A taste for free food is not easily lost

I just attended the inaugral meeting of a new support group for PhD students who are also convening courses. The funniest part was this conversation:


Facilitator: "You know, I think I could find some funding to provide the group with pizza, if you want to meet over lunchtimes."

Student/lecturer #1 (disdainfully): "Are you thinking of us as poor students who need free food?"

Student/lecturer #2: "Yeah! We have real jobs now! We can afford lunch!"

Student/lecturer #3 (quietly): "Although they don't pay us very much..."

[Brief pause while everyone looks shame-facedly at the floor and wrestles with conflicting feelings.]

Facilitator: "So what is the best time of day to have these meetings?"

All students/lecturers, unanimously: "LUNCHTIME."

Facilitator: "And I'll organise the pizza then, shall I?"

Students/lecturers #1, #2 and #3 (meekly and in unison): "Yes, please."