Chapter 15 (cont.)

 

Poppa Rodney

 

“The Rodney jukebox: Everyday someone would put on ‘California Dreamin'’ by The Mommas and The Poppas.”

 

- Stephanie, UD '93

 

Hard Rodney

 

“My main memory of Rodney is that EVERY time I ate there, no matter what day or what time, someone played ‘Fool in the Rain.’ So every time I hear that Led Zep song, I think of Rodney...sweet, huh?”

 

- Leslie, UD '94

 

Rodpology

 

“I'd like to apologize to everyone who had to listen to Color Me Badd singing ‘All 4 Love’ every night during the Spring '92 semester -- it was my roommate and me. Best 25 cents spent, every night.” (Digger’s Note: Apology not accepted!)

 

- Jim B, UD '95

 

All I Needed to Know

 

“Who doesn't love four hour brunches and dinner at 4:30? Pizza, fries, cereal. Rodney was kind of like Rock 'n' Roll. I learned more useful things from the interesting crew in Rodney's smoking section, than I did from many of my classes. Hanging out in Rodney Dining Hall is probably the thing I miss most about college.”

 

- Anonymous, UD '95

 

Rodney Rabble Rousers

 

“Thanks to Rodney, I had several full sets of dishes and silverware at my house. I'd conveniently finish my food on the way out of the dining hall, so the dishes had to make the trip home.

 

One time we dared a kid to load up his tray with as much food as possible and then ‘trip’ while walking to his table. He must have stacked his tray three or four plates high, before he tripped and threw the tray onto the floor. Food went everywhere and he kept apologizing to everyone, while we were cracking up on the other side of the dining hall.

 

Another time we had two guys get into a lovers’ quarrel. One slammed his empty tray down and started yelling at the other guy for cheating on him. Of course as soon as they started yelling the dining hall went silent, especially since it was two guys. One of them grabbed a glass of water to throw on the other, but missed and hit some girl sitting behind them. No one knew how to react, it was classic. Oh…and Rodney had pretty good food.”

 

- Rob, UD '03

 

Swipin’ and Wipin’

 

“Spring semester, 1991, I worked at Rodney Dining Hall. I did it all; worked the ID card swipe machine, served food, sorted silverware, and worked in the dish room.

 

Well, working the swipe machine I often encountered a lot of people who were out of meals, points, or just plain without a card. Despite the fact that I wasn't supposed to, I'd let anyone in who asked nicely. I looked like a complete punk-rock-goth freak at the time, so some of the crowd looked a little worried when they approached me, as if there was no way I'd let them slide, but I usually did. If they were nice. I liked the sense of power, ha ha!

 

Oh, the dish room, that wild and zany place. In old Rodney -- before it was renovated and ARA took over -- the dish room was downstairs. Two or three people worked what looked like a nasty stream of water, where the dishes were scraped, rinsed, and separated before being loaded into the sanitizer. Saturday and Sunday brunches were the MOST FUN EVER down there. We would sing at the top of our lungs and make ‘music’ by hitting the silverware against anything that would make a great sound. We'd also throw food from the plates at each other and the walls. The best was to try and flick a cream cheese glob off a spoon and onto the ceiling. Ugh, I'd be FILTHY when I left and would have to go back to Dickinson to take a shower, every time.

 

We had tons of fun, but we did work hard, so I suppose that's the only reason we didn't get fired. That job was awesome. I only left because I was offered something that paid better and was related to my major, but sometimes I wonder what would have happened had I stayed!”

 

- Anonymous, UD '94