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The "Brotherhood" of Labeling Your Food....
We had just returned from a particularly gruesome call. Kids in our area like to go “hill-hopping”. That’s when they take daddy’s Beamer to the roller-coaster-like hills in the rural, wooded area of our district and go fast enough to grab some air. Sometimes they land back on the pavement, and sometimes they don’t. When they don’t, we get called.
Looking for a little respite, the boys trooped into the kitchen.
“Hey, check this out,” shouted Al as he peered into the freezer. We shared one fridge with all three shifts, so there’s always a fair amount of scrounging.
He pulled out a quart of Breyer’s and pointed at the lid. There, scrawled in black sharpie was “RED, DO NOT TOUCH!!!!!!”
Red shift had “marked” their ice cream.
Like a dog marks a tree.
“This is just wrong,” Bruce said ripping off the lid and spooning a huge chunk into his mouth. “Wha-eva havven to buvverhood?” he mouthed, chowing down on the mint chocolate chip.
“Yeah. Brotherhood,” we chimed in, each grabbing a spoon and digging into the carton like puppies at a nipple. We didn’t stop until we had polished off the forbidden fruit.
What the hell is wrong with those guys? Sure, it’s understandable to label a pack of good steaks or some special item once in awhile, but this was not the first time. It wasn’t even the tenth time- this had become “an issue”.
This was something that could no longer be ignored; it deserved an answer- loud and clear.
We on black shift were good at answering. Sometimes we answered too well and got our noses thumped with a newspaper from the bugles, but we usually found a way to straddle the line. And the end result was that a message was sent- and a message was received.
Immediately, all the food in the fridge found its way onto the kitchen counter. Armed with sharpies, we each began marking all the food- leftover lasagna, half a head of cauliflower, 4 cans of pop all got the label “RED.”
Sticks of butter, yogurt cups, tomatoes. “RED.”
A carton of eggs were marked “RED” on the outside, then all the individual eggs were marked with little “R’s” to connote ownership.
Some of the eggs were even drained of their contents with a sub-Q syringe and replaced with tomato juice. Red.
RED, RED, RED, RED, RED, RED. In the pantry cabinets, bread was marked “RED” along with Styrofoam cups and plastic utensils.
Aluminum foil was unrolled, marked, and meticulously re-rolled. Oreos, oyster crackers, banana peppers- all got marked.
We were pleased to find out how embarrassed the tightwads on red shift were when they had been called on the absurd level of frugality. It was all the news, and never forgotten.
We are brothers, dammit. If you want some of my nummies, well then help yourself, my friend. None of this “DO NOT TOUCH” crap in our house.
John Mitchell is a Lieutenant on the Barrington (IL) fire department. He is a paramedic, fire and EMS instructor, certified fire investigator and Chicago Blackhawks fan. He is the editor of FireDaily.com.
Looking for a little respite, the boys trooped into the kitchen.
“Hey, check this out,” shouted Al as he peered into the freezer. We shared one fridge with all three shifts, so there’s always a fair amount of scrounging.
He pulled out a quart of Breyer’s and pointed at the lid. There, scrawled in black sharpie was “RED, DO NOT TOUCH!!!!!!”
Red shift had “marked” their ice cream.
Like a dog marks a tree.
“This is just wrong,” Bruce said ripping off the lid and spooning a huge chunk into his mouth. “Wha-eva havven to buvverhood?” he mouthed, chowing down on the mint chocolate chip.
“Yeah. Brotherhood,” we chimed in, each grabbing a spoon and digging into the carton like puppies at a nipple. We didn’t stop until we had polished off the forbidden fruit.
What the hell is wrong with those guys? Sure, it’s understandable to label a pack of good steaks or some special item once in awhile, but this was not the first time. It wasn’t even the tenth time- this had become “an issue”.
This was something that could no longer be ignored; it deserved an answer- loud and clear.
We on black shift were good at answering. Sometimes we answered too well and got our noses thumped with a newspaper from the bugles, but we usually found a way to straddle the line. And the end result was that a message was sent- and a message was received.
Immediately, all the food in the fridge found its way onto the kitchen counter. Armed with sharpies, we each began marking all the food- leftover lasagna, half a head of cauliflower, 4 cans of pop all got the label “RED.”
Sticks of butter, yogurt cups, tomatoes. “RED.”
A carton of eggs were marked “RED” on the outside, then all the individual eggs were marked with little “R’s” to connote ownership.
Some of the eggs were even drained of their contents with a sub-Q syringe and replaced with tomato juice. Red.
RED, RED, RED, RED, RED, RED. In the pantry cabinets, bread was marked “RED” along with Styrofoam cups and plastic utensils.
Aluminum foil was unrolled, marked, and meticulously re-rolled. Oreos, oyster crackers, banana peppers- all got marked.
We were pleased to find out how embarrassed the tightwads on red shift were when they had been called on the absurd level of frugality. It was all the news, and never forgotten.
