Mr. Barry’s daily commute depends on his varied shift schedule. He alternately begins at 8 a.m., noon, or 4 p.m. He lives downtown in Lakeville, so he describes the two to three mile commute as manageable.
In addition to working different shifts, Mr. Barry takes on multiple roles in the Dining Hall. He said, “Today, I worked in the dishroom, so I prepared the glasses, the garbage containers, the glassware, and got set for the silverware, and made sure the machine is on, of course.”
Mr. Barry often runs the Snack Bar, as well. He said, “Work with everybody, to me, is ‘number one.’ In a business like this, it’s very rushed, so people have to work together to make things fit. People must work together to solve the puzzle or else the puzzle falls apart.”
Holiday dinners are Mr. Barry’s favorite Dining Hall events. “It’s always a pleasant atmosphere and a positive time of the year. And you get a nice break afterward of course.”
Sports have played an important role in Mr. Barry’s life. He has played baseball, basketball, tennis, table tennis, and squash. “I get along nice with faculty, staff, and the good people that I work for. There are also some previous teachers here that I played baseball with, so we get along well. Same with tennis: if there is a tournament, I would see them and we would mingle.”
He also went to play at Trinity College, along with Tri-State Basketball and tennis tournaments for multiple years. When it comes to watching sports, he is a rare fan of two worlds, describing himself as an avid New York fan — though also liking some Boston players.
One of his most memorable experiences as a spectator happened when he was 10 years-old — he attended a twenty-two-inning game during the Mickey Mantle years in the 1960s, which is among the longest games in Yankee Stadium history. “I think the game started at 8:00 p.m. and ended after 2:30 in the morning. It lasted forever. As [my family] left the seats, we were barely walking to the car. My brother drove and had to stop at a diner to get some coffee to make sure he stayed awake and got us home.”
Keeping the dining team a well-oiled machine is no easy task, but Mr. Barry is excited for the rest of the year. When asked about his favorite part of the job, he said, “The people. That’s not in the job description, but in the Snack Bar, it’s nice to see people everyday.”
