ArcaMax

— Line Cook

Dear Line Cook: A person who whistles the same tune for 17 minutes nonstop might not be able to stop without great effort. This compulsive whistling might, in fact, be one behavior that helps to keep your chef focused and on-task in this very busy and dangerous environment. This may be how he quiets his mind, in order to multitask.

One observation is that — these days — whistling while you work seems to be a potentially dangerous virus-spreader.

Assuming that he and the rest of the kitchen staff take necessary precautions, you should work on your own ability to control your reaction to this nuisance.

My own (brief, unsuccessful) career as a waitress (and my many viewings of “Kitchen Nightmares”) gives me a tiny bit of insight into the dynamic of a typical restaurant kitchen. You likely have very little influence (and no actual power) to control your boss’s behavior. Exploding in rage would most likely NOT lead to a positive outcome for you.

You could try various techniques for tuning this out (ask others in the kitchen how they do it). Humming to yourself, or training your ear to tune into a different sound (the sizzle of the grill, the clanging of the plates) is worth a try. This is called selective auditory attention, and with practice, it will help you to cope while you contemplate taking another job.

Dear Amy: If two people are walking down a sidewalk toward each other, is it incumbent upon the person walking against the flow of traffic to move into the street to avoid close contact with the other pedestrian?

It would be unsafe for the person walking with the flow of traffic to move into the street.

This of course is for the time during COVID, when both people on the sidewalk would defy safe distancing rules if they stayed on the sidewalk.

— COVID Courtesy

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