We are brothers, dammit. If you want some of my nummies, well then help yourself, my friend. None of this “DO NOT TOUCH” crap in our house.
John Mitchell is a Lieutenant on the Barrington (IL) fire department. He is a paramedic, fire and EMS instructor, certified fire investigator and Chicago Blackhawks fan. He is the editor of FireDaily.com.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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We are brothers, dammit. If you want some of my nummies, well then help yourself, my friend. None of this “DO NOT TOUCH” crap in our house.
I'm going to disagree on this. On our dept food is marked "A", "B", "C" for each shift if there is something that you want to save for the next day, in the freezer, etc. We also do what is called "commods" which is stuff like ketchup, mustard, salad dressings, potatoes, onions etc. We keep a running total of commods and at the end of the month, the totals are tallied and it is determined how much one shift may owe another.
The reason I don't agree with the "brotherhood of food" is because it isn't right for one shift to find their chow paying more and more for the other shifts. You want to buy ice cream, then you shouldn't have to worry about it being gone because the other shifts didn't want to buy their own. Sometimes leftovers are saved because the shift will make something else with it their next duty day, so it gets marked. Something may be on sale one day and stuff is bought and left for the next shift day, they shouldn't have to worry about it being gone when coming back on.
We all pay in for our chow and some shifts charge more than others so they can afford to upgrade a bit. Not really fair for the guys paying in $8 a day and another shift living on ramen noodles paying $5 a day and then all the food is fair game.
I see nothing wrong with labeling the food. We also have a "fridge day" each week where the fridges are cleaned and if there is something that has been sitting for awhile, it tends to get tossed. There is stuff that doesn't get marked and that becomes "fair game". Commods should be shared and I think we have a good system to take care of that, but really in the end brotherhood is also about respecting each other. A true brother would say "I took this because we were out" and leave some money, vs saying "we are all brothers ain't we".
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Permalink Reply by FireDaily.com on
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Thanks for your reply John. As usual you offer a different perspective that serves a valuable purpose here in Fire Fighter Nation.
We have a similar system to share costs on what you guys call "commods" as well It's a very tiny stipend tacked onto our union dues each paycheck. We are never in need of ketchup, mustard, Louisiana Hot Sauce, spices, olive oil, etc.
The problem we were experiencing was the loathsome cheapskate mentality that one shift had the audacity to perpetrate constantly. While they were spending 100 nickles for mac and cheese and hot dogs, they had no problem supplementing their hunger with everyone else's unmarked leftovers. This is the complete opposite of any definition of respect or brotherhood, and we didn't stand for it. Now I don't mind that happening once in awhile, or even nine times in awhile. But when do you say enough is enough and wonder about brotherhood?
Tally up the pluses and minuses at the end of the month and submit an invoice to our fellow brothers? Sorry, my friend, that's not how we operate. We feel that over a twenty-year career, everything will eventually come out even- as long as one shift doesn't taint the process (as was the case here). Every once in awhile some might forget about respect and brotherhood, but once reminded, they understand. And if it doesn't come out even? We will never know, will we?
See, we don't mind if another shift eats any of our leftovers. In fact- for particularly delicious meals, we make sure to make enough to share. That's closer to a definition of brotherhood. You've heard the adage "The shift before us are slobs and the shift after us are complainers," right? It's amazing what a half tray of homemade lasagna with three different cheeses does to that kind of shift bashing.
Finally, I would say your only half right about the respect aspect of brotherhood. We've often left notes or money, but the cash was usually returned. Our mentality is if someone else needed it, I'm glad we were able to have furnished it.
When we work a OT or a duty trade on another shift, rare is the time the "visiting firefighter" even pays for his meals at all. It's just nice to be able to do a little something for your brothers, and everyone here respects that. That's what we do and it works out great. No one keeps track of anything other than the camaraderie of our brothers and sisters.
See, to us, brotherhood has a much deeper meaning- of sharing what we have without expecting anything in "return." As it turns out, that type of attitude is highly contagious, and we've found that the actual "return" is much more meaningful in the long run.
I understand that our method won't work for every department, nor is it necessarily any better than anyone else's. But I am proud to say that it works for us, and we are all better in the brotherhood for it.
Look me up at Indy, John, I'll buy you a cup of coffee!
But no scone for you!
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Permalink Reply by Smoke Eater on
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Now that's classic!!! LMAO!!!
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Permalink Reply by FF Nick on
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I have the same stance as Jim on this one. I'll gladly let any of the guys dig in on some of my groceries. I only ask that they let me know they took something (so I don't show up next shift feelin in a mood for chicken wings only to find none there lol) and that they be willing to repay the favor eventually. We used to have this one guy would eat anybodys groceries. Then when confronted about it, it was "John Doe said it was ok" when in reality he's wondering where the heck his frozen pizza went the next day. He got the visine/exlax treatment and soon everyone's groceries we're untouched.
Point is I'm more than willing to give anybody anything that I can, AT LEAST HAVE THE COURTESY to let someone know.
