Australian Thoughts at the Weekend 14th November 2009

Australian Thoughts at the Weekend 14th November 2009

Clean Tables

How clean is clean? We all know about sterile clean and when we go to the doctors or the dentist we expect that standard of cleanliness. In the last few years food preparation and food service laws have been tightened. I have noticed people seem to take two different reactions to this. One is to say it is not necessary and ask how many people have suffered from food poisoning or something similar in the past. Others will walk away from the food service counter if they do not observe the highest standards being used by the establishment’s employees.

There are times when I sit in a food court in a shopping mall or in a fast food place when the best entertainment is watching the person cleaning the tables. In the food court the usual practice is for all the debris from the meal to be left on the table. The cleaning lady arrives with her trolley and quickly sorts the rubbish from the china plates, cups, etc. The things for the washing up room go on the trolley and the rubbish into a bag hanging on the end of it.

I think it might be a subject for another occasion how when I am looking for a table every empty chair is accompanied by a table which is covered in debris and never a cleaning person in sight. However, they seem to hover to grab every available empty plate or bit of debris as I are enjoying my snack and trying to have a quiet conversation.

However, today, we will concentrate on the demonstration of the real skills of the table cleaner. With a damp cloth rolled into a pad in their hand and with no more than three swishes they are able to clean a table top measuring a metre by half a metre. Some who have extra special ability are able to do it in one long curved movement.

I notice, too, that the damp cloth is self cleaning as they go from table to table carrying out their task, using the same cloth. Sometimes, the ladies in their cleaning swish seem to be writing numbers with the cloth; they make sixes, eights or nines. In fact, the more I think about it, I think they cover most numbers but only ever one number per table.

Customers seem to acknowledge their skill with the cloth. Sometimes a chip or salad out of a burger or couple of peas or a crumb of cake falls on the table, but they are retrieved quickly and placed in the mouth. Some would never do this but pretending they have the best linen cloth put their knife, fork and spoon on the table beside their plate.

Some little kids are not up to using cutlery or even plates. Their Mum places their chips (French fries) or other share of the bounty on the table for them to select or reject.

Jesus did not hold back when talking to the Scribes and Pharisees:

"You're hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You burnish the surface of your cups and bowls so they sparkle in the sun, while the insides are maggoty with your greed and gluttony. Stupid Pharisee! Scour the insides, and then the gleaming surface will mean something”. (Matthew 23: 25, 26. The Message)

[Listen: Londonderry Air: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_2802.mp3 ]

If on my soul a trace of sin remaineth,
If on my hands a stain may yet be seen;
If one dark thought a wearied mind retaineth,
O wash me, Lord, till every part be clean.
For I would live that men may see thyself in me,
I would in faith ascend thy holy hill,
And with my thoughts in tune with thy divinity,
Would learn how best to do thy holy will.
Authors: Not known.
[The Salvation Army Song Book: Chorus Section: Number: 072
Tune: Londonderry Air]



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