they're grown. Wow. So they'll look at me and I'm like, giving them my money and they're like, are you Ms. Melissa? I'm like, yeah. Be like, I was like, you were one of my kids.

Starting point is 00:36:44 You know? Oh, that's cool. But was like you were running my kids. You know? Oh, that's cool. But it's cool. Yeah. Yeah? Yeah, there's a connection. Well, especially because you're feeding the children. You know, there's always a connection with somebody that's feeding you.

Starting point is 00:36:53 I'm nice to the kids too, yeah. And I'm funny and, you know. They like being around you like so? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. And does some of the kids ever bring anything with them? Do they ever like, what they like, what do? Well, we had some come through the line and one had a snake in his book bag.

Starting point is 00:37:12 Really? And the little girl brought her cat in the book bag. Yeah, they, you never know what they're going to bring. They brought a cat? But we have security that checks their bags. So I bet they've seen some more stuff. Yeah. Like is that cat meowing? I mean that book bag meowing over there

Starting point is 00:37:27 Is that the new style? Did she press a button? Then when she come through the line asked me for cat food I was like why I don't serve that But what did they ask you to do just put something in their bag for the cat? Like how'd you know? No, I know I just they heard him and stuff and then get them guys You know, like I said, they have to come through the detector. Oh, they have a metal detector. Oh yeah, we got metal detectors.

Starting point is 00:37:49 Oh, so you're in the trenches over there. Oh, I'm in the lower, lower West Side. Wow. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Y'all are in there, wow. Oh yeah. Okay, so you have some children who will bring a cat

Starting point is 00:38:01 or even a snake through. And do you think it's just because they don't want to be alone from their pet or they just probably just want to see their pets and stuff like that. Their parents probably didn't even know they snuck them out half the time. You know what I mean? So, I mean, if they could, sometimes the kids would bled a dog in if they could, if so we could run around. Yeah. I'm like, you know who your life do people have to tell you that your laugh reminds me of, um,

Starting point is 00:38:29 do they have the lady from the Adam Sandler thing? If you can find it a little bit, yours is way more charming. I made him extra sloppy, Marge. I know how you feel. I never thought of you. Lady, you're scaring us. I just sound like her. to. But, is it tough to see some of the kids like grow and get in leave sometimes? Or there's some kids you're like, man, that kid's getting like, we really wish they could stay.

Starting point is 00:39:10 Yeah, I like wonder what happened to some of them that you really liked, that you don't see that much no more. And some you see and well, they were not really doing as well because I'm there in the neighborhood. But I see so much bad good, you know, and then I love it when they come back and they're like, oh, I just got in college or I'm doing this or I'm about to go to nursing school or I did. Then I'm very excited that, you know, because where we're at. So like my son, he couldn't wait to get out of Cleveland. He got married and just moved away.

Starting point is 00:39:47 He was gone. He was gone as soon as he left. And then I had to get a dog and name Mo because he was named Joe. I lost him. Yeah. Oh, you got to get a dog that rhymes with your son. Right. So I replaced him with my dog, Mo.

Starting point is 00:40:01 That's fair. Yeah. And where did you, um, is there a lot of like dating, like do a lot of janitors come by the lunch area trying to holler and trying to like, because that's what I felt like when I was a kid, sometimes you would see some of the janitors over there trying to, you know, just like spend a little bit extra time

Starting point is 00:40:22 or something like that. Mine's real cool. They only got one janitor? Yeah, sort of. I mean, because while they say they're custodians, they don't like to be called a janitor. Oh yeah, sorry. Cause anyway, yeah, I respect both of them. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:40:36 It's just, um, yeah, yeah. Do the, the last one was a lady and me and her was real good friends and she owned a lake house and I used to go with her all the time down there to New York so that was awesome and my other one he just left yeah I hang out with all the people that are retired too that just left so yeah I've worked with them for so long it's like we know each other we grew up yeah family you know was it sad to see your son graduate like get out of this like was when he left your school? Yeah, I was very, yeah, because I got to keep a very close eye on him.

Starting point is 00:41:12 Then he thought he was going to get away with something, but I told him, I'll transfer. I'll follow you, boy. And he's like, no, mom, no. So he did better. But then when I would go to parent conference and I would start talking, they, the, um, teachers would look like, no wonder that's where he gets it. Listen, I'm all hyper and talking to him. I'm like, how's my kid do it? And they're like, well, well, he's great.

Starting point is 00:41:36 I guess I'm like you. Like, are we going to put you in detention? That's what I'm saying. Hey, when I first started working at school, I thought, man, did I get called to the office? I thought I was going to touch it. I was really working there. And they would call you down there?

Starting point is 00:41:50 Yeah. Just to tone it down? Yeah. I, my, my, they, she jokes all the time and says that I'm going to have to go outside if I laugh too hard. Cause during testing, you know, you're supposed to be quiet. Sometimes she's just like, I heard you miss. I'm like, sorry.

Starting point is 00:42:03 But they all like, so that's cool. Sometimes you hear a helper. So I'll be just like, ah, and that's'm like, sorry, but they all like it. So it's cool. Sometimes you hear a helper. So I'll be just like, ah, and that's all the way upstairs calling. I don't realize it goes around the school, but they know it's me. That's it. Huh? Yeah. It's like a bird almost that you hear, you know, right?

Starting point is 00:42:17 Um, do you see like at certain holidays, what's that like at school, like around Valentine's or some kids seem kind of lonely or anything. Does that ever happen? A little bit, but they give those little hearts out and they give candy and the bigger kids will give flower, you know, it's just, yeah, they make a big, and we have dances and stuff. And the dances are in the cafeteria sometimes?

Starting point is 00:42:40 Most of the cafeteria is like where we have all our dances and everything. And I'm right there. So I like to dance with the kids. Really? Oh have all our dances and everything and I'm right there So I like to dance with the kids. Really? Oh, yeah, I go and enjoy them. Yeah. Oh, well you should work for Nickelodeon Oh, man, we've had a lot of fun. Yeah They let you guys dance with the children at the dances. Sure. Oh, that's cool. Yeah I remember one time we had a guy named mr. John and his wife. I think was a teacher I don't know if she was a teacher, she just like, was like the smartest person in our area

Starting point is 00:43:09 and she would hang out at the school, but she, I got to dance with her one time at a dance. Aw. It was pretty cool, I remember. Well we had, she had, my principals were great with a lot of things that she does, and we have a mother-son dance and things like that. So I had some buddies a long time

Starting point is 00:43:25 ago and they didn't have a mom so I went to the dance room, danced with them. Oh, that's sweet. And everything. Yeah, they were my buddies because we do like a buddy breakfast thing. Oh, y'all do? So I picked them as my buddy. Yeah. Oh, just students? Yeah. So you kind of get close to some, if you see somebody and they'll say, you want to be my buddy? Yeah. And then you're kind of like their friend they They could talk to you if they're having a hard day or they hug you every day. So it's pretty cool. Oh, it's important.

Starting point is 00:43:49 Yep. And then a couple times a year we eat with them, talk about, give them a present. That's cool. Really cool, yeah. But yeah, what are some other moments like? Have you had some unique interactions? Oh, yeah.

Starting point is 00:44:03 Like Halloween, I like to dress up in different stuff. And then I run through the crowd and the little kids this year, I was, um, this blow up and it blew up big too. It was cool. So I run out and everything, but then they kept kind of squeeze me and I'm like, I'm going to pop, you know, so I'm trying to get them away, but I can't cause it keeps blowing up. So I'm trying to get them away, but I can't because it keeps blowing up. So we do funny stuff like that.

Starting point is 00:44:27 And I have a couple of times we would, I would tutor with the kids, you know, help the little ones with math or something. Like whatever she asked, like we tried to do, you know, I think we're like a mixture, you know, when they're away from their home, we could be their mom, their grandma, their whatever, they're crying. You want to go over and make sure they're all right. See what they want. You have kids that'll chase you and hug you every day.

Starting point is 00:44:55 Sometimes you got to run. Yeah. Ooh, I run sometimes I have to shut the door. I'm like, here she comes. And everybody laughs cause she's so beautiful and sweet, but she drives us crazy and she won't leave me alone. Yeah. Someone get a little bit of, uh, they get kind of just kind of, uh, they really click.

Starting point is 00:45:10 Yeah. Hug you too much. Yeah. They'll lick you even. Oh, oh yeah. You're right about that. I've seen a child just being, start licking. You're just like, what is going on with this child?

Starting point is 00:45:22 But, um, dude, my friend told me that, um, if you look at anything, anything, you're just like, what is going on with this child? But dude, my friend told me that if you look at anything, anything, you know what it would feel like on your tongue because as a kid, you licked everything and checked everything out. Probably, I'm sure, yeah. And at first I thought that was crazy, but then if I look at anything. You're probably thinking, if I lick that.

Starting point is 00:45:41 He said, cause when you're a kid, you just put everything in your mouth, you don't even think about it. True, true. And you develop like this memory from it. Well, there's nothing I wouldn you just put everything right in your mouth You don't think about it true, and you develop like this mem this memory for there's nothing. I wouldn't try That's why I said kids don't try anything nowadays. There's nothing out. You know oh yeah Is that a chocolate grower? Is there anything you guys will make

Starting point is 00:45:57 BTS like be honest with me is there some BTS food that you guys will make at the lunch area. That's just for you guys Like you ever could brew something up just for the gang, but it's not for the students? Well... I won't tell anybody. No, no, we eat the lunches there, you know. But no, like, I can't wait, like, they're all Spanish, so I want them to bring me some rice and beans and stuff. So I want their food.

