Auto"Blog"raphy of a Waitress & Mom: Oops... My Bad

I was supposed to go in as a mid shift at one thirty but the GM asked me to come in early to help work a party of forty from Delta Airlines today. I like my mid shifts because can snooze later than six thirty. I slept til nine and shouldn't have but a bed NEVER feels as good as when you SHOULD be getting out of it, so I did it anyway.

Tim's off on Mondays and is really pretty great about ironing a work shirt for me when he's off. Actually he has never refused one time...wish he could say the same about me. (first oops)

I was kinda nervous number one because this was the first party they had asked me to work, number two because it was a really big deal (another blog) and number three I was trying yet another brand new new short cut in my commute out to "Egypt" (or as you would call it, Concourse F).

After my first debacle of trying to park in (the wrong lot) out at International for twelve dollars and having to pay thirty six dollars instead, was going to attempt to find the right lot again today when I went in early for the party.

Shower, four minutes. (there's not much of me left to wash) Make up, three minutes. Hair, ten seconds. I was ready and walking out the door, thanks to Tim. (Ironing work shirt, six minutes.)

As I came down the stairs, with the cup of coffee in my hand Tim had also made and brought upstairs to me along with my freshly starched, ironed work shirt was bossing out loud what all had to be done because was leaving early for work and have absolutely no time left to spare. For Pete's sake I had to be in Egypt in just less than an hour and hadn't even left Newnan yet!

I still get really nervous about anything new concerning the airport and working there. It's an entire city within itself and a massive place to maneuver, especially when working there for the first time at the age of "mid fiftyish".

I made it down to the dining room when Tim asked me to sign some papers for the tax attorney. (yes we're still stuck with a $28,000 IRS penalty thanks to former "Partners")

Oh for the love of Pete, I had to GO!

I didn't have my glasses on and he had to point to the line where I needed to sign and date. I scribbled my John Hancock and asked "What day is it?"

Just like Tim (laid back and low key) quietly said "It's September fifteenth, our wedding anniversary.'

I dated the previously pointed out line , said "Well Happy Anniversary thanks for ironing my shirt taking the truck for an oil change, I Love You gotta go parking at International today so I won't be late." (I don't tend to use use commas when I talk)

He just slowly shook his head and said "Don't park in the thirty six dollar lot and I Love You too."

And I'm off!

Parking at International saves me over twenty minutes on my commute to Egypt and was going in early for a big wig party, working my mid shift afterwards, be first cut and walk out making easily almost two hundred dollars.Yep, I'll pay twelve bucks to save twenty minutes each way.

This is the parking I usually encounter but breezed on in to what I was hoping was the right lot and found a spot on the fourth level.

As was leaving the car to walk to the elevator, saw an employee and asked if this was the twelve dollar lot for employees?"

Dang, she acted like it was a trick question. First said no then quickly said she thought so.

What the hey. I was parked and less than five minutes away from clearing security and walking in to work five minutes early, I was staying.

I heard a voice behind me and was my co worker who was working the party with me.

BINGO! I was in the right lot.

I have to say is a class A-1 operation at Ecco. The executive chef was in charge and all went like clockwork. They started with bruschetta and grilled romaine salads with candied walnuts tossed in a walnut butter vinaigrette dressing and shaved Grana Padano cheese... followed by fried goat cheese balls tempura style battered, drizzled with clover honey and fresh cracked black pepper. We removed and reset fresh plates and silver between each course. Next was crab fettuccine in a mascarpone citrus sauce, lump crab, roasted corn and cherry tomatoes. Then came out the butcher steak with frites and Poulet Rouge, french red feathered hen brined overnight and cooked with fingerling potatoes, olives, calbrian chiles and Sicillian oregano.

Chef over cooked in preparation and while the party ate all quickly scarfed down on this wonderful food in the back, wiping our watering mouths before rounding the corner out of the kitchen.

Our eighteen percent was over $111 and left us sixty extra. All this before I even started my mid shift.

It seemed kinda slow after that and soon found out why. Some idiot had gone through security with a boxed pressure cooker and dumped it into a waste bin after clearing the check point. They shut down the International terminal and no one was let in or out for over an hour. It was snoozeville until all was cleared and reopened.

I had one table, a single guy a little younger much larger and maybe as attractive as me on a really bad day but extremely nice, and chatted with him quite a bit. When he gave me his black AMX titanium card after spending three hours left me $25 on top of the $17 included.

Yep, I was done.

Made eighty dollars on the party, over forty on the dude who had a crush on granny, fifty on my other tables and was slow because of the back up from International shutting down for over an hour.

They cut me around seven and by seven thirty was back at my car and headed home.

Dang, this WAS a good anniversary!

I took a break and went to the restroom across the food court. Discovered this message from my daughter she had posted on social media.

'I don't even know where to start... These two people have been married for 24 years, and together for 26. They have the 3 worlds greatest kids, the worlds happiest deaf, dumb, and blind dogs, while managing to survive life with the lost boys AND the hurricane! They've been through so much these past 6 years but they've always stayed positive for their kids. They've given us a beautiful portrayal of true love and shown us the values of marriage. They love us unconditionally and have never given up on us, or on each other. I cannot thank The Lord enough for giving me the worlds greatest life, but most importantly the worlds greatest family. I love you Momma & Daddy!! Happy 24th wedding anniversary!!!"

BAM!

I actually teared up when reading it.

How can such an unlucky person feel so lucky? This is one of the reasons.

So twenty six years later, Tim and I have been through the wringer. Started poor, rode high for a while but ended up poorer with fantastic possibilities.

It hasn't been easy on our marriage and been a slow long six year burn into depths we'll both be glad to hopefully never see again.

Yes there have been times when I simply wanted to walk away from it all just as Tim has but you know what, it was a vow we both took.

Vow: "An earnest promise to perform a specified act or behave in a certain manner."

He's so dead to the world now... just got home and he has to get up one hour before me at five thirty AM and already knows we used to have great late nights together before turning over with a smile on our face and can do it again one day in the now closer future.

Good things happen to good people. Do I sound like a bragger?

Dang Skippy!

Special shout out to my little hurricane. My girl made my heart sing when I read her wonderful post today.

When you first have babies, you are handed a clean slate. It's up to you what to write on it...you're the one who brung 'em to the party and is your responsibility to not only show them how to act but inspire them.

Feeling fantastically satisfied.