I was a nervous wreck about taking a new job this past May but everything has worked out. I can't believe it but am actually pretty dang good at it and is everything I was told it would be.
I struggled with transportation issues constantly but with a little (lot of) help from my friends and family managed to get back and forth for four months without a vehicle.
I've discovered I really like working at the airport. It's a city within itself and an environment different from any in which I've ever worked.
Every single day is different. Every single day the thousands of people traveling through are different.
In the almost six months I've worked there have quickly come to realize I wouldn't work anywhere but the international terminal and certainly not for any other restaurant than where I landed. (small airport pun)
Where I work is an upscale European cuisine restaurant and reeks of professionalism and ultimate customer service. The executive chef came from The Ritz Carlton and does a bang up job creating the unique dishes we serve.
I really like the management and think (hope) they all are pretty pleased with me...so far anyway.
It's kind of cool seeing all the celebrities up close and personal. Trust me, our restaurant is top dog in the airport. You won't find anything close to it and is where the flying elite eat.
Who would ever think I would be close enough to Ryan Phillipe to tell if he had even a tiny booger in his nose ?
I certainly never thought I would spend an hour talking with with the president of the Atlanta Braves and his wife before they left for Paris.
The younger celebrities have to be pointed out to this ole chica by all the much younger co workers .
I mean, I did know who Andre' 3000 of Outkast was but would have passed him on the street without a second glance.
Shaq was a little harder to miss.
Besides just our restaurant, they are everywhere. We see them on the plane train, we see them going through security or even see them in the rest room.
It's crazy.
Besides celebrity sightings, see something or someone different, strange or completely nuts every time you are there.
The entourage of stylists for Paul Mitchell today looked like a page out of a Cat in the Hat book. They were there eating when I clocked in today.
I see plenty of other crazy things from the time I pull into the MARTA lot til the time I clock out and make the trek back.
I waited on two men tonight. One asked "What's a hungry Scotsman to order and eat?"
He was good looking before he opened his mouth to speak but once you heard the accent got even better looking.
He said he worked in New York now after I asked him how he voted for Scotland's independence.
He asked me why people were so friendly in the Atlanta airport?
I said "Southern hospitality. Welcome to the south!" I wanted to say "Dude, have you looked in a mirror lately? You're gorgeous."
Like the creeper I am, came home and put his name into the Google Images search bar.
Bam!
Co founder of Smarter Grid Solutions. He attends all kind of seminars and serves on panels across the globe.
I've always enjoyed waiting tables and think I look pretty good in the uniform, don't you?
Number one I just like talking. Number two I like to be busy and moving when I work. Number three I like getting to know peeps and learning their stories.
Case in point:
My last table tonight was a couple with pretty heavy accents. I asked where they were going and found out were returning home to Amsterdam after vacationing in Orlando to play golf.
They were a really nice couple about ten years older than me. During the course of serving them dinner told them my brother lived in Orlando and played golf several if not more times a week. The woman remarked "He must be quite the golfer!"
I told her he was actually a really good golfer, unmarried with a great job and told her last time we all went to visit him noticed he had about seven different sets of clubs in his garage.
She said "I wonder what his favorite course might be?" You know me, I was really connecting with these people, makes me feel good and is a great tool to use as a server!
(Engaging the customer...)
I told her I had my phone, would send him a text and ask while she finished her glass of wine!
(Going the extra mile for a customer...)
I sent Chris a text from the back "What's your fave golf course in Orlando?"
I thought he might be in bed early, read my text and think I was an idiot and go to sleep without responding. (I'm not a golfer and he knows I couldn't care less about it)
I shot off another quick text "Waiting on some peeps from Amsterdam who want to know?"
I stuck my phone in my apron pocket and went back out front. I printed the couple their check and took it to the table. My phone buzzed in my apron and happily told the woman I thought my brother just text back. "Hang on and I'll read it to you!"
I handed the husband the check and leaned down next to his wife, who was thrilled he had responded so quickly.
I took out my phone and opened the text message. I started reading it to her:
"Either Waldorf Astoria or Mystic Dunes."
The woman enthusiastically said "We played Mystic Dunes twice!! We've heard about Waldorf but's a bit pricey."
I continued to wow them with, he also says "If they're willing to drive about 40 minutes north Bella Collina is Muy excellente."
The woman got a pen and piece of paper out of her purse to write the name of the course down. Dang I guess they really are golf fanatics! The husband nodded and said they would try that course next time!
Do I know how to connect with people or what?
I was on a roll and thanks to my sweet brother these peeps were having a "grand ole time" having dinner with me.
I looked back down at the text after the woman had the course name written down and said to her that he also said "Tell em the courses here don't allow wooden golf shoes."
It was out of my mouth so quickly, took me a second to realize what I had just said to these people.
At first I thought it was some kind of new golf shoe with an illegal spike on the bottom you couldn't wear on this particular course when it hit me like a ton of bricks...in my second text had said I was waiting on peeps from Amsterdam.
(Opening mouth inserting foot...)
Thank the Good Lord above the man chuckled as he was filling out the credit card slip and the wife outright laughed. She said "Seems your brother's also quite the jokester!"
(Noting to self: ALWAYS finish reading a text before relaying the message...)
Once I realized what I had just read to them quickly apologized and said I probably shouldn't have read that last part out loud, but by then couldn't stop giggling to save my life. My eyes started to water and my nose started to run. I simply couldn't hold it in.
If you think I'm funny, you should meet my brother. His wit's even sharper than his golf swing.
I got extremely lucky this happened with two really nice people. They left me an extra five on top of the eighteen percent and can almost guarantee you they will be telling fellow Amsterdam peeps about their visit with me when getting back home.
You know what they (or I) say.
Find something you're good at, enjoy doing and won't even seem like work!
I enjoy waiting tables, I enjoy being a momma and more than that enjoy writing about them both.
Til next time...COTTON
No comments:
Post a Comment