An Unorthodox View Of Gluten

Coworkers, Jerk, Office, Religion, Stupid, USA | Working | October 24, 2017

(At meetings, we often have lunch provided, usually pizza, paid for in turns by coworkers. We have a new secretary, and she comes in and starts complaining.)

Secretary: “I don’t eat gluten, and there’s no gluten-free pizza here.”

Coworker: “Sorry. We didn’t know. But it’s kind of informal, so if you have unusual diet restrictions, you probably will have to provide your own lunch.”

Secretary: “Well, you have vegetarian options.”

Coworker: “We have a lot of vegetarians, and vegetarian pizza is easy; just get cheese.”

Secretary: “Well, I’m the only one who doesn’t get lunch!”

Coworker: *points to coworker who is Orthodox Jewish* “We don’t have anything for [Coworker]. He just brings his own, because we never get pizza from a place that keeps kosher.”

Secretary: “Well, that’s just his preference. I don’t eat gluten because of a very deep-seated belief!”

Coworker: “You mean like a religion? Like, say, Judaism?”

This story is part of our Celiac Awareness Day roundup!