'it's All Greek To Me'

It is now fall 2006 and Ella Mae and I continue with our unique duties.  We have dinner together, (but not alone) whenever possible, in the dinning room filled with lots of activity and chatter.  The ladies are catching up on each others studies, their latest love and even taking a momentary bite of food.   I really am loving the energy and all the constant coming and going.  College classes can run late into the night, so there is this continuing motion and sometimes, controlled chaos.  I am feeling pretty satisfied and proud because I am responsible for this very meal.  EM has just left her house where she has cooked for the 'boys', and we both are feeling good about that.  We do worry sometimes, because you never know if tonight's dinner is a home run or not.  In EM's case she will find out the next morning, but I have the pleasure or displeasure of instant analysis.  The rage now is these new TV food shows, where the cooks compete to make the best entrees, heck, I was being judged every day.  I certainly had some misses but after preparing in access of 1800 lunches, dinners and special event meals in my time here, I think a few, isn't too bad.  What pride we would also feel when parents would be in town and thank me for cooking and EM for her motherly presence.  We always tried to give the girls their space and be respectful of their privacy, after all this was their home.  We would also be on hand to participate or support any of the many class projects or game nights.  One year they played other sororities in tag football and we cheered them on.  One evening we played the catch phrase hand held game and had a lot of fun and laughs.  We would both try to be downstairs when it was formal night and catch a glimpse of their dresses and dates.  On graduation day, EM would be the hostess and I would prepare the buffet meal.  This was also a sad time as we now said goodbye to the seniors.  We would be always be amazed when we watched a girl empty her room with an endless stream of trips up and down the stairs with their arms full of stuff.  They would now attempt to load a compact car that was wholly inadequate and was surely now over it's maximum weight limit.  Since I did not have to 'stay over' EM would see or hear things that I did not.  The bars letting out at 2 am or the frat party right next door would make for an immediate wake up call for her.  I could go on and on about our days on 'the hill', however a new adventure has arose!  I am opening a small cafe on East Malloy Road in the Pickard Building.  It will open for business on August 1.  The hours of operation are Monday - Friday 7 am - 2:30 pm serving breakfast and lunch.........I will be back to continue this story soon.....Thanks to all.....