Requiem for the Boli

In a country where the identity of the next president is uncertain, the news that Wawa Food Markets has discontinued the Boli was undoubtedly the second-biggest story of the last several weeks.

A cold, foreboding sign stood on the deli counter at the Wa the week before Fall Break announcing the demise of the Boli, shocking and dismaying students throughout campus.

Ever since, students have been left in a state of confusion, not knowing where to go to satisfy their late night cravings. As Jon Sagal '04 put it, "Without the Wa Boli, life as we know it would cease to exist."

Bryan McArdle '03 also expressed the grief of many students when he lamented, "First the chicken strips, now the Boli! What is the world coming to?"

There are many other snacks out there, but nothing quite comes close to the Boli — a breaded concoction of melted cheese and meat or spinach — in its greasy, satisfying wonder.

As Sagal theorized, "Craving the Wa Boli is not a choice — it's a disease."

The decision to take the Boli off the market came down from Wa headquarters during the last month. In many other Wa branches, the Boli was not selling well, according to Wa Assistant Store Manager Tyrone Butler.

However, Butler said the Boli was a top-selling item at his store located just off the Princeton campus between the Dinky and Forbes College. The bagel melts that have replaced the Boli have enjoyed a reasonable number of sales, Butler said, but they have not garnered as much revenue as the venerable Boli.

The Boli is a Princeton institution, and it cannot be touched, many students believe.

The Boli was the snack students could have whenever they didn't know what else they wanted. It was the snack that gave students a way out of the age-old debate about what they should eat. It was the obvious choice.

Among the Boli's many talents was its ability to satisfy late-night alcohol-induced cravings. "I only eat Bolis when I come back from the 'Street' really drunk — I guess now I'm going to have to convert to pizza," one student groaned.

When tragic events such as the loss of the Boli occur, students have to unite and put aside their differences — differences such as partisan politics, eating club affiliation and whether they prefer Beast or Budweiser. While it seems there may be no chance of a Boli revival, students still have the opportunity to join hands, binding together in one common spirit to fight against the powers that be at Wa headquarters — to, quite literally, change the world.

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Luckily for students — those who are drunk or who just like indigestion — Butler said the Wa might find another vender to supply its Bolis. "With all the attention it is getting, they'd be crazy not to do something about it," he said.

It was the voice of University students that brought about this possibility. And it is the voice of University students that can make it a reality.

Sagal said, "It's almost gotten to the point where I can't get out of bed in the morning."

If students feel the same way as Sagal about the beloved snack, either they should get themselves a therapist, or take action immediately to reinstitute the Boli by calling 1-800-444-WAWA.

"We always put the customers first," Butler said.

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