Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Scent o' Broccoli

For lunch each day this week in an effort to save money, I have brought a chicken breast that I cooked beautifully in the crockpot on Sunday and a baggie of broccoli to steam in the microwave. Until today this wasn't a problem. This afternoon I brought the last of my meal and yet another baggie of broccoli. Upon entering the kitchen and pulling out my vegetables I was accosted by our large-and-in-charge-HR-hybrid-wants-to-run-the-company woman announcing as loudly as possible: "SHE SAID NO BROCCOLI TODAY BECAUSE IT STINKS!"

Okay, three questions immediately spring to mind:
1. Who is she?
2. Why? No one has complained the previous two days.
3. I'm sure it doesn't stink as badly as your daily tuna salad, garlic concoction.

Apparently one of our largest clients will be gracing our agency today and may tour our building (although I am more than 100% sure they have already done so several times). Madame P (who I later found out is the omnipresent "she" being referred to) had requested that the kitchen stay clean. I have no problems with that; however, no note was given prior to, say, 12:45 today asking us to please not bring lunch whose scent may offend. As a general rule I do try to be conscious of the aroma my meals may give off, but I consider broccoli a very minor mal-odor.

I tried to explain to Kitchen Czar that the only lunch I had was the chicken and broccoli and inquired whether my rosemary, thyme and basil crusted chicken was allowed. After some thought and arguing Czar decided that the poultry was fine. In a huff I threw my broccoli back in the refrigerator and hypothesized aloud that perhaps I should go out and buy lunch and then expense it to the client since dining out is not part of my budget or my schedule. In appeasement I was told that I could cook my broccoli after 3. Gee, thanks.

I returned to my desk seething. After eating my chicken breast I returned to the kitchen to put my dishes away only to see the line waiting for the microwave included 2 bags of popcorn; 1 garlic fish filet and 1 frozen curry dish, all which were deemed appropriate for afternoon consumption. I MEAN REALLY?!?! Don't these 4 items exceed any waft of unpleasant scent my cup of broccoli?

It truly takes a lot to set me off, but for whatever reason this kitchen kerfluffle certainly did it. Sorry to rant and be all-around negative, but this incident realllllly pushed my buttons.

6 comments:

QueenBeeSwain said...

thinking some very un-christian things about that lady right now.

kHm

Scarlet O'Kara said...

I think that between the fish, curry, and popcorn...no broc scent could be detected...

Maybe they were in line while the Kitchen Czar was in the ladies room?

Hopsy said...

Um garlic fish and curry vs. your soup? They do not even compare!

Lis said...

I cannot stand people like that - how come every office has one!!

I may have had some choice words, I mean thoughts for her!!!

kuhkjhkh said...

I think you should be sneaky and doooo it! You can't get fired over eating broccoli! girls gotta eat! lol

Jenny said...

I have this isue some days at my job...people just LOVE to say,"Something stinks" and looks glaringly at my broccoli. because YES, I do eat broccoli with my FISH or chicken most everyday!

Yeah, and don't even get me started on my tilapia. It hardly smells, but apparently everyone in my office has the scent sensitivity of a blind person.