As a necessary and mandatory conclusion to the process of Washing Dishes, the House Boy shall return clean and dry silverware to its proper location sorted individually by size and type, with dinner forks separated from salad forks and steak knives placed separately from butter knives, with teaspoons sorted from tablespoons and all other utensils of unusual shape or size to be returned only to their proper or previous storage locations.

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The House Boy is responsible for completing a variety of scheduled duties and chores. These include daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal chores. They also include tasks that are to be completed on an as-needed basis or whenever the Master instructs. Washing Dishes (Rule #210) is one of these chores which must be completed daily and whenever the Master instructs, and after all the dishes have been properly dried they must be returned to their proper storage location for future use.

Silverware must also be returned to its proper location and sorted individually by size and type, with each utensil matched properly and not just placed into a random pile for the Master or guests to sort out. This process, jokingly called Forking and Spooning by the Master and his closest friends, is a necessary and mandatory conclusion to the washing process, and a House Boy who does not properly carry out this duty is subject to discipline for failure to meet expectations. Dinner forks have a separate storage slot from salad forks, steak knives are placed separately from butter knives, teaspoons are not thrown in with tablespoons, and other unusual utensils have their own slots as well. While mistakes are inevitable and maybe dismissed with a warning, obvious laziness in washing or repeated mistakes in returning and sorting silverware — or verified complaints from visitors about poor sorting or dirty utensils — will result in punishment.

The House Boy is subject to Level Zero Loss Of Privileges to use dishes or silverware for his own consumption if a violation is not excused with a warning. Alternatively, punishment of a single swat Level One Spanking may be administered at the Master’s discretion for each utensil discovered to be improperly cleaned or sorted. The House Boy may also be directed to wash and dry and sort the utensils again, if necessary. Failure to retrieve or return utensils for proper washing and sorting is also considered a violation.

In the example photo, a House Boy is seen from behind while Forking and Spooning after he washes and dries the dishes and utensils. Like any duty or chore, the House Boy is not permitted to wear clothing during this task regardless of who may be present and could observe, although appropriate footwear is optional.

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Rule 243-B — Forking and Spooning
Classified: Household Duties
Classified: Duties and Chores