By Maggie
The episode begins in the cafeteria. Daniel is wearing a black T-shirt with a long-sleeved white shirt underneath, and a blue longshoreman's cap. Incidentally, the white sleeves of Daniel's shirt are filthy. Nick is wearing a dark brown velour top. I know that men don't like to have their shirts referred to as "tops," but this garment is definitely a pull-it-on-over-your-head, ribbed cuff and waist band, top. Nick is at the head of the line and he is wondering how Salisbury steak is different from regular steak. The lunch lady, who is wearing a hairnet, glasses and a white uniform, suggests that Salisbury steak has Salisbury sauce on it, with a healthy dose of irony. I wasn't exactly sure what Salisbury steak was, so I looked it up. However, since it wasn't in the Oxford dictionary I guessed that it was an American dish and checked out the Webster's dictionary that I have at work. Anyway, Salisbury steak is named after a nineteenth century English physician named J.H. Salisbury, and a Salisbury steak is "ground beef mixed with egg, milk, bread crumbs, and seasonings and formed into a large patty and cooked." My school cafeteria served hamburgers, hotdogs, and chips, plus a bunch of packaged junk food. I think most people went home for lunch, out to a local restaurant, or brought something from home. When I did venture into the cafeteria line-up, I always heard one of the lunch ladies call to the other, "more hamburgs, Emma!" It sort became a battle cry at my school. So, now that I know what Salisbury steak is, I guess I'm glad that my school cafeteria fare was boring and junky. The lunch lady just wants Nick to pick something but he says, "I always noticed that the day after we have Salisbury steak we always have hamburgers, but then the day after that, we always have meatball heroes, and the day after that, we have meatloaf. So is it the same meat? Are you guys recycling the meat?" The lunch lady humourlessly assured him that it is different meat. Nick finally chooses the Salisbury steak. Daniel then requests the "Salisbury dog meat."
Nick runs into Lindsay when walking to a table with his tray. She asks where he's been because she was waiting for him. He apparently told her earlier that he would take her to Denny's. Nick doesn't quite recall if but he apologizes and asks if she still wants to go. Lindsay points out that he's already eating. Nick doesn't care because he's "kinda hungry." Lindsay notes that he's "kinda stoned." Nick replies he's "very stoned" and laughs. He explains that since report cards are coming out in a few weeks, he's trying to have fun before "the lid comes down." Lindsay disgustedly says, "Forget it," and splits. Daniel sits down at the table and Nick asks him, "What's wrong with Lindsay?" Daniel says, "I don't know man, she's crazy," as he tucks a paper napkin into the neck of shirt. Yeah, you wouldn't want to spill any Salisbury sauce on your filthy clothes, Daniel. Nick spies a guy with Keri Russell's old hair -- blonde, super curly, parted in the centre, but only chin length -- and runs over to him. There was a guy who looked just like that in my school, but his hair was brown. In fact, he was one of the hair-don'ts in last fall's contest. This dude, Mark, is apparently Nick's connection and he claims to be out of stock but he promises to fix Nick up soon. Nick doesn't think that the whole town can be "totally dry" and says that he heard that Mark grows his own. Mark denies this and says that his dad found his lights and ran over them with his car. Nick pouts, "He better have," and he walks away. A frustrated Mark repeats his mantra, "The customer is king." Millie hears him and looks at him. Mark snarls, "What?" Millie says, "You know what." Mark rolls his eyes.