Fraternity Kitchen

All I Know

Saturday, March 6th, 2010 | daily

Almost two years ago, when I was at least as weary of fraternity cooking as I am now and was interviewing for other jobs, I came into work and as I was unlocking my kitchen door, I was met with the news that Kevin (pictured center in black) had suffered a serious fall.  I didn’t have my blog then, but a few days later I wrote, “I have only good memories of him.  Of how he loved my food and could make me laugh when I was determined not to.”  And then, describing the anguish of walking into the ICU and seeing dozens of the guys already there sobbing and reaching out to me for a hug, I wrote in an email, “if I ever thought this was just a job, I know differently now.”  It was the first day of summer break when Kevin died and against my earlier decision, I returned in the fall and started this blog.  The press surrounding the events of that awful morning was thick with inuendo and the usual fraternity-bashing disguised as community concern.  But the truth is that Kevin, like most of the guys I’ve met in my time here, was smart and funny, respectful and compassionate, and I thought I could show that through these little stories. 

I made coconut blondies for the guys to share when they returned from the hospital and left them at the kitchen door with a note:  I love you all and I don’t live far away.  Please always know that you can call/text/email me anytime.  I want to give you some space tonight.  It was summer and my contract was over, but I cooked a lot in the days that followed because, as I explained to the alumnus who had given me the news, “it’s all I know to do.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCDWu_q8qkc

2 Comments to All I Know

Newman
March 7, 2010

Miss you Kev. Thanks for this post Darlene.

darlene
March 7, 2010

Seeing the people in that video–most have left now or will leave after next quarter. It really does feel like the end of something. And new beginnings.

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