Starting point is 00:46:21 Yeah. So they bring me food all the time. And then I'm like, all right, this is how you get to your boss. Now this is good. I just had some yesterday. Yeah. They got a lot of good food, man. But yeah, I love it. So the ladies come in and they make me food. I'm like, that's the way. Oh, that's beautiful. And now when does the day kind of shut down? So after lunch, what happens? How do you guys shut it down?

Starting point is 00:46:45 Like the last person leaves and then what? After the last kids gets fed, we make sure everybody's fed. And then it's time them ladies clean up, count everything. Cause I got to count everything, like all the milk, everything, you know, gets counted for the day. Oh really? Yeah, I do paperwork and everything has a count. So, and then it's got to go on the computer and go down to them of how many kids we fed.

Starting point is 00:47:10 Um, just switching it back around, moving the coolers back for breakfast for the next day. You know, everything's goes back to, you know, it's like, um, you flip a switch. You know what I mean? We go for breakfast, lunch, lunch, breakfast, like that. And just try, I always said that. I said, see how we just did that? I said, it was like transformers. I'm like, we just transformed the kitchen, now bam!

Starting point is 00:47:32 And people come out and they'll be like, dang, Melissa, you just had breakfast, that was like lunch! Cause I'll be like, phew, throw the gun! And I'm like, we can't play. Somebody's gotta do it. We don't have time. Somebody's gotta do it.

Starting point is 00:47:42 Yeah. And I'm one of those people that are always, you know, ready to go. Yeah. Yeah, I one of those people that are always, you know, ready to go. Yeah. Yeah. I run around like a chicken with my head cut off because I'm a little nutty, you know, but it's okay. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:47:51 The more I move, you know, I just like to keep going. That's important. It is. And I'm getting old, so I have to. You gotta keep busy. Heck yeah. And what's it like, like, do you have time for dating stuff? You guys have to get up pretty early, huh?

Starting point is 00:48:03 What's the love life like of someone in the lunch industry? Oh, I've been married 30 years. Oh, you have time for dating stuff? You just have to get up pretty early. Huh? What's the love life like of a, um, someone in the lunch industry? Oh, I've been married 30 years. Oh, you have. Oh, you got married to the, not the pregnant, not the- No, no, no, not the baby dad. Yeah. I got married to somebody else. Oh, nice. Yeah. Where'd you meet your husband at? Uh, in the yard. Really? Not like a prison thing, huh? Really? Not like a prison thing, huh? No judgment. Half my family's been incarcerated. Well, yeah. I mean, he, he, yeah, he just got out. Hey, babe, you look good. Welcome back. Welcome back.

Starting point is 00:48:39 He didn't do it. Make me a breakdown. You should guys get, oh, I guess he probably is not allowed over at the school then. No, no, this was so long ago. He's, he's good now. Okay. Yeah. We won't talk about that. We'll keep that out.

Starting point is 00:48:56 Um, so that's nice then. So you got to love, you have, you have a love in your life. You have one child. That's your only child. Oh yeah. I was one and done. Yeah. Oh yeah.

Starting point is 00:49:07 What made you not want more? Well, I guess that was the whole experience. I mean, what the heck? I don't women just keep popping them out. Are they crazy? It's unreal. All that stuff we had to do. And I told that doctor or whoever I told him this was all too much for me. Then he came out with college and I'm like, what the heck? I watched kids for years and they never acted like that. Then I had my own and I'm like, everybody kept saying, you're going to have another one? I'm like, no. Yeah. Nope.

Starting point is 00:49:32 So when he was 10, I got my tube size. I said, Nope, I'm making sure. Wow. Oh yeah. That was it. Shut down the lunch line. That was it. Shut that all down.

Starting point is 00:49:40 The lunch line was over. I got 600 kids a day. I don't even need it. You know. Every now and then you got to open it up for breakfast every now and then. Well, I mean, yeah, but see, I don't have need it. You got to open it up for breakfast every now and then. I mean, yeah, but see, I don't have to have it. Yeah. That doesn't make it easy now.

Starting point is 00:49:50 Wow. Um, do kids, let me get into the financial of it. Do children pay for school lunch a little bit? A long time ago when I started, I'm going to say about 20 years ago, they did. We had X and Y tickets. We would get X was full paid and why was you got it? We launched you got a partial. Yeah, they have the full Partial and free. Oh that fool dude. I remember so I would get to school

Starting point is 00:50:14 God dude, it was the most this was like one of the skit. This was like one of the tougher things. I think when you're a kid like yeah, you would get there and See if you can bring up the, yeah, the school-owned tickets, keep looking for them. Mine looked a little bit different. Oh my goodness, those lunch cards. Keep looking to see if you find some other ones.

Starting point is 00:50:34 Oh yeah, no, right there, the red and blue, the whole mix of all of them, like the game tickets, those are the ones we had. Right there? Yeah. And so you get up to the lady, right? There'd be the lunch lady, because they didn't allow men to do it, because I don't believe men should do it.

Starting point is 00:50:46 We got a couple men in the system now. Really? We'll talk about that some other time. Times have changed, yeah. Yeah. But we would get in there and you had to go up to her and you had to tell her if you were, if you paid, you had to just buy the ticket from her.

Starting point is 00:51:01 And if you were free, you had to tell her you were free. And I was just, I always felt so embarrassing because I'd always be like another kid right behind you or in front of you. She'd always say it like, oh, I'm free. And if the bus got there early, you could get breakfast. That was the thing. If the bus, so based on how Ms. Hazel was doing

Starting point is 00:51:17 and bless her heart or whatever, she's alive or not, hopefully she's alive, but she might not be. But she was awesome. But she, sometimes she would lollygag. Sometimes she would stop or drive slow and smoke. And so we would get there a few minutes late and we would miss breakfast. Oh, and then you were just beside yourself. You didn't even, you know, cause you had to get all the way to like 11.

Starting point is 00:51:38 Right, right. That's what the right. And you would just keep going to the water fountain and just drinking as much water as you could. And I remember even one of my teachers would be like, go get you some of that breakfast water out there. Breakfast water? That's what they used to say, Ms. Smith would always say that.

Starting point is 00:51:55 But anyway, yeah, and then at lunch, I don't know if we got our tickets in advance for the week or if you had to go and do the same thing at lunch. But you would always try to sneakily say, yeah, free lunch or whatever, you know, I'll take a Y one or just something like that. Or I would try to pretend like I was giving him money. He thought I wasn't. It was like I was a magician.

Starting point is 00:52:12 Just cause I did it with other kids to see, cause you know, kids get so embarrassed. No, they do, yeah. But then once you got the ticket, yeah, and you were free to the line, usually you would get a tray or like a little carton, like a little plastic kind of little carton. And then you would go to like to the milk

Starting point is 00:52:28 or beverage area first, get that. Then you would go into the room where the actual kitchen was and you would have the line there. You would get your line items come out. And then that was it. You was free to go sit down and eat. It was awesome.

Starting point is 00:52:43 It was, yeah, that was like the best thing ever, dude. What is the funnest thing to serve to the kids? Is there something you really enjoy? I like to serve the pizza because it's one piece, huh? And everybody, yeah, everybody's picky, so they don't want gravy, so I'm on gravy, you know, it's like. Yeah. And now they're like, allowed to pick what they want.

Starting point is 00:53:12 Yeah. We used to give them all of it, so. Oh, they used to, yeah, that's crazy, you get to pick what you want. We would have to get whatever. Sometimes they give you a bunch of junk, you're like, some of this, it wasn't even, I don't even think some of it was food or whatever,

Starting point is 00:53:23 and you would just have to take it back to your table, you know. Oh, yeah, I seen so much waste back in the day We'd have the like a bean burrito all these kids would just You know what I mean? Just throw it away. Just throw it away. You just cooked all those just a bit be in the garbage The apple I feel like would always get thrown away Yeah, yeah, you would be like, I don't know if I'm eating this. Yeah, you know Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We'll be cutting 10 water and we'll be cutting those watermelon. And what type of cutter are you using back there? Do you guys have a sanction knife that you have to use or something? We have a couple of knives. Yeah, like that. We got a couple of knives we use for those, which we just started to share. Sometimes it was hard. Especially with my hands hurting all the time.

Starting point is 00:54:18 I was like, man, these watermelons, it's crazy. But then we got this one that you put like the orange or the apple thing and you could go, shh. Oh, really? It's fancy. I then we got this one that you put like the order the apple thing and you could go. Oh Really? I like that one. Yeah Yeah, I guess you if you get that faint that fancy ones really nice I'm trying to think of what we had. Oh, they would do baked potatoes. Y'all still do those sometimes No, we haven't did a baked potato for a long time. But I remember a long time ago We did have a baked potato. They seemed like it. Yeah, it

Starting point is 00:54:46 was nice because they had like sour cream with it and get you a little bit of bacon bit or whatever because they didn't let you use bacon bits in our community if you was a child first of all. Oh yeah, yeah, that was an adult thing. So then they get to school when you pull up and they got a damn you got access to bacon bits. Yeah! Let's ride. Hey, they're excited. Now we give croutons. Oh, is that a big thing for the kids now? Yeah, we never gave croutons with a solid. We're poor over there. Yeah. We give croutons. We're cool.

