I travel down to the basement of Baker Hall on a cold Pittsburgh afternoon to Ginger’s Express. But rather than ordering a buffalo chicken wrap or a chicken salad, I am set to talk to Doug, the practically famous manager of the small lunch spot. As I walk up to the counter, Doug is deep in conversation with a student, asking how her family is doing and about her upcoming plans for winter break. He notices me and gives me a nod; when I asked to interview him early last week he let out a bashful laugh and asked why I would want interview him, but of course he obliged.
Sometime during his nine years working at CMU, Doug became a school icon. In the most recent CMU admissions brochures, the counselors urge prospective students to go say hello to Doug while they are touring Baker Hall. Doug is a selling point for our campus, and a good one at that.
“I love that guy!” says a friend of mine, “he remembered my name after I bought lunch from him one time.” And, he probably remembered what she ordered too. Doug remembers everyone’s name and food choices with no error. I’ve always wondered how he did it. “Yeah, I have a photographic memory” Doug says, “I never gave it much thought until I was writing my senior thesis; I read 21 books in two days, and then remembered the quotes and their page number without having to look back.” His memory is so good his childhood friends would refuse to play scattegories with him because he could remember where every single card was after seeing it once.
Another friend of mine makes a point to eat meals from Ginger’s Express even if she doesn’t have class in Baker Hall. “He cheers me up on a regular basis” she says, “I will never forget freshman year when I used to buy breakfast from Doug most mornings. He would greet me by name—it would make CMU seem a bit smaller after getting out of a 300 person lecture where the professor didn’t know anyone at all.”
Doug is closing up Ginger’s Express when I am speaking with him. He diligently wipes down the counters, stores the food and turns off the machines while divulging all the information I am asking for. I can’t help but notice the beginnings of a bright purple sock resting on knitting needles resting in the corner. It turns out he’s knitting several Christmas gifts for his close friends.
Doug always decorates his food stand for the holidays. Back then when I spoke with him, metallic wallpaper covers the walls, green garlands are scattered around, and soft Christmas carols play in the background. For Halloween he put up plastic candles and a pumpkin. “Doug goes the extra mile. I can’t believe he takes the time to decorate for the Holidays, he makes Carnegie Mellon in boring old Pittsburgh so festive!”
Doug grew up just outside of Pittsburgh, went to college a bit further away, and now resides east of the city in Irwin. Even though he hasn’t moved far from Pittsburgh, he loves to travel. He studied abroad during college in Paris in the late 70’s and has returned a couple of times since then. As soon as I mention I will be studying abroad next semester he starts rattling off tips like telling me to “get an International student card, you’ll save big.” Or how the prices of museums are significantly lower for students so I should arrange trips through my program.
I asked Doug what some of the biggest changes he’s witnessed over almost a decade of working at CMU. I was expecting an answer like the students are more social and outgoing, or something along those lines. His answer breaks my heart, “The biggest thing I’ve noticed the sense of entitlement has increased as tuition has increased. Students’ attitudes this year more than any year are worse; I’ve had students treat me like I’m a counter person. I’m here by choice, not because I have to.” Doug holds a degree, has a passion for French culture and food, wrote a senior thesis on something I cannot even pronounce. Most importantly though, even if you didn’t know any of that, the fact that he can hold a conversation, deep or frivolous, with anyone speaks volumes about his character. It’s amazing to think anyone could ever treat him with anything but respect. After he tells me this, he quickly adds, “but there are a few bad eggs in any bunch.” The light shimmers off of his light grey hair as he shrugs. I proceed to browse through my remaining questions.
So, when it comes down to it, why does Doug continue to work at a small food shop? Before serving coffee ad soups, he ran a small company and had 25 people working for him but Doug isn’t set on a job title or personality, he’s not wrapped up in reputation or stereotypes, he just wants to learn: “I stay here because of the students. One thing I’ve learned about myself is that I never want to stop learning. I constantly need to have my views on things questioned or challenged. What better place than here?” Even if the occasional student looks down upon him, the rest of the students he gets to meet and talk with continually inspire Doug.
“Never judge a book by its cover” Doug says. It might be cliché, but it’s true.