I'm not really sure what this is all for.
"I don't know anymore,
what it's for,
I'm not even sure
If there is anyone
who is in the sun.
Will you help me to understand?"
~Joseph Arthur
No one is listening. And that doesn't really bother me. But I'm not even entertaining myself.
Eeeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhh... fuck it. :)
I worked at Elephant Bar Friday night, as I do pretty much every Friday night. This place usually generates my new attitude of hatred for people who let me work my ass off trying to please them as they know the whole time they're only going to give me $3 dollars on a $50 dollar check. I know this. They know this. But I still try so hard to please.
One of my tables, God bless them, wanted to express in every way possible that they were very low maintenance, and as long as they would be there I wouldn't have to worry about pleasing them. They were an older couple, she wore a lavender colored turtle neck with an oversized jeweled cardigan and thick square shaped glasses. He was a bit oversized himself, in his tucked in striped blue polo shirt and khakis. Typically, our guests with these looks are generally not outgoing, not happy to be entertained by their server jumping through hoops to please them...basically they seem not at all happy with life. And this unhappiness clouds their vision and makes it virtually impossible for them to have any ounce of empathy.
These are the kind of people that react in this such way:
"I'm so sorry folks, the kitchen is running a little behind. Your dinner should arrive shortly"
-sit there, silently, and without even looking up at me they nod.
Or
"Do your lamb shanks taste delicious?"
-yes, thank you.
"Those are my favorite, I love how tender the lamb is, and the sauce is SO good, isn't it?"
-without looking up from their meal "yes"
... oooookkk then. enjoy.
This is what I was expecting from this couple as I walked past them carrying food in my hands to the table behind them saying, "Hi there folks, I will be right with you shortly."
On my second trip back, before I was able to introduce myself they gave me this disclaimer:
"Oh sweetie, you have alot of tables and you're doing a great job. Please don't worry about us and help others."
... um, worrying about you IS my job.
At first I didn't think too much of it. But then as I went to refill their glasses they kept saying, "Please dear, go help the others. You're way too busy..."
The truth of the matter was, I really wasn't that busy at all. Was I treating them like I was in a huge rush? Every time I went to check on them I slowed my speech down more and more, took very slow strides towards their table. I thought I might have scared them as I walked by with food, giving them the impression that I was so busy, I just might crumble into a hundred pieces right there before them. Or possibly pull out a gun and go on a shooting spree.
I still don't know why they felt they had to keep telling me NOT to help them. And it wasn't in a "you're bugging me, leave me eat in peace" sort of way. They didn't even have their food. Nor were they engaged in conversation. And their tone most certainly didn't suggest that they were unfriendly or lacked the capacity to have a 20 second conversation as I check up on them while they wait for their food.
Before they left, the rather large gentleman loosely grabbed my arm and said, "Thank you, you've been so pleasant. You have such a beautiful personality."
I used to get that alot at Burlingame, but people in Sacramento don't generally give a shit enough to tell you things like this and really mean it. They must be from out of town, I concluded. Either way, though it didn't make up for the whole night of people taking advantage of my kindness, it was nice to know atleast someone appreciates it sometimes.
I thought about this couple the whole night, long after they left. Then saturday, the very next morning, I woke up early as usual and headed to my other job, Starbucks.
My coworkers at Elephant Bar think I'm a ray of fucking sunshine, but if they saw me here, they'd think I was on crack. I up the peppyness, up the smiles, up the attitude. I'm usually just happy to be there and not serving tables. I'm happy that I only have to please these customers for 5 minutes each. We can keep our distances, and there's less room for error, less room for them to be pissed off about something.
The lady in the purple turtleneck came in about 2 hours into my shift to get a tall coffee and a reduced fat coffee cake. I had a brief conversation with her at the register as I debated bringing up our previous Ebar experience. I knew she didn't recognize me. But I wanted her to know I recognized her. That she made an impression.
"Oh yes dear, I knew you looked familiar. You work here too?!"
I explained to her that this was my "day" job. That together both jobs pay the bills while going to school. Starving student. You know.
"Oh my...and you stay so pleasant..."
"yup, I've had my coffee!" which is what I usually say when people at Sbux as me why I'm so cheery. And 8 times out of 10 I haven't had any coffee at all.
"Oh my goodness..." she mumbles walking away with her coffee. After we were ten feet apart she turned around to look at me, and I smiled at her as the next customer proceeded with his order. She idled for a moment in the middle of the cafe and then left.
Something very spiritual happened in those five seconds she stood in the cafe. I'm not sure if she felt it, but I did.
It sorta leaves me wondering if she went home and told her husband that she saw me. Or perhaps maybe she still thinks about me. Maybe she's a christian, and she prays that I don't have to kill myself being nice to people 10 hours a day five days a week.
Ah yes, this is what I'd like to believe. That she prays for me. That atleast someone does.
No comments:
Post a Comment