Saturday, Sept. 03, 2005
The New Job
After work yesterday I decided to go job hunting. I went to the mall expecting to find a job at a department store or perhaps The Gap, or Victoria's Secret. I went to the mall office and asked if any stores were hiring. They directed me to a bulletin board where all the job openings were posted. I scanned the bulletin board, not really seeing anything too appealing to me. The Leather Shop was hiring for seasonal help; Bath and Body Works were hiring, but who wants to wear those horrid looking aprons? Then, I saw the flyer for a new restaurant that was getting ready to open. I decided to go there and check it out.
When I was finished filling out my application, a manager sat down and talked with me. He asked if I had ever waitressed before which I said yes to, although I didn't put it on my application because I quit there on bad terms. I explained to him that I had another job during the day, so I would be able to work nights starting around 5:30. Usually a shift starts at exactly 5, but after speaking with another manager, it was determined that I'd be able to start working immediatly after I get off work at my daytime job. They said that they are used to people doing that because apparently, a lot of people waitress at this place in addition to having another job. I'm just glad that they have flexible hours.
My interview lasted until around quarter after one. I was asked to go back in forty five minutes with my driver's license and social security card or birth certificate for an orientation. That gave me just enough time to drive to my parents' house to look for my social security card. I hated driving all that way to get it because gas prices are absolutly rediculous! But I did and got back to the restaurant right on time. Me, along with a few other people sat around a table and listened to the manager review the codes and conducts. No unapproved cigarette breaks, no personal phone calls, no coming into work under the influence, blah, blah, blah. Boring orientation shit basically.
Once all that was over I walked around the mall for fifteen minutes, then went back to the restaurant to start training. They gave me an apron and shirt, which is entirely too big, by the way, to match the rest of the staff. Mostly everyone else started training on Tuesday, so I was a little behind. The girl who was training me, Christy, showed me around the restaurant. It's actually quite nice. She explained the seating sections which I have to memorize, then went over the entire menu with me. That was a lot to take in because they have quite a selection of foods. Christy gave me a copy of the seating chart and an appetizer pretest. I'll be taking tests on both of them today when I go in for more training.
For the last half hour I learned the register. I didn't think it was that difficult, really. It will take some time to remember where all the buttons are and what food items are under what heading, but after I get used to it, it won't be any problem at all. I was expecting to be at work until 8pm because that's what they had originally told me but I guess I learned everything they wanted me to learn for the day by 6pm. I was glad because Dave and Adrienne were having people over to play cards at 7.
I was the first one to arrive at Dave and Adrienne's. I passed Dave in the driveway, who told me that noone was there yet. He told me to call Adam because he heard he didn't have a ride from work to Dave's house. Dave offered to pick him up, but I forgot that I needed to get a pack of cigarettes anyway, so I told him I would just get him. As Adam and I were driving back to Dave and Adrienne's, he said he was happy I got another job because he knows I want the extra money, but sort of upset about it because he thinks I'll be having guys hit on my all day. I said sarcastically,"Yeah, right .. like guys are really going to be interested in me." Even though I was convinced, he wasn't.
The same people who played cards last week, played last night, give or take. At the end of the game it was just Dave, Adrienne, Sara, and I left. They were trying to hurry the game up because they were planning on playing another one and I was ready to end the game simply because I had had a long day and was getting tired. Dave went all in with a lot of chips left and I called him with a slightly larger amount of chips than him. Sara also called but didn't have nearly as many as Dave and I. Sara ended up with a pair of queens, me with a pair of aces and a pair of eights, and Dave with a pair of aces and a pair of NINES. Sara obviously got knocked out and Dave beat me, leaving me with only a few hundred chips. When the next hand was dealt I was on the big blind with not even enough chips to call it. I looked at my cards and knew I was done when I saw that I had a 2 and a 5. Third place isn't so bad though. Adam and I got our money back at least.
We got food after that, went home, ate, then smoked a bowl. I had what came close to the best sex of my life, then passed out while trying to watch tv. I wanted to stay awake, but I just couldn't keep my eyes open. I can remember waking up a little later and saying to Adam,"Goodnight!" I vaguely recall him answering,"Honey, you were just asleep for the past hour." After that I don't think I woke up once until this morning when I had to get up for work.
So today, I have another hour left at this job (I work 9 am - 12 pm) on Saturdays, then have waitress training at 4 pm - ? I really hope I'm not there all night tonight because tomorrow I have another fairly early morning.