Continued From
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"We could get fired. Even for for this. The USDA has done it before."
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It was just another day. This time double tasking. The young man was both doing hanging tenders (catching the kosher meat) all the while wearing an earpiece so he could run out and catch an unkosher cow. Already a grumpy USDA officer came into his station, ran his two fingers in disappointment across the lid of his barrel and then began picking at his frock because it was spattered in blood ( as if you didn't expect it!). True, he was dirtier than usual, because there was a new trainee, which meant the Mexican had to toss the meat over the new guy, often hitting the young man as a back board, but what gives?
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The young man finally finished his shift, and now it was time to put all the barrels into the compost, seal it, and have it sent off to be salted. His friend was also checking and marking the tongues for the same purpose. They decided to team up. They would both empty their barrels halfway, then pick up the entire barrel and dump it into the compost. Then they would have to catch a red helmeted worker (the rabbis weren't allowed to put in the dry ice themselves thanks to the USDA) to put in a layer of dry ice for each barrel. At one point the young man's friend's finger got caught between the barrel and wheel thingy. They got it unstuck. "It;s OK," his friend said :No injury here," The young man laughed, "Even if there was, we aint covered!"
But then
"What are you doing?" an officer asked, "You're picking up the barrels with the wheels and then touching the meat. You cant do that!" The officer had the red helmet guy spray something all over the meat.
how did he see us?!
The officer was clear across the room, but they always watch the rabbis...closely. They continued to do their work, when one one of the officers came and said he wanted to speak to the young man and his friend when they were done. They both left to get the proper labels to seal the compost. The young man's friend started to change his shirt. "you think we should change our shirts?" the young man asked. "um... in this case, yes, for sure."
They changed their shirts and went back to seal the compost. "Well, we cant be in that much trouble." said the young man. His friend looked back at him with a stern look. "You don't understand." his friend said, "I'm not saying we will be, most likely not, but the USDA can and has before fired us for even little things like this," The serious look on his friend's face said it all. The young man already heard stories of the USDA, and for all he knew this might be one of them.
They came to the officer, like puppies before their master. The officer reprimanded them about how they couldn't touch the wheels and then the meat. About how if not for the acid spray they would have had to dump the entire compost. They had to sign a document indicating their crime which would be shown to their superiors
. "If it ever happens again, there will be full disciplinary action.".
fancy way of saying "You'll be fired."
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On the walk to the chabad house for Maariv the young man got to hear a few more horror stories about the USDA and their tyrannous rule, but then the conversation changed to other subjects. "You get used to here." his friend said "Not that it's a good thing, but it's quiet, less distractions, more time to develop your mind and learn some torah." He was right, the young man thought. He actually felt a more clear head while here. He was with people interested in learning schita and kashrus. Even learning unique skills while on the job. He found a barber, a dry cleaner, a Wallgreens, a grocery store, the plant; yes, all a mile long trudge through the snow, but he got used to that. Not to mention if any of the guys were going to Walmart or something he could tag along. He felt like he was just about settled.
How clueless he was
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