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I agree as well. The way I see it, part of brotherhood means saying "Hey we ate your 2-day-old chicken wings" and you saying "no problem brother." That way it doesn't happen over and over and over again.
Respect and courtesy and brotherhood grow from respect and courtesy and brotherhood. Some of us choose that route rather than poisoning and baiting food.
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Our station is combination, and usually the separate shifts do a good job of respecting each others food and things of that nature. I am a volunteer but when I find the free time, one can usually find me at the station chewing the fat with the guys. Nearly every time I am in the station and someone has made food, that person offers it to everyone there. I have eaten my fair share of meals sitting in the day room watching "The Price is Right" with the paid guys. Do they ask for money? No. Do I offer? Of course. Eating something out of spite is a lot different than eating something out of hunger or necessity. I understand the issue with them being overly frugal, but lets be honest. Who has ever had a roommate in college or somewhere else that eats all of your food? I know I sure have, and it is enough to really push your buttons when you go into the freezer to get that bowl of ice cream that you have been craving only to find the carton near empty. If you need something, ask. If you can't ask, offer to replace it. But eating someone's food for the sheer reason of trying to make a point crosses the line a bit in my opinion. TCSS
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Permalink Reply by Kelly Joe Aylor on
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Sorry man, I have to disagree with you too. The RED shift bought it so it belongs to them. I'm betting if they started dipping into your shift's stuff on a regular basis they would be unhappy as well. "Don't eat the other shifts stuff" as been the law of fire stations longer than any other law.
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For the most part there is not an issue, many times there are leftovers which are never marked and become "fair game". Often there are guys coming in the morning and may have some leftovers, the difference is there are some things that get marked to save for another day and the crews respect that. One shift could make a big batch of chili or soup and keep it in the fridge so that they can freeze it or use it the next day. We could have a very busy day, without running calls, where a quick meal like that is necessary and that could be planned the day before.
OT is completely different from you guys. The OT person will typically throw in extra money or bring in a dessert. It is a nice gesture on the part of the person making the extra money.
When it comes to the chow funds though the reason that things are not just fair game is because stations and crews will use any chow money at the end of the year for a Christmas party. We have a dept party, but most crews will have a get together and the chow fund helps supplement that.
Can't say our system works the best either, but it does work well. You would not see the extreme of marking everything as previously described, unless one crew was really putting up a stink, but it works good. Typically anything that gets marked is for use within the round for the crew.
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Don't apologize for having a different opinion. I'm glad you took the time to post it.
Actually we both share the same opinion on one point here- there was never a question of who "owned" the food. The post was not about stealing food, rather it addresses the issue of brotherhood.
The reason they got the treatment they deserved was because they regularly supplemented their menu with everyone else's food- then had the gall to label their own- constantly.
They were the shift you spoke of- always dipping into everyone else's stuff on a regular basis.
Money isn't the issue.
Ownership isn't the issue.
Their attitudes were a direct assault on the brotherhood of our department- brotherhood that we came to value- brotherhood that we would fiercely protect. The history of brotherhood in the fire service is undeniable. I feel for any brother or sister who has only felt "some brotherhood." There is no such animal as partial brotherhood- either you have it- know it- live it, or you don't
Brotherhood has been the law of fire stations much, much longer than any "law about eating food."
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Permalink Reply by Ron Ayotte on
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There are cheapskates and tightwads in every FD who feel that any leftovers, regardless of which group had the meal is fair game. Two stories...
The "food thief" felt that anything left in the fridge was far game, even if someone left their name on it. He had a fondness for pizza.... a couple of slices were in the fridge, and of course he partook in them... when suddenly he felt a burning in his mouth like nothing he ever experienced.
The person who had the remaining slices set him up by taking a couple of habanero peppers, finely chopping them up and placing them under the cheese of the pizza.
When I was a Lt. at our station 3, we had an ice cream fund in the summertime. Those who partook paid a couple of bucks a week and that paid for ice cream sandwiches, creamsicles, Dilly Bars, etc.
There was one firefighter who claimed "he never ate ice cream".. yet there would be a shortage whenever his group worked. A mouse trap was placed in an empty box of ice cream sandwiches. When the rest of the crew at the station was in their racks, they were awakened by the scream of the perpetrator, who's fingers was "caught in the trap".
In both cases,the thievery was cured.
In a friend's FD, they had a similar problem... one guy would always cry poverty when it came to mealtime and never got in on the meal, yet he would ask for or scam leftovers. This tightwad had to cover the alarm room for his duty tour, an when the rest of the house was detailed to a call, he snuck into the kitchen and made himself a sandwich with the cold cuts.
When the crews returned, the tightwad was still eating the food he never paid for...they dropped a few Polaroid pictures on the alarm room desk. The pictures were of "acts" performed on the leftover cold cuts. Another case of thievery permanently cured.
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I was wondering when "acts" were going to be mentioned.
Polaroids are perfect, although just the mention of what "may have happened" to the food was always enough.....
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