When I was around 8ish I went to a half day church camp for a couple weeks that was run by some Jesuit volunteers. Every camper had to take their turn in the kitchen making lunch. Cold cuts or PB and J with chips and milk. Simple enough for us little kids to make under the supervision of the sweet old lady in the kitchen. On the day it was my turn, the kitchen lady was not there and her replacement was a grumpy old man, I did not like. The menu was PB and J and being 8ish I could make one with my eyes closed. I set up the assembly line got the bread out (tossed any old way) grabbed a knife and the peanut butter. This is where grumpy man stepped in. He stopped what I was doing and said "do it right or don't do it at all." Did I mention he was old and grumpy?
He then began to school me on how to make a PB and J sandwich. He stacked up the bread I put out and put it back in the bag I got it from. He got a new loaf and proceeded to explain that the bread has to match just like it came out of the loaf; not backward, not upside down not from a different part of the loaf. The peanut butter had to spread to the inside edge of the crust, the jelly too. Any less and the customer was cheated and any more the sandwich was messy. No unbuttered or unjellied portions were allowed. The pieces of bread had to line up together and each had to be cut evenly corner to corner. Being 8ish I protested and was told "no one wants to eat an ugly sandwich. Doing it right takes time and shows you take pride in even the smallest tasks." I remember those words because I kept thinking it was just a sandwich. Can you guess how I make my sandwiches to this day?
Flash forward 40ish years to today. I was getting a three cheese and bacon grilled cheese at the Safeway Deli. I was in a hurry having walked out of Subway because the one person in front of me turned into 12 when her family showed up and cut in line. I was impatient and edgy and the woman was taking FOREVER getting every thing just right on my sandwich. A young girl was helping another customer right next to me. The woman helping me stopped putting my sandwich together and stopped the young girl. "Do it right" she then proceeded to explain how to make the sandwich emphasizing lining things up right, which meats went on the bottom and which on top. Proper spreading of the condiments making sure there was Avocado on the whole piece of bread so the customer did not "feel cheated". She came back to my sandwich, apologized and said "no one wants to eat an ugly sandwich."
I hope that girl gets as much from that little lesson as I did from that not so grumpy old man.
He then began to school me on how to make a PB and J sandwich. He stacked up the bread I put out and put it back in the bag I got it from. He got a new loaf and proceeded to explain that the bread has to match just like it came out of the loaf; not backward, not upside down not from a different part of the loaf. The peanut butter had to spread to the inside edge of the crust, the jelly too. Any less and the customer was cheated and any more the sandwich was messy. No unbuttered or unjellied portions were allowed. The pieces of bread had to line up together and each had to be cut evenly corner to corner. Being 8ish I protested and was told "no one wants to eat an ugly sandwich. Doing it right takes time and shows you take pride in even the smallest tasks." I remember those words because I kept thinking it was just a sandwich. Can you guess how I make my sandwiches to this day?
Flash forward 40ish years to today. I was getting a three cheese and bacon grilled cheese at the Safeway Deli. I was in a hurry having walked out of Subway because the one person in front of me turned into 12 when her family showed up and cut in line. I was impatient and edgy and the woman was taking FOREVER getting every thing just right on my sandwich. A young girl was helping another customer right next to me. The woman helping me stopped putting my sandwich together and stopped the young girl. "Do it right" she then proceeded to explain how to make the sandwich emphasizing lining things up right, which meats went on the bottom and which on top. Proper spreading of the condiments making sure there was Avocado on the whole piece of bread so the customer did not "feel cheated". She came back to my sandwich, apologized and said "no one wants to eat an ugly sandwich."
I hope that girl gets as much from that little lesson as I did from that not so grumpy old man.
