During freshman through junior years at KMI, I kept myself busy with several (non-traditional) activities which provided an avoidance of the usual formations and activities of typical cadets. One of these daily activities was waiter of the mess halls of both campuses. As a junior I was a “Head-Waiter”.

There were times a member of the wait staff wound find that he was unable to work a meal and did his best to send a suitable substitute to fill in for him. This was not often, but there were always athletic competitions played away from campus, unexpected illnesses or injuries.

One Friday afternoon, two regular waiters were to be absent from the dinner service but only one cadet found a regular sub to work for him. As usual, we had scheduled meals on time and I was pressed to find someone who might be able to help serve the evening mess. I was desperate but was unable to get a sub; so, I conned my roommate into helping out…he had never been on the serving end of a meal while at KMI.

Again, this happened on a Friday evening and the protean for the meal was fish sticks (2/cadet). All of the waiters lined up in the kitchen for the first delivery which was the fish sticks; trays loaded with 3-4 platters of 18 sticks on each. Our rookie was responsible for four tables so he had a full load of 72 sticks. He was so worried about the balance of each platter, that he failed to observe the other waiters ahead of him negotiate the doorway to the mess hall. The five other waiters merely held the tray of four platters underneath and swiveled the try to manage the narrow door opening. Mike got to the door and proceeded to hit the frame. All 72 fish sticks went flying and the racket of four stainless steel trays on terrazzo floors was deafening.

Not every cadet experienced the mess of the mess hall. Not all cadets even saw what effort went into feeding 400 +/- cadets, faculty with families, and staff three meals a day for an entire school year.

Mike was quite embarrassed and angry with me, but he got over it and we remained friends for years to come. I sometimes miss him, but will always remember him. May he rest in peace.

Terry Chisholm

KMI ‘63