The ASPC Kinsmith Coop Fountain is a place I frequent when in need of food at odd hours.
Located right in the center of the Smith Campus Center, it’s not easy to miss it. Called “The Coop” for short, one can find students hanging out here leisurely late at night, cramming right before a lab, or getting some food in between classes. I usually order chicken tenders with barbecue sauce at around 11 p.m. if I get hungry.
Actually, that’s what I’m doing right now.
Having realized my stomach couldn’t fathom being chicken-less for the rest of the night, I packed up my laptop and ID card for the flex, and embarked on the walk up College Way to arrive at my destination to fulfill my fast-food craving.
Once there, I ordered my food, found a table, sat down, and opened up my laptop. Really, another thing that motivated me to come here so late is the fact that writing at random, tranquil eateries tends to bring out some sense of satisfaction within me. I feel as though I’m a cool journalist, an aspiring novelist at a coffee shop, or a college student trying to make ends meet by blogging for my school’s WordPress site at the student-run fast-food place.
At any rate, what’s cool about the Coop is that, when your order is ready, a Coopster—what the workers here are called—yells out your name to summon you forth to pick up your tray of food. For me, this can get embarrassing because the Coopsters oftentimes would butcher my name: Duong. As such, I now opt for the easy-to-pronounce “Cody.”
What’s more, though, is that they call your name a few times if you don’t pick up your order quickly enough. I thought they shouted “Cody” a fair number of times, but I didn’t see my order till I wore my glasses and walked to up the tray with the receipt with the chicken and the fries and the mozzarella sticks.
According to the Coopster who served me, they were one piece of chicken short, so they thought I could use six mozzarella sticks as compensation. Apparently this is something that happens at Pomona: free food.
So tonight, I sit here blogging for my college, making ends meet, with a tray of fries, chicken, and surprise cheese.
More information about the Coop can be found here.