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Starting point is 00:56:44 Is pornography causing a problem in your life That's a good question. It's a real question. It has in mind It has at certain periods in my life Watching porno and everything and watching porno was making me it was ruining my life It's ruining my life man. Made me feel just so much shame. That's what it did in my life. It was ruining my life, man. Made me feel just so much shame. That's what it did. Well, watching pornography has become commonplace today, and oftentimes men will use porno to numb the pain of loneliness, boredom, anxiety, and depression. That's why I want to introduce you to my friend, Stephen Wolt. Steve is the founder of Valor Recovery. He is a dear friend of mine.

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Starting point is 00:58:03 email them at admin at valorrecoverycoaching.com or email them at admin at valor recovery coaching.com. The links will be on the YouTube. And again, there's no commitment when you reach out to them. But I promise you, only something positive will come from you reaching out and figuring out if what type of help, if any, could benefit you. Thank you. Yeah, man, that was so much fun, man. Going to lunch, it was just like a, it was kind of the best part of the day because it was, that was your break, right?

Starting point is 00:58:37 And then do they go into recess after lunch? Yep, before and after. We give them switch, like we got, uh, 20 minutes to 20 minutes. Like some of them are outside, then they'll come on in and those ones will go outside. So we're just keep going like that. Tell me about, take me down some of the tough moments. Like if, has there ever been like a, a food recall or something that happened where there was just a food people got sick from that day?

Starting point is 00:59:00 Was there ever just a flu that went around? Oh, that is so funny. You said that. So years ago, and it was quite a while is so funny you said that. So years ago, and it was quite a while, I don't know, maybe 18 years ago, we did have this problem. And there was flu going around and everything. And a couple kids came in the lunchroom and they threw up. Well, that started the other kids looking at them doing it. Next thing I know, they call, they got buses and they got everybody pulling my food doing it and I'm like

Starting point is 00:59:26 Tripping I'm like what and they're like it's a friend Really like you were which like the Salem witchcraft parents saying don't eat them and I'm like, oh yes, and then the What was that one guy? He was trying to come from the and I was running with my hoodie on because I was like, I've never. Yes. No. Yeah. I swear I was.

Starting point is 00:59:49 That's what it is. And they wrote this article and then I don't know a couple of weeks later when they realized that they wrote this little thing, like it wasn't food. But they made me like, look, and then at the downtown would be like, and Melissa, tell them about that. You know, when the kids got off and I'm like, what? Who's got a creeper? I give this up.

Starting point is 01:00:07 Like you were Hester Prant or something. Oh, I'm so glad that those kids are probably long gone out of it by now. Yeah. Because that stuck with me for a little while. Yeah. Oh yeah. A little PTSD from that.

Starting point is 01:00:17 I'd be walking down the street and yeah. And all of a sudden they'll be like, we had the bad. They're like, oh my God, I did the pizza. Oh my God. I start tripping. We had the bad macaroni. They did, yes.

Starting point is 01:00:24 Do you remember the bad macaroni of 2001? Yeah. Where were you? Where were you when people ate bad macaroni? I'm like, I ate it and I'm okay. You're like, I survived. You should have made t-shirts. I survived the macaroni of 2001. I know that would have been a good one. That would have been people forget that there's a marketing possibility, even within, um, famine and disease, right? And edible diseases. Yeah. People forget that all the time. Yeah. Cause we would have people would get, um,

Starting point is 01:01:00 we'd have bad milk come through a bad cattle. We come through town. Sometimes there, you know, and you get spoiled milk and you had no idea why it could have been that the truck was parked overnight next to like a something that had, it was heating it up. You just never know too much time in the sun on the way there. Something, something. And everybody would just be having bad milk. You know, the kids will let me know if they trust me.

Starting point is 01:01:23 They'll let me know if they have something. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, there were a couple of times we got milk and like, there was like that much, like the cartons, they didn't fill it up. I kept saying, why is it all these kids want another milk until I figured out it wasn't really getting there. I'm like, oh, I'm telling them no. Like now I gotta go.

Starting point is 01:01:42 But that's the look, that's how it is out in some of the, you know, that's how it is. You can't just never know what's going to happen. That's life too. You don't ever know. You don't always don't know the milk that you're going to get. Um, any food fights, kids always say we're going to do a food fight. It never happens.

Starting point is 01:01:58 That's what I feel like. There's always the rumor of a food fight today. We're going to, and then never ends up going down at my school not as much but I did sub at a school that's closed now a long time ago and the kids said food fight I went with mashed potatoes in my hair I had stuff hanging off me so they decided they really was gonna do it and they did it yeah praise God I'm like all right man I wasn't too upset with it. It was kind of cool. You know? Well, that was that was like the big thing.

Starting point is 01:02:29 I don't know if kids care about that anymore. Yeah, I don't know. Yeah. I mean, they might throw like peelings. I mean, they might throw those little things, but they're not like getting up, having the big, you know, yeah, they're not like it's like a big organized thing because there's always like this thing like kids were going to organize. Yeah. And then it comes down to it and it never happened I think it was more of wasn't there a movie that there was a food fight in can you look that up? There is I came what was that movie that had a food fight in it

Starting point is 01:02:55 It was a 90s movie the great race Matilda. Oh hook hook had a great food fight in it like at the bangerang scene That was very big. Oh, animal house. That was it. I think animal house had a huge one. So that's, I think it's so funny. A lot of times you take some of the right back to like, um, um, popular

Starting point is 01:03:17 movie or TV show and that's where it started. Um, do you remember your lunch ladies from being a, um, not very many. I don't think they were very nice then. And one thing that I always said after I got in there was that I'm not going to be like that because, you know, we get a rep, you know, like, yeah, because some people are, you know, they act like that mean little lunch lady here. You can only have one catch up And I always thought I'm gonna be like the cool one

Starting point is 01:03:48 You know so then I am so then I think it works out because I don't remember with too many. You know really Good ones. Yeah Yeah, I remember a couple of time they had I mean also for a lot of young men It's you know like you think that lunch lady is pretty cute, because it's the first woman you kind of get to talk to. Right. That's like kind of not like a teacher or your mom. It's like the first person that you're like,

Starting point is 01:04:13 well, who is this person, you know? And they smile at you or whatever. You ever have a student try to like get your number or do like try to? No, they might flirt a little bit, like trying to get some extra chicken balls or something. Oh, right. But they try to. I'm like, yeah might flirt a little bit, like trying to get some extra. Chicken balls or something. But they're like, yeah. All right.

Starting point is 01:04:28 You know, get a cold boy. Yeah. They're trying to pull up on them. Yeah. They think so. So I'm old enough to be your great grandma. You better roll. Yeah.

Starting point is 01:04:41 You got to shut them down early. Oh, you got to. Um, what about fights? Any fights they have at school? Were you guys allowed to get involved in that? What's that like at school if that happens? Well, there's fights, but we, you're supposed to get security. I mean, I don't wait.

Starting point is 01:04:55 Sometimes I will try, but now with big kids, no way. Those guys, those guys are huge. Yeah. They'll swing me across the floor somewhere. I'm like, no. So I'll just go over and try to find one. It's security going, you know, and then they'll try, but, uh, other people and their teachers and stuff, you know, okay, I'm not, I won't get involved.

Starting point is 01:05:14 You won't get involved. No. Um, do the teachers, is there a good relationship with teachers and lunch women or lunch women and now men because men are attacking the industry? and lunch women or lunch women and now men because men are attacking the industry. But, um, is there a lot of good, uh, or are they arch nemesis of each other? Is there like, what's the energy like between lunch, lunch people and teachers? I never thought about that. At different schools, it'd be different.

Starting point is 01:05:38 But for me, I've got along with most of, most of them and stuff like that. And I don't, I don't And I have a good relationship with them, because everybody wants a milk every once in a while. It's not mine. I guess it depends on who it is. That's a powerful statement, everybody wants some milk. Because they do. I always think when they walk in,

Starting point is 01:05:58 and if they're acting mean to me, I'll be thinking, you'll want a milk for me one day. Yeah, see if I give it to you. You'll need me. You'll pull up on this utter. Yeah, that's right. You want me to order those bag lunches for you. Don't you? Oh, for field trips. That's what I said. So some, yeah, if you have a couple, but not very many, but if they act a little too, you know, it's fine. Cause you know, they got to come to me for some, you got to come through. Yeah. That's true. I

Starting point is 01:06:24 might be the little one down there, but. You're like the government. That's right. Yeah, the food is. You still got to pay your taxes. Food is government. It really is. It really is government.

Starting point is 01:06:33 In a lot of cultures, it is. Yeah. Well, yeah, it's like if you're even in a village, when somebody comes back with the food, that person is the government that day. They have the food. They determine how everything's going to go. I always tell my ladies, I'm like, man, sometimes I walk through the hall and I think they're

Starting point is 01:06:46 looking at me like a chicken leg or something, you know? So yeah. Who are you talking about? Some of the janitors or whatever? The kids, the staff, you know, depends what they smell. Like they have loaded nacho day, you know, it's like, everybody's looking like Melissa's got nachos. And I just could see everybody behind Melissa. I'm Like, uh, yeah, they know, they know. Yeah. They know it'd be nice to people know where their bread is. But that's what it is.

