Hijinks (file under par for the course)

The kitchen can be a very fun place to work at times. There is always lots of banter and friendly ribbing. Sometimes it goes a little bit beyond when someone brings in something fun.

Sunday was going to be a long day. After an already long week. So J brought in an electrified bug zapper. You know the ones that look like a tennis racquet but instead of regular strings it gloriously electrified metal strings. The current is small but still gives a little bit of a zing if you know what I mean. Well on top of the regular brunch we also had two weddings to prepare for on Sunday night. All I can say is thank god for the bug zapper.

Brunch set up and execution went smooth enough. It was about half way through brunch that the “zzzzz” sounds of the zapper could be heard. One of the apprentices, we’ll call him Al was the predominant target of all our affection. He was leaving for India the next day and is such a card that he was an obvious target.

So there I am getting some more Eggs Benedict ready to put out. Out of the corner of my eye I see Al walking by with ones of the J’s right behind him. Then I hear the tell tale “zzzz” and see Al jump what must have been three feet in the air. After each and every “zzzz” sound there was an immediate follow up of; “Shit,” or “Damn” or playful giggles. The game was a foot.

The racquet would be left in a spot and the game then became to secretly pick it up and position yourself so that you could get maximum “shock affect.” Brunch came and went smoothly with a “zzzz” every few minutes or so. It was then right into breaking down and making sure that the weddings were ready to go. In total we were preparing food for about two hundred. The first wedding for about one hundred and sixty was off site (meaning not our building) but was not far from the restaurant.

The food we did for this wedding was awesome. The main course was a turkey duo of dark and light meat (leg and breast) served with mash potatoes and a lingonberry turkey gravy. It looked and tasted good. While the food was getting prepared Al was the main target of our affections with the zapper.

Once everything was done and we were getting ready to go the zapper made a guest appearance in a starring role of peoples pain thresholds. There were nipple zaps, ass zaps, finger zaps, ear zaps. There was so much “zzzz” sound that rarely a minute went by.

Finally at the end I was getting ready to go out back and have a smoke and Al finally was able to get the zapper. We had kept it from him all day long and when he finally got it he became an insane monkey bouncing off the walls trying to get everyone he could. He nailed Chef B four times in a ten second span as well as anyone else that was within reach.

Chef B and I who were the big targets of Al’s “zzzz” affection on his wild tirade went out back for a cigarette and decide that Al needs to get a little payback for his zapping indiscretions and decide that a wedgie is the most appropriate and best response. Especially after he came out and threw a cup of water on me and tried to zap me while one of the J’s videoed it. Chef B and I finished our smoke and went inside to prepare our response.

Atomic wedgie. Which incidentally on a big twenty year old kid is not easy AT ALL. But sure enough we both got a good grip and are both certain that we heard some tearing. At the very least we fulfilled on ensuring that his butt would hurt on the way home.

It is these small things that keep us going through long days. Little side tracks that keep us going. Keep us laughing. Keep us cheerful on days that seem to last into forever.

It was a great day. Long. But fun. It was the beginning of our Turkey fest celebration. Perhaps we should call it the first annual zap fest. Who knows. But at any rate we got through the day with a little shock therapy and some good natured fun.

St. Thomas Aquinas once said; "It is requisite for the relaxation of the mind that we make use, from time to time, of playful deeds and jokes” How true!

Are you dreaming big and inspired?

A la prochaine

SDM