December 6, 2006
Tuesday's Prescription Services Goodie Day has been officially declared "a success," according to Public Health Technician Lorenzo Jones. In accordance with state policy, any "celebration involving food that reveals further insights into a person's character is a successful attempt at showing how truly he or she may behave."
As with most goodie days, a day randomly chosen for a few people to bring in food for everyone else, Tuesday's celebratory feast in the headquarters of Prescription Services went about as expected. Adding to the mayhem was the yearly onslaught of statewide regional pharmacists, visiting town for two days of meetings and scarfing food.
"It was really good to see them again," Public Health Technician Adam Barnes said, waving a farewell to a pharmacist from outta town. "I sure hope they didn't leave here hungry!" Barnes isn't sure or not when they left: tethered to the constant buzzing of the Phrenocaid hotline prevented him from much socializing or, for that matter, eating.
Technician Betsy Walker shares the sentiment. "I heard they had brisket for 'em an' all but I wasn't allowed to go see 'til 'bout two. I spent the past day and a half working on a fruit salad for them. I used half a watermelon and sculpted that into a swan. I was all ready to go an' ask how they all liked it and all but I never got the chance. I might e-mail one or two of the pharmacists I know and see if they talked with anyone who had any fruit."
Also joining the festivity were former members of Prescription Services, including those who had retired at least five years ago and many who were moved to other sections of the State Health Agency during the reorganization shuffle of 2001, brought together now for only food.
"Yeah, I heard there was some food somewhere in the building so I brought in my private stash to share," Contract Specialist Doris Mitchell said, approaching the table with half a bag of Big-Stuf Oreos. Mitchell was a former Prescription Services member now working in another area of the building. "It always amazes me how much delicious food is brought in for these goodie days! It makes me cry, it's so thoughtful. Is all this food here for a reason?"
Turn out for the event was higher than expected with the returning Prescription Services alumni and moochers from other areas and latecomers were left with scraps until some had to be turned away. By mid-to-late afternoon, the day long spread had turned to slim pickin's, with half of half a bag of Nibbles brand crackers, three opened bags of potato chips and Chubb Dairy Spread the only remaining food items. A few people came crawling around 4:12 when rumors of unopened remaining Eight Layer Dip but this turned out to be just that: rumors.
All in all, organizers say the event was a wild success. "Yeah, that brisket I brought in was the bomb," pharmacist and part-time chef Art "Party" Ximinez said. "Me and those boys from outta town must have downed at least six or seven pieces a piece. And the sausage I cooked was smokin' as well. Plump, moist with just a hint of jalapeño flavor. You got to feel good if you saw people returning for thirds and fourth servings. No one returns for bad food!"
The next Goodie Day, as is custom, will not be announced until one or two days before. Planners are already looking to see if February birthdays -- and forgotten birthdays of people from November, December and January -- could be included in the next gorge to "cut down" on having too many feasts too often. Supporters say, not likely.
But there are those tiring of the usual menu.
"It's hard not having them every week," Jones said at the close of Tuesday's celebration. "Though, admittedly, you'd think after a while people would realize the same ol' stuff happens time after time. We should try something to spice it up."
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