Starting point is 01:07:11 You know, just like me, I know I need to do the custodian. So you gotta be nice to him. I need toilet paper and stuff. So, you know, you learn who you have to be good with when little Ricky pukes. That's right. You know, you're going to need to call. Um, yeah. What's a field trip day like? So how does that break down? Well, the field trips and stuff, they order like bag lunches and-

Starting point is 01:07:31 And what goes into the bag lunch? When I make it, it's like a sandwich, a PB&J sandwich, Uncrustable. Mm-hmm. Yeah, they love those. And I get strawberry and grape and I kind of like them too. So if I'm- Y'all will make those yourselves? No, they come. You order from Uncrustables? No, we order those. And I get strawberry and grape and I kind of like them too. So if I'm running out of them. Y'all will make those yourselves? No, they come. You order from Uncrustables?

Starting point is 01:07:47 No, we order those, yeah. Wow, that's nice. Yeah, those things are pretty good. But then I'll make a bag with those and some goldfish crackers, a string cheese, applesauce and some carrots. Bam, there's our lunch. Damn.

Starting point is 01:07:59 And they're out. We got, I remember, meat sandwich with mustard. Yep. And sometimes you got extra mustard somehow for no reason. I know, and that's, I remember meat sandwich with mustard. And sometimes you got extra mustard somehow. I know. And that's, I know you're like, first of all, I'm a child. I don't eat mustard. The first time I'm a child, mustard is for Polish adults.

Starting point is 01:08:18 Let's be, let's be honest. So there's no reason I should have to eat it. And then you gave me more mustard. So that would be scary. You'd always see that one kid that would end up being an alcoholic and he'd be over there just eating the mustard. Oh, you know what? We got him with the hot sauce.

Starting point is 01:08:37 You'll get hot sauce. Oh yeah. Now we give us on the kids love hot sauce, but I catch the little ones over there with the packs. I don't know. Yeah. I'm like, what is it? Or they're keeping it in the back. I'm going to take this home to my dad. If it's my sister.

Starting point is 01:08:51 For Christmas or whatever. That's crazy. Hey, you know, they got no sauce. Um, but so you pack those, you send them out on the field trip. When do you pack those the night before you pack them? Then the morning of the field trip. I get everything ready except for the sandwich. And then in the morning I just throw the milk in a cooler. How many you ever was going. And then put the sandwich in there and it thaws through the day so they could eat it

Starting point is 01:09:16 by lunchtime. Cause you don't want to leave those out too long. Cause one thing is nasty is like the next day, you know? It gets like hard or the jelly starts to go Yeah, seeping through so that very first day when it first just thaws It's the best so you guys will put you mean for the lunchable you mean for the crust Yeah for I use those for the bag lunches for the bag lunches Right the PB&J's and do they get a meat option in there? No meat option

Starting point is 01:09:43 They used to but I haven't had one in a while Okay. Yeah What's some of the best things about the job? Time goes really fast because I'm always busy I don't feel like it's a job job, even though I'm getting paid because I'm having fun I try to make my work fun. Yeah, and I make the ladies dance. I'll tell them, oh, okay, we're getting too serious. Stop. We'll put some music on, start to get the groove for a minute. We all start laughing, doing dishes, just joking. I told him, I want

Starting point is 01:10:14 this to feel comfortable. I want us not to feel like, you know, just because we're working doesn't mean you can't have fun, you know? So in my kitchen, it's about having fun. Do your job and let's have fun, you know, while we're doing it. And then I like to act crazy around, you know, the principal or anybody, because they all know me and they're like, there's, there's Melissa, you know? So I do some crazy stuff, like I don't know how to swim. And I went on a, and she took me on a trip with her and her son was like, I said, I always wanted to jump in the deep water, you know?

Starting point is 01:10:47 Oh yeah. Here he goes, he gives me his mama's life jacket. I put that sucker on last summer and I was diving off diving for the little kids. I was so excited. First time ever. Yeah. I was like, yeah. And all the kids was like, the older people were kind of like, I don't really know what she's doing.

Starting point is 01:11:05 Make a wish. I was like, right? Wow. And you just got right out in there in the water? Yup, just got right in, dove right off the diving board in it. But once I know that, you know, I was safe. Yeah, you're safe. Had you ever tried swimming before?

Starting point is 01:11:17 I've tried. I'm not that great at it. Yeah, it sounds like you're not good at it, but had you ever tried before? Because yeah, I was bad at swimming for a while. I could back float, but I, I, I would just back float. No, I've never even heard of that. Oh, you'd be like, I think that's called waiting for rescue. Well, I could wait for rescue for a while, but I can't do this.

Starting point is 01:11:42 And I don't know how you guys are staying in there. Just standing there. I don't get it. That's magic. If I see do that. Do this, do that. And I don't know how you guys are staying in there, just standing there. I don't get it. Well, that's magic. If I see somebody doing that. I know, I just don't get it. I'll call the cops, dude. All right, some things are just, yeah, beyond me.

Starting point is 01:11:52 A long time ago, they used to think that gay people would sink in the water and straight people would float. Back in the witchcraft days. Isn't that crazy? Bring that up. Look at that, sinking gays or whatever, sinking. Sinking. Yeah.

Starting point is 01:12:04 It could have. You could have. You could Sinking. Sinking. It could have. Or yeah, sinking gaze and witchcraft. If you put that in there too. There was a lot of that. Yeah. Yeah. People, well, they had a thing. If you sank or float, it would determine something, you know,

Starting point is 01:12:22 and they would then sometimes. Well, should I sink? So what's that mean? I'm not saying anything. Maybe I took a wrong turn in life. Who knows? I know, right? Um, so what's the social life like when you're outside of work?

Starting point is 01:12:43 What do you like to do for fun personally? What keeps you busy? You know, obviously you really find a lot of joy in your work and that's awesome. You know, and it's important to notice that. Well, they noticed I was employee of the year at school too. Oh yeah. 2009. Yeah.

Starting point is 01:12:57 Now the mayor, mayor's brother gave me a word. I was like, his brother, what's his brother doing? I don't know. He was there. me a war. I was like, Oh, brother, what's his brother doing? I don't know. He was there. Anyway, but they gave me a party and a gift card and all this. I was like, Oh, Richie gave me a hundred dollars to a steak house. I was like, yeah, I'm going to get the biggest steak, you know? And, uh, I felt cool, but I was a little excited, you know? How did you know you, when was there finalists or what happened?

Starting point is 01:13:25 Yeah, it was employee of the month, like all of us, like the 12th, and then they said, we're gonna pick one. So I was waiting, I was like this, waiting to eat. You know, I was looking at the food like, man, that looks good. Oh, you were all at the banquet? Hurry up, yeah. So I was thinking, hurry up. And do you dress up for it?

Starting point is 01:13:40 Yeah, I dress up a little bit, but I looked a little crazy. Well, I always change, you know, and I did the smile and it's like, you can see my whole tonsils in my mouth because I smile too big because I laugh a lot. And they put that picture big downtown. So now we walk in and you see me and everybody's like, is that Melissa? I'm like, yes, that's me. So that's the picture they picked. I guess you see every dude and count my tonsils. I'm like, yeah, there's me. Yeah, that's me. So that's the picture they picked. I guess you see every dude in Cal.

Starting point is 01:14:05 My husband, like, yeah, there's me. Yeah, that's awesome. Yeah. But it was cool. It was really cool though. Um, just for being funny and trying to, you know, cause everybody's so serious sometimes, and then the big boss come out and everybody's so scared and they're so, and we're all there to do the same thing.

Starting point is 01:14:22 You know, I just make them laugh and tell them, let's just, you know, let's just be fun. Yeah. Yeah. I have a lot of fond memories of going into the lunch room and sometimes you would get the silver and you would get a fork that was all banged up. Oh yeah. What happened? I don't know, but I've seen some and they look like all of them are mushed

Starting point is 01:14:41 to the paper towel thing or something. Or you'll see just the tall, the like, the, the fingers of the fork will be like, you know, one of them will be way out like that. And you're just like, what happened? Right. What happened? Like, sorry, you can't have another fork. You're going to have to eat with your finger today, bro. We're on a crisis. Budget cuts. You're like, what happened? That's what I'm saying. Prices, budget cuts.

Starting point is 01:15:06 You're like, what happened? That's what I'm saying. Um, do you, what would, what would you change about school launches? You know, one of the biggest things I think I would change. Cause like I said, they're getting better, but everybody eats the same portions. I would give the bigger kids more portions. Okay. I think like, instead of that one chicken leg that everybody's getting besides you know the other stuff that they could get on the side, I'd give them two. Yeah. I

Starting point is 01:15:29 just think that the bigger kids are big. I mean we got some big boys. I mean big girls you know. And they're gotta be hungry. That's just not enough I don't think you know. But I mean we do have the salad bar they can fill up with that but you know they want the meat. They want the real deal. Yeah. That's what I'm saying. They want more of those. So when I hook them up, they'd be like, I give them a couple more nuggets. They're like, Oh, you're my girl. You know, they're like, I know I got you.

