The Grille, where educated meets intoxicated

Author: H. Kay Merriman

"This is The Grille. It is a great place to meet with professors over lunch," said student tour guide Angelo Fu '10 to wide-eyed prospective students on a tour last week. Upon matriculating to Middlebury, however, many Middlebury students see the Grille as something else: a drunken corral. "If you ever want to get rid of drunk friends, send them to The Grille," said Dale Freundlich '10.

Yet, The Grille is much more than one's first glance on a college tour or a pit stop during a night of partying; in fact, The Grille is as multi-faceted as the people who frequent it. And this reporter was determined to seek out the plethora of different personalities that inhabit The Grille on a typical Friday night.

Although the intoxicated and the hungry, (and sometimes both), are thought to constitute the majority of Grille students, surprisingly, ambitious MiddKids have taken to studying, or at least pretending to study, at The Grille on the weekends.

In fact, the first table I stopped at was being used by a studious soul, Laura Dalton '10, using a Friday night to do work before her track meet the next day. She does concede, however, the drawbacks of studying in such a social space. "I wouldn't recommend trying to write a term paper or studying for a midterm at the Grille on a Friday night because, well, it's The Grille on a Friday night," she said, adding "but if you have some busy work to get done, the procrastination is avoidable, but abundant and entertaining."

Another fan of the Grille study climate, Katherine Babin '07 has taken to working on her year-long senior thesis in The Grille at night and offers some fresh perspectives on The Grille scene. While "studying," Babin has closely observed the relational counseling The Grille offers. Babin once witnessed a fight in the hallway while she was studying in a booth.

"Somehow the presence of alcohol and a pane of glass seem to prevent people from noticing my presence a mere two feet away from them," she said, adding "At one point, there was a couple clearly in some sort of an argument and both were very animated about their emotions. By the end of it all, I was ready to take sides."

And let's not forget the ones who keep everything running smoothly. Unlike the students hard at work on a Friday night, Grille Manager Steve Reigle cannot leave when he's ready for a break. He described how at times The Grille can become the college-size version of the Burger King play-place. But there are objects to throw at each other that may prove slightly more hazardous than the colored plastic balls from the ball pit. "I was standing near the Juice Bar when a chair from upstairs came crashing down five feet from me," described Reigle. The buzzing pagers with flashing red lights are entertaining for some, but also make very expensive toys, explained Reigle. "Please don't destroy, leave with, or throw out your pager. They are $110 each," he said.

The Grille's architecture, in other student's minds, challenges them to test their agility and strength.

"One night I caught a student climbing between the pool pavilion and the main deck - fortunately, he made it," Reigle recalled.

As Grille manager, Reigle also witnesses students at their finest and in their finest. He sees how for some, The Grille serves as a runway for modeling one's various fashion accessories, or lack thereof.

"Nights featuring costume parties are always very amusing," said Reigle of the well-dressed, and "the naked joggers at Pub Night were great," of the not-so-dressed. Despite the uncanny similarity between the long, green ramps of The Grille and the catwalk in Milan, The Grille has modeling restrictions. "Shoes and shirts are required by law," said Reigle.

Finally, there is the loyal staff of The Grille that works tirelessly to serve the students, who often do not see as much humor in the nightly debauchery as the students do. They would like a little recognition and respect. Remember that employees, too, could use a little "Love Me Tender" every once in a while.

"We are the ones who have to clean up the wreckage of half-eaten food, paper plates and ranch dressing strewn across the dining area. It's like picking up pieces in a battle scene," said student Grille employee Bernard Geoxavier '07.

Student Grille worker Molley Kaiyoorawongs '09 described how students feel "like they can't strike up a conversation with me because I'm a worker. Spread the love. That's all I can say."

After all, the employees remember some of the most important details of your life - your favorite food, that is. If you introduce yourself, they will certainly remember your name as well. Grille worker Ben Wiechman '07 may not know all his customers by name, but he certainly knows their eating habits. "Every time I work at The Grille I come across the same person and instantaneously know he wants a chicken salad wrap with lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, roasted red peppers, feta cheese, chipotle mayo and cucumbers, along with a seltzer water," he said. Now that's service!

So, however you decide to spend your Friday night at The Grille, just remember: respect your surroundings.