Delusions of Grandeur

And there you have it, the conclusion of the Volunteer storyline.  

Come on back on Monday and see where the next arc takes us.

Pronto

Seriously, who says "pronto" anymore?

Jacket

And thus begins the last week of the "Volunteer" storyline, which will lead us right into next week's brand new storyline (which the above strip, and subsequent strips this week, will foreshadow).

Aye

And just like that, Shrimpy's workload has doubled, no thanks to that one guy.

The Kicker

Never underestimate the comedic power of a slug in a hairnet.

Blockage

It could happen, you never know, especially with some of the food that I've seen come out of hospital kitchens.

That's the Boss

If the head of your kitchen won't put down the McDonald's, it may be time to get a new head for your kitchen.

Lightbulb

He probably should have said "just for your looks" but I'm sure Shrimpy's tired 

(not that sleeping on the couch will help with that).

What Do You Expect

I have to say that the worst smell in the world is the odor created by pureeing white fish.  That was my least favorite duty, and even though it didn't happen often, it was something that I dreaded when I read the menu for the day.

Travelin' Man

I wish I could say that this exchange wasn't true as well, but it's damn near verbatim of what Alan told me.  

Also a true story

No lie, he actually said this to me.  While I didn't heed his advice, the guy was always smiling so there was apparently some credence to the "Jamaican Life" that he preached.

Double Standard

Gotta love those double standards.

True Story

When I was a line cook at the hospital for the maternity floor, this would happen every single night.  The dietitian didn't want o walk from his office to the kitchen more than once or twice a night so he would horde orders for a good half hour to forty-five minutes and then drop them on me all at once.  

This is actually how I got the chef's job at the hospital as well.  I started out working in the cafeteria (I wasn't a volunteer like Shrimpy, I actually had a job there) and one night they were short a guy on the line and asked me to fill in once my shift in the cafeteria was over.  I said yes of course because, duh, overtime, but also because I love to cook (it was mostly for the money though).  Well I subbed that day and never went back to the cafeteria full time after that.  They kept me in the actual kitchen, mostly cooking on the line for the maternity floor, with other assorted duties that come with cooking in a large kitchen like that as well.  It would have been a feel-good story if it wasn't in a hospital kitchen for a couple bucks an hour.  That goes to show you though, if you get an opportunity to advance, take the reins and do it.  Knock their socks off and they will find a place for you.  

Hello Alan

Alan is a very real guy, and was one of the head chefs when I worked in the hospital kitchen in New Jersey.  Pretty much everything he says here in the strip, he uttered to me at one point or another.  Stay tuned for those nuggets of wisdom.

Wish Come True

That's pretty much par for the course, right?

I. Can't. Leave.

This can also be known as "Matt wrote the end of the story in the last strip and then decided to extend the storyline by going back to the hospital".  You'll find out why over the coming weeks.

Peace Offering

My father always told me to "put things back from where you got them" and I think this kind of qualifies.

Jackie Chan

Whenever you're looking for a cheap laugh, just throw a character in a diaper. 

No, Not in There

The lesson of the day is: Don't mess with someone that can perform any kind of medical procedure on you, no matter how small, because that procedure can always be performed on your twig and berries.

Heeeeeere's Sluggy

Pick the low-hanging fruit? Don't mind if I do 

(which can probably be misconstrued to mean something a little different than I originally intended).