Starting point is 01:15:54 It does feel good. It feels good when I see kids that I go places like to a wedding or something. And I see all these kids are at the wedding because I had family friends. I've had all the nieces and nephews I've had everybody go through school So they'll be like I remember when you gave me that other. Ah, she was cool. Yeah, that's right It feels good to just uh, McNugget up a child. Oh, it does you want some more fries boy? Here you go fucking put a McNugget into it. They'll be talking about me. They'll be like man. Look at me up. What's this plate?

Starting point is 01:16:23 I've got some nephew children on damn McNugget them bastards up. Oh yeah. God, it feels good. It does. Makes you rest easier. Well, it does. It really does. I know that's what I said.

Starting point is 01:16:34 Some of the kids, you know, they're hungry or they'll tell me that they have an aid, you know. And do y'all play any music in there? Uh, Spanish music. Yeah. A lot of we play, we, in our kitchen, we some, because like I said, all my ladies are Spanish. A lot of Latino coworkers, huh? Oh yeah, but they're-

Starting point is 01:16:48 Employees. Yeah, they were amazing what they could do with a broom. Oh yeah. Oh my God, they scrubbed that place with a broom. Really? Oh yeah, they're wonderful cleaners. But- Very true.

Starting point is 01:16:59 I have a lot of friends, and my grandmother was a house cleaner, and my mom was too. Okay. and my grandmother was a house cleaner and my mom was too. And then a lot of my friend's parents growing up were in house cleaning and stuff. And some of my Latino friends, their parents still clean houses. I tried it for a minute.

Starting point is 01:17:17 Did you? Yeah. Oh, so you tried a different business. Oh yeah, in the summertime, if I didn't work down at school, I did other jobs. Oh, really? Oh yeah. Like, so what are some of the summer jobs?

Starting point is 01:17:29 Nobody ever thinks about that. What do freaking lunch ladies do during the summer? Oh, I, I was the last, the year before, cause I got surgery last summer. So I got down with my stupid carpal tunnel, my trigger finger, stuff like this. And why'd you have to get surgery? Be honest, it's just too much scooping. Oh yeah. And they said you have to get surgery? Be honest, is it just too much scooping? Oh yeah. They said repetitious movements.

Starting point is 01:17:48 So now my back, you know, things, cause you do them so long, sometimes it'll be burning like, ah. Yeah. How much scoops can one wrist do overall? Man, I don't know. I just keep them rolling. Really?

Starting point is 01:18:01 Like I said, some people are like, man, look at her, but I'll be sweating, but I'm getting older now though. So I'm absolutely, I mean, I'm like, don't ask me to do nothing with my hands when I get home. Cause Hey look. My bruiser.

Starting point is 01:18:15 No wonder your guy went to prison. You got to do what you got to do. That's what I'm saying. I know. I'm sorry. I just got there. I've served all I'm serving, honey. That's it. No more seconds. No more firsts. Right? But no, I just try to go fast because I've watched people and they'll be like, you got 600 kids. I'm like, dude, you got to move, right? Keep going. But people's just not fast. What is a kid that comes in that's kind of heartbroken? You ever notice a kid that's having a tough time? Have you ever had a moment? Oh, I run right over. Oh gosh, yeah. And what is some of that? Are you ever able to,

Starting point is 01:18:56 like, over time, do you be able to pinpoint some of the commonalities of what some of those moments are like? A lot of it is like, another kid don't like them. Yeah. They're getting picked on or they want to be friends with this child and they don't want to be friends with them. Oh, and so, isn't that so big to kids? It's very, yeah. And I'm like looking, but then to them, it's so big. Yeah. So I always tell them, you know, if they don't want it, it's okay, you know, don't worry

Starting point is 01:19:20 about it. They'll be liking you tomorrow. You know what I mean? This and that. Just try to make them feel better and they get over it. And then you see them talking to their best friends. Yeah. They just need help getting through that moment. They just need to get through it. And there it is. And they're, yeah. So whenever we do see one down, I immediately want to go over to that one and see why. Yeah. Especially since we got a lot of kids that are smiling like me and bubbly when I see them. So if they're not bubbly, just like they do the same thing to me, if I come to work and I'm not feeling see them. So if they're not bubbly, just like they do the same thing to me. If I come to work and I'm not feeling it that day,

Starting point is 01:19:47 like there's just something wrong, they can feel it. Oh, they'll lift you up. Oh, they come in and they're like, Miss Melissa, you're right. Cause they know that I'm not laughing. Don't hear that big loud laugh everywhere. Then there's something wrong with Melissa that day. That's true.

Starting point is 01:20:00 Yeah, I didn't hurt her laugh too much. So. Yeah, that's interesting. You know, where the keys to each other's locks. That's what my buddy always says. He always says that. They do. They, they can pick up on it.

Starting point is 01:20:11 What are some of the other summer jobs you've had? God, I can't believe I never knew that. That those beautiful women were wandering off into our town and doing other employment. I was a secretary, which sitting down isn't my strong word. Try your thing, huh? No, I was like, man, let me clean this place. I don't want to be a secretary. I don't want to clean your place.

Starting point is 01:20:32 Okay, girl, you got to get up. Yeah, I can't just sit. It's crazy. That's too much for me. I've worked at Dave's grocery store cashier and I liked that. I was a cashier for a bit I liked it all these people coming through and something like what's up? Yeah, it is pretty fun cashier was fun stocking was fun. I didn't love getting the carts a lot of time

Starting point is 01:20:53 I didn't like to get the The carts and putting the stuff back and so long as they were wet and you like what it hadn't even raining Why is this car? Yeah, you wonder what you're touching. Yeah, just people are gross. I'm doing take backs and I think they're peeling, they're opening it up, I'm like, oh. It would be very hectic, a lot of, yeah. You never know what they're doing. Oh yeah, it just felt insane.

Starting point is 01:21:14 Like it was like a lot of eustachian fluid or something. I don't even know, but yeah, but a lot of times it's very confusing. I cleaned some houses and that one was kind of fun. Unless our house was really dirty. Yeah, some people's houses. And these were some richy people and I'm like, yeah. But one time this old lady made me a sandwich

Starting point is 01:21:31 and let me go in her pool, that was really cool. Yeah, that was nice. Why, was it your birthday or something? No, she just must've liked me because we started talking, you know? And sometimes I'll just make a friend and I get invited to a party. Yeah?

Starting point is 01:21:43 Heck yeah. Real easy? Oh yeah. Wow. Yeah. It gets around somebody else and their friend is like, Hey, you want to come to it? I'm like, yeah, right. You know, I can be sitting at home doing nothing. They have enough and then bam, I'm at a party eating shrimp and drinking the

Starting point is 01:21:57 limo. So I'm like, this is insane. Yeah. So you never know what's going to happen. Your day can change. Yeah. Yeah. Your day can change.

Starting point is 01:22:03 That's a great point. Yeah. Rich fancy. Yeah. Fancy people love shrimp. I feel happen. Your day can change. Yeah. Yeah. Your day can change. That's a great point. Yeah. Rich fancy. Yeah. Fancy people love shrimp. I feel like. Yeah, they do. And they like me.

Starting point is 01:22:10 Yeah. So I like it. Yeah. Um, so where's your son at now? Is he? My son, he's a cable man in Massillon. And he told me to tell you, cause he's big fan. All them guys watch ya. Oh, praise me.

Starting point is 01:22:25 Yeah, I told myself, what's up? What's his name? Joe. Joe, that's what's up. Joe Ansel? Joe Rocca. Joe Rocca, yeah. Wow, it sounds like he should be in prison.

Starting point is 01:22:35 It's that name. Joe Rocca, right? Yeah, and I don't mean that. Don't go to prison, Joe. No, no, no. We want you out here, but hey, if you go away, bro. I'll send you commissaries. Hey, free. No, no, no. We want you out here, but hey, if you go away, bruh. Ah, I'll send you commissaries on that. Free Joey.

Starting point is 01:22:49 I got your mother's ass, Free Joey. Ah, that's a good one, like Free Willy. Free Joey, dude. Yeah, and he's married. I got a great teacher, daughter-in-law. Oh, she's a teacher? Oh, yeah. No way.

Starting point is 01:23:04 Her great teacher after I've been around. Nope, she's in Massillon. I'm in Cleveland. Wow. Yeah, she's a teacher? Oh, yeah. No way. Her grade teacher after I've been around. Nope, she's in Massillon. I'm in Cleveland. Wow. Yeah, she's from the better part, and I'm from the ghetto. So we share our stories. Yeah, we watch her little kids like, and then you go to mine.

Starting point is 01:23:15 You know, and you got it. It's two different, very different universes. And I've been to both of them, so it's really funny to see. Oh, you have? Oh, yeah. I've went to places cause I got grandkids. Oh, so you've worked at other schools in your own? No, I've subbed, but I've went to other schools with her.

Starting point is 01:23:33 Oh, I see what it's like. Yeah, to see what it was like. So lunch ladies will sub at another school? Back in the day they did, but there was a point when I just stopped because I have a home plate and I didn't have to do it no more, you know, that was for the other people. So they still send subs and stuff, you know, around, but I quit subbing. And do you get, at a certain point, do you get a pension?

