I was so sad to read the editorial about Marry Barry leaving and the horrible treatment she was subjected to before she left. I went to UMass for six years. Mary Barry will always be one of the happy memories I have from my time here.

She has a bunch of kids and even more grandkids and nothing made her happier than to be asked about them. They lived all over the world and you could tell by the look on her face when they were about to come visit. The last family gathering I can remember hearing about was for her husband’s 65th birthday party. Her entire family came home. She was so excited

Mary had the most incredible luck in Bingo. Sometimes when I would be out on a Friday night it would occur to me that Mary was probably playing Bingo right then and I’d silently wish her luck. She’d see me on Monday and let me know how it went. Usually she’d have a big smile on her face and she’d say, “Won big in Bingo this weekend.” Though on occasion that smile was accompanied by her telling me that it had been “someone else’s turn to win.”

Mary would always ask me how school was going. She’d tell me I was a smart girl, and a nice girl, and that she was sure that I’d always do well. She got me a card for my graduation. She was very much a part of what made UMass feel like home to me.

I miss getting to see her regularly. I miss her smile. I’m so sad to hear she has cancer, to think Bingo night has been replaced with Chemo night. I’m appalled to hear that her pay was docked and that her chair was taken. What the hell is wrong with people? She should have been given a raise and the best damn chair they could find.

I think Sodexho has been a problem on campus for long enough. They treat their employees badly and the food they serve is bad for you. Why continue to give them your money? Why expect the administration to take care of what you could accomplish by yourselves? Stop eating in the Cafeterias and force Sodexho out of their job at UMass. Make your grandmothers proud.

Go eat somewhere else. Please. There’s the Wit’s End. There’s a Star Market right at the JFK T stop. Patty’s Pantry is just down the road on Dorchester Ave. and they deliver (617) 282-7582. Real Taco (617) 282-3135 and the Avenue Grill (617) 288-5000 don’t deliver, but they’re close by and the food’s good. Take the shuttle bus back to the T and then walk up to Columbia Rd. Head away from the rotary. At the second set of lights, an intersection with a gas station on either side, take a right onto Dorchester Ave. Real Taco and the Avenue Grill are down a little on your right. It’s maybe a five-minute walk from the T. Patty’s is just as close. Take a left onto Dorchester Ave. it’ll be up on your right.