Beans

Scene

In the school diner there are two hot food serving counters.  Two people work alongside on each.

First Food Counter

Server 1: We’ll be running out of beans soon.  You can take some from the container on the other counter.

Server one prises the bean container out of the steaming bain marie. 

Server 1: Take that over to the counter and get some beans put into it.

Server two takes the container over to the second food counter but can’t find a way into the bean pot as two servers are in the way and serving a busy queue of people.  Server two returns without the beans.

Server 1:  What’s the problem?

Server 2: I can’t find a way to get to the beans without disrupting the servers.

Server 1: (Tut) Just MOVE the trolley out of the way and get them.

Server two returns to the second food counter.

Server 2:  Excuse me.  Sorry.  Can I just squeeze in between you both to get some beans from the front? 

The flow of production ceases and the queue comes to a standstill whilst server 2 ladles a few scoops of beans into the container and hurriedly gets back to the first food counter to slot the replenished beans back into the bain marie.

Server one watches intently as a flustered server two struggles to get the container back into the hot water bath without splashing hot water up her arms.  Service is finished. 

Pause

Server 1:  Looks like we didn’t need them after all. 

Server one turns off the unit and hangs up her oven gloves for the day looking triumphant.

Server two blinks a teary eye.