The Five-Dollar Lunch: How Closing Our School Cafeteria Taught Everyone a Lesson

Summary

When the phone rang, I was squatting in the cafeteria kitchen, watching the chef julienne potatoes.

"Principal Zhou, we have a parent complaint."

The voice of old Mark, our Dean of Students, came through the receiver. He sounded cautious.

"What’s the complaint?"

"They’re saying the cafeteria lunches are too expensive."

My chopsticks paused in mid-air.

"How much per meal?"

"Five dollars."

"One meat, two vegetable sides, five dollars... and that's expensive?"

Mark didn't say anything.

I hung up the phone and stood up. My knees popped loudly.