I even tried reciting menu items from work starting with the letter "A" and working my way through the alphabet.
At five I began an old trick I read about in a book given to me when in my hippie years, by a doofus boyfriend. Think of everything that was yellow. What's orange, then red...green, blue and by the time you get to the color purple you were supposed to be asleep. Unfortunately by the time I named everything I could think of the sun was coming up and my face was purple in frustration.
The thing about insomnia with me is...one hour before I have to get up I fall into the deepest most Heavenly sleep of my life. Thank goodness everyone else in the house was up by 9:30 and knew I had to be up by ten. First I decided I had showered less than twenty four hours earlier and could skip one since I was only working a day shift. Then added ten more minutes to my nap by deciding my work shirt and skirt from last night were still stain free and with a shot of "Febreeze" would be good as new.
Then I added five more minutes by remembering I took a shower yesterday so I certainly washed my hair which is short anyway and only takes a warm wash cloth to tame back into shape.
BAM! With twenty minutes til time to clock in I left the house. Tim handed me a cup of coffee, had me a bagel toasted and four sausage links in a baggie. I was good to go!
Clocked in thinking I only had a day shift to endure and would back home by four. No such luck...even BETTER luck! We had a pretty steady stream of people and by four when I was ready to clock out two customers that always ask for me walked in. He is an anesthesiologist and I have been waiting on him and his wife since I worked at the Western Sizzler.
He is a crusty ole codger and it took me forever to win him over but once I did has been a loyal regular and last Christmas gave me quite a bonus in a Christmas card. Last time he was in, Massey was working and I introduced her to them. She told him she was working to buy herself a car. Before they left he asked me to send Massey by their table. He handed her a ten and told her to add it to her car fund.
When I went back to their table to present the check his wife said "When my husband gave your daughter the money to help with her car fund she leaned over and gave him the biggest tightest hug of his lifetime and totally caught him off guard." My friend Dr. Crusty said "I wasn't expecting that hug and your girl made my day."
Bounce back to today...I was walking out when they walked in. They asked if I would mind staying to wait on them? I told them I'd be ticked if they didn't let me.
They have come to love the restaurant. They used to come in and simply order dinner entrees and leave. I have led them through all the different things we offer and now they start with an appettizer of Mussell's Caprese followed by Mediterrean salad then an entree. He loves his Pinot Noir and his wife loves Barb's selection of hot tea. He usually orders a dessert (who wouldn't) and a nice coffee drink.
When they first sat down they thanked me for staying to wait on them and Dr. Crusty asked how Massey's car fund was coming? I told him she was well over two hundred and had worked last night which would add another fifty. He handed me another ten and told me to give it to her.
They sat in the back of the restaurant and at one point asked me if we were remoldeling or tearing the place apart? I quickly realized they heard the cooks in the back pounding the Veal and Chicken. It's kinda loud but what makes our meat so tender and quite delectable. Since they are close to my age we had a discussion about mallets. My momma had one...and I often think about how I need one. It makes meat so tender and is one of the many reasons our product is far and above most others.
I stayed an extra hour to wait on them. It didn't bother me at all, actualy it made me realize once again how lucky I am to have regulars that ASK for me and WANT me to wait on them. They gave my daughter ten bucks when she wasn't even there and gave me a twenty percent tip.
I had bought a big ole pork roast last night and Tim was putting it in the crock pot when I left for work this morning. By the time I got off dinner would be ready!
I came home and told Massey that Dr. Nunez had sent her ten more bucks and she immediately said "I just love him, don't you?" That's my girl.
People that think I don't have a real job must either be Steve Job's relatives that were included in the will or complete idiots.
I went to college. I worked for the school system for seven years. I tried the traditional way and it just wasn't for me. I am more of a "HEY...Don't ya just love me for me, person."
Different strokes for different folks. I am lucky to have found my calling and my forte' not to mention a way to raise three kids and still not hate going into work.
It's not for everyone and I realize that. What I also realize is that I shouldn't feel like a failure in life for "Just being a server."
I should sleep good tonight and not even have to use that stupid method of counting stupid colors that I learned from that stupid guy I was even stupider for dating in my stupid twenties.
Did I mention most people are stupid when they are young?
Til next time...COTTON
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