Starting point is 01:23:58 Do you get a pension? Oh yeah. Yeah? Yeah, I get SERS. It's like a retirement plan. Uh-huh. So, S-E-R-S. How long does that take to build up? I don't know anything about it. Yeah, I get SERS. It's like a retirement plan. So SERS. How long does that take to build up? I don't know anything about it.

Starting point is 01:24:09 Well, like I've got 31, but my age. So like when I'm 57, I'll have 35 years and I can retire with the full benefits and cheaper insurance, all that. But my age is still there. You know what I mean? I'm not going to be 65 so I couldn't get, um, Medicaid and all that. So there's a little, cause I started too early, but hopefully I could, if as long as I'm healthy and running, I want to keep running. You can keep working.

Starting point is 01:24:35 Oh yeah. I don't want to sit at home. What am I going to do at home? Eat bomb bombs and get fat? Yeah. Yeah. Just be, yeah, you just sit. Yeah, there's nothing to do.

Starting point is 01:24:43 And then my, no, my brain won't quit talking. It's like, I gotta go. It's much better to talk to people than myself all the time. Did you ever try to go into your own business at any point? Or do you like working with a group? No, I like the group. I've never really tried. Yeah. Just didn't know if that was something that different people think about or not.

Starting point is 01:25:03 Or sometimes do or don't think about. Well, if I could have thought of something. I didn't know what else was something that different people think about or not or sometimes do I could have thought of something? You know, I Didn't know what else I would be good. I Mean I'm sure I could have probably did something else. Yeah, I mean smart and I liked other jazz But you know, this is where I've been. Yes. I'm just I think it makes me more happy to be around so many people That's what I was thinking because Because doing your own thing can definitely be the other side of the tracks. You know, you just really, you can isolate a lot.

Starting point is 01:25:30 Right, right, right. Any parents ever confront the lunch staff about anything? Does that ever happen? Yeah. Couple times through the years. I don't think a lot of principals stuff wouldn't like let them, you know, but I've had fathers or something ask me something.

Starting point is 01:25:46 Like angry about a soup or angry about a porridge or something? My kid said that he didn't like that and you didn't do something, and it's like... Y'all serving bad lamb or something. Right. And I'm like... But not too many with me. I mean, I even talked to a lot of the parents because I've seen the kids so long. So I try to be friendly with all of them, explain if they ask me something,

Starting point is 01:26:08 but I don't try to get into too much riffraff because, you know, I live in the neighborhood. Right. So you want to keep things PC? That's right. You're seeing me up at the grocery store with some parents like, there she is. Gosh, you're kind of like the Don Corleone. I didn't even know. Gosh, you're kind of like the Don Corleone. Right? I didn't even know.

Starting point is 01:26:26 I noticed in nature, a lot of animals will kind of like fatten up for winter or whatever. Does that happen with children too, do you think? Yeah, I think so. I do. I think that they eat and they get more in them for it. In the summertime, they're like wanting to run around so much out there. I see that they eat less. And I see their lunch, the garbage is heavier.

Starting point is 01:26:45 Oh really? In the summer than it is in the winter. I made a comment once and I'm like, wow, I noticed that. Yeah, cause they wanna run outside I think. So you think in the summer they're throwing more stuff away whereas in the winter they're eating it. Yeah, cause they wanna, yeah, I do. Because they're sitting there and there's nothing else to do,

Starting point is 01:27:01 they're not going outside, you know, but when they're like raring to go and it's beautiful out like you, you'd be like, Oh, forget it. I don't want to finish this. You know? Yeah. I mean, not me. I'm going to eat real fast and then go home. But you know, that's a good point. Some kids are like, Oh, it's too much fun out there. When you can feel your body want to go play like hide and go seek or something. We have to eat. Oh, it's the worst for a kid. Right. It's like, God, I don't want to be eating right now. I could be having fun. Yeah. You know it.

Starting point is 01:27:25 Um, what are the kids, do they interact when they're at the table together and stuff like what do kids do or they just kind? Of eat their lunch. Oh, they they talk argue Yeah, they interact with each other and stuff through the whole lunch period and stuff like that I can't really I'm like dumb for a minute. I've been dumb for so long here. Take it. Take a minute. All right.

Starting point is 01:27:52 Yeah. Do you ever, do you ever see like a, like milk come out of a kid's nose? People always say that. Yeah. Oh, I've saw that a couple of times. Oh yeah. And the other day, it was just funny. Just the other day they're coming through the lunch line and they were playing outside too hard and the little boy just thrown up right in my lunch. Oh yeah. And the other day, it was just funny, just the other day, they're coming through the

Starting point is 01:28:05 lunch line and they were playing outside too hard and the little boy just thrown up right in my lunch. Oh yeah. And I'm like, okay, I'm going to look up and everybody's like, I can't look. I'm like, well, come on guys, let's hurry up. Let's do this. Get them out of here. And I'm telling the little ones, quit looking.

Starting point is 01:28:18 They're like, oh yeah. But yeah, when stuff starts coming out of their nose, cause they're laughing or, yeah, they probably think of other things that they're going to do, you know, and you got to tell them, don't take that food cause it's going to get warm and then you'll get sick. Yeah. Yeah. Kids, I think they're, and they're just so like energetic at the time. They'll vomit for no reason.

Starting point is 01:28:39 A lot of times, like somebody just pats them on the background. I know that's why I was saying, I said, man, you have the same one still thrown on. He better quit playing. I would like him to eat first before he goes outside. And then let's put a diaper around his mouth. Yeah, that's a good idea, right? Are kids allowed to bring phones in school these days? Yes.

Starting point is 01:29:00 No way. Yeah, they're supposed to not use this and that, but. So some of them have phones out during the day? I see kids with phones. No way. I cannot even imagine that. Yeah, I never had a phone back then. So I, right.

Starting point is 01:29:17 That was such a better vibe, I feel like. Yeah, me too. I think there's too much on the phones, yeah. What would you change about the lunches that we serve to kids? Anything? Or do you feel pretty good about them? Right now? I'm feeling a little bit better about them.

Starting point is 01:29:31 Like I said this year, because there is bringing out more different things that I think the kids would like. Um, we do a general souls and rice. Um, general souls chicken. Yeah. It's good. I love it.

Starting point is 01:29:44 I'd be messing it up on general. So's day. Yeah. Yeah. There are certain days that I get excited, you know, cause I'm like, Oh, I'm going to eat that. No. So, and we all save a little bit of the better side of things for yourselves.

Starting point is 01:29:56 I mean, I might have a little bit more sauce on my, Hey, you know, I made it. I think that's fair. So yeah, I think that we, I do really believe that this year, I think is like one of the best with it's coming with lunches and stuff for the variety of different things that we have. So he's, he's moving up. Like I said, I'm, I'm interested to see more of what he does. The new guy that's The new food guy.

Starting point is 01:30:22 Yeah. Cause he's the order. He's the boss. He's the boss of like changing all that. And I've worked with, I've worked for about four different ones so far. Each one brings something different to the table. But right now I'm liking what he's bringing. You know what I mean? What was one of the craziest things you guys ever served over the years?

Starting point is 01:30:42 The hot dog that used to be in the beans, and it would turn colors. And I had parents and aunts and people old to this day, so they asked me about those green hot dogs with the beans. Really? Yeah, but I liked it. But it did, it would like turn some color because it was stuck in the beans. Yeah.

Starting point is 01:30:58 Well, that's nature. I know, that's what I said. I was like, it's probably preservatives or something in it. I don't know. Oh, some of that's just natural preservatives. But yeah, I mean, we had this said. I was like, it's probably preservatives or something in it, I don't know. Oh, some of that's just natural preservatives. But yeah, I mean, we had this egg roll that was really, yeah, there's been a couple items that I would have been like, no, and I eat everything.

Starting point is 01:31:15 I'm like Mikey, and there's nothing I wouldn't eat. You, they had an egg roll too for a while? Yeah. Ooh. Yeah, the kids didn't really care for that egg roll. So bizarre. Yeah. I remember the kids didn't really care for that egg roll. So bizarre. Yeah. I remember the bread they used to have. So the bread was always made in one big pan, right?

Starting point is 01:31:30 It was like a whole pan full of rolls. And ours always had this dust on them and people would be like, that's flour. And I'd be like, it doesn't seem like flour. It just seems like dust. Oh, that's true. So yeah, so we were wrapping our rolls and some of them will come like that, you know,

Starting point is 01:31:43 with a whole bunch of, and I said, what is it? I'm like, just flour. That's a lot of flour on there. And the kids will see it. And I'm like, they're not going to believe it's flour. I said, it looks gross. I don't want to serve that one. It's just flour.

Starting point is 01:31:58 We didn't believe. That's exactly, that's terrible. I was just kind of like, I'm trying to think of the ones. Oh, we had a couple of these different ones. That one, can you look up Dusty School Lunch Rolls? Yeah, maybe. Oh! Is that what he's looking up, Dusty School Lunch Rolls?

Starting point is 01:32:14 Dusty School Lunch Rolls. Lunch Rolls. Yeah, maybe soft red rolls. But you know, I've had the kids tell me, well, look, what's on this? And I'm like, it's flour, because that's what they tell me too. It's flour, I mean, it is flour.

Starting point is 01:32:30 It doesn't seem like flour. It seems like science dust or something. Yeah, maybe yeasty dust. I don't know what you mean. Yeah, it could be some powder, some of these. Sometimes I thought it would be like a powdered butter or something that they might be putting on, but I could never figure it out.

