We offer a brunch menu and also our regular lunch menu. One side of the kitchen cooks the lunch orders and the owner cooks the brunch orders. Today was "Brunch" day and we pounded him with tickets. The computer was screwing up and not giving us the option for grits, instead offering an option for "Wheat Roll." I hit "Wheat Roll" and sent a special instruction (Sub grits.) I went back to get my order when they bellowed my name and started to pick up my order. I had my arms full of plates when one of the cooks said "What plate do you want the wheat roll on?" I said I didn't need a wheat roll and tried to explain.
The thing you have to know about working in the restaurant industry is that all cooks think they are perfect and act like all servers are idiots.
Granted a lot of servers ARE idiots...but not many cooks are perfect although I'd never say that in front of one. Cooks are artists and the dishes they create are their masterpieces. They take their craft very seriously and are usually always extremely temperamental.
Today was no exception. The cooks were balls to wall but so were we. They were busy cooking the orders but we were busy taking them, serving them and refilling coffee at a maddening pace. Like a dummy I put in another order subbing "Wheat Roll" for grits and s*** hit the fan.
I should have known better and had I been on top of my game I would have. As it is I just wake up every day iron a shirt and drive on auto pilot to the store and clock in...the rest is becoming a blur. It didn't set well with the Mad Italian and he yelled at me for ten seconds...it felt like two weeks. I know when to say I am sorry and it won't happen again. This was the time to say it and I did, scurrying out of the line of his fire as quickly as I could. I thought I heard bongo noises like you do when Fred Flintstone runs real fast chasing Barney.
The owner of my store is a true Mad Italian. He's actually half French and half Italian...a deadly combination. He has the Italian temper and every one knows how the French feel about Americans.
It took him a good hour to quit ranting but I took it like a trooper since number one it was my fault and number two I need my job more than Michael Bolton needs Rogaine.
Once an Italian is angry he is angry...REALLY angry. As a rule I am on his good side and he really likes me. A new girl started this past week and followed me on her first shift. She made the comment "Some say you are Len's favorite server." I replied "I try to be." Today I wasn't but I know when to tuck my tail in and hide.
I was supposed to be off tonight but picked up like a dummy. I knew the only person that would be upset would be Massey so I called her and made a deal. I told her I would come home and pick her up and she could come back to work with me and take pictures of Len's car he was selling to post on Craig's List.
After going by to give our evil cell phone carrier a couple of twenties we trudged back to work. Len seemed a bit calmer(not really) but he perked up when I told him Massey had her camera and could take pics of his car to post an ad to sell his car . He handed her the keys and said to back it out and take it to an empty spot in the parking lot so she could photograph it. I said I would watch her back out and he barked at me again "She doesn't need you to watch her!"
Aye Aye Cap'n!
She took the pics and came back inside and put his car on Craig's List. He said "I'll buy her dinner, whatever she wants." Dang, she was the first person he had been nice to all day...little sneak!
The dinner shift was slow but every thing I made was more than I would have made NOT working. Massey hooked Len up with an ad, got dinner for free and put him in the best mood he had been in all day. We were calling him "Chef Cranky Pants" behind his back but Massey had him wrapped around her little finger...Guess who's Len's favorite NOW?
Tomorrow is day twenty...I am thinking about taking Massey to work with me again for luck. If I hear one more co worker mention a "Wheat Roll" again HEADS are gonna roll!
It's a crazy place I work for but I absolutely love it and it feels great to be loved. So I got put in time out...wasn't the first time but hopefully the last!
Til next time...Cotton in the corner
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