Mom Knows How To Make A Meal Out Of It

(I’m stopping by the main college building, where most of the offices and administration are, at the beginning of the school year. At the information/help desk, a mother and her freshman son are bombarding the student employee at the desk with questions. I stand nearby to wait my turn.)

Mother: “Okay, so how do I check how many dining hall meals my son has on his account?”

Employee: “Whenever he goes to the dining hall and has his card swiped, he can ask for his meal plan balance.”

Mother: “No. I want to know how I, MYSELF, can check on his balance.”

Employee: “…um, I don’t think we have a service like that. Only the student can access that, so you can ask him.”

Mother: “But how am I supposed to check if he’s eating enough?! I want to keep an eye on his meal plan balance to make sure he’s eating well and often! How do you expect him to do that on his own?!”

Son: *standing there embarrassed and looking like a kicked puppy*

(I gave him a sympathetic look, and then decided I was better off coming back later!)