Object
Chili Ingredients (Staff Meal)
A bundled, low-tech array of raw provisions staged for a communal staff chili: sacks and bowls of dried beans, cans of tomatoes, jars of spices, and wrapped cuts of meat or vegetables. The items sit on a side table or makeshift serving surface, roughly the size of a small catering spread, visually domestic and utilitarian rather than plated. Paper labels, grocery sacks, and a few cooking utensils punctuate the tableau; the collection looks handled but not polished, a workmanlike preparation for a large pot.
2 appearances
Purpose
To supply ingredients for a communal staff chili meal — practical provisions staged for preparation/serving during long meetings or staff gatherings.
Significance
Acts as a mundane anchor that humanizes the workplace, undercutting high-stakes political drama with domestic detail; it signals staff solidarity and routine, amplifies exhaustion and camaraderie, and provides a sensory counterpoint to policy conflict.
Appearances in the Narrative
When this object appears and how it's used