Starting point is 01:32:43 And they were never, they never got the rolls really that good, I didn't feel like. Yeah, we get different rolls, like, and bread we order from different departments at different times. We had Swables once, we had this, so. The bread's not too bad,

Starting point is 01:32:59 but you'll always find some that comes in, like you just said, with a whole pile of dust. I'd be like, what's a hamburger bun? It's covered. And yeah, that's what I would be like, look, all this white. It was the hamburger buns. A lot of times they make them. They must just throw that flower at them after they unpack them. But it does look funny because people don't want to eat that.

Starting point is 01:33:19 Cause you know, and kids do make those comments. They notice anything on the food, anything, if it looks just a little strange or something, they're going to make a comment on it, you know, and kids do make those comments. They notice anything on the food, anything. If it looks just a little strange or something, they're going to make a comment on it, you know? So, but I hate to be like one of those, you know, just flower because everybody says it. Super like it's not. I know, but I'm like, I don't know. But is it? Is it?

Starting point is 01:33:38 Did you guys ever serve sloppy Joe's ever? We did. We haven't this year or whatever, but there was years we did. Some of the kids liked it. We had a teacher there years ago, and he did a little skit with me on this, Slappy Joe's. Oh, yeah, about Adam Taylor? Yeah, and I wore the white. When I first started, they gave me that white dress

Starting point is 01:34:01 and all that, and you had to look. Oh, you had to dress a certain way? Yeah, but thank goodness that didn't last long for me. Pull up that outfit. We switched. Yeah. Go on with that one. And I'm young now. Mine and I'm like, look like with these loafers. Oh, you had to wear the white shoes. Yes. I remember them. And I said, Hey, this is or something. Sneakers. Exactly. Right. those. And I saw them. They were like K-Swisses or something, sneakers. Exactly. Right there. Oh, that's nice. That's what they gave me. One of those white white.

Starting point is 01:34:29 Wow. And so we did a little skit or whatever. It's around there somewhere on YouTube, somewhere. Who knows where it's at. But I put a mole on and all that. Oh, and we did a lunch like, do a sloppy joes? Yeah. So it was fun. But they never serve them anymore, huh? No, they haven and do sloppy joes. Yeah. So it was fun.

Starting point is 01:34:45 But they never serve them anymore, huh? No, they haven't served sloppy joes for a long time. And the kids seemed like it. It was the only place you could get it at was school. That's what I'm saying. And it was such a bizarre thing. You were like, I don't even know what it is. It's like, it's magic meat. Like, you know, what it really is. Like it's not a hamburger. Are you sure? Is that a sauce?

Starting point is 01:35:04 We name them different things, but we just change a little. Well, you could always kind of tell. Is there stuff that if there's leftovers from the first day, then you'll use it in different recipes throughout the week? Yeah. Huh? Cause you don't want to waste stuff. No, um, all hot foods gotta be thrown.

Starting point is 01:35:19 Oh, really? Yeah. That's, this is why you're like, if you're the manager, you have to know not to overcook too much because I get it right but um They like pasta and meatballs. Yeah Those meatballs boy. They're hard to deal with. Yeah for my hands They seem to want to just throw then I start singing to the kids that I dropped my poor meatball From that song? Remember?

Starting point is 01:35:47 Yeah. What was it? That was a book, wasn't it? It was a song. I dropped my poor meatball. It was a song for meatball when somebody sneezed and rolled off the table and onto the floor. Then my more meatball was out the door. I remember that. We like to tease them a joke.

Starting point is 01:36:00 On top of spaghetti. We have to say spaghetti. There it is. Spaghetti. Spaghetti. This coconut cake. And they love the mac and cheese. They love the mac and cheese? Yeah.

Starting point is 01:36:11 They love the mac and cheese. God, who doesn't though? Right, I was just going to say who don't like cheese, you know? Anything you got to put cheese on is good. Yeah. Yeah, that's really the thing that everybody loves. How big is y'all's school these days? I know you're at this side school now. Yeah, I'm at the side that everybody loves. How big is y'all school these days? You're at this side school now.

Starting point is 01:36:26 Yeah, I'm at the side school, but we're doing 600. But when we go back to this new one that they're building down the road for me, it's going to be huge. And then they're going to take two, take and knock down the school down the road and put two schools to one. So I should have over a thousand by then but hopefully I get more help you know yeah short stay after what you want to hear all the time that's true and you've already had carpal tunnel you've already you know that's what I said I'll just keep going yeah I'll figure it out you're

Starting point is 01:36:53 like the Aaron Rodgers of the lunch lady yeah I know right yeah I like it you really are right we need you back out there what happened during the the time off with the surgery? Well, I did the summer. I didn't take off, because I don't like to really miss work. So I didn't take off. I just went and had the surgery right after we got out of school. But then it wasn't really healing as good. I think I messed it up a little bit as I went back earlier.

Starting point is 01:37:21 Did you? Yeah, but it's all right. It's hard not to use your hands. I mean, it's hard. I mean, if I try, if you put a hand in it, it's too hard. So this one I just gotta shot. Roosters do it, or like chickens kinda do it. Right?

Starting point is 01:37:37 Yeah, if I could be like a chicken. But they're dumb, I don't wanna say they're dumb. I don't know a lot of them, but. Some of them are, I mean. A lot of them are D-U-M-B. What are you just doing? I don't want them to hear me say it. I know, right? One of my chase afters. We see chickens all the time.

Starting point is 01:37:52 And I watch them cross the street and then come back. Yeah, people got chickens everywhere. Really by you? Yeah. Huh, wonder why. I don't know, for the eggs, I think. Probably sell the eggs. Maybe they're going to get a golden egg. Yeah, my my sister has some chickens in her home, I think

Starting point is 01:38:10 Or she did anyway, someone might have gotten out What else anything in the news was let me think of something I was gonna ask you about Gay yeah, you know what? Yes, when you look at gay, yeah. You know what, yes. Did you, anything on that sinking gay witchcraft? I found not the gay part, but the witch part you're spot on about. He said not the gay part.

Starting point is 01:38:35 Bring it up. The ordeal usually involved the tying of a suspect's wrist to their ankles and then throwing the individual into a body of water with ropes attached. Contrary to popular belief, if the suspect sank, they were presumed innocent and hauled up. It was not common for them to perish unless they did so accidentally. Should they float, however, this was taken as confirmation of their alliance with the devil. So you had to sink. So if you didn't know how to sink, the premise of this ordeal was that it provoked direct intervention from God in determining the guilt

Starting point is 01:39:08 or innocence of the accused. And the result was therefore seen as a revelation of God's judgment. And you better put something in your, make sure you're sinking. You better eat a heavy lunch. You know something. Well, I'm not a swim, so I'm sinking.

Starting point is 01:39:22 You better eat a heavy lunch. Right. Anything else we need to know about the trade, about the lunch trade, about the industry, anything? You said there was men infiltrating the business. Is that- There's a couple men, yeah, that's working in the kitchens now.

Starting point is 01:39:37 And is that new? Is that- I think they've been there for a minute. I've only worked with like one. And are these bisexual men or is it all types of men you think? All types. Yeah. Yeah. All types. Everybody loves lunch, baby.

Starting point is 01:39:52 Oh, they do. Yeah, I love it. I love it. I don't care if I loved men or women, I would still make lunch for myself and others. Well, yeah, me too. I don't care who it is. Yeah. Same here. You gotta eat. Everybody's gotta eat. That's what I tell here. You gotta eat. Everybody's gotta eat. That's what I tell them. You gotta eat.

Starting point is 01:40:08 That's what's for it. That's how I feel. I don't care. Yeah, I'm just trying to think of anything else we want to learn about the industry. We've learned who, that the kids come in. We've learned that sometimes you have to step over and give them a hug if they're having a tough time. We learned sometimes they bring cats and snakes through Just because that's what's going on

Starting point is 01:40:29 The food plan what about I know it didn't they have Michelle Obama had a program a few years back Yeah We got it we got quite a few things dropped off and stuff and she gave a lot of stuff out to parents It was called get right. What was that program called? out to parents. It was called Get Right. What was that program called? It was the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act changed nutrition standards for the National School Lunch Program by requiring that schools serve more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fat-free and or low-fat milk more frequently and less starchy vegetables or foods high in sodium and trans fat. Did that take effect? Did you actually see that happen in the school system? Cause a lot of things that politicians and you know.

Starting point is 01:41:10 Yes, that she, they really did that and they came out and gave boxes of the whole entire like meals to parents and stuff and told them how to do it with the spices, everything. Oh wow. And also they give them a bag of fruit each week to take home. They have a lot of free fruit and vegetable program. Then once a month we have a free like produce and everything outside.

Starting point is 01:41:41 So parents, everybody comes and gets it. Oh, wow. So there's a lot of stuff from y'all school that's available for the community. A lot. That you guys don't use at school. Yeah, that's it. Nothing to do with you.

Starting point is 01:41:52 Exactly. Wow. Yeah, it's amazing. Yeah, like I said, there's always trucks dropping off that they put stuff in the kids' book bags for them to take them for a meal for the weekend. So yeah. Your mom ever come over to the school and get a meal from you?

