rikibeth

There is a stereo set up in the kitchen that is not connected to the one that plays music in the cafe area for the customers, so the kitchen staff can listen to whatever they please without worrying whether it's "appropriate."

It's a somewhat kludged system, consisting of a 30-year-old Phillips 60-watt amplifier/tuner, some 15-watt speakers that were originally satellite speakers from a surround sound setup so they don't have much (any) bass response, and a Discman plugged into the auxiliary jack.

Although the radio is tuned to a local Top 40 station, my co-workers are as sick as I am of that format. So I brought in some CDs today.

I wasn't sure what everyone would want to listen to, so I went for wide variety -- some classical and some jazz as well as the rock stuff. I also made sure that the rock selections had broad appeal -- with REM, U2, Steve Miller, Peter Gabriel, and The Who, I figured that if nothing suited, I'd know I was dealing with total Goth snobs or some other sort of music snobs. I also brought in Warren Zevon and the Black Crowes, but I played those first thing, before anyone else got there. I generally have at least two hours solo in the kitchen, although the cafe opener comes in during those hours.

The kitchen manager liked pretty much all the rock stuff I brought in, and said "put Rattle & Hum on, the other baker will be pleased to hear it when he comes in." She also told me that the owner likes everything except heavy metal and hip-hop, which doesn't put much of a crimp in my favorites. However, there are also times in a crowded kitchen when it's preferable NOT to have the owner hovering (don't you have some paperwork, huh?), and the kitchen manager appreciated my suggestions of Sisters of Mercy and the Violent Femmes for that purpose.

Then she admitted, as if confessing to a secret vice, that she and the baker sometimes brought in the Les Mis soundtrack and would have a sing-along.

I grinned, and asked her, "London cast, Broadway cast, or 10th Anniversary?"

We are going to have a sing-along tomorrow.

10th anniversary, if you were wondering.