St. Peter of the Chapel Quad Joe Martin decides who is worthy to enter the most sacred parking area on campus. TowerView's Tyler Rosen chats with him about his job, his black hat and what will get you and your car into the quad.
Q How did you get into this job?
A I was more or less semi-retired, and my children were students, and they talked me into coming over here and applying for a job. I've enjoyed this since I've been here. Lots of interaction with the students.
Q What sort of interaction? From seeing them on the bus?
A Well, I see them on the bus. I wind up going to church with them. Actually, some of the students over the years have become close friends. I get letters from some students, and they come by the house when they're in town--the ones who have graduated.
Q I imagine people try to talk their way into the Chapel Quad...
A Oh, always.
Q What are some of the best stories or excuses people have told you when trying to get in?
A Usually, they'll tell me they're going to the Chapel, but they're really going to the bookstore. You'll stand here and watch them go directly to the Chapel doors when they swing left real hard and go under the archways over to the Bryan Center.
Instead of just coming up and asking you for 10 or 15 minutes, they feel like they've got to go into a long dissertation into why they need to get in there at this particular time. If they just come up and say, 'Can you give me 10 minutes to run in for a cup of coffee and a bagel.' If we've got room, we park 'em.
Q Are the hats uniform issue?
A Actually, I had a good deal to do with the hats. Originally, we had baseball caps. It was my contention that we needed something that was going to be water resistant and something to block the sun.
They're very efficient. It's something that everyone, including the administration and Board of Trustees, has pretty much accepted. In fact, the President and the head of the Board of Trustees actually have them.
Q In addition to getting to know some students, and the hats of course, are there other perks to the job?
A There aren't really what you would call perks, but you see thousands of people all year round. You can be someplace in town--maybe even Raleigh or Chapel Hill--and someone'll come up to you and say, 'Aren't you the guy that stands out on the quad all the time?'
I was in the mall with my grandson, and this lady was staring at me from across the way. Finally, she came up and said, 'I know who you are now. You're that guy that stands out on the quad. I didn't recognize you with your clothes on.' Because of course, I wasn't wearing the uniform. I looked at her, and I laughed and said, 'You're going to have to explain that one to your husband.'
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