Some Skeevy Bacteria

I was just skipping around the internet looking for volunteer opportunities. I was checking out the Table to Table website. Table to Table is topnotch organization that collects food from grocery stores, food warehouses, restaurants and local farms (primarily the organic ones) that for one reason or another can no longer be sold or served and redistributes it to local non-profits that feed the poor, homeless and hungry.

Okay I am going to out and out brag about something here because I take some credit (and pride) in the food donor profile listed at the bottom of this post. Actually, truth is I'm gonna brag and kevetch (sp?) a bit too. I worked briefly as a catering supervisor for the Iowa Memorial Union in 1995-1996. When I worked there, the IMU had a policy that all uneaten/unused food had to be immediately disposed of for "legal" reasons - you know, a one in a billion chance the pasta salad had picked up some skeevy bacteria and the recipient "soup kitchen" would sue them - soup kitchens are, of course, notoriously litigious. Thank you actuarial scientists - not! I found this policy, well, unethical and decided to change it, in a guerrilla-esque (from the bottom up) fashion - pretty much the most effective way to get anything done in a state run (read: bureacratic) institution.

So I met with the drivers in the delivery department and asked them if, in their off hours, they would take all the leftover food to places like the Emergency Housing Project, the Crisis Center, the Domestic Violence Shelter and the Free Lunch Program. Table to Table was not around back then. The drivers were more than happy to comply. I got a begruding nod of consent from a supervisor after promising to get the food to its destination within 1 hour of the end of each event. After only 2 weeks of semi-covert operation, almost every member of the all student staff was enthusiastically involved in this project. One of Iowa City's most talented musicians, James Robinson* of the Mayflies (and Pultizer Prize winner Marilynne's son), was a driver for IMU back then and an eager participant. Apparently having a conscience runs in the family. Sally who has the super cool fabric shop on Muscatine was also around then. Hey, shop at Sally's and go hear the Mayflies - support the peeps who have been involved in doing good stuff in our community.

Anyway, it may go without saying that my tenure at the IMU was brief (I am no longer prone to such guerilla-esque strategies in the workplace, BTW.) Shortly after starting my job there, I suffered an overwhelmingly intense (is that redundant?) bout of depression for which my doctor insisted I receive inpatient care. After discharge, against the sage advice of my boss's boss, Sandra (who I really like and admire), I told all my peer supervisors the reason for my abscence at our next staff meeting. I was incredibly naive about the prejudice and judgmentalism directed toward those with a "mental health" issue. Two weeks later I was let go, 4 weeks short of the end of my probationary period (i.e having full union protection), for not coming to work on a day I was in North Carolina and had been given approved time off.

The really interesting postscript to this story in that according to the University of Iowa, I never worked in the catering department and certainly was never a supervisor. My official work transcript says I was employed by the Department of Russian as a payroll clerk. Why? At one point I employed the services of an attorney who insisted I had can't lose discrimination case. In the end, I dropped the thing. I find the whole business of sue-you v. sue-me pretty distasteful and I was still so depressed at the time I was not entirely certain I was not somehow to blame.

So, speaking of taste, here's the bottom line - Barry Greenberg (never my favorite staffer and speaking of bragging, I mean, think about this guy's quotation a minute -he is telling a beautiful non-profit organization that is committed to feeding the hungry that "finding recipients for [his] food is a great mission they should be proud of" -sheesh) is "proudly" representing the generosity of the Iowa Memorial Union's donation of food to Table to Table and that is great. My tenure there was brief but the impact my time there is alive and well, in the very best of ways. I am really proud of that. Am I a bit peeved that Greenberg is the spokesman for what was basically my puppy? Sure. Would I like a little credit for it? Absolutely (and I'm getting it - sometimes it's a-okay to do these things for yourself.) Hey, I'm human but, ultimately, the bottom line here is that people who need food are getting it.

I don't think I've told more than a couple of people about starting that whole business up but I'm sure there are those who know and remember. Sally and, possibly, James. I know my co-supervisors remember but, unfortunately, I never worked there which reminds me I keep meaning to call up the Department of Russian and find out what kind of a payroll clerk I was. I swear, I tell my family these stories and they do not frggin' believe me. Another episode of "That's Inmegable!" There is no pity in this for anyone out there reading for the self-pity police. It's just absurd and friggin' hilarious. As I always say, if you can't laugh at yourself stay out of my revolution, please.

And the donor profile reads as:

"The University of Iowa-Memorial Union Food Service is thankful for the work Table to Table does for our community. Finding recipients for our extra food is a great mission that you should all be proud of. We appreciate your efforts and will continue our support to help you reach your goals."

Barry Greenberg
Associate Manager of Food Service
University of Iowa
Iowa Memorial Union