The Shorthorn - Connection Café server provides ‘helping smiles’ and food

Connection Café server provides ‘helping smiles’ and food

Written by Dustin L. Dangli

Wednesday, 28 January 2009 05:02 PM

Food server Fred Harris talks and jokes with students while serving Tuesday at the Connection Café. Harris says his favorite part of the job is coming in every night to interact with the students and ensure a good future for them. (The Shorthorn: Andrew Buckley)

The most iconic superheroes have multiple identities. Bruce Wayne by day, Batman by night, Clark Kent to pay the bills and Superman to save the world.

Fred Harris works as an independent food caterer by day, but at night he’s known as Mr. Fred, providing a helping smile with every Connection Café meal.

Movies always portray food servers as heartless fiends who dump gruel on lunch trays for a living, but Harris’s friendly demeanor breaks that stereotype, accounting freshman Victor Zavala said.

“He’s a really nice guy,” Zavala said. “He always helps out my friend Tony, and Tony’s blind.”

Describing all the options on the entree for Tony is one way Harris helps students.

Just a few kind words and talking to someone can make a student feel better, Harris said. He loves coming in every night to interact with students and ensure a good future for them.

“I like to see students achieve their goals,” Harris said. “The younger guys come to me for advice, and it makes me feel like a mentor.”

Harris knows a few things about achieving goals. He’s had to work hard to become an independent food caterer, but he said he does it because he loves working with people.

He said he was first inspired during a catering job for bank executives. The bank’s owner noticed how well he worked with others and told Harris that he should pursue a career in entertaining people.

“I’ve been in the food business all my life,” he said. “I realized I was good with people, and I just like to entertain.”

Harris attributes his upbeat and positive personality to his parents, whom he said raised him properly and taught him to treat others with respect and kindness.

He said he’s always kind to others and willing to give a word of advice to students because it makes him feel like a hero.

Harris enjoys working at the university because it can be a culture hub. Seeing students of different ethnic backgrounds meet, sit down and enjoy a meal together makes his job even better, he said.

Undeclared freshman Nathan Main said Harris treats students differently than other servers.

“He really takes the time to know how you’re doing,” he said. “He’s really polite while other workers shove the food in your face like ‘buzz off.’ ”

When not on the clock, Harris is an avid sports fan. He especially likes to talk to students who play on university sports teams to get the latest facts and gossip.

“Sometimes the Mrs. and I like to rent films or go out dancing, but we really enjoy entertaining others.”

Harris said there is some wisdom he’d like to give every student.

“Anything you want be in life — strive hard and don’t take no for an answer,” he said. “If you see someone down, don’t turn the other way because tomorrow it might be you.”
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 28 April 2009 06:27 PM )

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