My wit, no longer sharper than my knives
I was dicing some carrots last week and I noticed that my knife wasn't very sharp. I thought to myself, “Gee, I wish I had a convenient place to sharpen my knives.”
Well, didn't I feel like a fool when the next day I was walking through the halls of Fanshawe and there, in front of the bookstore, stood a man sharpening knives, each glinting in the sun, each more perfect than the last.
As I cursed myself for not bringing my dull knives to school that day, I realized that there was a crowd forming around the knife sharpener, watching him wield the slick metal with amazement. I wondered though, how safe is it to display a table full of sharp objects in a completely unsecure environment, and then let groups of young men and women stand in the danger zone? I, for one, was terribly unsettled by this blatant example of the college failing to provide their students with a safe environment.
While I stood in horror, waiting for the sharpener to slip up and cut someone's hand off, or for a disgruntled student to grab a handful of razor sharp instruments and begin swinging them like a crazed Edward Scissorhands, it occurred to me that there might be a purpose to this seemingly frivilous act.
I figured that the man must be visiting Fanshawe as a service to our fine culinary arts students. I'd imagine that they would in fact have knives with them regularly, unlike the random student in, say, General Arts & Science. And I think its a nice gesture to offer such a convenient way for students to keep their learning tools in top shape. But if culinary students are really the beneficiaries of this gesture, wouldn't it make more sense to set up the sharpening table somewhere nearer to the learning kitchen instead of in a high-traffic hallway?
I know I'd feel better about walking to class if I didn't have to pass quickly by a table full of perfectly primed weapons.
Ruth Swanson prefers plastic utensils in volitile environments. Email her at overcaffinated@hotmail.com
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
Well, didn't I feel like a fool when the next day I was walking through the halls of Fanshawe and there, in front of the bookstore, stood a man sharpening knives, each glinting in the sun, each more perfect than the last.
As I cursed myself for not bringing my dull knives to school that day, I realized that there was a crowd forming around the knife sharpener, watching him wield the slick metal with amazement. I wondered though, how safe is it to display a table full of sharp objects in a completely unsecure environment, and then let groups of young men and women stand in the danger zone? I, for one, was terribly unsettled by this blatant example of the college failing to provide their students with a safe environment.
While I stood in horror, waiting for the sharpener to slip up and cut someone's hand off, or for a disgruntled student to grab a handful of razor sharp instruments and begin swinging them like a crazed Edward Scissorhands, it occurred to me that there might be a purpose to this seemingly frivilous act.
I figured that the man must be visiting Fanshawe as a service to our fine culinary arts students. I'd imagine that they would in fact have knives with them regularly, unlike the random student in, say, General Arts & Science. And I think its a nice gesture to offer such a convenient way for students to keep their learning tools in top shape. But if culinary students are really the beneficiaries of this gesture, wouldn't it make more sense to set up the sharpening table somewhere nearer to the learning kitchen instead of in a high-traffic hallway?
I know I'd feel better about walking to class if I didn't have to pass quickly by a table full of perfectly primed weapons.
Ruth Swanson prefers plastic utensils in volitile environments. Email her at overcaffinated@hotmail.com
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
