by Jeffrey Stanley

“Yes, dear. Yes, FOOTE,” she said into the telephone. “Let me check it, hold on.” She then cupped her hand over the receiver for a whispered, “Give me about five minutes, Jeff,” while she reached for her pen and paper and returned to the caller. “Okay, give me the fax number, dear.” Multitasking in public is nothing new to Cheryl Foote, the front desk receptionist who works her magic in the lobby every school day starting at 7:30 am. Things run so smoothly with Cheryl at the helm that it’s easy to take her for granted. Next time you’re breezing through the lobby, look and listen to her for thirty seconds and you won’t take her for granted again.

1. How long have you worked at BFS?

This is starting my 19th year.

2. Have you been the front desk receptionist all that time?

No, when I first started here I worked part time in the Business Office and part time in the Middle School, then after that I worked part time in the Upper School and part-time in the Middle School, then it was full time in the Upper School.

3. It sounds like they bounced you all over the place.

When I first came they called us secretaries. But you know how things have evolved. I used to relieve Joan [the former front desk receptionist] for an hour a day. Pretty soon I also started taking over for her from 3:30 to 6:00 in the evenings. But I was still officially full time in the Upper School. Eventually I came back to the Business Office full time. Then when Joan retired they wanted me out here.

4. What did you do before you came here?

I worked in accounts payable at a law firm in Manhattan for five years.

5. Where are you from originally?

Brooklyn, born and raised. I grew up in Bed-Stuy, in the same house I was born and raised in. Four generations in that house.

6. I think that’s rare these days, especially in New York City, to grow up in an actual house that the same family owns and keeps for generations. You think of that happening in the suburbs.

My father was 19 when my grandfather bought the house. The block is a tree lined, nice block. It’s loud, there are a lot of kids. There are still a lot of people on the block—seven to ten families—who knew my grandfather.

7. And you’re a BFS alum parent right? Your daughter went here.

She did, from the time she was four. Casaundra. She graduated in the Class of 2001. And my brother, Cornelius F. Foote, is a member of the Class of ’77.

8. What’s your daughter up to now?

She went to Hobart and Williams Smith College in upstate New York and majored in psychology. She just graduated, Class of ’05.

9. Is she your only child?

She’s my one and only!

10. Your job seems exhausting and harrowing but part of the requirement is that you remain calm and professional at all times because you’re representing the school. That must be a lot of pressure. What’s your secret?

I love it. I think because I’ve done it so long I don’t know how much I do until someone says, “How do you do it!” I just love it so much. I love the people, I love the hustle and bustle. It’s what I do. That’s my conclusion for why I love it: it’s what I do.

11. What’s your favorite part of the job?

Excuse me a second, Jeff.

(At this point she had to turn and spend a few moments greeting a new fifth grader and his mother who had stopped by for a quick visit.)

Now, where we? Oh, favorite part. One word: children. I feel like if I worked in an office with a bunch of people the same age as me I’d hate it.

12. What’s the worst part of the job?

We have ten lines. I like to put people on hold so it doesn’t go to voicemail. That might sound counterproductive but in these days of technology and automation I’d rather put them on hold for a moment and get back to them. That way it’s a human person and not a machine. At a lot of schools you get voicemail, I like people to hear a real voice when they call here.

13. What do you like to do when you get out of here, when you’re not trapped in the BFS lobby?

I love old horror movies. Alien, Halloween. I have a new favorite though, Michael [the villain in the Halloween movies] is going to have to step aside. Jeepers Creepers. Also Night of the Living Dead. That’s still one of my favorites. When Duane Reade had that for sale I bought it quick.

14. Anything else?

I like to do home improvement stuff. I paint. I strip wood. If I could build I’d do that too.

15. Do you have a favorite New York City restaurant?

Hmm. No, but I like soft pretzels, can I say that?

16. Absolutely, that’s great, that’s a good New York City thing. Desert island—what three things would you need to survive?

Soft pretzels of any kind, and Prevention magazine, I like to read about health. And water. I know everyone needs water to survive but really it’s my drink of choice. (holding up a cup) See?

17. What’s one thing that’s always in your fridge?

Besides rotten food? (laughing) Water. And cheese.

18. What’s your sign?

Scorpio, November 2nd.

19. My mom’s a Scorpio. Do you think you fit the supposed Scorpio profile?

Most things they say about Scorpio for me don’t usually apply.

20. Like what?