Starting point is 01:42:09 Well, I had my head a step mom. Oh, you did. Oh, she passed away. Yeah, but I didn't like her food anyway. You didn't know or her much, but it's cool. Talk about. Hey, look, it's tough. Step moms are harder.

Starting point is 01:42:24 I am a real mom, but she's never came to school. She hasn't? No. Oh, she should come get a meal. She's still alive? Yeah. Oh yeah? And where does she live in Illinois?

Starting point is 01:42:34 No, wrong corner for me. Oh, she does? Yeah. You guys just aren't super close? We see each other. She just doesn't come to the school? Yeah. Yeah.

Starting point is 01:42:44 I'm trying to think, don't they have parents day or something at the school where parents come? Parents, yeah, they come in, they see stuff, but my principal and stuff feeds them. Like they don't eat like our school's food. So I have other food brought in for them and they'll eat. Can a kid have a older brother or a family member come and have lunch with them at school one day or no?

Starting point is 01:43:04 Oh yeah, oh yeah, sure. school one day or no? Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Sure. So it happens a lot. Oh yeah. Oh, that's cool. Yeah, that's fun. We got a lot of, yeah.

Starting point is 01:43:12 And you got a lot of siblings. You'll have like five related, you know, in the school system. In the school. Yeah. Yeah. So there's nothing for that. Do you guys ever do like pep rallies and stuff like that ever? What's that energy like?

Starting point is 01:43:23 Yeah, they, well, they'll just start, yeah, cause we think they could have high energy, you know, cause we get rowdy. And then when I hear them, I get rowdy. So then I go running through the thing, you know, I make them clap and then the teacher like, there's the little again, you know, so, most of them kind of know that I'm going to do it.

Starting point is 01:43:43 Oh yeah. Or like when they have dance, they're like, here she comes, watch. Because you get antsy, you know, I'm like, I'm hearing it. Am I supposed to just stand here and work when I gotta go over there? Yeah. So. Yeah. Yeah, I'm trying to think, do you still feel like you're in school a little bit? Is there a, is it?

Starting point is 01:44:00 Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I'm like, I still feel like, like I've never got out of school life. Yeah. Yeah. That's pretty cool. It is kind Uh, yeah. I'm like 50. I still feel like, like I've never got out of school. Like, yeah. That's pretty cool. It is kind of, yeah. It's like, and then it's funny cause I talk to people and I'm like, yeah, I got to go to school, but really I'm going to work, but they probably are thinking, man, she's the longest in school. I never seen somebody in school so long. Cause I never say work. I just say, I'm going to school.

Starting point is 01:44:23 Like, God, you think that she graduated, you know? They're probably thinking dang, she's still in school. Do you think some kids probably mostly eat at school and don't eat at home in your area? Yes. Really? A lot of them. Yeah. We have children you wouldn't know from,

Starting point is 01:44:37 that are homeless and from everywhere and they go to school. No way. Oh yeah. Yeah. Is there homeless in your area? Yes. Oh wow. A're, yeah. Is there homeless in your area? Yes. Oh wow. A lot.

Starting point is 01:44:46 Wow. Mm-hmm. That's crazy, huh? Yeah, definitely. Yeah, it's got different over the neighborhood too, you know. Yeah. And lower and lower, yeah. Yeah, I think you're seeing a lot of homeless

Starting point is 01:44:57 with homelessness on the rise, the Supreme Court weighs ban on sleeping outdoors. Oh yeah. What is that gonna do? I love how they rephrase it to being sleeping outdoors. Pull this up a little bit more. The Supreme Court wrestled with major questions about the growing issue of homelessness on Monday as it considered whether cities can punish people for sleeping outside when shelter space is lacking. It's the most significant case

Starting point is 01:45:24 before the high court in decades on the issue and comes as record numbers of people are without a permanent place to live in the United States. What? So the case started on the case started in the rural Oregon town of Grants Pass, which began finding people 295 bucks. They can't even pay for their homeless. They don't even have nowhere to go for For sleeping outside is the cost of housing escalated

Starting point is 01:45:46 and tents sprung up in the city's public parks. That's unbelievable. Cause yeah, you're like, where are people supposed to go? Well, they got a lot of, they make a lot of spots over there, like tent city and stuff. Yeah. So there's places that you see a lot of homeless.

Starting point is 01:46:00 But I wonder if they would also have to, is that considered sleeping outside? I don't know. I couldn't see how, you gonna give them a fine. If you have a tent, I feel like you're... Because if people don't have a place to go and they make a tent, Right. Then they're trying, they're...

Starting point is 01:46:13 Trying to make a home. Yeah. I mean, right? Somebody's making a house, right? Well, yeah, and some rent is so expensive. Like, what do you expect someone to do? Oh, yeah. You know, especially if people get caught up on,

Starting point is 01:46:25 you know, people get caught up in a drugs pretty easily. Well, there's a lot of that going now, yeah. Well, especially when we advertise drugs on television in this country, like it's a new toy. Right, right, right. You know, every single one. So you can't be shocked when people end up on drugs. Right.

Starting point is 01:46:42 And then now they're stuck outside, and yeah, we don't have a place for them Gosh, that's unbelievable. Yeah, imagine getting a ticket Yeah, I'd be I'd be laughing at him. What do you want me to do with this? I use it for wipe, you know Because I don't even have a home. I don't even have a job Where are you gonna get 295? Yeah, I'm like, hey, give me a whole roll of tickets. Can you give me some more tickets? Hey, give me the soft ones too.

Starting point is 01:47:09 What are they going to do? Put me in jail for a minute, then I have a home, and I can go to the bathroom and get a meal. I mean, if that's going to be... Gosh. Right? How rude. Unbelievable.

Starting point is 01:47:20 Or they'll probably make them start, they'll make schools start feeding the people maybe. Did you ever try a homeless feeding program at your school? Yes. Really? Yes. And as a matter of fact, in 2020, when all of them was at home, I was out there with N95 masks. And we made, my custodian made me this drive-through door because it was closed off.

Starting point is 01:47:39 Your custodian made it for you? Yeah, it was really cool when I came in. Yeah. And so I could just, it was like, shh, shh, but anybody come at the door and we would give them food. So I gave a lot of food away around those couple months. Yeah. Students and homeless people, students, homeless people. Yeah.

Starting point is 01:47:53 Anybody, anybody and everybody. Yeah. You saw some crazy stuff. Did you? Oh, I mean, you know, but hey, at least it was free food. There wasn't, you should, you wasn't hungry because there was lots of places to get free food from. Yeah.

Starting point is 01:48:04 People got to eat. Yeah. Did you? Oh, I mean, you know, but hey, at least it was free food. There wasn't, you should, you wasn't hungry because there was lots of places to get free food from. Yeah. People got to eat. Yeah. You know, um, I feel like if I put my glasses on, we look a little bit the same. You're a lot cuter though. A little bit. I'm half Polish for you. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I know it's just like, it's so hard to think of things at the time. Um, I mean, I, I eavesdrop all the time.

Starting point is 01:48:46 Don't get me wrong. Cause I hear stuff I'm not supposed to hear. I just, I just tried not to even, you know, I'm thinking they did what and they're only what. So, oh, kids making out or whatever, different things that they talk through line. And I'm like, Oh man, I don't even want to hear all that now. So I try to act like I'm not listening, but, uh, like some will talk'm like, Oh man, I don't even want to hear all that now. So I try to act like I'm not listening. But like some will talk sometimes like long time ago, maybe about their parents or you get a little bit more scoop than you should know things going on and things

Starting point is 01:49:16 going on it. Yeah. You probably shouldn't know. Yeah. People smoking this. Yeah. Well, their clothes smell like when they come in. Oh, yeah. I knew that mom and dad did. Ah! Ah! Ah!

Starting point is 01:49:28 Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Anything on this sunken gaze, man? Bring it in. It's like a game. You got an image on it, at least?

Starting point is 01:49:35 Absolutely nothing. Just show me the first image. It comes up if you do it sunken gaze or witchcraft. There we go. There we go. There we go, oh my gosh. Hey look. And just go to Google too and let me see what they have for it if you'd put it in there.

Starting point is 01:49:53 Okay, sinking gay men and put backslash witchcraft. I'm seared man, this was a big thing while we were growing up. And go to images. See what we get right there. Bring that picture up. Oh, so we get a picture of the Navy. Yeah.

Starting point is 01:50:14 See this is well, I don't think that's what I don't think that's what we're talking about, Melissa Ancel. I want to thank you so much for your service, literally, for being a smile that people can see when they cross through the middle of their day. You know, you're kind of like the meridian in the ocean, you know, where like the time zone kind of changes when you cross it. And I think that that's special.

Starting point is 01:50:35 I know that that's important for a lot of kids. Just to have somebody in the middle of the day to offer them a big smile, you know, that goes a long way, I think just in the universe. And yeah, thank you for coming and spending time with us and helping us reminisce a little bit about what it was like to go to lunch and have a lovely lady stand there and help us out,

Starting point is 01:50:54 help us get through it. Thank you so much, thank you. Yeah, and thank you so much for coming. Thank you for having me. Now I'm just floating on the breeze and I feel I'm falling like these leaves I must be cornerstone Oh, but when I reach that ground I'll share this peace of mind I found

Starting point is 01:51:16 I can feel it in my bones But it's gonna take a little

This Past Weekend - E507 School Lunch Lady

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